The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal extends from Washington, DC, to Cumberland, Md., along the eastern bank of the Potomac River, a distance of 185 miles, with an ascent of 609 feet which is overcome by means of 75 locks. The canal varies in width at the surface from 55 to 65 feet and at the bottom from 30 to 42 feet and has a depth of 6 feet throughout. The open season lasts approximately nine months, from early March till December. During the winter months it is customary to drain the canal to prevent damage which might be caused by freezing.
The principal cargo has always been bituminous coal mined in the mountains about Cumberland, which is transported to Georgetown. Boatmen said that they averaged two round trips a month, the distance from Cumberland to Georgetown being covered m from six to eight days, and the return trip In from four to six days. Practically all the traffic at die time of the study was conducted by one company which owned the boats and employed captains to operate them. The policy of this company was to give preference to married men on the ground that a married man is steadier m his job than a single man, and that the presence of his wife and children on a boat raises the moral tone. For the year 1920, the company reported that all but 7 of the 66 captains oil its pay roll were married men.
Of the 59 captains who were married, 41 were found who had their children with them during the season studied. The number of children found accompanying their families was 135 (70 boys and 65 girls); of these, 48 were under 7 years of age. In addition to these children there were found on canal boats 7 boys who wore employed as deck hands by captains to whom they were not related. One of these boys was 11 years of age, four were 14, one was 15, and one 16 years of age. It is known that not all the families were located and interviewed and it is probable that the number of independent child workers found is still less indicative of the actual number on the canal boats, inasmuch as they were even more difficult to locate than families.