| 126 MARYLAND HISTORICAL MAGAZINE
lottery if its capital was not sufficient. Another, the St. Mar-
tin's Navigation Company, chartered in 1803 to improve the
St. Martin's River in Worcester County, had a capital of $10;
000. In both of these charters the canals and profits were
vested in the proprietors rather than in the company, as in a
true corporation 1'z Nothing can be found to indicate whe-
ther the companies were ever active. Other improvements of
navigation without the benefit of incorporation were by indi-
viduals, tenants in common, or lotteries?7$
At one time Maryland was invited to subscribe for shares
in the Ohio Canal Company, incorporated by the Kentucky
legislature. Although Maryland was " at all times desirous of
cooperating with any other state " and was interested in link-
ing the commerce of the West to Maryland, it politely de-
clined subscribing as being " inexpedient at this time." 17'
Maryland had difficulty in financing its own improvements,
and it was in a- better financial condition than many of the
other states.
However, even with extensive state aid, Maryland had found
its experience with canals disappointing. State aid and the
corporate form of enterprise, which was necessary here, i'6 had
not been able to overcome the obstacles of finance, labor, man-
agement, and most of all, lack of technical knowledge that
every navigational project of the time had encountered.
Maryland found the private corporation equally important
for improving its land transportation system. Between 1796
and 1807 it incorporated ten turnpike companies, some of
which never laid a mile of road. But others were fairly success-
ful. It was the only state which had tried to construct turnpikes
(toll roads) under public auspices, and the state was slower on
that account than other states to turn to privately constructed
toll roads. The people made no objections to state ownership,
rather they were reluctant to give it up. But they found it
necessary to change because public turnpiking had been found
179 Md. Sess., 1783 Apr. Resolution No. 21 creating a survey commission,
1796
c. 17; 1803, c. 64.
1" A. M. Gaz, Sept. 1, 1803, p. 3 announcing that Leonard Harburgh was mak-
ing the Monacacy River navigable above Frederick; Davis, Il. 180; Md. Sess.,
1801 c. 27, 1804 c. I8.
1T•Ibid, 1806 Resolutions.
275 Davis, 11, 84, 174.
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