Getting the Canal in Shape.

The trustees of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal held a meeting in Baltimore last Thursday, and contracts for the work of repairing the canal were let to Mason, Hoge & Co. on sections 11 and 12, at Georgetown, and to Jones & Thorne for work at Harper’s Ferry, section 9, and to the same firm upon sections 3 and 4, between Williamsport and Cumberland; Kinsley & Dennis were given the work on sections 6, 7, and 8, from Williamsport towards Harper’s Ferry. The trustees have also made a contract for the purchase of two steam dredges from the Marion Shovel Company of Marion, O. The contracts call for the completion of the canal between Cumberland and Williamsport on May 1st, and from Williamsport to Georgetown by July 1st. All the work will be done under the supervision of Chief Engineer Whitcomb. The estimated cost of the repairs under the bids is $250,000. The trustees passed a resolution guaranteeing to all boat owners the payment of any repairs they may put on their own boats, so as to insure them traffic equal to the amount of the repairs on their boats. About 150 boats will commence running when the canal is ready for them.