Chesapeake and Ohio Canal--Maryland

This photograph was taken looking across the Potomac River at Shepherdstown, West Virginia from Ferry Hill plantation on the Maryland side. At various times before and after the Battle of Antietam both Confederate and Union troops had camped at Ferry Hill, which is situated three miles southwest of the town of Sharpsburg, Maryland.

Shepherdstown, Bridgeport and Ferry Hill

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.

Lock No. 37 April 20th, 1893
S.C. Hanes Fifty Cents in full for scow from Shepherdstown to Damn.

F.R. Zimmerman, Lock Keeper 37

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       

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