Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-01
The Romantic Place Where Three
ss States Corner.
HARPERS FERRY'S MANY ATTRACTIONS
interesting Details Of the Surround
ing Country.
FLOCKS OF WILD GOATS
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

camp nave q cOmDineQ pOpuiatlOn OF
about 1900. Harper's Ferry has Metho-
dist, Catholic, Presbyterian, colored Baptist
and colored Methodist Church. while Bolivar
has Lutheran and Methodist Church. The
Catholic Church is builtof stone and is the
oldest in the former town, having been
erected in 1893. It is situated on the hill
overlooking Shenandoah street, and its
rough walls are marked by many bullets.
like veteran of the war.
The Episcopal Church stands close by.
and is also built of stone; and, like the
Catholic Church. bears the marks of bullets
on its walls. The larger portion of the men
residing in Harper's Ferry are employed in
the pulp mills and on the railroads. There
are a number of stores in Harper's Ferry
and Bolivar, which appear to carry on a
lively trade.
On Loudoun and Maryland Heights, which
girt Harper's Ferry, are several large peach
farms, which raise a delicious fruit. The
peach farm on Loudoun Heights is one OF
the largest in this part Of the country. The
peaches produced in this neighborhood are
packed and sent by freight to the commits
sion houses of Baltimore. Washington and
other large cities.
There is some talk of establishing a sys-
tenn of water works for the town of Har-
per's Ferry. as the water power where the
Potomac and Shenandoah rivers meet can
ELL
reservoir to supply the town. 1t is said
tfat the river here has about thirty-fve
hundred horse power.
Proposed Development.
The citizens of the town are anxious for
the development of this water power. which
can not only be used fer manufacturing
purposes. but also for establishing an cleo
trio plant with which to light the town.
The quarries around this region contain
some excellent stone. but they are net be-
ing worked at present There is mineral
belt between Harper's Ferry and Shepherds
town which is said to contain blue marble.
limestone. hydraulic cement, iron ore and
mineral paint. AS there is no railroad run
ming to this point, the stones in these quar-
ries cannot be utilized. About two years
ago a survey was made for running rail-
road to this place. but as yet nothing fur
Their has been done to promote the project
The water power at Shenandoah City is
said to be remarkably strong and can be
used in various ways for improving that To-
cality.
There is quite an extensive cave between
Harper's Ferry and Rafting Springs.
which is supposed to have been occupied
by John Brown and his men before the
celebrated raid on Harper's Ferry. but the
truth is. neither Brown nor his men ever
saw or heard of the place.
Beautiful Scenery.
No true lover of nature can fail to be I'M
pressed with the beautiful scenery sur
rounding Harpers Ferry. Maryland
Heights rises 1890 feet above the level Of
the Potomac, and throws its shadow on the
picturesque rocks of the river below. LOU
doun Heights. which overlook the Shen-
andoah, presents almost as fine an appear
arce as its sister mountain on the Potomac.
The three states of Maryland, Virginia and
West Virginia nearly meet at this point,
and are only separated by the two rivers.
Loudoun and Maryland Heights are
reached from Harpers Ferry by two
bridges. which have been recently built.
The toll over these bridges is quite high,
both for pedestrians and vehicles, and there
has been considerable kicking over the
charge. The bridges would be made free
if it were not for the interstate compli-
cation involved in chartering the company
that built them. The valley between the
three states, where the Potomac and Shen-
aHdoah rivers meet, is so beautiful that
Thomas Jefferson, in his Notes on Vir-
ginia," said that it was worth a voyage
across the Atlantic to see. Chimney rock on
Loudoun Heights. which overlooks the
feet, derives it's name from it's remarkable
resemblance to a chimney. This spot is
often visited on account Of its novel ap-
pearance, well as the fine view which
it commands.
handsome club house nestles on the
side of the mountain facing the Potomac.
This is owned by several wealthy Wash
ington men. who find it a convenient place
to stop when they come here on fishing
and hunting expeditions. Rafting Springs,
on the Potomac. about two miles above
Harper's Ferry, is reached by a road which
skirts the edge of the mountain, above
which runs the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road in a westerly course. The water of
this spring courses down the mountain be-
tween a narrow cleft in the rock, rafting
on it's way. and this is why the name Of
Dot lfy,v nv faer- yu-rac srryn 70 ,v>14
A Restful View.
The Potomac is quite deep here, owing to
a large dam a short distance below. There
is graceful bend in the river beyond the
springs, and the waters are so placid that
they are scarcely disturbed by a ripple
The veriant hills of Maryland and West
Virginia look down upon them from either
side, and the scenery here is worthy Of
the pen of poet or the brush of an ar
list. The Chesapeake and Ohio canal runs
along the base of the mountains on the
Maryland SIDE and boats are often seen
going up and down the canal during the
day. 1t Is pretty sight to watch them
gliding on their course. while the hills re-
echo the sound of the horn which an
nounces their approach. During one of the
large floods a canal boat was washed to
the foot of Maryland Heights, near the
road leading up the mountain. and it has
been converted into quite novel dwelling
A family have occupied this place some
time, and seem to be perfectly contented
with their home.
There are hundreds of wild goats in the
mountains around Harper's Ferry The.t
progenitors were undoubtedly tame ones
that ran away from mans jursd: ctiou
As there are lodges of Masons, Jonadabs.
Knights of Pythias. Odd Fellows and the
Junior Order Of Mechanics in Harper's
Ferry and vicinity, it may be possible that
these bearded freebooters Of the rocks and
dump heaps have escaped from some of
these lodges. They climb the most difficult
places on the mountains with perfect ease
and annoy the canal men very much by
rolling rocks down upon them
The view of the Shenandoah valley from
Bolivar Heights is magnificent Charles
town and Mart.nsburg are visible from this
point. The Blue Ridge mountains can be
seen, and also the pinnacle of North noun
tain, which Is sixty miles distant. The Al
leeheries in Maryland and the old battle
ground Of Antietdm greet the sight when
we look toward that state.
Relics of the War.
Bullets. canteens and other war relics
can be picked up almost anywhere on
these heights.
castle built of stone procured from a
neighboring quarry stands upon these
heights. This castle is of Queen Anne
architecture. has three stories and a base
ment. all the modern improvements, and
is seventy-six by fifty-four feet It is
handsomely finished inside. The center