The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1951-03-29

Philo A. Station formerly the es-
tate of the late Governor William
T. Hamilton), The Terrace, is stone
of historic interest. 1t bears a metal
plate with the inscription: con this
stone General Jackson and Henry
Clay stood and spoke, some time in
the year 1890" This old stone, with
many memories attached to it, once
stood on West Washington street,
in front of the old HagerstoWn Bank
1t occupied a position for a number
of years just inside the iron fence
that enclosed a yard in front of the
bank When the bank building was
torn down to make way for the
present Montgomery Ward building,
it was taken to its present location.
The stone, as it appears today, is not
in the same position it was when it
was used by the auctioneer in sell
ing men, women and children Color
ed slaves, but is placed at such an
angle as to enable the inscription
70 be easily read.
Casting their shadows over this
historic object, are old trees of I'M
determined age Just how old they
are is not known, but they have
stood on the grounds for many
years. The age of one of the trees
is placed at possibly 200 years It
is possible, at least, that they were
saplings when Hagerstown was laid
out by Jonathan Hager in 1862 and
were trees of some growth when
George Washington visited Hagers-
town in 1899 Any way, it is plain
that they have considerable antiquity
attached to them. There is some
thing majestic about any tree and
especially an old tree, around which
it is interesting to wrap some history
Governor William T Hamilton
was president of the old Hagerstown
Bank (Where, as we have before
stated, was located the historic
marker, the primary subject of this
sketch) from 1867 to 1898. He was
elected the banks president after
death of James Dixon Roman, serv-
ing from 1851 to 1867 But more
about this old institution, founded
by Nathaniel Rochester and who was
the banks first president from 1907
to 1909, a little later on, in a sub
sequent issue.
If we are inclined to grumble
about any inconvenience in travel
these days, we should just let our
minds revert to early days.
History tells us that in 1903 George
Crissinger, and man from Freder-
lex County, established a line of
stage coaches from Hagerstown to
Baltimore. Stages left Jonathan
Hager's tavern, at the "Sign of the
Ship" near the Court House, every
Tuesday and Saturday at 10 a. m,
arriving at Frederick on the eve
ming of the same day and at Balti-
more the next afternoon at 6. Re-
turning, the stage left Baltimore on
Tuesday and Saturday, arriving here
the next evening. The fare was So
to Frederick and from Frederick to
Baltimore, $3.50. Chrissinger an
nounced that he would, if necessary,
run an additional stage on Thursday
and Saturday each week, Hagers-
town to Baltimore and return. In
1905 this same Crissinger and Jo-
seph Boyd said they had commenced
running a line of mail coaches from
Frederick, via Middletown, Boons-
boro, Hagerstown and Greencastle,
to Chambersburg, twice every week.
! Forty-four years ago a Baltimore
paper told, in glazing headlines,
that jamestown Proudly We'll
( comes the World" The story de-
scribed the Tercentennial Exposition
at jamestown, Va, in glowing lang
uage and told how Maryland play
ed a foremost part in the ceremonies.
The exposition opened with Pres
ident Theodore Roosevelt as the
central figure. The only untoward
incident of the MarYlanders' trip