Evening journal., 1912-09-20
SQUATTER BLOCKS
ALBEMARLE CANAL
Government Refuses to Take
ii Over Until Title
is Clear


legal battle between an alleged !
"squatter" and the Albemarle and !
Chesapeake Canal Company is block
ing the forml opening of the first
link in the Boston-B Beaufort inland
waterway chain, says a dispitch from
Washington. This statement was
made by Gen. w. II. Bixby, chief of
The United States Army engineers, !
who declared that the Government is
ready to take over the canal and
open it up as free waterway as
soon as the canal company completes
a clear title to the property.
The Albermarle and Chesapeake
canal connects Chesapeake Bay with
the sounds of North Carolina. It's
inauguration as a free waterway will
open TO Baltimore a rich territory
along the inland waters of the Old
North State The last session of
Congress appropriated 100000 for
the purchase Of this property as the
first link in the inland waterway
chain. The money is now available.
Refuses 10 Sell Out.
Years ago, General Bixby said, this
socalled "squatter" settled along the
canal edge He claims that the pro-
perty on which he is living is his
own The canal company, on the
other hand, contends that the man
is living on its property. The So
called "squatter" refuses to sell out
and the canal company Is compelled
to resort TO law to disposses him
The volume Of traffic between the
Chesapeake Bay and the sounds Of
North Carolina approXimates' annual
~ in canal tolls, S125.000, collected
from boats carrying from Baltimore
TO the towns OF Eastern North Caro-
lima general cargoes and transport
ing from this territory to Baltimore
valuable shipments of lumber, fish.
oysters and farm products. The taxi
ing over of the canal by the Govern
ment will relieve this commerce Of
heavy tolls and, it Is believed, the
volume of traffic will be greatly in
creased.
Residents of Newbern. n. C., have
|naugurated recently a movement for
the organization of a steamboat line
to ply between Newbern and Balti-
more. sailings to date from the open
ing Of the free inland waterway
This is regarded as an index of the
commercial value of the project to
this city. There are a number Of
other towns in Eastern Carolina
which will probably follow New
berns example
To Connect With 100000 HarbOr.
When the free canal is opened this
port will have direct inland water
wav connection with the proposed
100000 harbor of refuge. TO be es-
tablshed by the Federal Government
az Cape Lookout Light draft boats
will thereby be enabled to avoid Cape
Hatteras. the graveyard of the sea. "
The depth of the Albemarle and
Chesapeake canal is 9 feet Il is
proposed TO dredge 1t to a depth of
~ feet. and an appropriation by Con-
gress for this purpose will be asked
at-the coming or the following ses-
sion.
Much interest is felt in commercial
1 circles here over the future of the
Chesapeake and Albemarle Cana
. under Government control This
; canal completes with the Lake Drum
mond Canal. in which Baltimore
capital is largely invested and which
was promoted largely through the
energies Of Walter b. Brooks. In
discussing the future of the canal, Mr.
. Brooks said:
"As a free canal il will mean much
10 the trade to and from the South
Tn this Baltimore will be benefited
hut so will Norfolk, Philadelphia and
New York.
without freight charges the pro.
ducts Of the sections along this cana
could be sold cheaper TO consumers
For instance the canal toll on each
900 feet of lumber is 35 cents. Lum.
} her is a leading product of the sec.
Z ton and with a free canal this cos
viii doubtless be taken from the ina
selling price. The same applies t
\ all other commodities shipped
through this waterway"