The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-03-09

urdnCHes, WHICH auOrueU ample
shade, was situated table, likewise
rustic as were the benches. On one
end of this table were placed, in
perfect order, lot of knives and
forks, tin plates and cans, and a
coffee pot of the same material, all
clean and bright.
Still nearer the spring was a large
trunk and much larger box.
These contained, as afterward had
sufficient evidence, the eatables,
save the butter and milk and cold
cooked meats, which were contained
in a covered box situated in the
spring stream.
While standing at the spring en-
joying a cool drink of water Mr..
Harne came up and suggested "that
we start out and look up the lake
party"
l thought the suggestion a good
one, and said that if he would lead
the way l would follow,
We were soon in path which led
up the creek, but which proved to
be an exceedingly rough one, besides
we had to climb over a number of
large trees, which had fallen either
from disease at their roots or the
fury of the mountain storms.
After we had gone about 800
yards Mr.. Harne, who was little in
advance of me, sung out: 81 hear
themW and very soon thereafter
turned around saying, as he pointed
to an object standing on a big log:
"Do you know that mani"
The distance was little too far
for me to recognize anyone, but
after advancing few yards l saw it
was the man | was looking for; yes,
the veritable Browning, as l had so
often seen him appear in the State
Senate, or at least, when he was
delegate to the State convention,
which nominated Hon. Frank
Brown for Governor, save that he
was in his shirt sleeves and had on
pair of leather leggins.
Mr.. Browning fastened to meet
and give me a warm greeting after
which we proceeded to where his
hands were building a dam across
Deep Creek.
Hardly competent to express an
opinion, certainly not as to the en-
gineering skill, the dam which l
found under construction and which
has since been finished, gave indi-
cation of great strength. All dams
on these mountain streams have to
be formidable and built to some ex-
tent in accordance with scientific
principles, else they would be swept
away by the violence of the spring
freshets.
The creek; noted for it's fine trout
fishing, was not particularly invit-
ing to me. 1t had a sluggish ap-
pearance, and the water, deep
enough at points to float small
boat, was anything but bright or
pleasing to the eye. These, how
ever, were but some of the charac-
teristics of mountain streams, which
often 60 meandering for miles
among natural meadows, or thinly-
tilnbered prairie, with their banks
here and there lined with wild fow-
ers and wild grapes, or Swallowed
with long and thick rows of bushes.
l gathered from inquiring as well
as from observation that it was an
ticipated to have the water Is feet
deep in the channel above the dam,
extending for mile up the creek
with the backwater, covering an
area in the width of 200 yards. A
very commendable and by no means
small enterprise, and one which
have since learned has met with
much of public interest and favor.
Mr.. Browning, who is member
of the Maryland fish commission.
appreciated the fact that these
mountain streams were being rap
idly depleted of the trout, and that
steps should be taken to have these
streams continuously fed from
"hatching-houses" constructed at
some place in their very near vicin-
ity and of easy access; that these
were the native waters of the trout,
and, therefore, it was the best that
they should be Matched il their ma
tive water and near their native
place than at foreign points in the
State and far removed.
Mr.. Browning received much en-
couragement from the prominent
State officials and others deeply in
terested in the fish industry, if such
it may be termed, and soon there
after, with l. S. Sudler, having first
spent two or three days in the ex-
animation, leased the ground neces-
sary for the lake, and as much more
as was desired to carry out their
contemplated plans in connection
! r.. AZ. L