The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-04-12
CANAL MAY BE SOLD.
Future of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Waterway Soon to
be Settled.

The future OF the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal is dependent
upon the proceedings to follow
the expiration of the present
tru>teeShip. which will cease on
May next.
At its regular session last year
the Mary land Legislature adopt
ed a resolution directing the
Board of Public Works to take
such steps as may be deemed
necessary 20 sell the canal under
the decree of Judge Alvey in
1891, To give the trustees OF
the bondholdrrS of 1914 oppor
tunitN TO operate the waterway
the sale was deferred for four
years. and Judge Stake SuhSe-
quently extended The time to
May l. 1891. The Legislature
IN its resolution protested against
amy further extension and di-
rected the Board of Public
Works TO resist any move in that
direction.
Under the act of 1892 the
Board of Public Works is au
thorized to sell the canal to the
highest bidder. In 1899 the
property was advertised and bids
ct $500 600. 500. 600 and S42j.
600 followed cunStcutiVelv. but
sale was prevented through IA re.
iuSal of State Comptroller Colds
borough and State Treasurer
Shyrock to agree. Former Gov
ernor LoWndeS was the only mem.
her of he Board of Public
Works credited with being fay or
able to the sale.
a hearing before the board
was held at Annapolis in 1899.
when Mayor Hayes appeared in
person aud made a strong pro-
test against accepting The formal
$500, 600 bid made by MIR c. X.
Lord. President OF the CONSOLE
dation Coal Company. The
board declined to sell, and after,
ward General John Gill. sup
poSedly representing the West
Virginia Central Railroad. offer.
ed S400, 900 and NJ. Lord was re
ported as coming back with bid
of 1925, 600.
Mayer Hayes opposition was
due to the impression that Mr..
Lords bid was in the interest of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
and the Mayor placed himself on
record az an ardent champion Of
an independent and competing
railroad line from the Western
Maryland and West Virginia
coal fields to Baltimore His
claim was that it would he the
greatest blessing to Baltimore if
the Western Maryland Railroad
could he extended along he canal
from Cherry Run to Cumberland,
thereby having this road to tap
the coal fields.
The Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal is still being operated as a
waterway, much of the business
being the shipping of wheat,
corn and coal to its terminus at
Washington, ID. c.. while back
loads are principally fertilizers
and dressed lumber. The State
of Maryland's financial invest
ment in the canal comprises
So, 600. 600 of stock and 50, 600, 600
OF bonds of 1887, which. together
with accrued interest. aggregates
over $40. 600, 900. In 1914 the
Legislature passed an act waving
its mortgage priority on the reNe
nueS of he canal in favor Of an
Issue Of 81 100000 of bonds. the
holders being known az the bond
holders of 1914, and the trustees
of when operate the waterway.
In 1878 the company issued
$500. 600 of bonds, which became
a first mortgage taking prece-
dence over the State mortgage of
1887.
II am uneQnivocally opposed to
the sale of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal to the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad or other interests
which would operate against an
independent liue from the coal
fields to Baltimore" said Mayor
Hayes recently.
Hugh l.. Bond, Jr., and j.
Clarence Lane, attorneys for
John X. Cowen. Joseph Bryan
and Hugh l.. Bond, ,Jr, trustees
OF the chesapeake aud Ohio
Canal. filed a petition in the
Circuit Court at IIagrr>town.
asking that the time for the sale
OF the canal he extended five
years, to May /. 1906.