Evening star., 1928-11-08
OLD TRAFFIC LANES
OF D. c. DESCRIBED
Association Hears History OF
Canal and Annapolis
Alexandra Road.

Two traffic thoroughfares of early
Washington-tlle old Washington Canal
ana the road connecting Annapolis and
Alexandria-were described in papers
read before the Association OF Oldest
Inhabitants of the District of Columbia,
and later discussed by the. members at
their meeting in Union Engine House
last night.
Discussion of efforts to obtain nation
al representation for Washington, pre-
cipitated by report that two members
had joined in the Humiliation DAY
demonstration last Tuesday, featured
the business session. washington Top
ham. a vice president of the organiZa-
ton and its delegate on the joint COM
mittee on national representation for the
District of Columbia, reported that he
and James F. Duhamel corresponding
secretary, had upon invitation carried
flags in the demonstration. One mem
Der rose to protest that it seemed to be
the private opinion of several members
that representation for the District was
not desirable, whereupon Mr.. Topham
reviewed the exact kind of representa- :
ton desired, stressed its advantages ana
pointed cut that the association went on
record unanimously in favor OF the
movement sponsored by the joint COM
mittee.
History of Canal Read.
A history of the old Washington
Canal, prepared recently by Mr.. Duhan-
ell upon coming into possession OF Two
official reports on that work, was read
before the group. The canal, which ran
from Seventeenth and B streets TO the
Eastern Branch. linking the old st.
James and Tiber Greek, was the Oldest
d. A@
hamel said, having been started on Sep.
ternher /, 1892, few days before con.
struction began on the Capitol ana
about a year prior to the inauguration
of work on the White House.
Part of the ancient structure is eX-
posed today below N street, and the
northern portion of it is arched as
sewer. Mr.. Duhamel declared. The orig
inal effort to build the canal was con-
tinued until 1795, when poverty on the
part of the city government forced It's
abandonment. At that time a ditch ID
feet wide, IL feet deep and mile and
an eighth long had been completed at a
cost of S5,170. Although some historical
authorities state Irish immigrants were
used to dig tlle canal, Mr.. Duhamel ex-
pressed the opinion that it was more
likely slave labor, then very plentiful
and cheap, was employed.
Even though the first venture had
failed to produce canal, the ditch
served to drain large swamp on lower
South Capitol street between Delaware
and New Jersey avenues which was IN
itself very beneficial result, Mr..
Duhamel observed.
Charter Obtained in 1902.
Following the failure Of an effort to
raise money to renew construction
through lottery, a private company
obtained a charter from Congress in
1902. to go on with the work. Thomas
Law, described as "Washington's first
rich, man." headed the company and
went to England to raise the money.
The. company's charter, however, was
so rigid and detrimental to private
ownership, that sufficient funds were
not available.
The need for waterway in the city,
and especially of short cut to the
Navy Yard, was still urgently felt by
the city government, according to Mr..
DuFam:S so in 1909 another charter
was granted and in two years sufficient
funds collected to begin operations.
In May, 1911, a tent was erected be-
tween New Jersey avenue and e street