Evening journal., 1912-09-05
The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
M0I HOWR DASH

open its eyes. The extensive use OF |
concrete was a thing unheard Of in
the days of Mr.. Randel.
After a cessation of work for
twenty-one years the canal construc-
tion was resumed with the same man
at its head as President as when the
company suspended operations. So
high was the honor of the company
that after all those years the bills for
work early in the building period
were paid TO the last dollar.
March 26. 1924 Mr.. Randel was en-
gagged to excavate the greater part
OF the canal. Articles of agreement
we're executed to that effect The
work started April 15. Of that same
year Summit Bridge, Delaware, was
the point Of operations at the begin
ming This cut is extremely deep.
being rs 1-2 feet Notwithstanding
the Canal Company had contracted
with Mr. Randel and which contract
gave him till May /. 1928 to complete
his work, they ignored his rights by
taking the work out Of his hands In
the latter part of the year 1925
when he had yet three years to fulfil
his agreementl and engaged others to
finish the work. Small wonder Ran
del sued the company. After years OF
litigation he won his suit. January
1884 he was awarded two hundred and
twenty-six thousand dollars. Hon.
John Middleton Clayton, Of Dover,
was one Of his counsel and made a
most noted speech for his client
which speech is thought to have done
much to win the victory for Randel
John NJ. Clayton was afterward Chief
| Justice OF Delaware. He was the
author Of the celebrated Clayton
Bulwer Treaty" while Secretary Of
State under President Taylor. In 1929
| he was elected to the United States
Senate and reelected in 1885. 1S45
| and 1881 successfully. MIR. Clayton
died in 1856 Few cases tried before
] the Superior Court of New Castle at
that date Of period attracted such
wide attention. The large sum OF
money involved as well as the noted
lawyers employed on both sides gave
II great public notice. Randel some
years later purchased a large tract Of
land on upper Bohemia Manor. This
estate he named "Randalia" and as
! Randalia il has been known ever
since The location is ideal. situated
as it is at the mouth of Back creek
with the grand old Elk on the other
side. The late William p Howard
bought Il long years after and II now
is the possession of his children. To
Mr. Randel belongs the distinction OF
having planned the first elevated
railroad in the country. The busy
New Workers as he hurries TO the
u" during rush hours gives little
thought to whom credit is due for aid
in handling large crowds. Nearly all
our cities Of size nowadays have
elevated roads.
BENJAMIN Wright was an engineer
who supervised much of the cana
work and under him il was completed
October H. 1929 being thirteen and
five-eights miles long and costing
S2,250,000 Some parts we're bull
under great difficulty, sections OF th'
banks would sink as much as a hun
dred feet caused by quicksand. The
the bottom raised up In some place
4 forty feet in height Long delay
4 we're the result Of such aggravatin
circumstances. Others troubles be
g I fell the engineers, one of which wa
! the sliding back into the canal o
, 375,0O0 cubic yards Of earth whic
, had been placed two near the channe
! as II was taken from the cut at Sum
, nit Bridge.
Long years after the time Of Rande
: and Wright the canal company hal
! to wrestle with the problem Of keep
, ing back these sliding piles of earth
In the early days they were thatche
1 with straw to keep them dry an
I ! firm. Marley Mill and Cherry Hi
furnished large quantities Of ston
! used in the canal walls. The neigh
= borhood Of Marley is full of fine build
- ing stone, in fact for miles along IN
Y Little Elk creek Is to be found ston
. in the greatest abundance. Just a
: the canal company found good ston
r on the Big Elk creek for the wor
q on the feeder Four horses wer
used to haul the stones which wer
g placed in wagons and taken to III
I canal where large scales we're i'm us
J. to weigh the stone. The SUNNI
4 Bridge and "Cut" we're considere
n great wonders in the early thirtie
< and one OF the Biographies of this
4 period has a picture Of II,
. The Chesapeake and Delaware Car
Il al was route much used by III
n United States Government during III
n Civil War to convey their forces
a the front. This was a much short,
N and easier route to Baltimore an
!, Washington. those cities being
m direct communication with Whining
\ ton Philadelphia. New York and eve
! Boston. Great quantities Of suppl,
N and stores of all kinds we're sci
NJ south during the dark days Of q
q war by this inside route. This r
? minds me Of story told Of the Re
v Mr.. Mitchell. rector Of Trinity ChurC
,e Elkton. He was a passenger to Bait