Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-29
BIDS FOR CANAL ROUTE
TWO RAILROADS 20 COMPETE FOR
POSSESSION.
Believed That Proposals Will Fall Be-
low Demands1speculation Re-
garding the Outcome.

The Baltimore and Ohio railroad, 1t Is in
timated today, wil1obe Appointment bidder.
along with the Western Maryland Railroad
Company, for the state of Maryland's in
terest in the Chesapeake and Ohio canal,
sealed bids for which will be- opened at
Annapolis Thursday by the board of public
works of the state. According to provision
of a Maryland law. as stated yesterday IN
The Star, the purchaser of the states inter-
est in the canal must pay in state bonds.
1t is said the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
owns practically all the bonds of the 1874
issue, upon which there has been for years
a default of interest. and it Is therefore
thought that this road is in position to
outbid the Western Maryland railroad. But
which will bid the. highest can. Of course.
not be known until the bids are opened
Thursday. - s-
The Baltimore and Ohio made an offer for
the states canal bonds in 1899 through e..
x. Lord. but the offer was rejected because
1t was not deemed sufficiently large. In
this connection. 1t Is stated today that in
all probability the bids of both the Western
Maryland. as a part OF the Wabash system,
and of the Baltimore and Ohio will be
smaller than the board of public works Will
consider a fair price for the states large
Investment. Should this prove to be true.
there will. of course. be no sale, and the
canal will continue to be operated by the
trustees as at present.
B. and o.'s Interest.
Mr.. George E. Hamilton an attorney for
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad in this
city, was asked this morning by Star
reporter what was the nature of the road s
present interest in the canal. He said it
consisted of a large amount of tie stock
issued by the canal company from time
to time for various purposes. Further
than this, he said, he knew nothing of the
situation. Whether or not the Baltimore
and Ohio would bid for Mary1and's bonds
he did not know, nor would he say that
the road was anxious to keep other roads
from acquiring possession of the canal
property.
1t is said that even If the Western Mary
land should secure the body of the canal,
or, for that matter. if any other road
should do so, the new owners will face
interminable litigation. because the site of
the canal was never condemned for any
other purpose, and when not used for a
canal the land would doubtless revert to
the original owners, or the thousands of
descendants scattered all over the world.
There is probably not single original
owner living. a1Qf2 'jals
Matter of Speculation.
There is considerable speculation as to
the real reason for he.Western Maryland's
desire to acquire possession of the canal.
Waving the assumption that long litigation
would prevent the building ioe railroad over
the course. it is urged that to actually secure
complete ownership of the canal property
as 1t is large sum of money would have
to be expended. chiefly In paying off prior
liens, larger sum, indeed. than it would
cost the Western Maryland to construct
an entirely new road bed from it's nearest
point to Washington. -.
The whole question. is one of much inter-
est to financiers in this section of the
country, and the. result of the bidding next
Thursday will be eagerly watched, and the
followed.
The present rumors ABOUT the building of
railroad over the, course Of the canal are
being read with sno, little interest by the
1nha bitants of Maryland along the canal
route, as wen as. by hany of those who 1--we
close to the Potomac in Virginia and West
Virginia. In general, however, most of the
landholders in those sections are not very
sanguine over the prospects, and if they do
look forward to railroad awakening con
slider that it will. come SO far in the future
as to be perhaps, after their day. -, -