Evening star., 1951-04-08

extra land would amount to about
$2.6 million. The entire parkway
project is estimated to cost the
Government about SIT million.
The Government already owns
4,764 acres in the canal property.
and it is estimated that 5000 ad-
ditional acres are needed on the
lower, or river side Of the canal.
and $500 acres on the upper side
are needed. This would make q
total of 1864 acres.
In developing the parkway plan,
Park Service officials have pointed
out that the highway would open
an access to the history Of the
Potomac Basin. 1t would bring
to visitors at close range a view
of the affects of the canal and
railroad on the culture of the
valley.
Rich in History
| The canal area is rich in the
history of the Civil War, and there
are, according to experts, some Of
the finest remaining examples of
early American masonry in the
bridges, aqueducts and lock houses
along the route. ALI of these fea-
lures would be preserved in con-
structing the parkway.
Park Service officials point out
that in addition to preserving
these historical marks, the canal
parkway would open a great field
of recreational possibilities to peo-
Iple living throughout the Potomac
Valley.
The parkway, stretching 1853
miles from Great Falls to Cum
berland, would be within so miles
of Baltimore, 104 miles from Lam
caster, Pa; 80 miles from York,
Pa: SO miles from Harrisburg,
Pa; 120 miles from Pittsburgh,
Pa, and only $50 miles from
Wheeling, w. Va. 1t would, of
course, be within the lap of many
towns and cities within the basin.
This last proposed phase in the
canals development promises to
be one more rather hectic mile
stone in its history--a history
made up primarily of fights with
the Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad,
increasing debts and final bank
|ruptcy.
George Washington was the first
to realize the desirability of a
connecting link between the Po-
tomac Valley and the West.
Largely because of his energy and
foresight, the Potomack Co. was
organized in 1785. This company
later became the Chesapeake 81
Ohio Canal.
The actual beginnings of the
canal were to become more sig
|niflcant as time went on. On July
4, 1928, with appropriate cere-
monies, work began on the canal
in Washington and the B. g. o.
Railroad in Baltimore. This was
a start-off gun for race toward
the West.
There were many delays in both
projects and much refinancing
necessary by Maryland and the
Government. BY 1884 the canal
was completed to 26 miles above
Harpers Ferry and opened to
commerce. 1t finally reached
Cumberland in 1850, eight years
after the railroad and three years
before the railroad reached the
Ohio Valley.
In all, it is estimated that the
canal cost in the neighborhood of
$27 million. with So million COM
ing from the District and the
Federal Government, and the
larger share of the balance from
B. & 0. Sold Canal
The canal operated until 1889,
when flood damage and the lack
of business forced it into bank
ruptcy. It was then taken over
by the Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad,
the principal bondholder. It con-
tinued to operate until it was
finally closed in 1924. /
The B. & O., in turn, found the
canal becoming an increasing
luxury. Saddled with a debt to
the Reconstruction Finance Corp,
the railroad, in 1888, sold the
canal to the Government for So
million. The property has been
valued at more than twice the
sale price.
In the sales contract the Gov
ernment agreed not to use any
part of the canal property for
"the conveyance of freight or pas
sengers by land without the prior
consent of the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad Co." It reserved
to the Secretary of the Interior,
however, the right to extend such
transportation facilities on the
lands as the secretary might con-
slider reasonably necessary to pro-
vide accommodations for the visit
Ing. public.