Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-07-22
Opens Rich Country.
From the Washington Star.

with the construction of the Washington
Sandy Spring and Ellicott City electric rail
way, the right Of way for which was sc
cured a number of years ago 1t will ia
a section of Montgomery and Howar
counties which is said to be rolling il
wealth, but is as yet provided with six
teenth century transportation facilities.
Asa E. Phillips. superintendent of sewers
who is interested in engineering feats o
any kind, has just returned from a vaca
ton spent along the right of way of tn,
proposed road. He went over the lin,
with his brother Harry Phillips, the engin
eer in charge of the work Asa f. Phillips
is enthusiastic over the prospects of con
Meeting Washington with this new and ricl
country.
THAT is wonderful country" he sale
today, in talking about the trip. Il neve
saw a stretch of country that gives bette
Impression of being substantially rich. AnC
yet it is absolutely free as yet from the
locomotive whistle or the clang of the
trolleys The farmers there are forced tC
travel the old toll gate route at Pullman
rates. drove the entire length of the line
from Washington to point beyond Patap
SEQ, and saw nothing during the entire trip
that savored of anything but rural wealth
It's rural. all right. A chap in Sandy
Spring called that village the most rural
community in the United States.
yet that same little village is a great
town. doubt if its equal exists. 1t is
nearly twenty miles from railroad, yet il
has splendid schools. public library and
fine homes. Just as reminder that there
is United States coinage. the bank at
Sandy Spring has million dollars in de-
posits and pays a per cent. to its deposi-
tors. And not railroad in twenty miles.
IAN odd thing about the bank is that
it's strictly local institution. No one,
not even director, can deposit more than
$500 in any one year and not over $4,000
in all, Another curious fact about this
bank, which speaks for its conservatism,
is that with twenty-One directors, the av-
erage age of them is over seventy years.
Two of the directors are over ninety.
"One of the most wonderful houses
have ever seen or heard of is in that Sec
ton, about twenty miles north of Sandy
Spring. 1t is Doushoregan Manor. home of
Gov. Carroll. who was Marylands chief
executive forty years ago, and who is hale
and hearty yet The house has frontage
of nearly 800 feet, with splendid chapel
in the north wing, and is filled with historic
treasures. particularly of the Revolutionary
period. Ii is surrounded by magnificent
lawns and gardens, in setting of splendid
forestry. 1t reminded me of some old En-
glish estate, such as Blenheim Or Warwick
THE manor house has columns and yell
low facings, and is a monument to seven
teenth century days. 1t grew with the
colonies. Wing on wing has been placed
at each end. Yet the architectural sym
metry and beauty have been maintained,
and even made more beautiful by the ad-
ditions.
st. Charles College is very near the
manor. In fact, the two are separated only
by that old high road of commerce. the
Frederick turnpike. The college buildings
are stately and are set in the midst of a
splendid green lawn, with plenty of big
oaks.
But the most mysterious and interest
ing place in all this country is Folly Quar-
ter Five miles to the south of Dough-
oregan Manor. on what is known as the
Grape Vine road, there is dense forest,
apparently miles in extent A dark trail
leads through the woods for half mile
and opens with startling swiftness on the
white walls of deserted marble palace,
built so close to the trees that there is
scarcely any open space The story of
this mystery is worthy of the imagination
of Edgar Allan Poe.
in the first quarter of the last century
wealthy Howard county farmer died.
leaving his property in such way that
an only daughter was to have certain lands
and money sufficient to build a house
thereon. and the bulk of the estate went
to distant heirs. The daughter was too
smart for the distant heirs and when she
got ready to build her house. it was house
indeed She called in the most expensive
architects, designers. builders and artisans
in the country and imported every expen-
sive bit of material she could use. Every
time she added a eew-gaw to the marble
palace the chances of the distant heirs ap-
preached nearer to the vanishing point.
Finally all the estate was squandered on
the house. The marble palace was com
plete. with pOrticOs, terraces and gardens.
But there wasn't cent left to run it or to
give the distant heirs the satisfaction of
buying a railroad ticket to the nearest sta
ton. far enough away at any event, so they
could view the spite work of the spend
thrift daughter. She shut the place up
and disappeared.