The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-10-01
COL. KILGOUR'S "REMINISCENCES.
He Writes EntertainingIy of Garrett's Hills
and Streams.

bN w Ill. hllSOuf IN BOOK OF Royal
Blue" for September.
1t was in the summer of 1858 that |
made my first visit to this charming
and picturesque section of the State,
of which the late Nathaniel Parker
ellis, author and poet, after spending
some days in viewing the prismatic
splendors of its vast and varied scene
ry; the bold, marvellous and majestic
grandeur of its towering and seeming
ly endless chain of mountains: the
wild and rugged beauty of it's tortuous
ravines, rambling over and along the
poetic glades whose beauty is very
heightened and softened by the mel
odies of forest and stream, said, in
one of his famous Rural Sketches
1t is the Switzerland of America, -
which expression was further empha-
sized by Bancroft the historian. who
was travelling with him at the time
when he wrote; aside from its life
giving properties. its magnificent
sport of forest and stream, its harmo.
NOUS blending of mountain streams
and wilderness rendered it the most
enchanting piece of country on which
my eyes rested and it strikes me that
to those who are fond of the beauti-
full in nature, it must be paradise
on earth"
My visit was at the suggestion of an
old hunter. was at that time read
ing law in a big city. The weather
was intolerably warm, the thermome-
ter ranging from 80 to 100 degrees
through the night. He informed me
anywhere in the glades or along the
tablelands of this portion of the ALE
ghenies, it mattered not how intense
the heat elsewhere, one could always
sleep delightfully."- under quilt and
blanket and enjoy a delightful breeze
during the day. That though this
section was but sparsely settled, yet l
could find the best milk, butter and
mutton that the world ever produced,
with plenty of other good and invit-
ing dishes. That the mountain
streams and those flowing inthe glades
were filled with delicious trout, afford
ing rare pleasure for those who love
such sport. That | would find the
atmosphere bracing such an appetite
as would enable me to eat and at the
same time enjoy it.
These frank and cheerful assurance
made such an impression that | de-
termined | would at once turn my
back upon the glare and heat of the
city and take an outing in this favor
ed region
Accordingly, my traps were packed
and felt sort of proprietorship as l
entered the train of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, which was the first
railroad to demonstrate the possibili-
ties of mountain penetration, and
proceeded on my outing.
So great was the change, so novel
and charming were the surroundings
at this, my objective point, Oakland,
that my stay was prolonged for sever
al weeks, and even now, in the even
ing of my life, the recollection of these
glad hours in this then Virgin country
come stealing DER me like the memo
cries of lost music.
During the many intervening years
l have seldomed failed to make a
pilgrimage thither in the summer or
fall remaining from one to two months
AT that period Oakland had hardly
risen to the dignity of village. The
places of prominence were the historic
Glades hotel, the first highgrade ho-
tel established in the mountains be-
tween Baltimore and Wheeling, own
ed and conducted by the late John
Daily, which, as the years went by
became popular with the summer
tourists from all parts of the country,
especially with those who came to
enjoy hunting and fishing
The most popular place of resort
was a small farm building where
Mountain Dew was dispensed; here
the old mountaineers would congre-
gate every Saturday evening and
have jolly good time until the small
hours of the succeeding morn.
True, the march of civilization for
a number of years, like the waves of
the ocean beating against its shores,
has made many i1roads upon its
rough and primitive beauties, still
there is much, very much, left that
is grand, poetic, romatic and untam-
ed to render it attractive beyond the
tongue to syllable or language to sde-
pict.
Thousands of glade meadows, the
Big and Little Yough river, Sang Run,
Deep Creek, Cherry Meadow Creek,
Swallow Falls, Hoye Run and Her.
rington Creek, have all become his
toric because of the fine trout that
live in their waters. On Harrington
Creek the finest Matching stream
known to exist in the mountains, was
located the first fish like of any pre-
tension and was constructed under
~