Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-13

cial, land it is here yet. These rumors are
also periodical in measure, ana shouio
not be given credence- lie went on TO
say that if the GouIds should acquire the
states interest in the company they would
still be unable to get the controlling inter
est and intmated that they would be pre-
vented by the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
from appropriating the canal bed to their
own uses.
Long has the old canal been a landmark
and place of many associations in the beau
tiful country through which 1t passes. and
many a person will doubtless be glad to
hear that there is yet great hope of Its
pulling through another bad case of going
into decline" despite the belief that rail-
road over the same route would be or ines
Unable benefit to the adjoining land. OF
course, it is probable that sooner or later
the canal will go before the on-coming rail-
road but, again. the time appears to be in
the distant future.
It's Picturesque Course.
Few places in this country. and certainly
none in this vicinity, are more picturesque
than the course of the canal as 1t winds
through the rolling fertile fields of Mary
land up into the heart of the Appalachian
mountain range, where it flows calmly
around steep rocky bluffs and tunnels
through the mountains, always with the
charming, sun-lit, island-dotted Potow-
mack" by it's side The places along its
way are famous for historical events as
far back as the beginning Of the republic;
and surely none will forget the part 1t
played in the great struggle between
north and south lying as 1t did between the
towpath trod by marching troops, and
many a report of IAN quiet along the
Potomac" caused fears to subside in the
capital city.
Decline of Business.
While it is true that there is still much
work for the old highway of trade, 1t is
nevertheless a fact that since the war. and
still more since the great flood of 1889,
things have greatly changed. Business has
sadly declined. Once the grain raised in
great quantities in the rich valleys OF
southern Maryland, Virginia and West Nlr-
ginia was gathered together and hauled in
big wagons-perhapS ferrled across the
river on barges, poled along and guided cy
strong steel cables overhead which were
so strung as to make use of the swift river
zurrent and which are still to be seen at
some ponts-until the canal was reached;
and here it was loaded on the canal boats
and taken down through the locks TO
GEORGETOWN or Alexandria, where it was
made into flour. Coal, lime, various kinds
of imperishable food stuffs. building stone,
live stock and many other materials used
to be taken south. Coming back the boats
brought manufactured articles for the fam
lilies of the crews and the retailers along the
route. The Lighthouses were places or INDUS
try and interest. Each UOdl WdS Hdllco ny
the loafers as bringing the latest news from
the hundreds of busy places along The way.
Then there were many more boats than
now and 1t took constant care and no small
skill for one to successfully pass the others,
either those going the same way. but more
slowly, or those going in the opposite d.
rection Men and women grew up to look
upon the canal as their sole support, and in
consequence to love 1t in their way, not
only for its beauty and peacefulness in
spring and autumn days or on pleasant
moonlight nights, but for the heat of the
summer the storms from which there
was almost no protection, and the excite
ment of steering here and there to avoid
collision.
In Georgetown's Prime.
But all this was in the days OF OLD
Georgetewn's prime as business center
and when Alexandria, now the symbol or
sleepliness, was one of the liveliest towns In
this part of the country. 1t Is nearly
over now, The railroads take the products
of the land to other points; canal boats are
often far between, and scarcely anything
hut coal is carried south. Big, empty ware
houses eaunt and dflapidated i"an out
over the water, and a canal boat that wouio
trv To come near enough to load or unload
few bags of grain would doupuess run
aground in the mud
In these days the canal Is the property
Of a company in which the state OF Mary
land and the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
hold the largest interests. In the early
days-the idea Of the canal was conceived
a early as 1855, and the waterway was