Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1886-07-23
COMMUNICATED.


Editors Of the Times:
A brief account of the things seen and heard
during IL visit to the recent Convention OF the
Mary land State Teachers Association at the
Bulc Mountain House, Washington county,
readers. With your permission, therefore,
will try to furnish IA ha>ty sketch of some few OF
the many objects OF interest us they struck my
attention, both on my way to the convention,
and while attending thereon lett W ashinSton,
via Baltimore and Potomac Railroad ana reach
was 50 fortunate aS To meet our genial ANA ac-
complished examiner, MIR. Neile. In company
We visited several points OF interest, chief among
them the State tobacco warehouse, presided over
by our fellow countyman, Mr.. Freeman Here,
among the employees found several OF my old
time friends and acquaintance, and their greet
ingS We're SO hearty ana cheerful, that the place
seemed really homelike, although had never
seen it before. After spending pleasant hour
III friendly converse ana witnessing the various
operations attendant upon the process OF lnspec-
ton, We repaired TO the Maltby House, where We
We're joined 10y two others OF our el;gatlon,
MeSsrS. SaSScer and Dent. Together We had il
good dinner, and then started for the Hillen
street station of the Western Maryland Railroad,
where we bought our tickets, boarded the cars,
and We're soon daShins along ON the last stage OF
our journey to the Blue Mountain.
The railroad within the city limits, runs
through a series of tunnels, the passage OF which
is, to say the least OF IL, rather usubrous; hut,
emerging thereIronI into the open country, the
way becomes rs attractive as II Was before repel-
lent. ON either hand are rich fields, bearing
evidence of careful tillage and aoundant pro-
duc1iyeness me residences and farm houses
all OF them neat and colltortaple, and many OF
them rich and ornate, in appearance With gardens
and orchards attached give Ia the view Il success
sion OF delightful SCENES Suggestive Of smiling
nlautv and tranouil enin> lnrnt The. country
,lonr the road through baltimore county and
into Carroll, Is either level or gently untuiat-
ing. In the latter however. ii soon begins to as
snn4 a hoId,.r outline Tnt. hills are higher the
valleys da.nar and The streams 90 da>niu4 on
over their rocky beds, with an lmpetuo>ItN seen
only N nountain rerions Rut every " her, there.
i; .,,i'Ianc,. nf fsrfi. louI and sllttul culftya-
ZION Tbrnuph Ra IN NOR. ,,arrolI and Frederick
counties the whtatteld>. in sight seemed gruau-
mo beneath thr ,ho,ks OF harvested grain while
tht. .rn,rin,r crnp> thoush backward uay, pro-
49, ot an ahnndant vi.id only in rht. b,tiom
lands was there any appearance of injury from
the heavy rains Of tuiS remarkable season.
Cber,, il, paces might be seen heavy crupz of
wheat as vet unnarvested, thrown down and
tan,i.l in sncb rnnfn~inn ~ 10 max. I'M, task of
,,.sr !, ,xIr.,n..I,. IA rtcuI, II nor I,nn,>Sibe
,yhiia corn r,.Ids too WEI la work were siunted
in ornwth and covered with weeds
IN EradaricL county W. struck the mountains
nronrr and the remainder of our tourney was
fnrruoh deem cuts or narrow gorg,., afforling
only occasional glimp>cS too transient for de-
scription of the country beyond. Arriving at
pur destination after "A pleasant run OF two or
three hours, we N,on secured pleasant rooms
wa ashad ,,,f The iu>t nf travel had a hearty sup
p.r and thus refreshed felt ourselves equal 10
ANY emergency
.ih, Blue Mountain House j. situated on the
western slope OF the Blue Ridge Mountain, in the
north east corner of Washington county. within
3, few hundred wards Of fnr Prnu>N iNauia line,
frar b,t
Of exquisite beauty. Before you lies the Cumher
land valley, its eastern margin touching the
base. OF the >lop.. on which YOU stand. and
western reaching away to the Allegllauv Noun
tain> which in the distance. look IKE piles nf
blue clouds hanging low on ih,. horizon. Far Ia
the south an angle OF the Blue Eidsv lntcrcrpts
the sight while North the View i, ob>trucG..d by
ranges OF the sane. graceful in outline and
pleasing in their drapcry OF summer growth.
The lines, thus formed. constitute the boundaries
of a landscape whose quiet lovelIue>s must lee
seen to be appreciated. Town and village. ham
let and farm house hill and dale. cultivated and
waving grassland. inter>per>'d with orchards.
and pleasant groves OF chestnut and oak, crowd
upon the vision and compose. a pictur,. tn,,
charm uf which viii Iing,.r long IN the memory
of the brhuiter Aud over ali there seems -
hover an atmosphere OF uubroken tranquility.
resiiul To the spirit the scene Itself II grateful
10 the eve. But peaceful a. ii J. bow. the beau
tifui valley, shut in by mountain barriers. and
apparrntlv intended for the at-psir II calm
joym-nt, has felt the tramp of hostile baIta,isn>
and re~ouuded with the clash OF contrudiuS
arms The iInc OF the Confederate retreat from
C,etty>burg was pointed out, and the I-Tisnr,s
of int. natives IN that time of tear and confusion.
detailed To u>, hy an actor III th" stirring events
which ne described But there are other points 81
view, winch II l. quit" In" fashion i"E al guests
OF the Blue Mountain Ia visit. Not 80 br ~iuEu-
lar. Mr.. SaS>cer and myself started ont Gnc
morning to make the pitgritnaS-". " a3hius "a
len-Mar, a famous n-sorl TOR cNrtr>len.sis. at"ut
IA mile .rom our hotel ~ pTucurcd = convey anc'.
and. with pleasant company IN the >tSl-' al t~n
gentlemen trnh iiariord county, were carrl'~i
forward over mountain rstsi>, ttic excellence nf
which almost >urpa>ses httief. The hr>t is'sDt
visited was High Ea@k, a huge boulder "Htct3
crowns the summit of an elevation. ~ttns' $50
feet above the general level. pu the top nt thi~
is erected al observatory. the Ht"w from wi.ieH =
simply magnificent AttertaloS ing i for ltit1'-.
We visited IN succession IN" Ragged f@is" trsk-
wool aud Quirank- IN" latter - ~'!I u y itit'
highest point in AL that region u Al muir FN-
ceetiing that of High Rock hN some tnnC Lee
feet Each "t these points has IL p.cG'tarits'-~
of scenery. but, A. only an ARTIST could depict
them 18th asiel uate per~ptculfN. viii Ent weary
ycu with attempt at description. Ne COM
pleted the circuit In some ~" 90 ;ar'-r l"uT~,
and returned to the hotel, nHrh rIfa>ed with
our little excursion.
bf the Proceedings ~ tue convention, u !
scarcely necessary Tor me- to o>i-'s'N ~ 0t"laiL lHr
daily papers gave ful! A"tnhuhtN al the various
sessions and tO them the reader NAV tz' r,f"rrs-'i
for more particular Information. MAY >-iS
that iat convention. In point "t at
tendance and interest manifested. was a drc5asst
success. The members. oihclai and unofficial.
seemed Inspired wltb the simple ptfls ~ oi max
Ing il worthy ~ the cans'' u Va Intended t NJ
inoni"n>. instructive ana hi.hS iut"t"'tlnE.
few exceptions OF tin,. of,i,.r pf merit. sna wen.
>'ira u WIN .' iaI, my ~. ,
part taken hv the delegation fr"rn Charle>, II
,,rn,', ~ ,t,.snasnc. strirt Il, atI,.nti1 All