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THE POTOMAC COMPANY. 155
region, is the third commercial city in the United States. She possesses
decided advantages over any Atlantic city in competing for a portion of the
commerce of the northwest.*
These advantages were not overlooked or unappreciated by the citizens of
our State, and numerous efforts as we shall see, founded upon private as well
as public patronage, to facilitate and improve the means of internal transportation, attest the interest it excited about the years 1802-9.
When it was decided that the bed of the Potomac River could not be
improved for the purposes/6f a canal, the Board of Public Works of Virginia,
in pursuance of a resolution of the General Assembly of that State, adopted
on the 8th of January, 1820, appointed Thomas Moore their chief engineer,
" to examine the waters of the Potomac above the upper line of the District
of Columbia, and to explore the country between the Potomac and Ohio on
the one side, and the Potomac and Rappahannock on the other, with a view
to ascertain and report upon the practicability of effecting a communication
by canal between the three rivers." After the completion of the surveys, Mr,
Moore made a report, and the governor in December, 1820, in a message to
the Legislature of Virginia for the first time, publicly affirmed the practicability of uniting the navigable waters of the Potomac with the Ohio by one
continued canal. In view of this information, the States of Virginia and
Maryland, early in the year 1821, appointed a joint commission, consisting of
Moses T. Hunter, William T. T. Mason, William Naylor, Allan S. Fenwick
and Elie Williams, " to examine the affairs of the Potomac Company, the
state of the navigation of the Potomac River, its suceptibility of improvement,
and to make report whether the said company had complied with its charter
granted by the two States, and its ability to comply within a reasonable time;
and whether any, or what aid should be given to the said company, and what
would be the best means of effecting an improvement in the navigation of the
said river." With the assistance of Mr. Moore, they entered upon their labors
in July, 1822, and after a careful examination of the work and the affairs of
the company in December, made a report that the Potomac Company had
failed to comply with its charter, and they did not think the company would
be able to do so; that the company had expended their capital stock and the
tolls received, and had incurred a heavy debt which they would not be able
to discharge; that it would be inexpedient to give further aid to the company,
and the only thing to be done was to cancel their charter and adopt some
more effectual mode of improving the navigation of the river. After review-
1 By the New York Central Road from Chi- lines, and 209 less than to New York by the New
cago to New York, it is 185 miles further than York Central, and 155 less than by the Allen-
from Chicago to Baltimore ; by the New York town route of the Pennsylvania Road. Through
and Erie, 166 miles; and by the Allentown route, the Ohio and Mississippi Road to Cincinnati, and
the distance is 104 miles greater to New York the Marietta and Cincinnati Road thence, the
than by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad route, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad presents a line 210
from Chicago to Baltimore. Prom Louisville to miles less in distance to Baltimore from St.
Baltimore, the distance (through Cincinnati) is Louis than the average distance by the three
696 miles, or 291 less than to New York by the trunk lines used from St. Louis to New York.
Ohio and Mississippi and Now York and Erie
| Title | History of Maryland - 3 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000182 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | THE POTOMAC COMPANY. 155 region, is the third commercial city in the United States. She possesses decided advantages over any Atlantic city in competing for a portion of the commerce of the northwest.* These advantages were not overlooked or unappreciated by the citizens of our State, and numerous efforts as we shall see, founded upon private as well as public patronage, to facilitate and improve the means of internal transportation, attest the interest it excited about the years 1802-9. When it was decided that the bed of the Potomac River could not be improved for the purposes/6f a canal, the Board of Public Works of Virginia, in pursuance of a resolution of the General Assembly of that State, adopted on the 8th of January, 1820, appointed Thomas Moore their chief engineer, " to examine the waters of the Potomac above the upper line of the District of Columbia, and to explore the country between the Potomac and Ohio on the one side, and the Potomac and Rappahannock on the other, with a view to ascertain and report upon the practicability of effecting a communication by canal between the three rivers." After the completion of the surveys, Mr, Moore made a report, and the governor in December, 1820, in a message to the Legislature of Virginia for the first time, publicly affirmed the practicability of uniting the navigable waters of the Potomac with the Ohio by one continued canal. In view of this information, the States of Virginia and Maryland, early in the year 1821, appointed a joint commission, consisting of Moses T. Hunter, William T. T. Mason, William Naylor, Allan S. Fenwick and Elie Williams, " to examine the affairs of the Potomac Company, the state of the navigation of the Potomac River, its suceptibility of improvement, and to make report whether the said company had complied with its charter granted by the two States, and its ability to comply within a reasonable time; and whether any, or what aid should be given to the said company, and what would be the best means of effecting an improvement in the navigation of the said river." With the assistance of Mr. Moore, they entered upon their labors in July, 1822, and after a careful examination of the work and the affairs of the company in December, made a report that the Potomac Company had failed to comply with its charter, and they did not think the company would be able to do so; that the company had expended their capital stock and the tolls received, and had incurred a heavy debt which they would not be able to discharge; that it would be inexpedient to give further aid to the company, and the only thing to be done was to cancel their charter and adopt some more effectual mode of improving the navigation of the river. After review- 1 By the New York Central Road from Chi- lines, and 209 less than to New York by the New cago to New York, it is 185 miles further than York Central, and 155 less than by the Allen- from Chicago to Baltimore ; by the New York town route of the Pennsylvania Road. Through and Erie, 166 miles; and by the Allentown route, the Ohio and Mississippi Road to Cincinnati, and the distance is 104 miles greater to New York the Marietta and Cincinnati Road thence, the than by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad route, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad presents a line 210 from Chicago to Baltimore. Prom Louisville to miles less in distance to Baltimore from St. Baltimore, the distance (through Cincinnati) is Louis than the average distance by the three 696 miles, or 291 less than to New York by the trunk lines used from St. Louis to New York. Ohio and Mississippi and Now York and Erie |
