The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-10-01
Letter from Walters, Baltimore
County, Md.

MEssRs EDrroRs-Your interesting gazette is a
welcome visitor here We were just getting ready
to congratulate you upon good old CarrollS nomi-
nee for congress. but fate has stepped in.
Anglers are plying their hooks and the finny
tribe in noble rivers gives much sport, besides
supplying our bill of fare with one of the best deli
cacies of the season.
The fruit crop, generally, has bee1 low per cent
this year. Some of our people are tomato growers
The past tW years this crop has realized figures
which are very encouraging to the farmer Among
the successful growers are Messrs. J. A. Miller
Walter r. Gillespie, Franklin Foulke and Shaher
Bros
The corn crop is not an aveage one here yet it is
far better than was anticipated short time ago.
The cabbage crop, which is very important factor
in parts of the district has suffered materially
from the grub.
Grain seeding has commenced here, although we
do not SOW quite so early as our friends on PARIS
Ridge Carroll county: we reiuctantiy confess Ss,
adapted to wheat raising than these river bottoms,
notwithstanding we have other advantages in
agriculture
Many of our people attended the fair at Tim
onium this county The managers OF this enter
prise are wide awake business men and always
give us a frst-cass exhibition.
All the churches here are doing good work, and
the public schools are increasing in numbers ana
efficiency.
-Four Of the ShafFer Bros, grand sons of the late
Abraham Shaffer, of Cranberry Valley and each re-
subjofn the following: The party met at Hillen
Station, Western Maryland railroad at 9.15
We embark the Pen Mar express, and are now
haunting through the beautiful hills, fair wales and
pleasant atmosphere of Baltimore county.
Arlington, GIyndon, Glen Norris and Finksburg,
successfully accost the tourists, and each
cosy little town or village, long to be remember
ed by one who goes out to see and learn.
Our indefatigable iron horse is pacing along with
his comfortable coaches at a velocity of 80 miles
per hour and we are all breathing home again
atmosphere that is, Carroll county, the land of our
ancestors is being explored every hamlet villa and
village. me thinks, extends its grateful arms to en-
brace the prOdigal son, fortunately, not prodiga
heir our train is now invading the source OF the
God bless her sacred halls, has appeared i'll the
western horizon, all eyes i'll the gay party are
voraciously feasting oil your ancient, yet, up to
date city. Pardon this apparent weakness; all are
half envious with eyes filled with tears of the land
From Westminster to Avonda1e Medford and
New Windsor, the canton is doubly dear to us, be-
ing the home of our birth. Our great grand father,
the father of the late Reuben Haines, owned large
tract of land in the rich fields of Wakefield Valley.
Having passed through the contented and greatly
improved town of New Windsor, our chaperon or
tourist agent, calls attention to the grand Blue
Ridge Mountains now barricading the western
horizon. Here, nature certainly has called halt
to the aspirations of human beings. The dullest
specimen of humanity is aroused and soon lost i'll
wonderland If the observer will turn his glasses
to the south, the bloody battle field of Antietam is
not far distant; now reverse your position and
Gettysburg is only few leagues away. You all
remember these terrible carriages in early sixties.
Somefhino like % 600 men laid down their lives at
the former place and % 600 at the latter.
Old Fredericktown which has been immortalized
by Whittier through his poem on the patriotism and
gallantry of Barbara Fritchie, is nard by.
The shrill whistle of the locomotive and the
ne Is GRADUALLY ascending the mountain. Magnif-
cent vistas through the sublime hills of the Blue
Ridge meet the traveller fertilization upon fertif
cation of rocks seem to defy the strong of dill
gence and the progress of man. yet. these gigantic
elevations are natures warehouses, which have
stored away minerals, in the long past, for the
present and future utility of mankind.
Arrived at Pen Mar, disembarked. and now stroll
ing through the delightful park; Here you find a
firt-elass restaurant and good things to satisfy
hungry man, generally. We have no difficulty in
securing a team; are on our way to High Rock now,
mountains looking over precipices that makes one
head swim. At two thousand feetabOve the sea, in
the pavilion at High Rock, all are lost in admira-
ton while viewing the rich Cumberland Valley
and neighboring mountains. The climax is reach,
ed, 500 feet higher places on the summit of old
king Quirauk If the reader has never been
the crest ola mountain, he surely must endeavor
to come here some time. You have the cardinal
points for observation; it is stated on fair days
distance of fifty miles can be covered Weynes-
boro, Pa and Hagerstown are seen in the distance.
The ozone in the air here makes fellow 20 years
his junior OCCASIONAL.