The evening times., 1898-12-26
Maryland's State Treasurer
Expects a New Bidder.
THE SYNDICATE 4 FACT
Interests Which NeHid Serve a
Railroad.
VAST Quantities of Coal and Lumber
I'm Nest Virginia Seeking
s.n outlet.

Baltimore. Dec 2G.-Thomas j. Shryosk,
.Re treasurer of Maryland and one OF the
members of the board OF public works. in
answer to question last night said that
there are intinlations that the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Will not be the only
bidder for the States interests in the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. 1t was stat
ed that there is expectation OF BID from
a syndicate of capitalists who want to
get possession of the canal presumably
TO build a railroad on the towpath from
Cumberland at least as far as Williams
port. Mr.. ShrYock says this Is entirely
correct, although he is not yet at liberty
to state where the bid viii come from.
Mr.. Shryock says the board of public
works. at least as far rs he is concerned,
must receive a bid for a very substantial
sum before he will vote for a sale, As he
will never consent to a sacrifice Of the
property.
The announcement that the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company Is not Likely
to be the only bidder for the canal will
he acceptable news to the peop.e Of West
ern Maryland. IT is feared that the only
object of that company in seeking TO gain
possession Of the canal is Ia let it go 10
luin in order TO remove the threat of
new railroad To compete for the coal and
other traffic What the people of the
western counties want is additional facil-
titles. not curtailment of those they now
enjoy.
The purchase of The States stock and
ncrtgIge III she C nal will not, oil course,
-s1 IL.
property Possession, as things now
stand must remain where il is, practi-
caIly in the hands OF the Baltimore and
Ohio Company, until May, At that
time the State, or whoever HIS purchas-
ed the rights and interests of the State,
can move in the court for the sale of the
property under the decree which was
signed by Judge Alvey in 1880. A mo-
ton 10 that effect being successful, and
the property being put up for sale, any
one could bid for ii. But the person CT
corporation holding the States inter-
ests could outbid any one else, and
would i'm effect command the situation
by simply paying of the liens prior 10
the States mortgage.
Something has been said about the le-
gality Of building a railroad on the ca
nal Ii has been claimed that soon
Us the canal ceases to be used as ca
nal the property which was condemned
for a waterway viii revert to the origi.
nal owners The difficulty, said a lead
ing LAWYER discussing the matter. is not
likely to be serious. A good portion OF
the canal right of way was purchased
outright a portion was condemned. but
the charter Of the canal authorized The
condemnation of the fee simple. Ii is
possible the legislature had no power
To make any such grant. but even if il
had not it is not considered likely thai
property-owners would stand in the way
of building a road.
There are various speculations since tht
publication on Saturday, to the proba
bile source of bid for the canal stock
and mortgages. There are various inter
osts which could be served by q new roat
from Baltimore To Cumberland. The out
put of coal from the Georges Creek re
gion this year amounts to about foul
million tons. That of the Elk Garden re-
sion i'm West Virginia and The other min.
ing and timber regions along the West
Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railroad
which must come through Cumberland
10 reach market, is several hundred
thousand tons of coal and coke and 1
vast and eNer-increasing quantity OF
timber. AT this time the Baltimore and
Ohio is the only direct route to the ssa
board from Cumberland. A new railroad
with a continuous down grade. and not
Il single up grade, from the mines To tide
water would be a powerful competition
for this vast traffic.
There are various transportation inter
ests centerirs At Pittsburg. and it has
been suggested that some OF these may
be looking to the canal It has also beer
suggested that the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company may not in a few years bt
avcrse to encouraging the construction
OF a railroad from the coal regions Il
Washington. there to connect with The
Baltimore and Potomac and the lines Il
The South. With all the possibilities il
the future, Mr. Shryock says he viii
never consent to sacrificing the state:
interest AT this time.