Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1898-12-09
Proposed Sale Of the c. & o. Canal.

Speaking of the future of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal, DIR. Edward Wootton, a
resident of PooIesville and an honored citi-
zen OF this county, said In his interview
with the Baltimore SIM, Mr.. f. II. Darby,
of Washington county, has raised an i'm
portant matter in referring 10 the valuable
water power of the canal which has been
going 10 waste for 80 many years. The dam
at Seneca has not cost hundred dollars
year on the average TO keep II in repair.
From this dam to Washington, a distance
of twenty miles, there are twenty-five locks
on the canal, each with fall OF eight feet.
The water from one lock flows down 10 the
next, and its power could be used twenty
two times. None il wasted. Within twelve
miles of Washington there are thirteen locks
having an aggregat fall of over a hundred
ieet. All this splendid power is most
valuable feature OF the canal and should be
utilized. 1t could readily be converted into
electricity and conveyed To Washington or
other towns for light, heat or manutactur.
ing power. Ii could also, OF course, be used
for propeling electric cars.
DR. Wootton said also that the portion OF
Maryland where he lives, in fact all that Ter
tile part of MONTGOMERY county lying along
the Potomac river, is dependent upon the
canal for transportation facilities. IL the
canal should be abandoned and no railroad
take It's place there would be no adequate
means OF transporting crops 10 market or OF
getting supplies. There Is no railroad with
10 reasonable distance. Deprived OF trans
portaton facilities, the public interests would
suffer and property would greatly depreciate
in value and the revenues oil the State and
county would be affected. What the people
of Montgomery, and, 10 fact, OF all the canal
counties want, Ii a road To market and not
the Lflfing sum which might come into the
State treasury by the sale Of the canal STOCK.
For the transportation Of crops 10 market,
DR.. WOOtton considers canal 10 be pre-
ferred 70 railroad, for u canal boat Will
stop W load or unload wherever II Is wanted.
But Tor the development OF the country a
railroad is 10 be preferred. Washington Is
now OVERLOOKING into Montgomery county,
| and with TallrO I'd up the canal Owpath
through the picturesque scenery OF the Po-
tomac. this part of the county would be
speedily occupied by suburban Residences
and villages would spring up rapidly, IN
creasing the value OF property aud the as
able basis Tor taxation. This, OF course,
would be more profitable 10 the State than
a SUN of money paid 10 abandon the canal
ain my Judgment" said DIR. Wootton
"the States interest should not be sold a
this time. There is a decree for the SALE
OF the canal itself and that decree will be-
come operative May /, 1901. The STATE
should wait until then and then the canal
Itself, ditch, banks and franchises should be
offered at auction add not by sealed ds
That would give all the railroad companies
an equal chance " bid and would probably
produce more Tor the State 1t might also
be well for the Legislature at the next ses'
sion 10 charter some company ia advance
as the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad reor
ganization company was chartered at thu
| last session."