Evening star., 1893-12-12

pany. responded In appropriate terms. and
embraced the occasion to briefly review the
hlsto-y and the progress of the great Wa
terWay which was intended by Washington
70 unite the waters of the Potomac with the
Ohio river. Loaded boats started on their
way TO Alexandria, and the canal had COM
menced on its career of usefulness in help
ing TO develop the great coal fields of Allie
gany county. The canal was a success and
up 10 1877 paid its expenses, as we'll as in
terest on its bonds.
Dead I'm 1850.
lts history since 1872 up to June. 1889.
"hen the floods came and nearly washed IL
away Is familiar to the people Of Washing
ION ana to the peole of Maryland Some
ieaoers OF the state were ready to sell IL to
tne west Virginia Central and Pittsburg
halfway company for sl.500.Oo0. although
~ nau COST the state of Maryland alone
S22,oO,OO. Gov. Jackson in newsnaner in
terViews, declared that boats would never
noat upon the bosom of it's peaceful waters
again President Gambrill wanted many
many thousands of dollars to put in repair
ana tne sum was beyond all possihilirv
me oid canal seemed as dead and as empty
as a large trough with a cracked bottom
ex-senator Henry G. Davis of the West
virginia Central and Pittsburg Railway
company had his eye on the corpus of the
work and thought the old towpath from
Cumberland to Georgetown wouid ,naLa n
good roadhed for the extension of his road
from Cumberland to Washington, TO he
called when built the Washington and Cum
berland railroad.
Restored rs a Waterway.
The canal WILL howeve-,it is now believed.
run as a waterway for many, many years.
until the coal fields around Frostburg and
Homecoming are exhausted
The electric current is enteriny into
every pulse of life and apparently will he
used on this great waterway which cannot
De sold now, as IL is being run on business
principles and is paying expenses 1t is no
longer political machine. Under lis pres-
ent managers 1t is a practical business con-
Germ Inc bondholders of 1874 are now
running the canal, having paid off the
bondholders of 1878, and are running IL as
a waterway. New boats are being built
every few weeks and $40, IL is said will be
required If electricity proves a success
West Virginia alone has 1G,0OO square miles
of coal fields. an area greater than the coal
region of Great Britain, and produces $780,
oO0 tons. When these fields are fully de-
veioped the West Virginia Central and
Pittsburg Company will probably make ar
rangements to ship some of its coal by the
canal. Henry G. Davis is building a rail-
road from Cumberland to Baltimore, but
1t may be several years before this new
road is completed, unless they buy up the
Western Maryland railroad, which is owned
principally by Baltimore city.
The most encouraging sign for the canal
Is the incorporation of a company of prom
fnent and responsible capitalists to operate
the trolley on the canal The canal has
shipped over 100000 tons this year. and
with electricity, it is claimed, can ship
double that amount. Four years ago the
canal seemed dead. Today its prospects
are bright. Washington and Georgetown
as well as Cumberland will feel the good
effects OF prosperity on this great water
way. which now has a brilliant future in
sight.