The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-07-17
Putting the Potomac to Work

seem, for he was inventor of the
steamboat before the Clermont ran on
the Hudson; and Richardson Stuart,
the assistant manager, who succeeded
Rumsey in that capacity, was also
Marylander, a citizen of Baltimore.
AS no work of this sort was ever un-
dertaken without friction and contro-
versy, Rumsey and Stuart fell out,
Rumsey resigned and was succeeded
by Stuart, against whom he filed SER
ious charges that the board investi-
gated and which Washington, in his
diary, characterized as malignant,
envious and trifing." Stuart later
got in hot water with the board and
was dismissed because of his nom at
tendance at a hearing the board
ordered, he being then in Annapolis
defending law suit.
When the second Potomac Naviga-
ton Company was chartered the Cen
eral Assembly of Virginia voted as
gratuity to Washington fifty shares
of stock. This was a deep embarrass-
ment to the Master of Mount Vernon,
so after consulting his friends he
agreed to hold the stock in trust for
the State and so announced at a
meeting held in May, 1875. This
stock he devised to a National Uni
versity to be founded at Washington,
but at his death the Potomac Naviga-
ton Company was in bankruptcy and
the stock worthless. The stock in the
James River Navigation Company,
which the General Assembly also gave
him, he bequeathed to Liberty Aca-
denny at Lexington, Virginia, which,
on the strength of the bequest,
changed it's name to Washington
College, later to become Washington
and Lee University. That stock is
still paying dividends.
Two headquarters were maintained
for this early navigation company,
one at Georgetown and the other at
Alexandria, the former being the
more important because it was nearer
the works. that were undertaken and
carried to completion.
If one reads Washington's diary
intelligently, with history of his
life before him or in the back of his
head, he gets a graphic picture of
the genius of the man, which is shown
more fully nowhere than in the de-
velopment of plans for canalizing
Father Potomac. He was the master
spirit of the Potomac Navigation
Company, he surveyed the river to
find proper channel; he gave at
tention to the character, health and
wages of the men employed on the
work; and he inspired his associates
and the company's employees with his
own enthusiasm for the project. In
1854 he first rode over the great canal
route to the Ohio and submitted
report to the Governor Of Virginia
which has many times been reprinted.
And in the intervening thirty years
he had many times, as he phrased it,
Grid between George Town and Har-
per's Ferry" so that he was intimate
ly familiar with the natural confor-
nation of the stream at both places
and between them.
In August, 1855, he left home "es-
corting Fanny Bassett to Alexandria,"
and proceeded to George Town for
"the annual meeting Of the Potomack
Company" This was a most impor-
tant meeting, for he, the president of
the company, was to submit his re-
port of a plan of operations, and on
his recommendation the board decided
to proceed "first to the Seneca Falls
and next to those at the Mouth of
Shannondoah, for the purpose of in
vestigation and to direct operations
thereat." Ut should be said, by way
of parenthesis, that Father George
did not spell in the modern manner.
Note Shannondoah for Shenandoah,
and the X on the end of and an oc-
casional w in the middle of Potomac).
When the meeting broke up the di-
rectors, led by Washington, went to
the scene of the falls and made their
headquarters at the home of ga Mr..
Goldsborough, decent farmers
House,; and from there they went
up and down the stream in boats, TAX
ing soundings, measuring the swift
ness of the stream, looking for open
channels to move boats through, and
otherwise surveying the river. The
longest entry in, Washington's diary
covers this important incident in his
life, and the care with which he sets
down details shows how dear the en-
terprise was to his heart. One quota
ton will demonstrate this.
The Water through these Falls is
of sufficient depth for good naviga-
ton, and as formidable as l had
conceived them to be; but by no
means impracticable. The princi-