Chesapeake and Ohio Canal--Maryland

Herald of Freedom
January 15, 1851

The Prospects Ahead

Under this head, the Clearspring Whig of last week makes the following remarks;—

The Canal is now complete to Cumberland, and the time is fast approaching when this great work will change the appearance of the upper part of our State. Instead of wilderness that was to be met with along the Potomac, new towns with busy inhabitants will spring up along the line of Canal, and bringing to market the produce of the soil that heretofore was of but of little use to its owner.

THE FIRST COAL BY CANAL.—We learn from the Cumberland Civilian that the canal boat Southampton, belonging to the transportation line of Messrs. McKaig, & Agnew, is now loading with coal from the mines of the Frostburg Coal Company at the wharf of the Maryland Mining Company, and will depart for Alexandria in a few days.

Herald of Freedom
06-19-1850

Water in the Canal

An Interesting Event.

We learn from the Cumberland Civilian, that on Thursday afternoon last the ceremony of letting the waters of the Potomac, for the first time from the head of navigation, into the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, was performed by Charles B. Fisk, Esq., Chief Engineer of the work. There was a large crowd of spectators present. The Civilian says :

Weekly Casket
07-28-1849

VIRGINIA AND THE CANAL.

We select the following communication from the "Herald of Freedom," in regard to Virginia and the Canal. It may interest two or three thousand of our readers, if it should not be read by the balance - several thousand. It is useless to attempt to shoot folly with a sling and more useless to attempt to please everybody.

Clearspring, July 21, 1849.

Fears for Canal
The immense bodies of water surging into the canal and river is creating grave fears at Williamsport on account of the liability of breaks. The snow on the mountains is rapidly melting and the streams are becoming torrent like.

Tonight will be the test as to whether the banks will stand the rush all along the line. The canal is yet in good condition, and if the volume of water is not overwhelming all will be well.

Grand sight tomorrow.

FARM FOR SALE.

THE subscriber will sell at private sale, her farm, situated two miles south of Clear-Spring, Washington County, Md., on the road leading to the Potomac River, and containing by survey, 186 3/4 Acres of Land, of which about 80 ACRES are in good THRIVING TIMBER.—

Picture of the toll bridge that was built across the Potomac at Williamsport, Maryland. The bridge was dedicated August 10, 1909 and was the only bridge in Washington County to survive the 1936 flood. Eventually this bridge was remodeled and widened and is the current bridge on Rt 11.

TRADE OF WILLIAMSPORT, Md.—

The Times of that place states that the streets there at present are crowded with conveyances of every variety, bearing the rich products of Washington county and of the adjoining counties of Pennsylvania, to the forwarding and commission merchants.

The Williamsport Banner of Saturday last, says:— We are informed that about 40,000 bushels of coal have already reached this place from Allegany —much of it has passed on, part remains here, besides about 1,5,000 bushels purchased for this market. The price of this article has been somewhat reduced in consequence of the liberal supply, and the inconvenience under which we labored has been removed. It is expected that there will be a further supply during the present freshet. The navigation is now completely resumed in the Canal, and a brisk and active trade enlivens our town.

A wide variety of boats would be seen along the canal. This was likely a work scow, used for transporting supplies for the canal company’s maintenance and repair crews. The woman may well have been the crew’s cook, one of the few positions that we know were open to women. In July 1864, a woman cook named Mrs. Null, successfully defended her maintenance crew’s houseboat against Confederate forces intent on burning it as they had several other boats.