Evening star., 1943-10-24
By Robert ShoSteck.

The recent reopening of the CheSa-
pletion of extensive repairs to damage
caused by last springs food, recalls
many interesting events relating to the
original construction of the canal
events brought to light for the first
time since deposition Of canal COM
pany files in the National Archives.
These old archives, particularly the yell
lowed and moldy correspondence files Of
over a century ago, reveal many of the
troubles in the realm of politics, finance
and labor which beSet the indomitable
canal builders during the more than
two decades required to construct this
artery of commerce with the West.
Another interesting facet of the story
Of the canal is the influence of the early
plans for opening the Potomac Valley
to navigation upon the development of
our constitution.
To relate our story chronologcally,
let us turn back the pages Of history to
l748 when the Ohio company was Or
ganized to promote the settlement Of
the Ohio Valley and trade with the In
dians. Starting in 1749, boats of this
company assembled the Potomac from
Georgetown to Wills Creek site Of pres
ent-day Cumberland. This trade route
had become of such Importance by 1855
that political leaders, particularly Gov.
Dinwiddie of Virginia, ordered Gen.
Braddock to follow this route to Fort
Duquesne rather than the easier route
through Pennsylvania, so that the
wretched trail and road might be i'm
proved and thus facilitate travel by
wagon. 1t is this economic considera-
ton which had more to do with Brad
docks failure than any other factor.
We Thus see how the improvement Of
the Potomac route was important
enough nearly two centuries ago to in
fuence military decision of national i'm
portance.
The Ohio Co. suspended operations
during the French and Indian War and
no further attempts were made to de-
velop the Potomac route until after the
Revolutionary War. At the close Of this
war George Washington took leading
role in encouraging the improvement of
routes of internal commerce. He per-
suaded Maryland and Virginia to ap-
point joint committee to consider plans
for improving the Potomac. This COM
mittee met in December, 1874, and II
resulted in the organization of the Pc.
tomac Co., with Washington as presi.
dent. Both Maryland and Virginia CAV,
official encouragement to the efforts O
this company to clear the river channe
and to build canals and locks arount
falls and rapids.
WASHINGTON Calls Conference.
Washington soon saw the necessity TO
the interested States to arrive at tn
agreement as to division of responsi
3 bilities and privileges in the navigation
r on the Potomac. He accordingly ar
= ranged conference which met at Alex
andria and later at Mount Vernon dur
ing March, 1785. Out of these discus
Il sions there grew a broader discussion
81 of the condition of trade in the colonie
81 generally.
# Madison was keenly aware Of the oh
S# stacles to trade between the Colonie
$# because of the lack of anything like
s national policy, and he left this meet
@# ing determined to do something abol
# it. At the next session Of the Gener;
s Assembly of Virginia he made an in
: passioned plea that the assembly invi
a the Comedies to send delegates to
|&M meeting to consider and act up mattel
s$# relating to the condition of trade ger
M orally. Such a meeting was held
77s Annapolis the next year.
8 From the Annapolis meeting sprar
the convention which met in Philade
phia in 1877 to revise the Articles
Confederation. Thus we see how tt
W Constitutional Convention of 1877 hi
~ its origin in the efforts Of a few Soutl
aa ern Statesmen, particularly Washingtt
R and Madison, to develop the Potom
NX trade route!
NJ Feeder Canals.
Next time you walk along the To-
|ssSS |sS$s path and you reach '"Lock Five" o
ssM# posite Little Falls and only one-four
E&$& of a mile above Chain Bridge, foll'
8Rs |ae the Feeder Canal along High Isla
33SS@ SsSk@ for a short way. The stately and We
%1|3 Sz erable pirches and sycamores whi
S3S$s& Ss line its banks bespeak the century a
lls&a8asas& half which has passed since t
canal was dug by the Potomac compa
as detour around Little Falls.
7, you ponder the quiet scenic beauty
n the landscape, remember 1t as q lar
4.