Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-06-20
MINING JOURNAL.
FROSTBURG MD, JUNE 20, 1891.
"Cumberland Coal"

crate has been imposing upon the
Cumberland Ne,cs story which, he
thinks, fought to settle Il question,
unfortunately for his theory, is no
longer mooted in any respectable
society. He says:
Cumberland coal is the original and the
correct name, and | can prove it. Fifty
years ago Mr.. Brant mined coal at Pompey
Smash, and washed it down the mountain as
far as Clarysvile from which point 1t was
hauled to Cumberland IN wagons, after which
it was loaded on flat boats and hoated to
Georgetown, over the Potomac river, when
the water was high enough for that purpose.
1t was marketed and sold TO consumers as
Cumberland coal. This was many years be-
fore mine was opened along Georges creek,
therefore the latter name is entirely out of
place as an appellative for our great product.
1t is quite true that the centre of the coal
region is along Georges creek, but it does not
follow for that reason, that the name of the
region, or of the coal, sh ould be derived from
that stream. 1t was sold in the markets long
before Gas have already said,) mine was
opened on Georges creek and the coal was
sold in market as Cumberland coal, and long
before the railroads to the region were con-
templated or deemed feasible. 1t doesn t
make any difference about the prating of
certain papers about this matter, IL is C"Dtber
land coal by right Of priority and every other
right"
SO far as the JOURNAL is advised no.
body has ever denied that "Cumber-
land is the original name of the coal.
The question at issue, first raised by
thd JOURNAL, has been-is it the true
name of our coal? The matter of
originality interests nobody; the
matter of propriety does concern those
whose business it is to promote the
value of history as record of truth.
However, if originality in the re-
gion's nomenclature goes for any
thing solid, and if ga well-known
miners logic is worth printing, the
name of the coal should be "Pompey
Smash" for it was there, eff a we'll
known miner" be authority, that the
coal was mined. In Cumberland it
was merely transferred from wagons
to boats, the latter operation, in "a
well-known miner's' scheme of ratioc
nation, taking precedence Of the
former. In other words, the coal had
to be found, mined, washed, hauled
and loaded on boats before it could be
named Poor child!
But, miners, what do you think of
this ''well-known buddy" who argues
that plain, safe boat-loading is a high
er profession than the skillful and
dangerous avocation of mining?
In his behalf, however, it must be
stated that he has argued himself out
of court. This without giving reasons
why other things from up here, shipped
on hatboats, were not also dubbed
Cumberland" He says all this was
done "before a mine was opened on
Georges Creek before railroads
were built or deemed feasible"
There is absolutely no force in that
argument. If there were, "Cumber-
land" would be the name of Pompey
Smash coal only, and only of such
coal as was hauled in wagons to that
place. When wagon-hauling ceased,
mines opened on Georges Creek and
railroads built, all the boosted con-
ditions which gave Pompey Smash
coal "Cumberland' cognomen in
market were revolutionized. The
bagatelle of Pompey Smash coal was
swallowed up in the great find and de-
velopment of Georges Creek, and the
name, Cumberland, was, in fact,
superseded by every consideration in
volving the geographical, topograph-
ical and mineral fitness of things.
A faint illustration of our point may
be found in the rise and fall of the
name, "Pompey Smash''-a designa-
ton no longer used in polite circles.
The building of railroad through its
classic precincts, in full view of its
philosophers, savants and mineral
biologists, changed its name from
monstrosity to that seeming paradox,
"Vale Summit
ga wellknown miner" is too ancient.
He is too much relic of the past.
His "kivered Vaughn" chronology is
interesting but not ornamental anus
ing but useless. SO with his Fright of
priority'-a right that holds only until
it is survived by the fttest."
If he will favor the Necs with an
exposition of each ''every other right"
he speaks of, the JOURNAL will take
pleasure in ventilating it with its ac-
customed saoou fare.
Par Mobile Fratrum.