Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-02-15
OUR CORRESPONDENCE.
How Fireside Theories Out
Weiqh Coal Acreage.

Mr. Editor Since you have deem
ed it proper to elevate my brief allu-
sion to Frostburg into unlooked-for
prominence, possibly you will also
make room for a further remark.
A news letter is supposed to be a
statement of facts, though we some
times discover such letters to be a
mere assemblage of indiscriminate and
undeserved eulogies. There are facts
about every mans life of which he is
not particularly proud, and the same
is true of cities and towns. 1t may
not be judicious always to allude pub
licly to facts and probabilities which
are discussed by every fresido and
which powerfully, even though silent
ly influence the current Of business,
but if some venturesome spirit shall
utter upon the lousetop that which
is given him in secret, those who are
affected thereby should deprecate the
unwisdom of publicity rather than at
tempt to encounter the logic of facts.
There are believers in manifest des-
tiny who imagine that the law Of
decay shall never touch them nor
theirs. The great Macaulay drew
down upon himself the censure of his
countrymen by even limiting that the
time might come when a solitary New
Zealander might stand upon bro
ken arch of London bridge, in The
midst Of a vast solitude, and look up
on the ruins of England's greatness.
1t is comforting to be assured that
such fate will not befall Frostburg
for one h'!2dred and eighy-sjc gears to
come. Such an assurance is needful
after counting up The number Of ex-
haCsted and abandoned workings in
the vicinity. Evidently public inter-
eet has been aroused upon this ques-
ton Of longevity and the result is a
published prospectus, which reminds
us of the time when we We're all in
vited to take stock in oil wells that
upon careful calculation would run
forever, and continue their inexhausti-
Bile flow after the world sho aid be on
fire.
That there is a vast quantity of coal
yet untouched in the Allegany coal
field is beyond question, and we have
no objection to the prophecy that
coal will continue to be mined in AL
legany county for 1856 years to come.
But that Frostburg will be the cen
tire Of the mining population, or will
even maintain its past relative ilnpor-
tance, is totally different PROPOSE
| ton.
If mining were light, easy, and
pleasant business, men might be per-
suaded to walk few miles morning
and evening to and from their work
just for exercise, but there is no law
Of manifest destiny requiring hard
working men to spend half their time
upon the road that by a residence in
the town they may contribute to its
material wealth.
We are Of the opinion that Frost
burg was q good place to live before
the first coal mine was opened there,
and that it will still he high, healthy,
and delightful, when the grass shall
grow above every "estige Of the black
ness occasioned by coal expectation; !;
and whether there shall be summer
resort established there or not
though we have been hearing of that
for nearly quarter cc century
we see no reason why the longevity
Of the down should be considered to
depend so entirely upon the coal
trade.
We have often thought that when
old age comes upon US, or when COM
PEELED to "settle down." Frostbnrg
would likely be the place, and though
by that time its test days for grimy
business activity may have departed,
it will still be in the freshness of its
youth as an inviting home to all who
appreciate health, intelligence and
comfort. R. F. BISHOP.
heySer, ". Va.