Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1899-12-12
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
A LIVELY DISCUSSION
Over The Sale Of The Chesa-
peake And Ohio Canal.

1t was half-past twelve when Mayor
Hayes rose and thanked the Board Of
Public Works for hearing the representa-
tives of the City of Baltimore on the pro-
posed sale of the States interests in the
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. and thus end
ed one OF the most entertaining and dra-
matte meetings that the staid Board has
ever held. in which denial of statement
made and charges Of cheatery on the
part OF the Stale were freely handed
about the Chamber, and received, par
ried and returned with the ease and good
humor of the drawing room.
The first business was to open and
read Gen. ellis last letter, which was
warm protest against receiving second
bids alter the first offer and suggesting a
public sale of the States interests. The
Governor repudiaied the suggestion that
the bid Of Gen. Gill had been given out
by the Board. Mayor Hayes was the
first speaker. and protested in the name
OF the City OF Baltimore that the admin
istration. in its expiring hours, should
sell the canal to rival railway to keep
the city from having a competing line,
and, especially too, as the city was about
TO sell its interest in the Western Mary
land. he desired the Board not 10 cut off
the city from making an advantageous
sale OF the Western Maryland to parties
who might secure the bed of the canal
for railroad and thus be able TO give
more to the city for the Western Mary
land.
The members of the finance board,
Messrs. Ramsay, Smith, Deyrecs and
Supplee each, in turn, supported Mayor
Hayes in the suggestion that the sale of
the canal be postponed until after the
Legislature meets.
Mr.. Hugh L. Bond. as counsel for the
bondholders, protested that the question
was lost in what the Mayor and the FL
nance Commissioners had said. The real
question was twill the State give the
bondholders OF 1874 the opportunity or
reorganize the canal and get back their
money! He declared that the State
had been indecently dishonest in attack
ing the rights OF these bondholders whom
it had invited to invest their money in
the Canal.
Attorney-General Gather said that the
B. & 0. was the real holder OF the bonds;
that it had bought for ten cents on the
dollar.
Mr.. Bond-That is not SO.
BY cross-question il was brought out
tha; it was 27 cents. Mr.. Bond declared
that nobody in the room would live to
see railroad along the line af the canal.
The bondholders had had their rights
adjusted on that point by the courts.
Mr.. Hayes-Give us chance by post
poning this question to the next Legisla-
ture and we will see.
Mr.. Bond stated that the b. & o. was
only Interested in trihing way in the
matter OF the sale.
Mr.. Hayes, in conclusion. said that as
the matter was in doubt as TO the State S
right to have railroad built along the
canal he begged the Board to postpone
the matter until its w-officer, the Attor-
ney-General. could tell them what was
the States interests. He had faith in
the Board and did not believe that the
honored names that composed it would
be blurred by sacrificing the interests OF
the City of Baltimore in the last, expir-
ing moment OF the administration.
The Board then went into executive
session.