Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-09-11
UPANDDOWNMOUNTAINS. /.
A VISIT TO THE PINNACLE
The Great Backbone Of the Ale
ganies--Hartmansville a
Summer Resort.
A MOUNTAIN FIRE.
The Vocabulary Of the Mountains =
Three Ever-Present Things.

up Va the AAieSdHleSs sueIWeSu the 'FRONT.'
/ of the Alleganies and the Great Back
bone of the mountains The North
western Pike the road the United States
Government built before the DAYS of
| railroads and canals, from Washington
TO the Mississippi. runs through the
burg. There are no sidestreets. The
town is scattered along the highway
for three-quarters of a mile or more.
Two houses in it, the residences of DR..
j. o. Lantz and Mrs. II. ]. Duling. are
very fine buildings. There is a post
office school house, church, blacksmith
shop and store.
Hartmansyille twenty-five years ago
was very successful summer resort.
A hotel was a lodge of as many as
hundred guests. composed of people
of large means and high station. The
atmosphere of the village isc onsidered
as good for pulmonary complaints as
that of Colorado. The air is especially
remedial against hay fever. The seen
cry is very beautiful, and one view is
so grand as to make favorable com
parison to Switzerland vistas, to to
which some who have visited this ia
nous scenic land, have reckoned IL
equal The walks and rides near and
about Hartmansville disclose most rug
ged and exquisite sights. The Front
Mountain Ridge, Betty's Rock and the
Pinnacle are charming domes from
which to obtain elegant views and to
see the most inviting coniguration of
lofty gigantic rocks. The altitude of
Hartmansville, the United States places
at $500 feet. Public opinion at Hart
Evansville says $500 feet
The Pinnacle.-On Saturday. Septem
Der 4. party, of which your cores
pondent was one, visited 1.-THE Pinacle."
This is the highest point of the Allie
ganies in this section. It has an alti-
tude of 1927 feet. The crowning rocks
rise abve all surrounding trees and
shrubbery and give a broad and mag
nifcent view of tho neighborins
country from every point of the com
pass. On the south and southwest the
New Creek, the Knobly ,thePatterson
Creek, the Mill Greek, and the South
Branch mountains can be seen. To the
west and north the Alleganies, in sue
cessive ranges, stretch away as far as
the eye can take in the horizon. Beau
tiful fields and flourishing farms, hills
and hillocks, hamlets and towns dot
the beautiful landscape DER Every
where are mountains. In all direc-
tions stretch inspiring scenic spec
tacles.
The mountain top is covered with
most wonderful and interesting forms
of sandstone rock. Caves are all about
the visitor, and a magnificent spring
near the very top of the moutain. close
TO it's summit as to excite surprise as
to where the water was gathered, lies
hidden in great beds of rock. 1t is
built up on all sides, with a stony top
all so exact in measurements, as to
seem as if the line and trowel of the
mason had been at work to erect It,
rather than the great hand of nature.
Each step of investigation discloses
new and delightful beauties.
Innumerable quantities OF buckle
berries were ripe on the moutain, with
patches of the choke cherry. This
makes fine jelly. 1t grows on q
small bush, thickly clustered and with
a rich, dark crimson color. The berry
is deceitful when fresh from the bush,
| to the taste. One trying them for, the
| first time suddenly exclaimed to his
comrades: my mouth is closing up
| 1t has the effect similar to that of the
| green persimmon.
| From Hartmansville ride of eight
or nine miles will bring the mountain
/ climber to a good mountain footpath OF
a mile in length, that leads to The Pin
nacle. The public authorities have
erected a small lookout house on The
Pinacle, and at certain periods an OBJ
server is kept there to watch for the
appearance of moutain fires, and TO re-
port them by telephone from the OBJ
servatory to the people below.
Mountain Fire.-There is the terri
Ific IN the mountain confiagration. Last
year in three hours one afternoon
the fire spread over a thousand acres
or more. A man could not have fled
before it, so fast was it's progress. The
heat would start blaze a hundred
yards ahead of the fire. Night, wher
fires slow down, a run, a rocky ridge
4 anu NAS ellOiAS VI uSlSuiOISs NiASSs
property was threatened, stopped the
fire Law suits followed the flames
The alleged author of the fire had tC
face charges that were, however, MOI
proved. The claim was that he had lc
brush FIRE get away from him.
The Mountain Breeze Hotel.-SeveT
miles from HartmonsviIle, down the
mountain" is q small scattered hamlet
called "Claysville," whose postoflice is
New Creek. Mineral couaty, w. Va
one of the houses that compose Clays
vile is the Mountain Breeze Hotel. Mr.
IP. s. Carnell, proprietor. This is the
modern descendant of an old-time way
| side inn that was here for the accom-
| modatioE of man and beast when the
| Northwestern Pike that passes BY the
mouse was the great thoroughfare {,
1.-THE West and six-horse teams climbed
the mountains here in its only pass
Two hours makes the trip. One ma,
veil imagine the restful hours and III,
comforts that came to the traveller
VIXEN about to start on his journey ovel
and among the Alleganies, as he faceC
the wilderness for long days in, amonl
and over these great and trying ranges
| 10 both horse and man.
, The Mountain Breeze Hotel is located
among rare scenic beauties. 1t is