Evening star., 1940-06-09
{. & 0. Canal
Restoration
Nearly Done
Stretch to Seneca
Ready for Canoes
By Mid-Aueust

OF the historic g. & Q. Canal between
Washington and Seneca, Md, is
nearing completion, with officials
of the office of National Capital
Parks predicting that the public
will be able to canoe over this
stretch of the waterway by the mid
die Of August.
During the last few days of May
the section of the canal between
SWANS Lock (hetween Great Falls
and Seneca, and the spillway just
below Great Falls was filled with
water Park officials said yesterday
the Welfare and Recreational As
ISOLATION of Public Buildings and
Grounds, Inc, has installed a small
number of canoes and rowboats at
Great Falls for public use. An old
barn near Great Falls Inn is used
for boathouse. C. c. C. boys have
been at work for the last two weeks
expanding parking facilities at this
point.
Tomorrow that section Of the
canal between Georgetown and
Little Falls will be drained for eight
days while the Corson & Gruman
Construction Co. rebuilds the spill
way and wasteway at Foundry
Branch about a half mile above
Key Bridge.
Canal Locks Repaired.
This repair work is being done
under $4,000 contract with Corson
& Gruman. Inc, which calls for
the rebuilding of lock at Little
Falls Here the construction COM
pany is repairing both the canal lock
and the lock feeding water into the
canal from behind the Little Falls
diversion dam. At the same time
it is reconditioning food control
dixie which lies at right angles to
the canal and is designed to keep
flood waters from racing down the
canal to Georgetown.
Park officials, not long ago. pre-
dicted the work at Lock would be
completed ahead of schedule (time
limit on the contract runs to August
81. This prediction has been revised
and officials said yesterday it was
expected the contract would run its
full length.
A contract for $4,000 under
which major breaches in the canal
banks have been repaired in the
vicinity of Whitewater. between Crop
ley and Great Falls, has been COM
pleted. park officials said
c. G. G. enrollees and special en-
ployes hired out of P. w. A. funds
are at present putting finishing
touches on the entire % miles of
the canal between Washington and
Seneca This work has included
restoration of all the lock gates and
lock walls, repair of the towpath. re-
inforcing the walls of the waterway
and generally cleaning up, plus re-
pairs to lock houses.
s500,00O Nearly Gone.
The s500.0O0 with which the Office
of National Capital Parks has been
doing the major part of the repair
work is expected to be exhausted
this summer. The $50O,0OO was left
over after the canal property itself
was purchased from the B. e. o.
Railroad two years ago with P. w. A.
funds.
From now on. unless new aprso-
priations or allotments are forth
coming, finishing touches to the
canal will probably be put on from
time to time by the regular construc-
ton force of the parks office with
the aid of the c. c. c. enrollees.
So far no policy regarding public
use of the canal for recreation pur-
poses has been formulated by the
parks Office or its superior organiza-
ton, the National Park Service.
Undoubtedly canoes and rowboats
will be permitted on the waterway
throughout its length when the
canal is filled this summer. Motor
driven craft probably will not be al
lowed on the canal this year, if ever.
About two months ago certain
officials were Of the opinion that
when locks and 0, which con-
meet the canal with the Potomac
River at Georgetown were re-
conditioned motor driven craft
would be permitted to use the canal
under stringent speed restrictions.
May Add More Boats.
If motor craft are permitted. an
entirely new area for weekend
cruises will be opened up to local
yachtsmen.
Ascending the canal to Violet
Locks, near Seneca, the head of
navigation of the reconditioned Sec
ton OF the canal, boats could then
be passed out into the quiet stretch
OF the Potomac which stretches
from this point virtually to Point of
Rocks, Md. A round-trip cruise of
nearly 100 miles would thus be
created in a section which is little
known to Washington boat enthu-
siasts.
However. if the parks Office de-
cides not to allow motor driven
craft on the canal, this trip will
be available only to experienced
and enthusiastic canoeists.
Parks officials said yesterday that
the Welfare and Recreation Asso-
citation probably would increase the
number of boats and canoes avail
able to the public at Great Falls
If public demand proved great
enough.
Outside of these few craft the
public. for the time being, will have
to rely on commercial lighthouses
along the canal and the river until
the parks office is able to carry
out plans it has drawn up to re-.
build the Francis Scott Key Man.
sion just above Key Bridge into a
public boathouste and recreation
center.