The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-10-28
WORSE THAN A STEAL!
The Proposed Transfer Of the
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal
to the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad.
A Property that Was Said to Be
Worth $9,OOO,OO0 in 1890 to
go Now for $300,000.
Of the $4,000 the State Will Get
But 100000.
| Published by Authority Of the Maryland Demo
/ cratic Editors Association.

| Published by Authority Of the Maryland Demo
/ cratic Editors Association
When in 1890 the Board of Public Works,
! ..y authorization of the Legislature, advertised
/ to lease the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, and
! q bii was received and legislation to consum-
mate the lease was proposed, there was a
strong protest against the lease by the Balti
more and Ohio Railroad interests.
/ In November, 1898 the Board of Public
/ Work, advertised for bids tor the sale Of the
/ Canal. and but one bid was received. That
/ bid was in the interest Of the Baltimore and
/ Ohio Railroad, aud WAS far below the bid Of
/ 1890.
Tie proposed lease OF 1890 was designated
1 as a steal Ii such 1t was, then there IS no
word in the English language adequate to
/ characterize the proposed sale Of 1899.
/ The proposition Of 1890 was from the Wash
/ !ugiun and Cumberland Railroad Company,
I whose iucorporators were Enoch Pratt we'll
| known BaltImore hnancier; David l.. Bart
/ leu Of Bartlett; Hayward & Col John A.
/ Hanbetou. the Baltimore banker; A. Will
/ son. of Cumberland; Martin n. Rohrbach,
wealthy business man, Of Frederick; Z. kurtz
/ johnson. n coal dealer OF Washington, d. G.,
aud Ha,tersly W. Talbot, lawyer of Rock
Vile This company proposed to lease the
/ Canal. with its property and franchises for 80
wears. renewable forever. la consideration
! of the execution of the lease the Washington
and Cumberland Railroad Company proposed
to pay within six months from date OF the
/ Lease
/ PriBciual and interest Of the repair bonds
issued nndcr the act of 1873, Chapter IS, then
amounting, according to Gov. Jackson mes
I sage 10 the Legislature, to about $500. 900;
Seventy thousand dollars 100000, to be
/ applied 10 the paymeu; OF claims for work,
/ labor aud materials which accrued between
january !, 1871. and January /, 1890;
Thirty thousand dollars $50, 600, to be ap-
I piled to the payment of judgment against
wharf property in Cumberlandi
Twenty Eve % per cent. OF toe principal
f Of the construction bonds of 1874. said % per
cent amounting to Si2I,s75 and
Fifteen thousand Si5.0OO) annually to the
I state Of MARYLAND. after tie completion of a
single track from Cumberland to William
sport.
/ Og this proposition the Annapolis cores
rapd.pt Of the Baltimore Sun, under date of
. E.hru,ry !. 1890. said-''lf accepted the
I capiinlists behind the new-hedged railroad
COMPANY will have the cheapest and most Ell
yibis ri5hf OF way for their line that has been
secured hy any corporation on the Atlantic
aaaboari for wears. Fer long while u hats
Lpsu TIE tsk4k f1Ah hiiT tAAitsh "SNt' ~ N'-'-f
aJ g., Op0. 600
M. John X. Coweu. then chief counsel Of
the Raltimore and Ohio Railroad. ailerward
receiver aud now president, gave this inter
view % the Baltimore sun, published m the
issue oi February 5, 1880:
The price at which il is proposed to
ne1nira the Canal when capitalized at
rer cent amounts to Sl,S6i,s75. This
price IS totally inadequate TO the value OF
The property which It IS proposed to pur
cbase. The Canal ~ a rOadbed, graded
and bridged throughout ITS entire length,
is worth al the l0tresf calculation, without
countiug the tunnel or acqueducts. at
Least S20, 600 a mile The total length Is
lSg miles. and Il would therefore be
worth at least IS, 6S0, ,G50. But there Is
n magnificent tunnel which affords TIE
,yf,s pSiHt Of access to Western Maryland
bv which a railroad could be constructed
/ without having heavy grades to overcome
or several tunnels to- build. This tunnel
alone IS certainly worth "a million dol
lars TO ans railroad desiring 10 construct
a liue along the Canal. The aeqneductS
covering the streams between lumber
land and Georgetown are numerous and
they are bail, Of the most solid masonry,
Tins relieving the railroad from the ne
cassity Of building expensive bridges and
piers: and these acqueducis alone, II Is
estimated. would be worth 10 the railroad
company from a million and half 10
tiro millions If dollars. IL IS
well known that there are large amounts
of property IN the city Of Cumberland.
now occupied by the Canal, lying be-
tween the West Virginia Central aud the
Baltimore aud Ohio (rairOadsl which
for manufacturing purposes would be
valuable property and worth, II IS said.
from f,ra b three hundred thousand dol
lars. There Is property in the District Of
Columbia valued at from million 10 a
million dRI a half dollars. Aad now
the State Of Maryland Is asked TO give
away all OF this valuable property for
the pit(ul sum OF SIS, 900 year.
II Mr.. Cawen's estimates OF value be footed
up. and the lowest figures taken, the value OF
the Canal Ia lS9O was s., $50. 600, as follows ::
Is4 miles OF road bed at $4,000
per 50, ESQ. 600
Tunnel. 1000 600
Aque .ucis from 81, 100000 to
81 900 0O0l 0l........................... l,5Oo,OO0
Property ip Cumberland ttr0m
500. 900 10 $500, ,OOo. ............... 100000
Property ia the District OF Colum-
bia from 81 900, 900 to $500,
0OO).................................. LOCO, 900
TotaI........................ 81. $50. 900
If We take Mr. Cowen's ton figures the
value OF the Canal was IS, $50, ,OO0.
The bid OF 1899, in the interest of the Bal
tionra aud Chic Railroad WAS $500 OO0-