Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-03
THE OLD CANAL
ONCE NOR1 THI SCENE OF BUSINESS
ACTIVITY.
A Romantic Story From Putnam COunty-haskso
Men Hang Man-Prsssncs Of Mind
Fatal Observation-Disclosures
State News.

taken a new lease Of life. For the nrS1
time since the memorable food OF June
l, 1890, the water is running through
the old ditch sufficient to float boats.
For several weeks boats have been run
ming between Cumberland and Williams
port. Last Saturday the gates were
opened at Dam No. 4 and the water
turned on the levels above Shepherds
town. The new work stood the press
ure all right, but at the guard lock at
the dam small piece Of the old en-
bankment sprung leak and the water
had to be turned off. 1t was only the
work of few hours to stop the leak.
however, and Superintendent Burgan
said on Tuesday the water would
be turned on again and
the levels filled. The work is practi-
cally finished between Cumberland and
GEORGETOWN, and boats were loaded at
Cumberland on Tuesday OF last week TO
go all the way through. OF course a
great deal Of finishing is to be done,
and weak places will develop here and
there along the line, requiring some ad-
ditional repairs. The resumption OF
business along the old waterway is done
without the sounding OF trumpets, ana
in a very quiet way generally. The
start is slow, owing principally to the
lack of boats. The old boats are being
repaired and put into condition as fast
as they arrive at Cumberland, and new
ones are being built. 1t was the gen.
eral impression that there would be a
great deal of trouble in securing stock
to draw the boats. Superintendent n.
C. Reed says, however, that there are
more applications than there are boats,
Many Of the old teamsters have kept
their mules, and want to return to the
tow-path. The work OF restor-
ing the canal has been under
the direction Of Major FL. d. Whitcomb,
the chief engineer, and II. W. Winship,
the general manager, both OF whom
have their headquarters at Georgetown.
Tie principal tonnage of the canal will
be coal, grain, hay, lime, cement, &c.
The outlook for good coal business Is
frSt-class. The B. e 0. Railroad. it IS
said, will ship largely over the canal,
using it as welcome relief for their
enormous coal traffic. The West Viz
GINA Central Company have begun the
building of connection between their
road and the canal, and have said that
they will ship CONSIDERABLE amount OF
coal. The old canal has had an event
full history. The true cause Of It's hard
luck is accredited by well-known
Cumberland lady to unlucky Friday. 1t
was begun Friday, July 4, 1928, and
great many movements in its suose-
quent history were begun on that I'M
lucky day. In its restoration a great
deal of care has been taken to eliminate
Friday. For good luck the first boat
was started out on Thursday, and the
were begun on a lucky
day of the week. The canal has the
distinction Of being the first great work
of its kind in the United States. George
was its first protector. 1t
has cost the State about ten millions OF
dollars. The canal is 1874 miles long,
and passes through great deal OF
rugged and picturesque scenery. There
are seventy-fve locks, each 100 feet in
length and Is feet wide. They have all
been put in good condition.
The old saying that Glove laughs at
locksmiths" has again been verified,
and in it's verification the little town OF
Winfield, Putnam county, is in a fever
of excitement. The cause Of 1t all Is
the supposed elopement of Miss Nora
L. Bowyer, daughter OF c. L. Bower,
one of the principal citizens of the
town, with John w. Miller, editor Of
the Putnam Democrat and eX-Mayor of
the town. For several months Mr..
Miller has been paying attention to Miss
Bowyer, and his suit was won so far as
the lady was concerned, but not so with
her parents. They objected to
Mr.. Miller's attentions, and for
several days the young lady
had been locked up in
her room and closely guarded. Tuesday
night she was again shut up in her
room, and at o'clock next morning
when her father paid her visit to her
room, she was still there apparently
asleep; but when the morning sun cast
its first rays into my lady's chamber,
her couch was vacant. Between ?
O'Clock AMI daylight she had given her
faithful guardian the slip and flown.
Miller too was missing and at last &C
counts neither had been heard from. 1t
is supposed they went to Ironton, O., to
be married. Miller told friend yester-
day that his press was broken and he
would get out no paper this week. Mil
Ter is about 35 years OF age. Miss Bow
yer will be 81 next November.
Last Sunday evening Mr. E. E. Mon
del, who lives near the the big Rems-
burg" trestle, on the Norfolk & West
ern Railroad, about six miles north of
Shepherdstown, probably saved num-
Der OF human lives and great loss to
the railroad company. The HagerStown
Globe tells how he did it. Shortly after
the evening soutb-bound accommoda
tion train passed over it, Mr.. Mondel
discovered that the bridge was burning,
and upon investigating found that the
flames were gaining rapid Roadway.
Promptly saddIing his horse, he dis
patched his step-daughter, Miss Annie,
TO Sharpsburg to notify the railroad
agent at that point. In the mean
time, with remarkable forethought
for a person not conversant with rail-
road lore, Mr.. Mondel sent out two
men, one north and the other south of
the trestle, to warn approaching trains
Of the imminent danger. Then taking
bucket and line he repaired to the
trestle and proceeded to extinguish the
fire with water drawn from the stream
below. He was about getting the
flames under control when one OF the
company'S engines arrived on the scene
and finished the job. About 1000 feet
of timber were required to reconstruct
the damage, but had it not been for the
timely Intervention and heroic efforts Of
Mr.. Mondel, it would have been difficult
to estimate what might have been the
loss of life and property. The two