The Washington herald., 1912-01-22

DtoEafg Foundry and Machine shop.
Cumberland Steel and Shafting Works,
limited states Tannery, the Cumberland
brewery, F. Mertens Sons lumber
Yards. the German Brewery, the James
clark Distilling Company, several
pIaninE mills and sash and door fac-
tories, brick yards. automobile garages,
wholesale plants, -four mills, and ma
chine works.
History of Cumberland.
In 174s a group of wealthy and lnfu-
entail citizens of Maryland and Vir-
ginia secured a charter from the Brit
ish government. under title Of the Ohio
Company, and obtained large grants Of
land, including concessions in West
ern Maryland. The settlement OF Allie
gany County. however, was made be-
fore that time. In the year OF its or
ganization the Ohio Company estab-
lIshed a trading station at the present
site Of Cumberland. and afterward erect
ed here Fort Cumberland. which is still
standing Says Miss Elizabeth German,
In an Illuminating historical sketch:
1t was at this juncture that George
Washington, still in his boyhOod days.
performed his first important public
mission. being dispatched by the Colo
nial authorities to the French COM
mandant TO protest against his pro-
ceedings and to demand the evacuation
of the territory.
Fort Cumberland. now Cumberland.
was the English outpost. and Fort Du-
quesne. now Pittsburg. was the French
outpost, and upon the failure OF Wash
ington's mission, they became the bases
of supply in the French and Indian
war, which was for years waged with
great ferocity by the French and their
savage allies. and ended only with tho
triumph Of the united English and CO.
Ionlal forces. when the gallant and
lamented Wolfe planted the cross OF
Saint George upon the ramparts Of
Quebec.
Legend of 'LOvers' Leap"
AMONG the legends surrounding the
days OF Fort Cumberland's Importance
as a military station. Is that of the
triple tragedy which gave its name to
Lovers Leap" a steep precipice but a
few miles distant from Cumberland.
According TO the story. so often told
around the winter freside. Jack Chad
wick, a great hunter, on one Of his ex-
cursions formed the acquaintance OF a
deposed Indian chief who lived in the
mountains with his wife and daughter
The daughter was a beautiful indian
girl with whom the hunter fell in love-
and whose affections he won. He had
a rival however. an officer at Fort
Cumberland. whose suit was favored by
the chief for mercenary reasons. Final
ly. in payment for his sweetheart. the
tion OF a rich silver mine. but after
learning this important and valuable
secret, the chief repudiated the agree
ment, and commanded his daughter to
wed the officer. All one day the man
and maiden protested and pleaded. but
in vain. and at last they pretented to
give up hope and asked for a few mo-
ments in which TO say farewell Saun-
terinE among the trees. the lovers
made an attempt to escape to the fort
to be welded there. but the old chief
was watchful, and. upon overtaking
them. attacked the hunter with a club.
and in turn was slain. Every tie OF
blood caused the maiden to rebel at the
thought Of marrying her fathers slay-
ct. hut her great love made IL equally
impossible 10 give him up. Heartbro-
ken. she declared that now she could
die with him. but not live with
him: and in desperation they Ieaped
from the cliff and found death in each
others arms.
story of Braddock's Defeat.
II was during the sanguinary French
and Indian struggle that the ill-starred
BraddOck, whom Horace Walpole de-
scrioed as desperate In his fortune. bru-
tai in his behavior. and obstinate in
his sentiments. started upon his fatal
campaign. which marks a bloody chap
ter in the history OF Western Mary
land and it was at this time that
| George Washington suffered the hu-
initiation OF a reduction in military
rank from a colonel of the Colonial
forces to n captaincy OF the English.
His familiarity with the country trav-
ersed. his knowledge of the frontier
and OF Indian warfare. were all disre-
garded by the English commander. and
although pointing out that the cam
paign as planned meant inevitable dis
aster, Washington's urgent advice fell
upon needless ears. Gen. Braddock. a
! brave but unfit soldier. fell in defeat
a nd occupies an unknown grave.
After the French and Indian struE-
gle. England began the maladministra-
tion of American affairs. which gradu-
ally weaned away from the mother
| county the affections and loyalty of
the colonists.
In 1855, the rihemen of Western
Maryland formed the Sons of Liberty.
and in 1874, the Continental Congress.
first proposed by Maryland. assembled
at Philadelphia. In the following year
a company Of Western Maryland rife