Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1958-06-12
Longer School Yeor and Much Much Longer School Day
Believe
Writer Says U. S. Doesn't Own
Old Chesapeake and Ohio Canal

fit? The patriot after the War for Independence
would do almost anything to help the country!
RIGHT OF WAY was granted to the canal
operators, which was to remain in force ONLY
until the canal ceased to be waterway; if and
when the canal ceased to be a waterway the
land was to revert to the original owners their
heirs and assigns. The truth of the matter is
that the United States Government does not even
have right of way anymore THE CANAL HAS
CEASED TO BE A WATERWAY!
Who then owns the canal? Why the in
Vulnerable assigns of the land dating back as
far as the original owners.
1t is almost unbelievable to me to think that
the United States Government, even as mighty
as it is, can lay definite claim to land which it
does not, legally, own. do not see how it is
possible all these years for the Interior Depart
ment, with all their array of legal talent to not
have some cognizance of the fact that this now
valuable land does not belong to the government.
What makes me think that they do possess this
knowledge is the fact that of late years they
have been reluctant TO improve or restore the
property to any of its former pristine beauty.
No one in their right mind, let alone the United
States government IMPROVES property they do
not own! For instance National Capital Parks
has made only a token improvement to the park
ing lot at Seneca. No black top, just tar and
Clipped stone. Is that the way the mighty United
States government operates? What is the matter
there?
Here are some other things: four years ago
a man know built fine foot bridge across the
canal He drove IL inch telephone poles down
in the canal bed all the way across from the brim
side to the edge of the old towpath. The park
police told him to take it down. or else He told
them to go jump in the river, he owned that
land. The bridge is still there
farmer / know stretched barbed wire across
the towpath all the way to the river so his stock
could get water The towpath is patrolled by
the park police. The police couldn't get past
the barb wire. Did they tear it down? No. they
built wooden gates which are kept under lock
and key. They didn't defy the farmer.
Another property owner whose land abuts
three miles of Potomac River land told me that
he has been literally besieged by people who
would like to build cottage along the river He
says that he not only has riparian rights to the
river, he owns the land all the way to the river.
In this day and age the price of river bottom
land has reached almost fantastic proportions. 1t
is no longer bowling wilderness
Get in boat at Seneca. Go to the eastern
tip of Van Deventer Island. three miles upstream
Here is river cottage under construction perched
right on top of the river bank something thought
I would never see. Someone's building a cot
tage, defying the United States Government who
says there shall be no more building along the
Potomac River What is the story there?
have talked to great many weknown
and influential business about this land grab
of a century ago by the government Without
single solitary exception all of them BELIEVE
l do about this matter.