The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-13

the canal was started, because of the plar
| then proposed of the railroad from Balti-
| more to the Ohio River. Through the gen.
erous aid of the Legislature, however. the
enterprise was saved from becoming fail
ure as were private stockholders from les
| ing confidence.
The First Locks Corncrxtonc.
Preparations for laying the corner stone
of the first lock of the canal were made on
July 4, 1929, but the ceremony had to be
| postponed until later day on account OF
| the inclemency of the weather. On March
90, 1890, the water was let Into the canal
from the powder house down to the old
locks, and navigation, which had been for
| some time INSTRUCTED by operations on this
part of the canal. was again resumed, sew
eral boats having on the first day of the
| re-opening. come down to Georgetown from
the river above. This piece of the canal,
which was about two miles in length, was
described as a beautiful sheet of water,
and as answering its unitarian purposes
perfectly. 1t is recorded that one boat
traversed the entire two miles in fifteen
minutes
Thus the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
commenced its career of usefulness as one
time in the country. 1t was from so T.,
100 feet wide and its minimum depth was
six feet. In addition to the two miles of
the new canal, ne-twentieth OF mile OF
the old Potomac Canal was used, connect
ing with the river at the head OF Little
Falls
The work was completed including the
construction of the locks from Georgetown
to Seneca, distance OK % miles. by July
4, 1890. In this distance there were "a
locks of hewn stone, large basin COM
mon to Washington and Georgetown. COW
ering acres. and embracing / 1-2 miles OF
wharf. or stone bridges in Georgetown;
s large culverts and several small ones; 2
dams built on an entirely new plan, of SOL
i'd masonry. and several walls varying
from 10 to so feet in height.
The canal was nearly completed to the
Point OF Rocks. and but for the legal con-
troversy with the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company ii was believed the canal
would have been carried that year as far
as Harper's Ferry. In the distance from
Georgetown to Seneca there was almost
1870 feet of lockage, little more than one
third of the entire iockage from tidewater
to Cumberland, so that the canal had pass
ed through the most difficult part of the
distance.
So far from the work being carried the
full length originally proposed. 1t was only
after the greatest efforts had been made
that it was made to reach Cumberland.
which Is its present termination. Much
opposition was encountered from the Bal
timore and Ohio Railway Company.
In July. 1s43, the president Of
the canal company. Gen. William
Gibbs McNeill.- made contract
for the completion of the canal between
Dam No. and Cumberland. with Thomas
". Letson and John Butler. This contract
was made on General McNeill's sole au-
thority, and not by the directors or ma
jority of them, as required ~ the charter
of the company. The contract vas con-
sequently disapproved by the directors,
and General McNeill resigned his position
as president July 10, 1913, and was sue
ceeded by Col. James NJ Coale. About
this time an agreement was made with