The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1951-08-09

istice in Korea, and the Congress
talking about what will have to be
done should the Korean tragedy be
brought to a close, it sainteresting
to look back to the close of the Civil
War and note that post war plans
were also being discussed, with some
of them on a local level
Shortly after the Civil War came
to an end, a communication, signed
Potomac" with reference to what
was then the first district of the
-Sharpsburg- appeared in a
, Hagerstown newspaper.
The writer, in his Introductory,
said: "In the decided march of inn
provement manifest in several sec
tions of our country we, of District
/, can perhaps boast of as great adj
vancement, if not greater, than our
neighbors of other sections. Not
withstanding the fact that the war
has comparatively Impoverished
the wealthy, and rendered INDECENT
those of hitherto moderate circum-
stances: through our fences have
been used to cook rations, our herds
to feed a hungry soldiery, and our
grain has stated the quickened APP
petite of army mules, to our, as yet,
unreuuited loss, we still have the
soil and the minerals which nature
bestowed upon us, and, fortunately,
enterprise enough to turn them to
account"
The writer specially took up the
matter of the old Antietam Iron
Works. It was stated that under the
influence and management of Daniel
ALL. the industry was 'fast assuming
its wanted appearance" A large
quantity of coal and ore had accum-
lated on the canal Wharfs, many
coke pits were burning and it was
said that the Antietam metal would
again be manufactured. The -four
ing mill was ready for operation
and the rolling mill, furnace, etc,
were in an advanced state of re-
pair.
Two miles up the river from the
mouth of the Antietam were the
ruins of the Potomac Mills, which
had been owned by Hon. A. R.
Boteler, of Virginia The walls re-
manned, the destruction of the prop
erty having occurred during the
time of the war This property had
been purchased for $4,000 by a com
pany capitalists, principally of Wash
ington, D. c., with a capital of
100000. The officers were: Fitz-
hugh Coyle, president of Bank of
Republic, Washington, D. c., pres
ident; Hon. A. R. Boteler, vice-pres-
ident; w. H. Claggett, treasurer;
William Hanson, secretary, and
Messrs. Collins, MARCEL, Metcalf,
Van Hook and Hanson, of Washing
ton, directors.
The company contemplated work
ing the cement quarry and mills,
and, it was said, proposed to erect
80 dwellings for their operatives.
The vein of cement at this place
was reputed to be the very best
upon the river It was, however,
difficult of access where hitherto
worked, wedged in by massive strata
Of limestone. Crossing the bed of
the river and canal, it was described
as making its appearance in vast
proportions between the same lime
strata that widened out upon the
farm of William M. Blackford, in
traVerSing an immense hill of many
acres of his land At this point
many inducements for working it
were presented which were not
maintained by the Boteler quarry.
Striking it at the foot of a ravine
100 yards north of the BERN of the
canal, the vein, it was stated, might
be opened and worked for a life
time. The elevation was sufficient
to permit the stone to be wheeled
into the kilns and, on being burned,
to be transported over a self-acting
plane to the mill, which could be
located on the BERN of the canal,
where good wharfage could be easily
and cheaply secured. No horse
transportation or carting was neces-
sary and the entire work of prep
aration for market might be accom-
plished with the greatest convent
ence and economy of labor.
The article ended with this: "The
capital now crowding upon us from
the North in search of investment is
immense and this quarry would well
suit some enterprising party. 1t is
a fact generally known that Wash
ington County abounds in mineral
and other resources of wealth and