News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1892-10-06
Letter from Maryland.

CUMBERLAND, MD, Sept. "a.
Mr.. EDIToR:-I would like to tell
my old friends in Vermont what the
habits and conditions Of the people
of Cumberland, Maryland, are, for il
| is so curious to me, but j am not
much given to newspaper correspon-
| dence, and have not the readable ease
of expressing myself that my bet
ter half has, and you need not print
this unless you wish. The state OF
MARYLAND is less than three miles
wide at this point, West Virginia on
one side and Pennsylvania on the
other. 1t is among the Allegheny
mountains and 155 miles from Wash
ington. about the same to Wheeling
and Pittsburgh. 1t is not an agricul-
tural section, though some places
among the mountains as we came
over the road showed small amount
of agriculture. The farmers had their
corn cut and stocked. They were set
in straight lines through the fields
about six rods apart in the OWs,aud
stocks near together, and they were
plowing, narrowing and sowing wheat
usually get through sowing in Sep
tember though some are late about
it and do not get through until quite
well along in October The country
looks veiy barren, for they have had
no rain to amount to anything since
the 1st Of July. The grass is dried
and looks that a fire would run any
where. The Potomac river is so low
that at many points / feel very sure
one could wade across and atno point
be in water ten inches deep. The
water i'm the river, as well as all the
streams is muddy, and one feels hesi-
tation to wash in it, but it is used by
everyone, though water is brought
into this city in casks from up in the
mountains and sold for five cents
per gallon, and have been too glad
to go out and hail one of the teams
peddling it about the streets, and get
a good drink of pure warm water.
The same statement about water is
applicable toWashington, ID. {. The
residents among the mountains Of
New England cannot fully appreciate
the blessing they have in this respect
until they see what other parts of the
country have at their best. Liquors
and beers are advertised at most pub
lie places, as well as all kinds of
games of chance at many places. IL
is not uncommon to see "a person laid
out beside the road in an unconscious
drunken stupor, and often to hear
quite loud and excited conversation
caused apparently by liquor.
This is a very old town, whereWash-
ington surveyed when a young man.
1t was here that he had some noted
battles. 1t was through here that
the Government road was laid, run
ming from Baltimore TO st. Louis via
Wheeling and Columbus, o., and that
road was madevery thoroughly. The
bridges were made OF stone and arch
ed from pier to pier, and they stand
as firm to-day as when made in 1885.
| took a little ride yesterday over the
the road about five miles and it was
quite evident from the bridges that
the Government built them. The date
and name of builder was quite often
inscribed on the bridge, and every
about II inches square and four feet
high on which is inscribed in figures
the number of miles from Wheeling,
Baltimore and Cumberland. The
town is about 20 years behind New
England civilization. The chief in
dustries are in coal which is mined up
in the mountains from here, TO which
there are railroad lines. The Balti-
more & Ohio II. r., and Pennsylvania
Central X. II. have lines through here
and this is the great thoroughiare
from Ohio and the West TO Washing
ton and sea board, and n double
track extends the entire length and
they have car shops here. There is
large tannery and two glass works
and various other industries here. lt
seemed so odd to me to see man
driving a four horse or mule team,
straddle the near wheel horse or mule
driving with one line, know this was
so 20 years ago in the West, but i
looked for a change here but | find it
the same now in private enterprise rs
it was in 1862 to '65 when our New
England boys gave them a salute
from hastily madefo not far from
here. l heard a matter talked yes
terday that | must tell you. Within
three miles from here they told OF one
spot where 10 bodies had been found
within a few years, some of them laid
on the railroad track but no indica-
tions that they fell off the train, but
that they were laid there, but no one
dared TO say word for fear of what
might follow to themselves. This was
in West Virginia. Wednesday night
on the train from Washington to
Cumberland there was so much ardent
on board that the G. A. RS. engaged
in free fight, and at the conclusion
one man said, 81 am sick of living, "
stepped out on the platform and
jumped off with the train moving
very rapidly. Such is life or death.
1t does onegood to get a little view
into the world outside of his own
home, for seeing is believing.
7. J. BAKER.