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Canal Company operations

Cushwa Basin

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The presence of Canal Towage Company boats tied up at the Cushwa basin and wharf in this photo, tells us that it dates from after 1902 when the CTC was established by the receivers and Consolidation Coal Company. The CTC supplied boats, teams, and equipment, and hired the crews for its boats. It also cut freight rates and controlled the distribution of cargos, all of which essentially put the private boat owner out of operation.

Dredge, Cushwa Basin

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Although the canal was built as much as possible to protect it from runoff that would carry silt and debris into the canal, the canal company still had difficulty maintaining the intended six foot depth. In addition to dredges used for scraping up accumulated silt and debris on the bottom of the canal, the canal company needed mowers to cut out the water plants that tended to grow in the canal. In 1883 Victor Cushwa and five other businessmen who relied on the canal for transportation submitted a petition to the canal company.

Antietam Division Order for Dry Goods 1872

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1872       For the following as per Bill rendered filed in Treasurer’s Office, and certified to by John Shay viz:       Dolls.       Cts.       

March       Co House No. 1 John Hart Boss                     
       To 8 lb. Rio coffee @ $2.24/28 of Tub syrup @ 5.25/75       $ 7.       49       
       “ 6 lb Bro Sugar @75/1.20 4 Box Ess coffee 20/5              95       
       “ 5 lb Blasting Powder 1.80/20 ¼ Bus Beans @ 1.00/$4.00       2.       00       
       “ ¼ bus Hominy @75/3.00 1 Sack Dairy Salt 13/              88       

Invoice - Victor Cushwa,1883

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Victor Cushwa [Dr.]
1883
To Henry Newcomer
Feb 24 Glasing Hot Bed*                      50
“ “ Stripping 5 Canal Boats at 1.50 @ 7.50
“ “ Mixing paints for 5 canal boats 7.50

1883 Benj. Miller
To Henry Newcomer [Dr.]
Work on boat              7.00
By cash                     1.50
                            $5.50

Received Payment
Henry Newcomer $21.00