The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-07-26
NUMBER 20.
A Garrett County Farm,

The Frostburg Forum has for some
time been publishing a series of inter
esting articles using as a subject the
farms of Garrett county within a
short distance of Frostburg and lying
adjoining the old National Road. The
last issue of the Forum contained a
description of the farm of Mrs. J. W.
Blocher, situated in Election District
No. 3, which we reproduce, as follows:
Another ideal farm in Garrett
county is the one owned by Mrs. J.
Wesley Blocher, situated about two
miles east of Grantsville, near Swan
toms Mills. This tract of land was
known as Grassy Cabins Survey
and was settled by John Sloan in
1868. Sloan was one of the first set
tiers west of the Allegheny Noun
tains. The heirs of John Sloan COLI
veyed this land to Jacob and Daniel
Blocher in 1923. A few years after
wards one Henry Brewer, who ON the
plea that Sloan never had a title, OBJ
tanned patent, and tried to dispos-
sess the Blochers. After long litiga-
ton and the case had been carried to
the Supreme court of the United
States, it was decided by that body
in favor of the Blochers.
THE land is situated between Ne
gro and Meadow Mountains and con
sists of 270 acres, of which 200 are
cleared and in a high state of cultiva-
ton. The place is owned by Mrs. j.
W. Blocher, widow of the late J.
| Wesley Blocher who was a prominent
citizen of Garrett county. Mrs. Bloch
er and her family, consisting of three
sons and two daughters, cultivate the
land and under their able manage
ment the farm is kept up in the same
highly productive state for which it
was noted before the death of. Mr..
Blocher There is beautiful resi-
dence and two large barns on the
place, one S0x45 and the other 4Ox5O,
and it is needless to state that these
barns are filled to repletion after the
crops are harvested. There are over
100 tons of hay cut in average sea-
sons. Thirty head of cattle are kept
on the place. OF these Is are milch
cows, so that dairying forms good
portion of the work here. To those
who know Mrs. Blocher and her
scrupulous cleanliness it will be unnec-
essary to say that the milk house and
dairy are modes of neatness. A new
cream separator has been purchased
during the present summer and all
other improvements known to butter
makers are used here.
Two beautiful and we'll cared for
orchards are on the farm, each one
having over $50 trees. These orchards
contain the finest bearing trees, and
OF the choicest yarities. Oats. wheat,
corn, potatoes and other crops are
raised in large quantities. There is
sugar grove on the place fitted up
with Il sugar house, furnished with
boilers and all other necessary ilnple-
ments necessary for making maple
sugar. They have 1900 vessels on
the grounds and the average amount
of sugar annually is about 5000 lbs.
There is room for about 800 more YES
sells.
This place and its surroundings
beirg most desirably located for a
summer resort is we'll filed during
the summer months with visitors
from Washington and other cities.
Here among the mountains conven-
lent to the beautiful little village of
Grantsville, nesting so serenely
among the hills, the tourists can en-
joy every comfort. Far from the
'madding crowds ignoble strife the
oyerworked business or professional
man can find q beautiful home dur
ring the summer months among an
intelligent rural population and many
are now. taking advantage of these
conditions to spend their vacations
in this section
| ISIT RIGHT