Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1915-10-07
The Story of Harper's Ferry.


A correspondent OF the Cincinnati Com
mercial has revived old and interesting
"reminiscences of this quiet but celebrated
locality. He writes:
will 60 back to the time when this
romantic spot was bowling wilderness,
silence of the eternal hills broken only by
the rumble Of the Potomac and the Shen-
andoah, as they rush to each others en-
brace, and roll to the ocean.
Robert Harper was carpenter and
house builder, living one hundred and
fifty years ago in Philadelphia. In l747
he was employed 10 build church by the
early settlers in the neighborhood OF what
is now Winchester, Virginia. Making
his way TO that point, through the almost
trackIess country, he was at Frederick,
Maryland, told that he could save dis
tance by taking route through place
called "The Hole," where the two rivers
met. And that was the first that Robert
Harper says OF Harper's Ferry. Could
he have looked down the vista of time a
century and a quarter what emotions
would have filled his kindly heart. Per-
haps he would have declined TO establish
a ferry there, and link his name with a
spot that was 10 drink up so much human
blood.
At "The Hole" Harper found one soli-
tary person. man named Stevens, who
had squatted on this corner of the almost
limitless Fairfax estate. Harper was so
delighted with the scenery and the pros
pect OF fair business return by establish
ing ferry and directing travel this way,
that he bought out Stevens for so pounds
sterling, got quit claim deed from Lord
Fairfax, who did not seem to have high
opinion Of that section OF The wilderness,
and settled down to the ferry business,
having first built the church at Winches-
ter.
And this was the origin of Harper's
Ferry. When then single small boat,
barely large enough TO hold a horse and
wagon, did the business, now hundred
trains day thunder past.
Harper conducted the ferry until 1882,
when he died and was buried.
A small settlement of rather rude peo-
pie had grown up around him, and he
must have thought that the place would
have some considerable population, for
he donated 10 the village fen acres for
cemetery, and was himself buried in the
center Of it.
looked for his grave, but could not
find it. The scourge of war has popula-
ted this little enclosure until graves have
been dug on graves, the rude little head
stones knocked over aud whole sections
closed as unknown.
Before the Civil War the government
operated extensive rifle factories at Har-
per's Ferry, but after the John Brown raid,
and probably because OF it, were aban-
doned. The location was considered an
admirable one for such ar enterprise.
The fact is mentioned by the Baltimore
American in an editorial suggestion that
the importance of Harper's Ferry be re-
vived by making it the location for the
great experimental laboratory which will
probably be constructed for the inventors
board ofthe navy which Secretary Daniels
is organizing.
AT the same time, says the American,
il could be made the location OF govern
ment munition works, for the manufacture
of shrapnel and other shells, and any
novel forms Of munitions that the invent
ors might develop. Levels Of the noun
tain which rise above the historic old
town are we'll adapted as site for the
proposed laboratory. Three States meet
there-MaYland, Virginia and West Viz
ginia-it is on the main line of the Balti-
more & Ohio, has other connections, and
possesses ample water power through
the confluence OF two rivers.
That il is more than sentimental inter
est which prompts the American to urge
the government TO establish laboratory
and murition works at Harper's Ferry is
shown by its argument as to the advan-
tages which that city offers. The more
one reflects upon its location and the
topography OF the surrounding country,
the stronger becomes the impression that
Harper's Ferry is the ideal place for such
government enterprises.