The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-21
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsKUN, Director,
Washington, D. G.
COLE AND HISTORY.

open golf tournament OF the Oulleo
States over the magnificent course OF
! the Columbia Country club in Chevy
Chase, Montgomery county, Maryland.
A record field of the crack PLAYERS OF
America, England, Canada ana Aus
1 tralia, will struggle for the nonor OF
| this great classic under conditlons
which will be unusual in many re-
spects.
The visitors will play over ground
| that is not only superlatiyely beautiful
but extraordinarily historic. They
: will be playing in the first county In
| the United States that was named
after an American. There are 1s Mont
! gomery counties in various states OF
| the Union, but the one in Maryland
is the parent of them all.
! In the early days it was the fashion
to name counties and cities and states
after foreigners. Thus We have Prince
Georges County after Prince George
of Denmark, who was later King OF
England; Baltimore after Lord Baltt-
more of the House of Calvert: and
Maria, the consort of Charles OF
England. 1t was a departure, now
city, almost a presumption when this
county was named after Richard
Montgomery, the gallant general in
the Continental Army who fell at
Another incident Of rare historical
| importance is the fact that in the
French and Indian war. in 1855, a
portion of General Braddock's army
on its first days march from Alex
andria, Virginia, to what's now Rock
vile. Maryland, passed nearby or
across the Columbia goif,course. With
these troops was a doughty young
colonel % years of age. In all the
annals of war few men have ever
risen to such heights of glory and re-
pown. The name of the budding
colonel was George Washington
Mothered tho Capital.
The greater portion of the territory
in the District of Columbia, including.
Georgetown and the capital site, orig
inally belonged to Montgomery coun-
| ty. Before all of the states had fin
gress was debating where to locate
the capital. From the outset both
Maryland and Virginia were anxious
for the honor. and altho the loss of so
much territory was serious hardship
to Montgomery, the cession of its land
county added to its long list Of hon
ors by generously taking to her bosom
the capital of the young nation.
The noted historian, j. Thomas
Scharf. says that the first railroad in
operation in Maryland probably was
built in Montgomery county. The rails
were laid and a line of road four or
five miles in length constructed to ia
cilitate tho transportation of stone
from the great white Quarry at the
foot Of Sugar Loaf, for the building
OF an aqueduct by the Chesapeake &
Ohio Canal company over the River
Monocacy at its JUNCTION with the
Potomac. Excavations for the Balti-
more & Ohio railroad may have COM
menced before those of this little
mountain road, but it Is quite certain
that here the first rails were >laid,
and here the first railroad in Mary
land, and perhaps the first in the
United States, was put in full opera
I ton. Wooden rails were used instead
of iron.
ment arrive at the tenth green they
will find confronting them the beau
ttful Dunlop estate, a splendid exam
pie of the historic homes which
abound in Montgomery county. The
gate posts are marked "Hayes, 1852"
According to the records Parson Will
| hanson came over from England 159
years ago and selected this site for his
abode. The good parson was said to
nave been a powerful exhorter and as
! energetic as he was eloquent. He
preachedDto five different flocks and
took his pay in tobacco.
After nineteen years he sold out to
James Dunlop whose descendants
have resided here continuously The
present incumbents, Mr.. George
4hO1itdS OQnlOp ana MS charming
family. are of the fifth generation
The central portion of the house is
the original structure built by Par
son Williamson, while the furniture
and china were brought over from
Scotland by the first James Dunlop
has been appraised as the best in the
United States.
ICY Is Hunting Again.''
Directly across the fields from the
| Columbia club the ancient Cummins
estate is stubbornly resisting the en-
| croachment of the smart suburb,
| Chevy Chase. When the hounds are
heard baying in the night the neigh
bors say: 'CE is hunting again." Cy
Cummins is a member of the recep-
ton committee during the tourna-
ment and everybody will see him be-
cause he is just few sizes smaller
than the Washington monument.
This applies not only to stature but
| bigness of heart. He is a tireless coon
hunter. booming orator, and a first
rate judge of liquor-when there is
any, People always look twice at Cy
Cummins because while he is of this
generation he has an air about him of
old Maryland-that old Maryland
which produced giants who ran their
estates like gentlemen and played
| foundations of the great republic.
All visitors to Columbia exclaim at
the beauty of the prospect when the
| higher parts of the course are
reached. The blue hills Of old Mont
gomery are an inspiration. Here en-
! pire rolls away in undulating majesty.
/ The sunsets are often sheer biazes
| Of colored glory. There are times
when the cloud effects make one sus-
pect where Maxfield Parrish gets his
ideas for those snowy drawings.
These things are set down here SO
that the gentlemen of the club and
putter, and the gentle reader else
where, may know the nature of the
fair and honorable soil that will be
trod in the great tourney.
And may the best man win.
! C..-~..HE...L ,,, A,J<--,s