1873 Newspaper Reports

COMPILATION OF CANAL TRADE ARTICLES FROM THE ALLEGANIAN and THE DAILY TIMES Two Cumberland newspapers, THE HERALD AND TORCH LIGHT A Hagerstown, Md. Newspaper, NATIONAL REPUBLICAN and EVENING STAR Two Washington, D. C. newspapers and THE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE An Alexandria, Va. newspaper 1873 Compiled by William Bauman C & O Canal Association Volunteer [email protected] JULY 2016 1 A. PREFACE This compilation of newspaper articles about the C. & O. Canal is one of a series. The Alleganian and The Daily Times, two Cumberland, Md. newspaper were found on microfilm at Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD. The Herald and Torch Light a Hagerstown, Md. Newspaper, the National Republican and Evening Star, two Washington, D. C. newspapers and The Alexandria Gazette an Alexandria, Va. newspaper were found on-line. Articles transcribed from The Alleganian are preceded by CA, those from The Daily Times are preceded by DT, those from The Herald and Torch Light are preceded by H&TL, those from the National Republican are preceded by NR, those from the Evening Star are preceded by ES and those from the Alexandria Gazette are preceded by AG. The Daily Times issues for Oct. and Dec. 1874 were missing from the microfilm roll. Not every edition of a newspaper had a story about the canal, and some issues were missing from the microfilm roll; thus the reader will notice gaps in the record. This is an edited report. After the transcription was complete, an EXCEL spread sheet of the canal trade entries was made to establish consistency in spellings of the canal boat names. The names herein were also compared with “Registers Issued to Boats to Navigate the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal – 1873, 1874 & 1975.” Thus Meredith was selected instead of Meridith, Haynes instead of Haines, Loretto instead of Loretta, or Delafield instead of Delifield, etc. Not all discrepancies were resolved. Readers looking for their ancestor’s boat should try alternate spellings. Readers are encouraged to search the enclosed report for information on their ancestor as their time and interest permits. Feel free to send additional observations for the benefit of others. William Bauman July 2016 [email protected] 2 Canal Trade 1873 While the instructions to superintendents were not to break ice it was NR, Wed. 1/8/73, p. 4. GEORGETOWN found that over one hundred loaded boats AFFAIRS. - Canal Business. - The receipts was on the line, and as previous interference of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company to navigation had created a short supply of for the week ending Saturday, December 28, coal at Georgetown I felt that it was due to 1872, were: From Georgetown, $631.49; the coal companies to give them this relief, from Cumberland, $1,180.02; from and every boat reached that place. Hancock, $172.60. Total, $1,984.11. The very severe weather that has continued during the entire month has NR, Thu. 1/9/73, p. 4. GEORGETOWN prevented any great amount of repairs on the AFFAIRS. - Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. line, but a large quantity of materials is now - At the regular monthly meeting of the on hand and properly distributed. Work will directors of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, now be forwarded as rapidly as held at Annapolis Tuesday, the president, A. circumstances will permit. P. Gorman, esq., submitted the following Respectfully submitted, report for the month of December: (signed) A. P. Gorman, President Office Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Annapolis, Jan. 7, 1873. ES, Thu. 1/9/73, p. 4. Georgetown – Claim To the Directors: of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Gentlemen: The revenue accrued in the Company on the National Government – month of December, 1972, was, tolls, The stockholders of the Chesapeake and $1,794.13; water and other rents at Ohio canal at their meeting in Annapolis Georgetown, $2,521; fines collected and yesterday, adopted resolutions requesting paid in the Treasury, $531.66; interest the Maryland Senators and Representatives account to credit, $1,334.50. Total revenue, in Congress to endeavor to procure $6,181.29. There was converted into the legislation in satisfaction of the claim of the treasury during the month the sum of company against the United States for $13,749.56. alleged damages done the canal by the The number of tons of coal shipped construction of the Washington aqueduct to during the month was 1,346, and during the supply Washington and Georgetown with year 814,363 tons, which is 33,836 tons less water. Twenty years ago, says the report of than last year. From January 1, 1872, to President Gorman, the government obtained December 31, 1872, there was shipped over water rights on the Potomac by promising to the canal 564,447 tons, and from January 1, fulfill certain obligations to the company, 1871, to December 31, 1871, 561,448; but it has as yet failed to do so, thereby increase in 1872, 3,000. greatly embarrassing the canal and affecting The unprecedented cold weather in its trade. the latter part of November, and which continued during December, prevented greater shipments, and we were compelled NR, Fri. 1/10/73, p. 4. Canal Business. - A to order the water off on the 16th. meeting of the stockholders of the The expenses for ordinary, Chesapeake and Ohio canal was held in the extraordinary and pay of officers during the executive chamber of the State capitol month was $17,237.58; which includes the yesterday. A communication was presented amount of $1,077.73 for breaking ice. from Mr. A. P. Gorman, president, on behalf 3 of himself and the board of canal directors, "Second, That the thorough repair or dates January 4, in which he again refers to rebuilding of dam No. 1 at Little Falls the demands of the large and increasing cannot be longer delayed, all of which, as trade of the canal for an additional water shown, we have a right to expect both to be supply on the Georgetown level, which has done by the United States. been so urgent that it was felt to be an "Third, That the United States should imperative duty to make provision for the reimburse the treasury of this company for same. He shows that the deficient supply amounts expended in repairs of dams and has been caused by the non-compliance on other works made necessary by their failure the part of the United States with an to comply with the contract." agreement made with the company at the Statements of the amounts expended time of the construction of the aqueduct accompany the letter, and the whole subject dam, to supply Washington and Georgetown was referred to the stockholders by the with water, in 1853. It was then stipulated president of the canal. that the Government works should not The stockholders, in acting upon the interfere with canal navigation; that if it report and the claim of the company, today should ever become necessary to lighten or passed resolutions approving the action of rebuild any dam below the Great Fall it the president and directors, and requesting should be done by the United States, and the Senators and Representatives of that the works at Great Falls should be so Maryland in Congress to use their influence constructed as to answer the purpose of a to secure the passage be Congress of such feeder to supply the canal with water from legislation as may be appropriate to meet that point to Little Falls. The desired and discharge the claim of the company permission was given, and upon these against the United States. conditions. Mr. Gorman says: "The United A resolution was also passed States constructed the works, destroyed the requesting the president and directors to take feeder of the canal, and have not, up to this some action looking to the immediate time, complied with a single provision of the application of the sums in the treasury agreement. heretofore appropriated to the payment of "The destruction of the feeder at overdue coupons on the preferred bonds, Great Falls, and the failure to repair the dam and not actually paid out, to the payment of at Little Falls has not only, as heretofore the next senior outstanding coupons, in stated, seriously impaired the trade and accordance with the decree of the Court of diminished our revenue, but has compelled Appeals in the case of the Commonwealth us to expend sums in the repairs of works, of Virginia against the Chesapeake and Ohio none of which would have been necessary Canal Company and others. had this agreement been complied with by The meeting than adjourned to the the United States. 18th of February, at Annapolis. "The present large and increasing trade of the canal, in our judgment, CA, Wed. 1/15/73, p. 3. The Cumberland absolutely demands: Coal Trade for 1872. – We are indebted to "First, That the feeder at the Great C. Slack, Esq., Superintendent of the Falls, destroyed by the United States, be Cumberland and Pennsylvania Railroad, for restored, or a supply of water be drawn from a printed circular giving tabular statistics of the conduit or aqueduct. the Cumberland Coal Trade for the year 1872, from which we learn that the total 4 amount of coal mined, consumed and people of Maryland and Virginia, in those shipped to market during the year amounted copious deposits of precious mineral hid to 2,355,471 tons, distributed as follows: away in their mines and mountains. Very By C. & P. R. R. To B. & O. R. R. 1,252,858 wisely does his recent report call for “low “ “ “ To Canal 612,437 “ “ “ To Penn’a Railroad 22,021 and uniform rates” of coal transportation of “ “ “ To Local 31,098 his railroad, rates which consumers may rely By C.

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