The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-08-03

claim to many beauties and 10 an industrial
spirit which enables her people to live com
fortably and to give to their little town an air
Of enterprise. As a summer resort, West
minister IS gradually growing in public esti-
nation. The high position which It com
mands, the beautiful views which are 10 be
had from the hills surrounding it, stretching
far away to the Susquehanna, and the pure
air which IS felt, even on the hottest day, have
all aided in bringing families TO it during the
summer solstice. The quaint and trinity kept
gardens in front Of the dwellings and the com
Portable looking houses have home air about
them which is refreshingly charming; and be-
sides this, there are many points of interest
to a casual visitor.
The Protestant Episcopal Church of the
Ascension, with its UNCOVERED walls and
stained-glass windows, seems as if it had
stepped out from the framework of an Eng
lish landscape painting. The building was
designed by the late r. Carey Long, architect,
and, although small, is perfect specimen Of
true Gothic architecture. The rector, Rev.
/. L. Nicholson, a Balfimorean, and formerly
assistant at St. Paurs, Baltimore, has BY his
exertions largely increased the membership
Of the church. On the lot opposite, which IS
owned by the congregation, building has
been erected which is used as a chapel and
Sunday school, and IL is hoped that in time a
day school will also be started.
Inthe burying ground attached to the church
lie the remains of many of the members of the
Van Bibher family, as also the body of Leigh
Masters, the inscription on the tombstone
stating that he was of Newhall, Lancashire,
England, and died on March %, 1896, aged
seyenty-nine years. He was the owner of the
Avondale estate, aud was a member of the
Maryland Colonial Legislature. A paragraph
which lately appeared in The american stated
that iron furnaces were first used in Pennsyl-
vania, but it is a matter of history that Mr..
Masters had furnace on the Avondale estate
prior to the Revolution. He is remembered,
als), for having unwittingIy introduced what
is called the ''white blossom into Carroll
county, having received it from Germany in
place of clover seed. Rev. Mr.. Nicholson
has taken much interest in the preseryat ion
of the tombstone, and has recently discovered
that great grandson of Mr.. Masters, Rev.
g. NJ. Streynsham, Is rector of church in
Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Union Church,
where Lorenzo Dow used to preach some
times at as early an hour as 4 o'clock in the
morning, is still standing, although in a very
dilapidated condition. William Winchester,
the original owner of the town, and after
whom it was formerly named, is buried in the
cemetery. He came to Maryland from Lon
don, England, on March 9Th and afterwards
married Lydia Richards The house in which
he lived IS still standing and occupied. There
are a number of pieces of sculpture in the
cemetery, chiselled by John Beaver, youth
tweniy-one years of age, who, without any
education or opportunity for study, has pro-
dueed some figures which show the decided
impress of genius.
Westminster is also rapidly receiving atten-
ton as a business town. The Taylor Manu-
featuring Company, which builds engines for
threshing machines and saw mills, employs
one hundred and fifty men, and the presence
of their works adds materially to the prosper
iiy Of the town. They have three engines at
the Paris Exposition in the annex of the
agricultural department, one of them a TWEEN
ty-horse power portable engine, and the other
two each ten-horse power agricultural engines
on wheels. They are all running shafting,
and they have also model engine in the
main building which is running sewing ma
chine. They have just received orders to
ship to Hamburg two engines, so that Mary
land manufacturers are evidently becoming
appreciated in Europe.
MARROW EscAPE.-A coal oil lamp ex-
ploded about midnight, on Sunday night last,
at the residence of Mrs. Emma Alice Browne,
setting fire TO clothing, furniture, and other
articles. The noise of the explosion awoke
the family, which consisted only of ladies and
children, who were greatly alarmed. Their
cries reused the family Of Sheriff Woods, i'm
mediately opposite, when Mrs. Woods seized
a bucket of water and promptly rushed to the
rescue. When her husband arrived, a few
minutes later, the fire had been extinguished
and quiet restored. But for the prompt ae-
ton Of Mrs. Woods the fire might have been
more serious. The following account is from
the pen Of the lady herself:
AeSsrs. Editors.-I suppose you have heard
some account of the terrifying accident that
occurred at our residence early on Monday,
between the hours Of l and 2, a. m, through
the explosion Of a coal oil lamp. The escape
of the several members of the family from
painful casualties, aud of the house and its
contents from total destruction, seems mira
culous The facts, briefly stated are as fol-
lows With the exception of myself the
family he'd retired at an early hour. Feeling
waketul and restless, and having q quantity
OF manuscript to prepare for the early morn
ing mail, had remained up, hard at work.
between the hours of and . a.
m, | also retired, when a sudden and unac-
impulse caused me to arise and re-
move the lamp, which was burning upon a
stand near the bed side. ! shall always be-
lieve It was direct interposition Of Proyi-
dence. ] carried the lamp TO the opposite
side of the room, and while IN the act of pla-
cling it upon the bureau It exploded in my
hands. The fragments of glass few about
the room, and the burning oil flowed over the
marble sab Of the bureau and ran down upon
the iioor. In moment a column of flame
had risen to the ceiling. The noise of the
explosion and my exclamation of alarm arous
ed the other members of the household, who,
with the exception Of little Florion, slept in
separate apartment. They came erowding
INTO the burning room, but were instantly
driven back by the threatening flames. / had
seized pillow, hoping TO smother out the
fire, but in the act Of attempting it, was seized
by my mother, who, realizing how perilous
and hopeless.ihe attempt was, held me back
by sheer force from rushing upon certain de.
struciion. In the struggle that ensued both
my mother aud myself sustained some injury
In the meantime the flames were gaining
Roadway, and the destruction Of the house
and It's contents seemed a foregone c0nelu-
sion. However, the cutlery had alarmed the
neighbors, and Sheriff Woods and family
came promptly 10 the rescue. To the cool
ness, the nerve, the self-pOssession and prompt
energy of Mrs. Woods especially do we owe
our escape from great calamity. And we
hereby return our grateful thanks to herself
and family for the kindness we can never hope
10 repay. Beyond the loss of some clothing
and the DETACHMENT Of several articles Of fur
niture by hre, the damage was bat trihing.
But the escape Of the household seems indeed
a miracle ENNA ALICE BRowNE.
Westminster, July S0th, 1878.
FIgEsBuRG IrEMs.-The members of the
Mt. Zion Sunday School had n croauet pic