The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-04-20

nome uldI hcto 1Ol 1ai III anu SdluCH
produce for those who till the soil.
The opportunities for those of linn
tied means to become land owners
are not exceled in any part of Mary
land, if, indeed, they are In any
other part of the country.
Raising cattle and sheep occupies
the attention of a large class of the
people. The range for cattle in the
unfenced mountains and glades is
almost unlimited. erhere are many
men who, like the Western cowboy,
do nothing for a livelihood except
herd cattle in the summer and feed
the stock in the winter. The soil
produces abundant crops of hay,
and there is no lack offood for win
ter use. The cattle and sheep
grazed and fed in this section COM
mand the highest prices in the
Eastern markets, and the mountain
mutton of this locality is famous
beyond the bounds of the State.
There is not creamery nor cheese
factory in the county, but there are
a number of fine openings for both.
A yssat deal of glade butter, how
ever, is produced, which is of SUI
perior quality and finds ready sale.
While Garrett county has all the
facilities and resources necessary as
a basis for great agricultural devel-
opment and prosperity, it is not
likely to become at any period a
manufacturing centre. The larg-
est manufacturing establishments
are lumber mills. Vast sums of
capital are invested in these and
they furnish employment for great
many laborers. These establish
ments will continue until the large
forests of timber are exhausted.
On the east side of Backbone noun
tain is the Georges Creek Coal Ba
sin, portion of which is in Gar
rett county. Along the West Vir-
ginia Central Railroad and on the
Maryland side of the North Branch
of the Potomac river is another
large coal field which is being opened
at numerous points. On Big Yough-
iogheny river is what is known as
the "Y ough Manor" Goa, field which
is opened also. In addition to
these several fields there are numer-
Gus mines which are being worked
for private use in the neighborhood
of Accident and Grantsville. In
deed the coal supply of Garrett
county is well-nigh inexhaustable,
and there are also unlimited sup
plies of iron ore, fire clay and lime
stone. In the years to come, when
the forests are cleared and the fer
tile glades and rich mountain sides
yield large crops of farm products,
the men who mine the minerals and
those engaged in manufactures will
furnish the farmer with a home
market for all he can produce.
The maple sugar industry gives
employment to large number of
people during portion of the year,
and brings in large revenue to
many industrious people. An an
nual average crop is about 225, 900
pounds. If all the groves were
properly cared for and worked to
their full capacity, the annual out
put would be doubtless doubled.
The sugar manufactured here sells
rapidly for from five to eight cents
a pound.
Garrett county has within her
limits a number of summer resorts
which bring a large number of peo-
pie to this section. A large revenue
accrues to the people from this
source. The summer resorts are
not only source of permanent in
come, but will increase from year
to year. No business in the county
has increased so rapidly in the p st
ten years as this.
There Is table land reaching
from Altamont on the east, to Terra
Alta on the west, twenty miles wide
on top of the mountains, at an alti-
tude of twenty-seven hundred feet
above tide. Here hot night is un-
known. The mercury may some
times crawl up to eighty in the heat
of the day, but even then one can
feel sure he will be able to sleep an
der blankets at night. A large
number of Baltimore, Washington
and Philadelphia people have built
and furnished cottages, which they
occupy about five months in the
year.
Garrett is much more fortunate
than many of its sister counties i'll
the transportation facilities it pos
sesses. From Oakland to Philadel-
phia is about $50 miles, to Balti-
more 246 miles, to Wheeling 147
miles, to Chicago 600, and to Gin
cinnati 341 miles. All these points
can be reached without change of
carc from Oakland over tho Raltl-