The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-02-15
GARRETT COUNTY.
An Interesting Review of Its History
and Resources.
OAKLAND, MD. Feb. Z, 1894.

L. Jay IN Cumberland news.
Garrett county was created under
the provisions of the act of the
Maryland Legislature, passed at
the session of eighteen hundred and
seyenty-two, chapter two hundred
and twelve, out Of all that portion
of AlleganY county, "lying south
and west of a line beginning at the
summit of Big Back bone or Savage
Mountain. where that mountain is
crossed by Mason's and Dixon's
line, and running thence by a
straight line to the middle of Saw
age River where 1t empties into the
Potomac River Garrett is there
fore the youngest Of the counties of
Maryland.
The territory out Of which Gar
rett county was erected includes
the extreme western portion of Ale
gany county, and is nearly sur
rounded by the adjoining States of
Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
1t is fifty-four miles from Oakland
to Cumberland by the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, and | presume
the great distance which the people
of this section were compelled to
travel in order to attend court and
look after other county business in
duced them to vote for a new
county. There is a question how
ever in the minds of some whether
the formation o. the new county
has been of any material advantage
to the masses. Some people con-
tend to this day that they would
have been more prosperous if they
had renamed with the mother
county. l am net prepared to say
this is the correct position on the
subject, bnt ,. re are gentlemen
who entertain this view whose opin-
ions are entitled to respect.
This isolated section of the State
was at that time very sparsely set
tied and had barely population
enough to form the basis for "a new
county under the provisions of the
constitution of Maryland. Alto
gether the outlook for prosperous
county was not very promising at
that time in the ewes of many citi-
zens and there was decided opposi-
ton on their part to the new county
project. Those who took this view
of the matter worked and voted
against a division of Allegany.
Nevertheless the proposition carried
and the new county was formed.
OBSTACLES TO DEVELOPMENT.
One of the first obstacles TO the
progress of the Young county was a
dispute which arose among the peo-
pie over the location Of the county
seat as number Of places were can
didates for the honor. Prominent
among them were Oakland, Nc
Henry, Accident, Grantsville ana
others. Oakland was selected by
plurality, and the county govern
ment was organized here. The
feeling against Oakland grew
stronger after the vote had been
taken, and those citizens who
wanted the county seat at some
other point left no stone unturned
to accomplish their purpose. The
opinion was entertained by many
that the county seat could not be
selected except by a majority of all
the votes cast. Indeed, the Cover
nor Of the State adopted that view,
and at the January session Of the
Legislature held in 1874, Governor
VIM. Pinkney White in his message
called attention to the matter. The
fight over the question was then
transferred to the State House in
Annapolis, and it turned out to be
one of the most bitter contests in
which the people of this county
have ever been engaged. The Sen
ator and one delegate were opposed
to Oakland while one delegate was
favorable to Oakland. With "a ma
jority of the delegation in the Gen
eral Assembly, backed by the exc
cutive, against them, it looked very
much like the friends OF Oakland
were engaged in hopeless under
taking. In the beginning of the
session a bill was introduced de-
fnitely fixing the county seat at
Oakland. Later this bill passed
the House and went through the
Senate over the opposition of Gar
rett's Senator. Those who were
opposed to Oakland asked that the
question be re-submltted to the peo-
pie. This request from their stand
point was not unreasonable, but
the Legislature refused their petit
ton. The settlement of the ques-
ton by the Legislature did not
allaY the feeling which existed upon
the subject. Unfortunately the eff
fects of that controversy can be
seen and felt to the present day.
For several years, the anti-Oak-
land party, regardless of politics,