Business Commons^™

Stockholder Review Committee Of The Chesapeake And Ohio Canal Company, 1828-1857: Evidence Of Changes In Financial Reporting And Corporate Governance, Robert W. Russ, Gary John Previts, Edward N. Coffman

Accounting Historians Journal

Canal companies were among the first enterprises to be organized in the corporate form and to require large amounts of capital. This paper examines the stockholder review committee of a 19th century corporation, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company (C&O), and discusses how the C&O used this corporate governance structure to monitor and improve financial management and operations. A major strength was the concern and dedication of the stockholders to the company, while a major weakness was the political control exerted by the State of Maryland. The paper provides an historical perspective on corporate governance in the 19th century. This …