Evening star., 1917-11-04

the Intelligencer. In the opening para.s;
graph he says:
This company IL known to Be chartered ~
Congress and to be composed Of some Of o.
gentlemen of honorable standing. when -
anonymous writer thus attacks Q respectAk1I
company the individuals and directors Of whle6
are known to every one he should take care Ill
and facts.
After pointing out ono Of the charAssej
requirements that before toll or wf1arfaeN
could be collected a boat drawing thfeo
feet Of water should be able to pass froGa
the Potomac to the Eastern branch, ~
says that in November. 1915. ''the presi-
dent and directors. accompanied by sons
members Of the city council and disintse-
ested citizens, passed through tho canal
In barge from the Potomac to the East
ern branch. sounding its depth. and estah-
lished the fact that there were three fest
OF water from one extremity to the otheR
and that the requisites OF the charter
were sufficiently compiled with to enfitlA
them to collect wharfage and toll He
said that soon after the passage OF the
law a few citizens who have been mose
active in erecting bridges. making the
turnpike roads and establishing the fTyt
bank In Washington, all OF which instttu-
tfons have 80 much contributed to ita
prosperity. subscribed $4,000 for th6
canal stock without any expectation 0
psofit Prof for some some years: but w with , the beiise
commercial prosperity Of the city. ana
from a muddy nuisance embellish II with
a handsome canal" He lays stress on tho
financial losses and the perplexities Of the
canal promoters covering a series OF years.
and concludes thus:
found so mean and iliberal as to refuse to ~
the few cents established by law wharfe90
and at the same time to abuse and vilify The
company.
Tho canal ,,pdar ,,riyo "a oprp ors hin -Sm
not brilliant success between its open.
ing in 1915 and 1882. The city Of Wash-
fngton came to the aid Of the company,
and the corporation Of Washington i'd
with the plan of having the municipality
operate the canal An act OF Congress
approved May 81, 1892. recites that: 80
Whereas It is represented that the maysR
board Of aldermen and board Of common council
Of the city Of Washington have purchased nd
the exclusive owners Of all the st0ek
of the Washington Canal Company and are a.
sirous that the entire property rights. privileges
1ma 1hsr, I'm 1ha 40 oi IN re a. -
right, title. etc, Of the Washington Canal Cen
pany are hereby vested in the corporation Of fAs
city Of Washington. -
Under municipal control the canal went
from bad to worse. 1t was always,aA
revenue consumer; never a revenue pro.
ducer. Sentiment developed against ft
in progressive circles, but having be-
come an institution" 1t had many de-
tenders. In 1866 Congress took up
the question of its abatement. Mayor
Richard Wallach defended the canal.
There lies before the Rambler a letter
addressed by Mr.. Wallach to the House
and Senate. April Z. 1866. saying: II deem
1t my duty to lay before your honorable
bodies the following statement of tho
claim of the city of Washington to what
is known as the Washington city canal
In order that you may act advisedly In
the matter of depriving this city of its
right to that property. q bill for which
is now before the Senate" Mr.. wallach
charges that Congress was the first of.
fender in turning the canal into a sewer
When the territorial government waS
Instituted Alexander Shepherd saw that
the canal was hopeless, and it was
abated.