Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-07-27
CORRESPONDENTS.
Moro "Reminiscences.


VALE SUMMIT, Mp, July %, 1895.
To the MINING JOURNAL.
According to promise, | will write a
few more facts about the location and
prospects of Frostburg.
The last of the list of my old ac-
qualntances, mentioned in my former
letter. was the senior partner of
Hltchins Brothers-Owen Hitchins,
whom | knew from the date of his
coming into the county as miner:
next as merchant and coal operator.
He owned many fine social qualities.
Others whom ! remember as agents,
superintendent and merchants are
Greene, Bruce, Armstrong, Huntley,
Clary, Washington McCulloh. Neff,
Mcneil, Frost and Porter. One of
the last named will be long remember
ed IN the person of DR.. James M.
Porter, who was known everywhere in
the county. In the same profession
were Townsend and Getzendanner,
Among others are Bear, Tenants and
Gunter. along with my old friend,
Nelson Beall-all have been returned
to mother earth.
The town is over 1000 feet above
the level of tide, aud is located upon
the transverse ridge which divides
the coal basin into two parts with two
distinct and opposite drainage direc-
tons, namely jennings run and
Braddock's run, ria Wills creek and
Georges creek. to the Potomac at Cum
berland and Westernport respectively.
This IS the broadcast point in the coal
basin, the distance beng five miles
from the outcrop of the Big Seam on
Dams mountain to the same on Savage
mountain, thereby affordlng a much
larger area Of this celebrated seam
than elsewhere in the region. AS
none of this'has been eroded here, as
1t has been more or less in the entire
length OF the basin, this exceptional
ridge adds greatly to the mineral
wealth OF the mountain metropolis.
| The town has some fine churches of
all branches of the christian faith,
with the exceptions of the Latter Day
Saints and the Salvation Army. The
people are very orthodox III their re
ligious faith.
With good public halls and schools,
foundries, brickwo,ks, and, near by,
the raw material for the last-named
industry is inexhaustible, promises to
remain one of the principa! interests
OF the town for generations to come.
Include the coke industry, now in
view, there is in sight good local
market for friedrich for ovens.
There is one improvement lacking
that would be of great benefit-another
line of railroad. This could be easily
accomplished by building three miles
of branch connection with the
Georges Creek and Cumberland road
at Vale Summit at little expense.
There are two National banks in the
town. The president of the First is
Bernard Stern, one of the old dry
goods and clothing merchants of the
town, with Il. Amman, a son of cashier
Daniel Amman, of the Second National
Bank of Cumberland, as cashier. The
Citizens bank has Davisson Armstrong
for president, who is also resident
agent Of the cid Borden Mining COM
pany. Frank Watts is cashier. Both
banks are doing Il good business.
The Mayor IS Joseph Bear, popular
clothing merchant and legal and
loyal descendant of the chosen people
of God. He is we'll known all through
the county, as he conducts his business
upon the principle of quick sales and
small profits"
The town of Frostburg has one
paper, weekly, the MINING JOURNAL,
better known as "the great paper"
1t was founded by the late Col. John
Pickell, an old soldier of the United
States army; also Of the rebellion, and
later identified with the building of
the old National road that runs through
Frostburg. 1t should be published at
least seml-weekly, and it would be to
the interest of the business men to
give 1T the support necessary to sustain
it as daily. j. B. Oder now owns it,
and he is well known to the newspaper
fraternity of the country.
The mining population of this fine
summer resort is employed at the
various coal companies mines, as fol-
lows: Consolidation, Union Mining,
Borden Mining, Georges Creek Valley
and Big Ven-all lying close by.
will add here the names of several
more acquaintances-Capt. McCulloh
and Maj. Huntley, too brave soldiers of
the Union army who have answered the
last roll-call, not forgetting my old
friend, Levi T. Dewitt, who is still in
the land of the living and the home of
hope.
In conclusion, l will say-let
Frostburg flourish, and, to make sure
OF solid prosperity, the municipal
government should be kept clear of
party politics. THOMAS Brown.
p. SIT will take another letter to
write up the undeveoped coal territory
located proximately to Frostburg.
r. b.