Evening star., 1938-03-24
|CKES ANNOUNCES
PLANS TO ACQUIRE
OLD c. & 0. CANAL
Government Will Take Over
186-MiIe Stretch for
RecreationaI Purpose.
PURCHASE PRICE HELD
LITTLE BIT SCOTTISH
Section From Washington to
Point of Rocks Will Be
Restored for Boating.

Secretary of Interior 1ckes an
nounced today the National Park
Service, in fact, has completed plans
for acquiring the entire 1876 miles of
the old Chesapeake e. Ohio Canal from
Washington to Cumberland, Md, for
recreational purposes.
The actual purchase price from the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. present
owner of the canal, has not been
agreed upon. Mr.. Ickes said. but the
National Park Service will have fund
of s2.5O0,000 available for its purchase
and improvement. This fund will be
made available by the Reconstruction
Finance Corp. from profits resulting
from the sale of p w. A. bonds by
the r. F. c. to the public.
Declared Scottish.
Mr.. Ickes explained that he was
being "a little bit Scottish" in holding
out for the lowest purchase price pos
sible for the canal. The expected final
contract would be concluded shortly.
At present the canal property is
pledged with the r. F. c. on one of
its railroad loans, the department
said, and after acquisition of title,
the property will be turned over to
the National Park Service for ad-
miniStration.
The purchase will include the canal
itself, together with appurtenant land
Plans are under consideration by the
National Park Service for a recrea-
tional development of the land as we'll
as restoration of the historic lock
houses and taverns to include the
portion running from Washington to
point between Seneca Creek and
Point of Rocks. This distance of some
% miles will be restored so that the
canal can be used for boating and
other recreational purposes.
Mr.. Ickes said the historic value of
the canal, which was started in 1928,
would make it valuable acquisition
to the Government.
Boulevard Considered.
The property makes available a
right Of way, where not used for
recreational waterway, the depart
ment announced, for a possible route
approved by the United States Com
mission for the Lincoln
Memorial Gettysburg boulevard, con-
Meeting the historic Harpers Ferry
and Antietam battlefield with Gettys-
burg"
Restoration Of the canal, in the
stretch between Washington and
Seneca, will make it possible to
travel by boat between the two points.
The historic houses along its route,
including the old Great Falls Tavern,
may be restored at some future date.
Washington Aided Plans.
The canal is one of the most historic
landmarks in the Eastern United
States. According to tradition, George
Washington aided in planning the
waterway to the West. 1t was COM
pleted through to Cumberland in
1850, and continued in operation
until 1894.
Among its interesting adjuncts are
II aqueducts, tunnel and dams
on the Potomac River, used for water
diversion.
An important commercial route
during its earlier years, with peak
Of 100000 tons of coal moved by
canal boats in 1878, the old canal
came into disuse after the heavy flood
of 1924. Sections of the waterway,
however, still supply water for some
commercial purposes. The section
Immediately above Washington Is
utilized to supply waterpower for
factories in Georgetown.
Government officials said today the
early owners of the c. & o. Canal had
spent $50,0OO,O00 for its development
and repairs following damaging floods.
Its sale to the Government is being
made possible at this time, officials
said. due to the financing of loans
to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
through the r. F. c.