Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-05
MAY USE THE CANAL
FOR RAW MATERIAL
Transshipment of South Amer
ican Products, Washington
to Cumberland, Considered.

CUMBERLAND, Nd, March 5.-De-
velopment of water terminal at Wash
Ington for the transshipment via Chesa-
peake and Ohio canal to Cumberland,
Nd. of South American raw products is
being considered in connection with the
proposed operation of the canal by the
United States government. This be-
came known with the arrival here today
of Mai. John Stewart, L. S. A, who is
to make a survey for Secretary MeAdoo
and the inland waterways committee OF
the practicabiity of building and oper-
ating an increased number of barges on
the canal
The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company.
which has commenced the construction
in Cumberland of a million dollar
plant that will employ 5000 men. is
considering the canal as means OF
getting raw products from South Amer
lea for manufacturing purposes. 1t has
taken the matter up with the canal
company. Should government opera
ton of the canal materialiZe and the
plans of the tire company be adopted,
it would mean that South American
boats would dock at Washington and
that coal-carrying barges would return
from the National Capital to Cumber-
land laden with cargoes-
Arranges to "Clear" First Barge.
Representative Frederick n. Zihlman
of Cumberland. G. l.. Nicholson, super
intendent of the canal company, and a
representative of The Evening Star met
Maj Stewart upon his arrival here this
morning The Army officer was in
formed that the company has arranged
to clear the first coal barge of the sea-
son to Washington March 25.
Information as to last years output
of coal in the Cumberland region was
given Mai. Stewart by Representative
Zihlman. 1t showed that nearly 4,000,-
900 tons of coal We're mined under a 40
per cent car shortage handicap in 1917.
Given transportation facilities this
region, it is claimed, is capable OF pro-
ducing 100000 tons of coal annually.
With the federal government operating
400 boats at least 100000 tons of coal
can be shipped to Washington via the
canal in season, or mora than enough
for the needs of the government and
ital it is asserted.
Mai Stewart, who is accompanied by
Lieut.. Russell NJ. Easton as aid, spent
today inspecting mines and docking
and loading facilities. Tomorrow he
will start for Washington on a motor
cycle and will make the entire trip
over the 1S4-mile towpath that parallels
the canal.
He expects to submit his report to
the inland waterways committee in ten
days.
Dinner Planned for Tonight.
Mai Stewart and his aid, Rep
resentative Zihlman and the repre-
sentative of The Star will be enter
tanned at dinner tonight by the Cum
berland Chamber of Commerce. The
Star correspondent bears a letter from
A. I.eftwich Sinclair, president of the
Washington Chamber of Commerce, to
William l.. Sperry. president of the
Cumberland Chamber of Commerce,
which says:
Our organization and the whole
capital is greatly interested in any
movement looking to better transpor-
tation facilities between our city and
yours The improvement of the c. and
O. canal should be a step in this direc-
ton. and l hope no effort will be lack
ing on your part and that of your or
ganization to aid the carrying out of
the suggestion under consideration by
the government. 1t has seemed to us
that as coal and food carrier the
canal should be of great service to
our respective communities"