The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1923-09-06
Great THINGS AHEAD FOR
NORTHERN GARRETT co.
w. A. MOrgart, With Control of
Railroad, Will Speed Big
Coal Development.

Commission and the Public Service
Commission of Maryland, the newly
organized Castleman Valley Railroad
Company will at once begin to put in
to execution plans for the improve
ment of the road, which was formerly
the Jennings Railroad, that the de-
velopment of the great coal tract
which the road penetrates may be ac-
celebrated.
William A. Morgart, formerly of
Cumberland, president of the Castle
man Valley Railroad, is also president
of the Morgart Coal Mining Corpora
ton which owns 5000 acres of coal
land in Northern Garrett county. It
has opened three mines and has the
fourth opening under way. The work
of electrifying the mines is being
-r'3Shed rapidly. A high tension line
of the Potomac Public Service Com
pany, subsidiary of the American
Water Works Company, is being built
to the mines and the electric cutting
machines will be installed in the var
ious operations within thirty days.
Much of the machinery has already
arrived at the mines.
These initial steps portend a Won
derful development, it is generally be-
lieved, as Garrett county, with its
10000 acres of coal in this basin
alone, practically untounched is sure
to succeed Allegany county as the
main producer since the famous
Georges Creek mines of that county
are rapidly being worked out. 1t is a
fact not generally known that Garrett
county affords the largest area of
undeveloped coal closest to the Allan
tic seaboard. This means the short
est haul to Baltimore and other big
Eastern seaboard points
William 4. Morgart is the pioneer
in the development of this big terri
Try Of which he obtained control
more than 20 years ago, but condi-
lions were not proportions for devel-
opment until the last three or four
years. The coal is a low volatile pro-
duct. An analysis of Mine No.
shows moisture, 1.46; volatile matter,
1900; fixed carbon, 1921; ash, 6.33,
while sulphur is only 81.
The railroad, 1879 miles, built orig
nally as a lumber line, is standard
gauge, running from the mines, thru
the town of Jennings and tapping the
B. & 0. at Worth, Pa. 1t is the in
tention to extend to the Western Ma
ryland, which can be reached with an
11-mile spur. The possibilities of
the road as a frienght-carrying line,
Ac~e unlimited. 1t is now fed by the
Bailey Lumber Company,
" ma" b has two mills running; Davis
ruE pu lumber operators; Blocher
r. lumber operators, and Speicher
Vol i, T Company, while there are Is
-, goal operations that will be de-
pendent upon it for an outlet. 1t is
estimated it will take so years to get
out the mine props and timber in the
territory which will depend upon this
road to reach market.
With the purchase of the railroad
went the town of Jennings, founded
by Jennings Brothers when they OPP
ened the big virgin timber tract, with
the store, hotel and a score or more of
buildings to be used as homes for the
miners. Mr.. Morgart has plans call
ing for large expenditure in beauti-
flying the town which is admirably To-
Gated from both scenic and a san
itary standpoint. The water supply
is unlimited. In connection with the
general development Mr.. Morgart has
organized the LaCoal Supply Compa-
ny for the purpose Of handling mining
and other supplies, occupying three
story building at Jennings. The oper-
alton of the railroad will be under the
jurisdiction of the Interstate Com
merce Commission. Jennings is five
miles south of Grantsville, which is
lat the National Road. The railroad
yht ks cross the National Road a few
usendreds yards east of the Little
re crossings Mill, owned and operated
,usy Mr.. U. NJ. Stanton
useThe officers of the Castleman Valley
% Railroad Company are: William A.
Morgart, president and general man.
ager; E. Firman Hooper, former post
y master of Trenton, N. j., and presi-
S dent of the Hooper Paint Company,
'nyice president; Louis A. Morgart, Jen-
outings, secretary, and Judge Erwin J.
ID Marshall, Trenton, treasurer. The
officers with Col Richard NJ. Duvall,
ul9altimore; R. H. Blakeley, Trenton,
'th'nd Bradford L. Gibbs, Cumberland,
thorm the board Of directors. The La
lgEoal Supply Company has the same
Ov