Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-19
nee Of THE EVENING srAn.

many years ago by one of your young lawyers,
who stepping from the Baltimore and Ohio
walked southerly over the Allegany ridges and
through the valleys and struck it by accident
He made il known to Gen. Halbert L. Paine OF
Port Hudson fame. who told of it 10 Capt Seth
Ledyard Phelps, Admiral Foote'S flag officer.
They were natives, school boy and youth COM
panions, Of far-off Chardon, in northern Ohio.
They made their way here and were az once
captured by Its elevated position, wonderful
air, Its extensive forests. wild and picturesque
scenery, endless mountain trout streams aud
ample hospitality. 1t is situate in the wild jag
ged county OF Garrett, Maryland's oddly shaped
western extremity. on the left bank of the
Potomac, that hnds a tortuous way through
the Aneganles and IL about twelve miles south
OF Oakland. From Oakland it was formerly
reached by stage. over the wooded mountains
and through narrow cultivated valleys. constS
tutlng an eyer-changing panorama unsurpassed
IN region whose principal productions
trout streams, forest and scenery. The hotel
spacious and roomy, stands on the old Clarks-
burg and Komney turnpike a link in a once
famous southwestern thoroughfare, over which
in ante-war times 80 many members. famous or
otherwise, OF the two houses of Congress used
10 journey to and from the capital from which
II IS distant 2O5 miles. Well, did finally escape
from Washington one hot saturday and rode
through unbroken perspiration and cinders to
Cumberland. From that elevation still upward
to Piedmont the conditions of life were i'm
proved There a colored citizen of MARYLAND
after protracted war with a colored citizen of
West Virginia, routed HIM and bore me and
my baggage In triumph and rickety vehicle
through the zigzaz narrow ways leading from
Piedmont across the Potomac TO Mestport
Evidently these ways were planned for defense
at these exposed points of hostile frontier
AS We fed toward dear old Maryland sundry
threats were exchanged of future mutual
INVASION la dino
forces.
SENATORIAL RAILROAD.
Finally was taken up by the West Virginia
railroad and fed up the narrow valley. This,
as you know, is the Davis road" Ex-senator
Davis is the author and will be the finisher when
1t is done. He honors his friends of the Senate bv
appending their names to the stations 1 recall
Sawyer. Blaine and Bayard. Elkins gave way
Tor Gorman at one station, while Elkins has
gone up to ornament the terminus Davis
himself is content to hang his name on the sta
ton at the end of a branch on the Black Water
At German. 80 miles above Piedmont L was
met by the General and Mrs. Paine. true to
their old love tor Fort L. They were accom-
panied by an elderly lady in whom am greatly
Interested Here came the last ascent Up
ana stlll more up over the historic pike wind
Ing and turning and ever up, and then up and
past the rounded and on every side steep knob
crowned with Fort Pendleton. Another good
turn, followed, of course. by vet another and
We were on the uppermost land which. spreads
into a small table of half dozen acres slop-
ing every way. Near the eastern and greater
decllvlty the hotel was planted. The main
outlook from 1t Is eastward over the Potomac
more than a mile away, on which is our Cor
man (the ancient Elkins) all hidden from us by
intervening hills and ridges. From the eastern
veranda this look over the high, rounded and
now oats-covered hill of the fort. over other
| swelling wood-crowned billowy. hills and ridges
Rnnflnnntrs H..
yond the Potomac was, in the FIST sun of the
next morning. of bewildering beauty. Grander
more imposing spectacles may be found in
this neighborhood; one OF more SURPRISING
loneliness can scarcely anywhere exist. The
view IN the other directions is cut off by the
near forest, which when not invaded by the
lumberman, is grand and noble North. lust
down through the old trees, half a mile the
little Laurel river. in its narrow winding valley
makes Its way to the Potomac at German. on
our south, and twice that distance hurries the
broad Potomac TO receive 1t. Looking over the
forests, We can, by the sink in its upper surface
determine where their valleys unite.
FORT PENDLEToN
may have been the most useless of the Union
works Of the war. Its moral value may have
been something. Its strategic effect was moth
ing. The Pendletons of Virginia were historic
Years ago Philip PendletOn of that strain of
men, man of good person and persuasive adj
dress, purchased LOO or 1880 acres of this
region. once owned and infested by a very bad
Smith, whose odor and odIum still lnger about
these hills. The war came. Philip raised one
or two companies of soldiers, it Is stated, for
the southern army and had the address to turn
them over to the United States. He received a
paymastership in the Union army. He also
succeeded In inducing the War department to
construct Fort Pendleton to his honor and
profit and maintain garrison in it at cost of
some hundreds of thousands each year.
He also had the face and grace to claim
$50. 600 for damage to his estate of mountain
rock and stream, for the occupation by the
fort and garrison. He was allowed Sl5OOO-
applied on an amount in which it was alleged
he was a defaulter to the government.
After the war cousin Of Philip, of Cincn-
natl, father of the Hon. Geo. H., eX-Represent-
alive in Congress, Senator and foreign min
| ister purchased 10 acres of the estate which
includes most of the level land He cleared
the title and built this house for a summer
residence for his family. which he occupied for
two or three seasons. Later the present pro-
prietor purchased his property. enlarged the
house and opened 1t as a summer resort. and
has successfully managed it TO the present time.
SUMNER RESORT.
OF him and his family word may, without
improperly, be added to this free sketch.
l.. NJ. Deakins and his wife both are direct
descendants of the revolutionary Col. Deakins
of Gen. WashIngtous staff. Very early Sea-
kins married a daughter of one of the Wash
| Ingtons. SO that in blood and descent the pres
ent proprietors are certainly worthy to succeed
the Pendletons in this seat OF the family The
daughters, five now living. all inherit the strik-
ing personal advantages of their mother are
graceful and fearless horsewomen. and are con-
stantly in Attendance about the house render
ing efficient aid III its manag, mcnt, all the
eldest. A sou of ex-senator and ex-Secretary
of State Bayard, civil engineer, engaged
in the construction of the Davis railroad and
had his quarters in the valley not remote. lie
met the eldest daughter and what followed
was the inevitable marriage. 1ney are now
guests of her parents. Gen. and Mrs. Paine
have been constant in their attachment to this
place was Capt. Phelps in his life time. 1t
is now quite filled with Washington people.
As stated, il is now as accessible as Oakland or
Deer Park. In point of position, air. tenn
perature. scenery and general surroundings its
advantages are greater than either. The house
is well kept and prices moderate. Then We
may drive over the old pike. pick up it's old
traditions, search out deserted old roads
through the somber. slumberous woods in por-
tions of which a weird twilight broods at noon
Above all are the numerous trout streams.
seeking the Potomac, still numerously inhab-
tied. Then there is the noise, activity and stir
of the new little towns in the heart of this old
country. called into existence by the magic of
the Davis railroad, little centers of coal mining
and numbering, in still primitive region.
where the sportsman NAV Yet find deer or him
self be found by the nowise timid bear.
Whoever comes should be prepared for the
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