The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-04-27

lduu 10 OdHluel DrOWn, my IdCner,
in 1912. Tradition has it that at
that time there was upon Coal
and Timbe coal bank or open
ing, which to use favorite express
sion of President Cleveland, had
gone into ''innocuous deseutude."
This was fully so years ago and it
will be safe deduction to say the
opening was made twenty years
prior, no doubt by Philip Hare, who
was man of some enterprise in
his primitive times. He certainly
built the first saw mill in what is
Garrett county, 100 years or more
ago. The mill was not over 900
yards from the coal mine and it was
in ruins over 65 years ago.
The object of this coal mine was
to supply the blacksmith shops on
both sides of the state line with
coal, there being no other use or
demand for it at that time. The
old Glotfelty shops, about q mile
a half distant in Pennsylvania used
to carry its coal from this mine IN
strong sacks on pack horses and
perhaps sometimes on stout shout.
ders of some of the ancient Glot-
feltys. The same primitive method
was employed in supplying the
smitheries along Braddock's road.
The Glodfelty-Yowler shops were
established on the Glotfelty estate
over a century ago but was removed
to Salisbury over IS years since and
is still run by the family rare in
stance of business longevity, The
now venerable Samuel Glotfelty,
after standing by the forge and
bellows for 60 years retired about
ten years ago. His mind is yet
clear, but otherwise he is infrm.
He is positive the old Hare opening
is the most ancient in the two coun-
ties. lie remembers much himself
and heard his ancestors often speak
of the difficulties they had to pro-
cure coal. The reason the mine
mentioned was abandoned so early
was no doubt on account of the
fact that better coal and larger
veins were discovered Il few miles
west in Maryland and three miles
north in Pennsylvania on the Fadely
and Blubaugh farms.
THE ARCHY THISTLE MINE.
Coal Was discovered on the lands
of Archibald Thistle close to the
pike about two miles west of Grants
vile, but the exact date cannot now
be ascertained. My brother, Elijah,
now for number of years a resi-
dent of Shipman, Ill.,, in his Send
year, writes me this mine was in
operation at his earliest recollection,
supplying the smitheres along the
old National road and there was a
shop every mile or two, concluded
it was first opened so or more years
ago. This mine is still in opera
ton and is owned and worked by
Aaron Beachy, but his patrons are
mostly west of him as the Grants
vile region draw its supply from
the mines a few miles north in
| Pennsylvania from a VEN II feet in
thickness, whilst the other is only
three to four feet thick.
| am indebted to my brother with
his clear and stong recollections
for much of the matter in this arti-
Gle; also to the aged Samuel Glot-
felty, now well-nigh 80 years old.
He is now the senior of an ancient
and very worthy family which |
have known well all the days of my
life, and it is pleasure to note the
agreeable fact. Many of the same
family are desirable residents Of
Garrett county.
FROSTBURG OPENINGS.
The first opening in the Frost
burg coal region was upon the old
Eckhart property one mile east of
Frostburg, close to the pike, about
95 years ago, little over. This,
on account Of its convenience to the
road, was the most prominent mine.
Some two years later the Old Neff
mine was opened and still later by
several years the Sci Porter mine
was opened. These openings were
all lose to each other and upon the
big vein. For good many years
the only demand for this most ex-
cellent coal was for the smitheries
along the road and in Cumberland.
The town of FroStburg was NOT
then in existence, not even on IA
paper plat. Mr.. VIM. Frost, now
about Is years old, clans to DC the
first born of Frostburg. The Frost
family had valuable coal land and
! operated Il mine as earlr as 1918, so
the late VIM. Stanton informed the
writer many years ago. About the
year 1910 the Frostburg coal began
to be sent to the eastern markets
upon keel boats of about ten tons
capacity each, down the Potomac