Evening star., 1895-09-16
What Washington Intended for Har-
per's Ferry.
\ GIGANTIC ARSENAL THERE
An Eyewitness Speaks of John
Browns Attack.
AN INTERESTING STORY
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

! y.
| Much has been written about this place,
yet much remains to be said. Robert Har-
per, the founder of Harper's Ferry, was
born at Oxford, England, in 1113 and emf
grated to Philadelphia at the age Of .wen-
| ty, where he followed the business Of archi-
| lecture and milwrighting. In 17i7 he visit
| ed what Is now known as Frederick city,
| Md, and while there was engaged by the
Society of Friends to build a Protestant
| Episcopal Church on the Opequon river on
| the site of Winchester, Va. He formed the
acquaintance of German named Hoffman,
| who told him that by going through what
| was then called the Hole he could reach
his destination by a shorter route than by
taking roundabout way by Antietam.
The Hole" was then a dense forest, and
| the only dwelling in the place was the
| Stevens cottage, situated on the site of the
| house now owned by Mr.. kreps, on Shenan-
doah street, The scenery was so pictur-
esque and beautiful that Harper decided to
settle there, and accordingly purchased
| the Stevens property for the sum of fifty
guineas He afterward learned that the
place belonged to the great Fairfax estate
and that Stevens had squatted there and
had no right of possession. He then saw
Lord Fairfax and obtained a title from him.
Establishing the Ferry.
Being an enterI rising nan, he established
ferry on the Shenandoah and Potomac
rivers and gave the name of Harper's Fer
ry to the place. He lived in the Stevens
cottage till 1115, and died in 11S2. Mr.
Harper having no children, willed his prop
erty to Sarah Harper, the only child of his
brother Joseph, and to some nephews Oh MS
wife named Griffith. Sarah Harper mar
ried a gentleman from Philadelphia named
Wager. who was grandson OF a German
by the same name, who emigrated from
the city of Worms. in Hesse Darmstadt 1t
&c. hnt hAr nor W
saw their Harper's Ferry estate, but many
of their descendants are now living and
own a large part of the property here.
Harper gave about four acres of ground to
the town for a burying place, situated on
Camp Hill. near the Catholic Church The
plots in which Harper, the Wagers and
their descendants lie are inclosed with iron
railings. These plots are on the brow of
the i'll overlooking the beautiful valley in
whose bosom the waters of the Potomac
and Shenandoah n eet
Harper's Grave.
A simple II arble slab, bearing the follow
ing inscription, marks the spot where rest
the remains Of Robert Harper:
In memory of Robert Harper the found
er of Harper's Ferry. Born in lib. Ok
ford. England Died 1872 This stone is
erected by his great nephew, John Wager
Swayne."
Another tomb in the same plot bears this
inscription:
Mrs Mary Harper Seelis. Born Phla-
delphia, August J. l716. Died June II. 1871,
Washington. D. c..
During Washington'S administration, in
1874. a site chosen ON Camp Hill for
the establishment of national armory. 1t
is said that George Washington surveyed
the spot for this purpose. Congress ap-
piled to the general assembly of Virginia
for permission to purchase the site. The
request was complied with. under the con-
ditiOn that the government was not to
A tract of land, consisting of 125 acres,
contained in a triangle made by the Poto-
mac and Shenandoah rivers, and running
in line from the former to the latter
river. TO what is now known as Union
street. was purchased from the heirs of
Robert Harper. The water power at the
meeting of these two rivers is said to be
one of the finest in the world. Another
tract of land. containing $40 acres, and sit
lated on Bolivar Heights, was also pur-
chased by the government from Mr.. Ruth
erford. In l'G the government erected
shops in Bolivar. 1t bought some land on
Loudoun Heights, in order to have pos
session of the fine timber with which the
mountains abounded.
Decided to Washington.
The property which was purchased by
the government for the establishment of
the armory was decided to George Wash
inston and his successors in office forever.
Jeffersons Rock on Camp Hill, which over
looks Shenardoah street from a height of
about $50 feet is supposed to be the rock
upon which the Sage of Monticello''
wrote his famous Notes on Virginia.
The old engine house, which John Brown
occupied as his fort during mis- celebrated
raid on Harper's Ferry has been removed
to Chicago but a small stone monument
erected by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company now marks the spot near the de-
pot where it once stood. Miss Kate Field
is contemplating having the fort brought
on from Chicago and placed on Bolivar
Holt tN:.
of two acres. which Mr.. Bracket, president
of the Historical College of Bolivar, has
agreed to donate for this purpose. A mouu-
meat Of shells will be built some thirty or
thirty-five feet high on Bolivar Heights
overlooking the Potomac.
some time ago there was considerable
talk of erecting a monument to John
Brown, but as this was received with a
storm of disapproval by the southern people
residing in this locality, the project was
abandoned.
Story of the Raid.
A great deal has been said concerning
John Browns raid on this place, but a few
statements made by The Stars correspond
ent from Mr.. Jesse Graham, who settled
here on the 18th of November, 1S47, and
who was taken a prisoner by one of John
Browns men. and kept in the engine house.
may prove interesting. At that time the
arsenal was fenced around with musket
barrels, spiked with bayonets
ated on the Potomac, and the other on the
Shenandoah. Smothbore muskets We're
made at the former, and rifles at the latter.
The rifle factory stood on the Shenandoah
where the logs for the pulp mill are soaked,
and at low tide the old stones of the build
ing used can be seen.
Browns object in taking possession of
Harper's Ferry was to capture about 25,OOO
guns which were then stored in the arsenal
The states had not received their quota of
guns at that time, and this accounted for
the large number which were in the build
ing.
When asked by Mr.. A. NJ. Ketzmiller, the
chief clerk, who then had charge of The
arsenal, what he expected to gain by cap
turing Harper's Ferry. Brown replied: IT
expect to get possession of all the guns
stored here; they are mine" Brown then
asked him if he ever read the battle Of
Ossawatomie, Kansas.
NO" said Ketzmiller.
Then you never read much" replied
Brown.
AS he turned around and faced the chief
clerk, 1T suddenly dawned upon his mind
who Brown really was, and he said: "Oh,
yes, have read about that battle"