Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-28
Douglas and Hikers
Complete 1S9-Mi|e
Jaunt Along Canal
BY George Kennedy

The ruins of the Chesapeake
81 Ohio Canal from Washington
to Cumberland, Md. constitute
remarkable antique.
The wooded strip between the
canal and the Potomac River is
for the most part a beautiful
stretch of waterfront property.
Both are owned by the Federal
Government, except for land in
some spots where the canal is a
distance from the river.
A difference of opinion over
the use Of this property was
brought to national attention
last week by Supreme Court
Justice William o. Douglas, SIS,
who hiked its entire length with
a group of newspapermen and
nature lovers. The justice lis
against the construction of a
parkway over the route and
favors it's development for the
recreation of tens of thousands
Of tourists who presumably
would arrive at the park areas
by side roads.
Walks Every Step Of Way.
Justice Douglas arrived at the
Georgetown terminus of the
canal at 4 pm. yesterday after
noon. He and eight of his fol-
lowers (no newspapermen) had
walked every step of the way
from a point outside Cumber-
land. distance of 1879 miles
The party, which also included
about 20 weekend mixers and
others who fell out and took
automobile rides when they were
tired. made the last four miles
from Chain Bridge by riding in
the canal boat used for summer
excursionists along this part Of
the canal which has been re-
stored.
AS Mr.. Douglas was greeted by
Interior Secretary Mckay, the
Justice remarked:
you've got some wonderful
country up there. I'm going to
write you a little letter"
Mr.. Douglas-his face a little
pulled from a scrape with some
poison ivy-said the mixers
formed c. & O. Canal commit
tee last night with him as chair
man. 1t will make recommenda-
tons to Mr.. Mckay on future
use of the area.
Beautiful Scenery.
This reporter followed the JUS
tice most of the way. The best
contribution he can make to the
ultimate decision is to describe
what he saw.
There is a lot Of beautiful
scenery along the towpath and
a few stretches that are quite
otherwise. The views are mag
nif1cent where the Potomac goes
through the Green Ridge, Slider
ling Mountain, the Blue Ridge
and the Catoctins. But they
are not very pleasant where it
passes the garbage dumps at
Hancock and Williamsport and
the miles long classification
yards of the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad at Brunswick.
The canal itself adds to the
beauty of the wooded stretches
for mile after mile. Through
the mountains it is still filled
with water for the most part,
fed by springs.
Damage Is Impressive.
But the most impressive thing
about the canal structures is the
damage that 80 years of aban-
donment have wrought. They
seem to be ruins going back
centuries The viaducts and locks
are built of huge stones. which
were painstakingly squared and
fitted.
I asked about the viaduct over
the Conococheague at Williams
port. One whole side was gone.
Had any one taken the stones
away for new buildings? The
answer was no. Flood and frost
had caused them to fall into
the creek.
Some of the timber growth
between the canal and the river
is remarkably good in view of
the floods during which the
swirling waters have risen 20
to 80 feet above their base.
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