Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-19
TO RESTORE THE CANAL.
An Important Conference Held In
Georgetown To-day.

OcOTScVOwu 1OsO0ys
CANAL OFFICIALS AND BUSINESS MEN OF MARY.
LAND AND THE DISTRICT APPROVE A PRoPo-
sTTIos TO ISSUE REPAIR BoNDs-THE GEORGE
TOWN LEVEL TO BE REPAIRED AT ONCE.
The canal was supreme at Georgetown to-
day. 1t was the theme Of discussion all the
morning. Little knots of business men stood
in stores and on street corners and talked of
plans by which the waterway might be restored
to its former degree Of usefulness. At the Of
fee of the canal company the canal manage
ment met at about 1880 o'clock and discussed
the problem which the public meeting was 60
ing to try to solve.
The public meeting was held in Cropley's
hall, on the northwest corner of 3Ist and NJ
streets.
Among the canal managers and officials
present were: President Gambrill, Treasurer
Spencer Watkins, Accountant Ayers, Directors
j. q. Berret, Patrick Hamill, Robert A. Dobbin
and John ID. Ahalt. Messrs. John p. Poe and
Thomas Lanahan, both Baltimore lawyers, were
looking after the interests of their clients.
Georgetown was represented by Messrs. F. L.
Moore, Mayhem Platter, ]. G.. Waters, Robert
Tenney, Geo. c. Gray, George Hill, H. W.
ship, John Heiston, Geo. T. Dunlop and others.
The Cumberland delegation consisted of
Messrs. w. o. Sprigg, R. d. johnson, R. H.
Gordon, W. i. Coulehan, VIM. Walsh, Fredk
Mertens, J. W. Avirett, G. J. Orrick, s. ]. Ed
wards, George l.. Wellington. w. NJ McKaig,
c. c. Hedges, J.W. Shuck, A. H. Amick and W.
f. Weber. The Williamsport company con-
sisted of Victor Cushwa, James Finday, F. II,
Goddard and +. II. Darby. The Hancock men
were John w. Burgess, Peter E. Dawson,
ward Wootton, of Edwards Ferry, and Mr.. H.
b. Moulton, Of this city, were also present
OPENING THE MEETING.
1t was past 1870 when President Gambrill
called the meeting to order, stated its object
and invited Col. Jas. G.. Berret to occupy the
chair. J.T. Edwards, of Cumberland, was sec
rotary of the meeting.
Col. Berret said that the first step in the
great work of reconstructing the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal was to repair the Georgetown
level. That will give relief to an important
interest. The canal has now reached a crisis
in its history which demands heroic measures.
II hope" he said, I'VE shall find a hero who
will carry us through. How shall the canal be
repaired? might suggest that we issue repair
bonds, similar in character to those of 1878.
Those bonds, however, would not be regarded
among business men gilt-edged security"
The governor of Maryland and the board of
public works, he said were very much interested
in the matter. There were vast interests con-
cerned The cOal-shippers, the boat builders,
the boatmen, the storekeepers and thousands of
others were interested. These classes should
band themselves together; unite on some line
of action which would create such a strong
public sentiment that the legislature, which
was the supreme power in this matter, might
feel compelled to give
THE NECESSARY RELIEF.
Speaking for the other directors as well as him
self they were earnest, anxious and willing to do
anything they could to restore the canal There
H. 81.
stored. He advocated the raising Of a loan of
million dollars SO that the canal could be
double-locked. The result of such a change
would be the payment of interest on the invest
ment and the accumulation of sinking fund
which would ultimately pay off the principal OF
the debt.
THE SECURITY TO BE OFFERED.
Mr.. Ii. W. Blount of Georgetown, wanted to
know what security there would be in the
bonds which had been spoken of.
Col. Berret said that the bondholders would
only have lien upon the net revenues of the
canal, and as there were no net revenues, of
course the bonds were not very valuable.
Mr.. Blount wanted to know how much it
would cost to economically repair the canal.
He asked the question of President Gambrill.
President Gambrill said the canal could be
made navlgable for 100000; it might possibly
be done for less, but he thought the company
ought not to start with less than that amount.
The only way in which the money could be
raised would be by the active lIberality of the
people interested. Bonds or toll certificates
could be given as security. The work of repair
could be started with $4,000.
Mr.. Blount said he wanted to be prac-
teal In this matter. He was small
shipper, and, of necessity, could only be a small
subscriber. What did the canal company pro-
pose to subscribe?
THE GEORGETOWN LEVEL.
Col Berret asked Mr.. Blount if it would not
be better to first adjust the Georgetown level
Settle that before the more important matter
Of restoring the canal was gone into
Mr.. Blount replied to the effect that the re-
pairing of the Georgetown level was a purely
local matter. Time was precious, and the
great majority OF those present wanted to see
the canal moving; to see it navigable. The sup
ply OF water for the mills concerned only half
a dozen men.
Mr. F. L. Moore, Of Georgetown, put the
pointed question to the chair: 'Will the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal company deposit
the water rents in the Farmers and Mechanics
National bank to reimburse the subscribers?"
Col. Berret-'Yes"
Mr.. Moore-'"Then the money will be SUBJ
scribed in twenty-four hours" General APP
plausc.
Mr.. Moore wanted to know how the canal
company proposed to have the Georgetown
level repaired with the money which would be
ready tomorrow.
President Gambrill said that the subscription
was only loan to the canal company and the
company wanted some security that the work
would be we'll done.
THE CANAL CoMPANY's CONDITION.
Col. Berret called upon Mr.. H. G. Winship to
give an expression of his opinion, and Mr.. Win
ship said that he was willing to do his part He
asked the very pertinent questions: "a the
canal company in bankrupt condition? Can
it help itself?" Col. Berret shook his head in
protest against any such incisive query, but
when Mr.. Winship repeated it the colonel said:
YES the company is entirely bankrupt. 1t is
penniless and without credit. For the company
to rebuild the canal without external aid is sim
ply impossible"
TO FORMULATE PLAN.
DR.. Edward Wootton, Of Edwards Ferry,
said that it would be impossible to get down to
business unless the meeting changed its plan.
He moved that committee composed of two
members from each county along the line of the
canal and two from Georgetown meet formu-
late some plan and report to the full meeting
at o'clock. This was carried, and after the
delegations had selected their representatives
on the committee, Col Berret announced them
as follows:
Allegheny Co., Frederick Mertens and G. J.
Orrick, Washington Co., Edward Stake and
Victor Cushwa Frederick Co.. Benz Cramp-
ton and G. I. Dunlop; Montgomery Co., Dr..
WoottOn and James T. Trundle; Georgetown,