532

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

WHEREAS, The State of Maryland did charter a

company to construct a canal from some point on

the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, within the District

of Columbia, to a point on the Chesapeake Bay, near

the City of Baltimore, which charter has expired by

limitation ; and,

WHEREAS, It is now more than ever necessary to

Preamble

secure to the City of Baltimore a portion of- the large

and increasing trade of the Chesapeake and Ohio

Canal, which can only be effected by the construction

of a branch canal from the Chesapeake and Ohio

Canal; and,

Preamble.

WHEREAS, To secure this trade to the State of

Maryland and the City of Baltimore, it is only neces-

sary to construct twenty-eight (28) miles of canal,

from the head of navigation on the eastern branch

of the Potomac River to the head of navigation on

the Patapsco River; therefore,

It is the intention of this act to incorporate a com-

Preamble

pany to construct a canal from such point on the

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, within the District of

Columbia, to such point on the Patapsco River near

Baltimore city, as the Board of Directors may select,

and to use such portion of the Potomac River near

the eastern branch thereof, and such portion of the

Patapsco River as the company shall deem best, and

to confer upon the company hereby incorporated all

and similar rights, powers, exemptions, privileges

and franchises in the construction, maintainance and

operation of this work as are now held and enjoyed

by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company under

its charters and the several amendments thereto ;

therefore —

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of

Intention

Maryland, That A. P. Gorman, E. Pratt, John T.

Ford, George Wheeler, M. Bannon, Robert T. Bald-

win, C. Coffin, W. H. Tuck, James G. Berret, S. J.

Cooke, H. H. Dodge, Andrew Banks and such other

persons as may become associated with them in the

manner hereinafter provided, and they are hereby

constituted a body corporate and politic, by the name

of " the Maryland Canal Company," and as such

shall have all the rights, powers, exemptions, privi-