Business along the canal

Potomac Refining Company Mine

United States Postal Card

To Mr. Franklin S. Grove
Sharpsburg, Washington County Maryland

March 18th, 1875

Mr. F.S. Grove
My wood is green if that will suit you I can have a load ready on the canal bank by the first of April.
Respectfully
Lancelot Shank

P.S. let me here from you.

The DeFrehn Chair Factory made multiple wooden chair styles and was located on the berm side of the canal above the Conococheague Aqueduct in Williamsport. The factory paid the canal for water rents in order to power the machines used to create the chairs. In 1889, a flood destroyed the factory along with a good portion of the canal. The cost to rebuild and recover from the flood was too expensive and the owners decided to move the operation to Johnstown, PA then Hornerstown, PA.

This image of the DeFrehn Chair factory was taken after the 1889 flood.
 

Electric Power Station Williamsport

The Williamsport Power Station was built between May and August of 1896 near the Cushwa Warehouse at the Basin. In order for the station to be built so quickly, the construction crews worked around the clock. It was built to furnish electric power to the trolley system that would connect Williamsport and Hagerstown for four years. By 1900 a new power station had been built by the Electric Railway Company in Hagerstown to meet the increasing needs of the rail line.

This photograph of a collection of boats tied up in the canal raised many questions. The photograph was taken after 1902 since the boats belong to the Canal Towage Company. The Conococheague Aqueduct can be seen upstream. It is possible there is low water or the canal is silted, for the boats are not situated close to the edge of the canal - note the plank from the boat to the bank. In the midst of the large canal boat is a small boat, possibly that of the paymaster.

Coal train at Cushwa Warehouse

The Cushwa Warehouse was constructed circa 1800. By the late 1830s, the warehouse's main commodity was coal which was sold in the local economy and for transport down to Georgetown where there was a huge demand. The building has seen multiple floods, recessions, and even Civil War battles during its time along the canal.

The Illustrated Atlas of Washington County, 1877, includes a view of the Embrey and Cushwa Warehouse.

The description reads:
Embrey & Cushwa, Canal Basin, Williamsport, Md.
Shippers and Dealers in Georges Creek Bituminous and Best Qualities of Gas and Anthracite Coals, Also Round Top Cement, Plaster, Grain, Fertilizers &C. &C

Views, Washington County, 1877.

Darby's Mill, near Lock 44, by Williamsport, MD. Shown are left to right, "Pots" Corby (sitting), George Lake, Eugene Ardinger, "Wash" Taylor, F.H. Darby (in doorway), Ruby Darby, Harry Price, John Ream and unidentified (Rubin, 2005)

F. H. Darby was listed in the 1877 Illustrated Atlas of Washington County as a grain merchant, and his company as:

Williamsport Business References
Grain, Coal, &c.

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

Wharfs were designed to facilitate the loading and unloading of canal boats and grew up along the line of the canal wherever the need emerged to transship cargo from land to boat or visa versa. Typically the wharfs would be on the berm of the canal, and consisted of a stone wall and other facilities for the storage and transfer of cargoes.