The times., 1899-09-10

When men OF the present day leave the
Capital on pleasure trips to rest in the
shade Of the trees that overhang the
banks of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.
along the upper Potomac, few of them un-
derstand the history OF the old water way
or realize the expenditure OF money and
energy which was required to complete IL
glimpse Of the placid channel. the moss
covered retaining walls, grass grown tow
path, and antiquated white-washed locks
Tails to impress them with the Importance
it once played in the Industrial life of the
National Capital. or In the commercial his
tory OF Georgetown, when that portion of
the city stood alone as a separate corpora
tion In the MONDAY OF its existence.
The canal may be said to have Sc n the
zenith of its greatness and glory. IL was
large enterprise when projected and uD
TO the Civil War the amount OF coal han
died on the waterway was enormous.
me canal was product of another age
The age of iron brought into being he
locomotive Since the building of rail-
roads the business Of the famous Old wa
terway has declined.
BY numerous acts of the MARYLAND Leg
islature passed in the years 1926. 1927. 1890
1881, 1885, 1896. 1S43 and 1915, large appro-
prlatiOnS were made by the OFiOle State
for the completion of the canal The state
also assumed control over the enterprise
by the election of a president and board of
directors. who FASTENED the work to COM
pietion After many years OF adversity.
financial and otherwise. and difficulties of
every imaginable character to contend with.
James NJ Coale was finally elected presi-
dent in August, 1S43. The company was
practically Frustrated at that time and the
new president had to face the gloomy pros
poets and pull the project through
The company was not only without means
but had no credit and when President Coale
entered upon his duties, its liza
biiitIes, in addition to those to
the State, held in mortgage liens
on the canal and its revenue.
amounted to 81, ia, $50. The canal was not
only in bad shape, but some of the largest
creditors, who had become interested in the
enterprise were reduced from wealth 10
poverty through the failure of the canal
company. The greatest period OF distress
was in 1872, when the State OF Maryland.
passed law authorizing its treasurer TO
sell the whole of the commemorative in
terest aggregating about 5000. 600 for s5,-
00o,O0O- When the sale was advertised in
the newspapers OF the State not one bid was
received The canal was only completed tc
what was known as Dam No. g. at that
time, 134 miles from Georgetown IL was
at this point where work was discontinued
in 1882 This left fifty miles unfinished.
The canal was, after much difficulty. fn-
ished in 1880 It follows the valley Of
the Potomac its whole length. except near
Pawpaw Bend. This is just below Cum
berland and at that point it passes through
mountain by means of tunnel S,11S feet
long This tunnel was great engineering
feat at that period. The construction Of
the passage through the mountains base
saved six miles of excavation.
What was the cost? This is the ques-
tion that has been frequently asked and
not always correctly answered. State
ments by former officials of the canal
company assert that the total expense OF
construction from this city to Cumber-
land, distance of 1S7 miles. aggregated
81, ,071, 1861, or about $50, 61S 81 per mile.
The canal was completed from one end 10
the other in October. 1850, and in thar
year five boats were started from Cum
berland for this city. They made the
trip with much difficulty because ali the
levels were not filed with water Since
then millions of tons OF coal have bean
hauled down the waterway, in canal boats,
which have made in round numbers 100, 900
clearanceS.