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THE GREAT AMERICAN CANALS

under contract and that twenty-one miles were in use during the fall of 1830 and winter of 1830–31.[1] In February, 1833 the state of Virginia authorized a subscription of Chesapeake and Ohio Canal stock to the amount of $250,000, subject only to reasonable conditions.[2] In March, 1834, Maryland authorized an additional subscription of $125,000, and promised a larger subscription in case the National Government voted the investment of an additional million in the canal. Neither the government or any state, save only Maryland, befriended the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, however, from this date forward.[3] At this time (June, 1834) the canal had cost $4,062,991.25. Seventy-eight miles remained to be built and the Company's funds were unequal to the task. The friends of the great work met in conven-

  1. Report from the President of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company to the Legislature of Maryland, January 31, 1831.
  2. Report to the Stockholders . . made February 27th, 1851, p. 47. Many of the following facts are taken from this Report, which is the only history of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company extant. It will be referred to as Report of 1851.
  3. Id., p. 48.