USA > Maryland > Washington County > Hagerstown > A history of Washington County, Maryland from the earliest settlements to the present time, including a history of Hagerstown > Part 62
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The threshing of wheat by steam power be-
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gan here in 1870. On September 7 of that ycar the following appeared in the Hagerstown Herald and Torch Light :
"On Monday last, by invitation, we visited the farm of Mr. Walter, near town, on the Leiters- burg Turnpike, where we witnessed the operation of Threshing by Steam. We there found a ten- horse power Engine, manufactured by Frick & Co., Waynesboro', Ta., attached to the new and celebrat- ed Thresher and Separator manufactured by Gar- ver & Flanagan, of Ilagerstown, Md., and never be- fore having had the pleasure of seeing steam used for the same purpose, we are free to confess that our anticipations were more than realized. The Engine performed admirably, whilst the Thresher and Separator did even more than its most san- guine friends ever claimed for it. It is a noble machine, and reflects great credit upon its inven- tors and builders, having threshed, cleaned and bagged one bushel per minute, notwithstanding the bad condition of the whcat, much of it be- ing wet, and very badly tangled. A number of farmers witnessed the operation and all were loud in their praise of the results. We understand that a company of enterprising gentlemen have it in contemplation to purchase the whole outfit. We hope to see this accomplished for many reasons, prominent among which are the saving of labor and horse flesh."
The improvement of the threshing outfit went along steadily until the present machine was per- fected which feeds the sheaves into the cylider, cuts the twine, threshes, cleans and weighs the grain and by means of a blast carries the straw into a symmetrical rick and threshing 1000 bush- cls a day and over with a half a dozen hands where fifteen or twenty were formerly employed. The most important improvement in wheat ma- chinery, however, was the binding reaper. The cost of harvesting the wheat crop and hauling it to mill had always been estimated at one-fourth of the value of the crop. This cost was greatly reduced by this splendid machine. The gang of a dozen or more men in the harvest field, each re- ceiving from $1.75 to $2.50 per day wages, was reduced to four men-and the work done so much better that it no longer pays to rake the ordinary harvest field after the binder has gone over it. When the binder was first introduced it caused great discontent among the farm laboring people and threats were made to destroy them. But in a few years the labor of the rural districts largely
found employment in other fields, in the factories and on the railroads, and it soon became more difficult to obtain the smaller number of laborers on the farm than it had been to get the greater number.
An important movement in agriculture took place along about 1880 when Mr. John A. Nico- demus, Mitchell Stover, Wm. D. Hughes and other intelligent farmers living along the foot of South Mountain near Smithsburg discovered that the rough mountain sides are well adapted to the growth of peaches. Mr. Stover had a nursery near Greencastle and having more peach trees one year than he could sell he proposed, after consult- ing with his relative, John Reichard, a nursery- man of Washington County, to Mr. Nicodemus to plant the trees on his mountan land as an experiment. Mr. Nicodemus entered into the ar- rangement and that was the beginning of the "Mountain peach" industry. At once land from which the timber had been cut and which had been considered almost worthless became valuable and commanded high prices. It was found that peaches grown upon this soil were peculiarly beautiful and delicious and they commanded higher prices in markct than fruit from other sections. It was also proved that the crop on the mountain side was not so liable to injury by frost in the early spring. At once a great industry sprang up and the "mountain peaches" were in demand in every city. Hundreds of thousands of trees were set out and Mr. Emory Pry and his brother who lived on the shoulder of Elk Ridge Mountain near Keedysville, enjoyed the distinction of having one of the largest orchards in Maryland, numbering no less than 50,000 trees. Methods of cultivation and fertilizing which peach growers up to that time had not deemed necessary, were introduced and the intelligent methods of packing and ship- ping the fruit, and the use of refrigerator cars made it possible to distribute the products of the Washington County orchards over a large part of the country. One great advantage this peach region had over that of the tidewater coun- ties was that one fine variety, the "Heath Cling," ripens in Washington County after every peach has disappeared from the orchards of the Eastern Shore. Being the only peaches obtainable and also being especially delicious these peaches com- manded high prices and brought a great deal of money to the County. But the peach industry speedily reached high tide and declined. Peach
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trees in limestone soil are short lived and tlose in the mountain, freestone soil and in Pleas- ant Valley where the soil is free stone, did not live as long as had been anticipated and the setting out of new trees did not keep pace with the destruction caused by "yellows" and the San Jose Scale. Nevertheless the attention of the people, once directed to fruit culture they did not confine themselves to peaches but planted large ap- ple orchards and many found protit, especially in Pleasant Valley in the cultivation of small fruit and conteloupes. Methods were found to protect peach and apple trees from the "scale" and the cultivation of the peach has gone along success- fully though to a reduced extent, and the plant- ing of thousands of apple trees has brought much profit and wealth to Washington County.
The Hagerstown Fair has through many years been one of the important agencies in the im- provement of argiculture in Washington County and especially by the introduction of labor saving machinery, good live stock and poultry. After a mere existence of almost three-quarters of a century this Fair about 25 years ago took on new life and speedily became one of the most notable and best agricultural exhibitions in the land. Its best features have been the machinery exhibits, the poultry show and the live stock. It came to pass that a prize for poultry won at Hagerstown is considered by poultry fanciers more valuable than one from any other poultry show. An Act of Assembly passed in 1807 authorized the first Agricultural Society of Washington County. It was organized the next year with Thomas Sprigg, president ; Frisby Tilghman, secretary, and Charles ('arroll treasurer. In order to raise $2,000 which was needed a lottery was formed by a committee consisting of William Fitzhugh, Sr., Charles Car- roll, John Thompson Mason, Samuel Ringgold and Martin Kershner. This Agricultural organ- ization was not permanent. It was succeeded by another society in 1827. The present society, known as the Agricultural and Mechanical Asso- ciation of Washington County was chartered in . 1854. The incorporators were David Brumbaugh, John Ash, Lewis P. Fiery, James ('oudy, Jacob Fiery, Martin Startzman, John H. Heyser, Henry K. Tice and Marmaduke W. Boyd. The first fair ground of this society was on the edge of Hag- erstown along the Williamsport pike. There it remained until 1871 when a tract of 14 acres lying
on the Cearfoss turnpike adjacent to the town, was purchased from Richard Wise for $2,500 and the fair was held there until 1880. There were two railroads to be crossed in reaching the fair grounds from the town and it was not considered accessible. In 1880 the present magnificent site was purchased from George W. Harris and it contains over 30 acres. From that time to the present the annual exhibitions have been held in this place and have become famous throughout the Eastern States. Several circumstances have con- tributed to this marvelous success. One has been the accessibility of Hagerstown by rail from every direction and by turnpike roads from every dis- trict of Washington County. In close touch with Hagerstown are many populous towns, directly connected by rail, such as Winchester, Charles- town, Berryville, Martinsburg, Frederick, Cham- bersburg, Carlisle, Harrisburg, Westminster and Waynesboro, besides the villages and fertile farms of the rich neighboring counties in the three adjoining States. Baltimore and Wash- ington have always contributed largely to the an- nual gatherings. The beginning of the long ca- reer of prosperity which the Hagerstown Fair has enjoyed was due to the business sagacity of William Updegraff. Mr. Updegraff went into the management of the society as vice-president in 1880. Charles W. Humrichouse was elected the next year president and filled the office with dignity and marked ability for many years. Mr. Updegraff recognized the fact that if every farm- er in Washington County came to the Fair their attendance would not be sufficient to give a proper support. He therefore proposed that features should be added which would attract others be- sides farmers and that would bring enough reve- nues to make the Fair one which would be more valuable to the agriculture of the County than it had ever been before. The event proved tlie correctness of this theory. The attractions offered at the Fair of 1880 were a great fireman's parade one day and an Odd Fellows' parade the next. The attendance to witness these things was very large and that put the Fair upon the high road to prosperity. For many years John W. Stone- braker was president of the Fair Association and contributed largely to its prosperity. The annual fairs are great events in Hagerstown and when they open the town is overcrowded with visitors and there is animation and movement in all di-
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reetions. Among the men who have contributed largely to this great enterprise besides those al- ready mentioned are David Brumbaugh who was president for many years, Peter A. Witmer, who had the praetieal management of details for a
long term, Henry A. MeComas, who was faithful to the Association in its weakness and when it became strong, George W. Harris, George M. Stonebraker, Charles Baechtel, George Hager, D. H. Staley and many others.
CHAPTER XXV
N THE night of the fifth of December, 1871, a fire which started in an agricul- tural implement store on Antietam street, opposite the Baltimore & Ohio railroad station, destroyed St. John's Episcopal Church on South Jonathan street, and the Court House. These were two of the most imposing buildings in Hagerstown. Both of them were built about 1820. It was believed that the fire was started by an incendiary. A high wind was blowing at the time, and the business part of the town was in great danger; it was saved from destruction only by the determined work of the fire companies, aid- ed by the citizens generally. Then, and for many years afterwards, the only water supply for the fire engines was from the Oak Spring, Ladle Spring and several large public cisterns. There was one steam fire engine, and several which were operated by hand. With this imperfect apparatus the town was saved, the damage to the other build- ings which took fire being slight. The reason the church and Court House could not be saved was that both were covered with shingle roofs high and inaccessible to the firemen. In attempting to reach the Court House cupola, John Fridinger, a fireman, was killed by the fall of the cupola, and Henry Bester was severely hurt. In the follow- ing May, while the walls of the old Court House were being razed, to make place for the new build- ing, a rear wall fell upon three workmen, namely, Alexander Smith, Wesley Finnegan and Freder- ick Fridinger, and crushed them to death. By a strange chance one of the killed, Frederick Frid- inger, a youth of seventeen years, was a son of John Fridinger, who lost his life in the fire. The
actual values destroyed by the fire was not large. All the land and other records of the County and the wills and papers in the office of the Register of Wills were in good fire proof vaults, one in the clerk's office and one in the office of the Register of Wills. All these records were uninjured. There was some discoloration, by smoke, but no substantial harm was done. The papers and rec- ords of the County Commissioners office were in an iron safe, and they too escaped injury. On the Court House there was no insurance. The building had cost originally about $70,000 but it was not a well arranged Court House and its destruction caused no permanent loss to the pco- ple. In its issue of December 13, 1871, the Herald and Torch Light said:
"As the venerable Temple of Justice was fall- ing a prey to the flames, there were not a few of our older citizens who gazed upon it with sad- dened eyes, and called from the store-house of memory many pleasant and possibly also sonie unpleasant associations with it. The last trials that took place in the original Court House, which stood in the Public Square, were those of the three Cotterills, father and two sons, convicted and hung for the murder of Adams, their uncle, the parties being all Englishmen. This was at the November Term in the year 1819, the executions having taken place in the month of February 1820, so that the first Court must have been held in the late building in March of that year. We arc informed that it was commenced about the year 1818 and completed two years thereafter. Its original cost was not less than sixty or seventy thousand dollars, and the frequent alterations to
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which it was subjected, from time to time, no doubt doubled this amount. But it has passed away, as its builders, its early Bench and Bar, its Jurors and Officers, and all persons and things must do from this perishable world."
On St. John's Church there was an insurance of $3,000 only, and on the organ $500. The cost of the building had been about $25,000. It was two years before the new Court House was com- pleted, and during that time the sessions of Court were held in the Sunday School room in the Meth- odist Church on North Jonathan strect, which was rented by the County Commissioners. In this time the trial of Joseph Davis for murder was removed from Carroll County, and "Junior Hall," a large apartment in the building of the Junior Fire Com- pany on North Potomac street, was rented for the Court, as the trial attracted more persons than could be accommodated in the basement of the church. It was several months before the County Commissioners decided to ercet an entirely new Court House. Many persons were in favor of using the old walls, which were exceedingly mas- sive and strong. But a meeting of the Bar was called, and resolutions were adopted favoring a
building upon a plan different from the old one. Accordingly, a contract was made with Robert C. Thornburg, a builder, to tear down the old walls. The selection of plans for the new Court House was entrusted to a committee of the Bar, com- posed of Andrew K. Sycster, George Schley, John C. Zeller, Francis M. Darby, Albert Small, Henry Kyd Douglas and George W. Smith, Jr. Designs submitted by H. A. and J. P. Sims, of Philadel- phia, were chosen, and on Wednesday, October 9, 1872 the cornerstone of the new building was laid. The ceremony of laying the cornerstone was in charge of Friendship Lodge No. 84 of Masons, of Hagerstown .*
The County Commissioners accepted the building, and held their first meeting in it on the second of January, 1874. The first term of the Cir- cuit Court to be held in the spacious chamber of the new building was in April of that year, the Judges on the bench being Richard H. Alvey, chief; William Motter and George H. Pearre, as- sociates. The Clerk of the Court was George B. Oswald; the Register of Wills, Thomas. E. Hil- liard. The new Court House was well adapted to its uses, the vaults for the records being spa-
*The newspaper account of the proceedings, pub- lished at the time, is as follows:
"At 1 o'clock, P. M., the Masonic Fraternity as- sembled at their Hall, corner of Franklin and Poto- mac Streets. The Lodge was opened by Worship- ful Master, Edward Stake, who then handed the emblem of his office to P. M. Thos A. Boullt, and
requested him to conduct the services on the oc- casion. The procession was formed under the direc- tion of the Chief Marshal, P. M. Andrew K. Syester and his Aids P. M. Wm. McK. Keppler, F. D. Herbert and Richard Sheckles.
"At 2 o'clock, P M., the procession moved from the Hall, headed by the old Hagerstown Silver Cor- net Band, and marched directly to the site of the new Court House, when the Lodge was again in form by P. M. Thos. A. Boullt, assisted by P. M. William Steffey, D. M., Dr. Augustus A. Biggs, S W., Andrew K. Stake, J. W.
"After the Lodge was opened the W. Master in- formed the brethren and all assembled, that Friend- ship Lodge No. 84, had assembled for the purpose of laying the Foundation Stone of the New Court House, and through his officers directed that 'all having due notice thereof should govern themselves accord- ingly.' After music by the Band, and Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. A. G. Harley, the W. Master re- quested the Treasurer, H. A. McComas, to read the inscription on the Stone and a list of the contents of the box to be deposited therein. This part of the ceremony was performed in a clear and distinct voice. The contents are as follows:
"A. L. 1572; names of County Commissioners
of Wash. Co .; Attorney for County Commissioners and Clerk of same; Contractor of Building; Archi- tect of Building Superintendent of Building; Mem- bers of Masonic Lodges and By-Laws of same in Washington Co .; Proceedings of G. Lodge of Md .; Governor and officers of the State of Maryland; Judges of the Circuit Court for Wash. Co .; Clerk of the Court; Register of Wills; Sheriff and all other County Officers; names of all the members practicing at the Bar of Hagerstown, and their rate table; Mu- nicipal Officers of Hagerstown; Newspapers of Wash. Co .; Coins and Currencies of this date.
"The W. Master and his officers then descended from the platform to the Corner Stone, after spread- ing the Cement the Stone was lowered to its placc, and then the ancient ceremony of trying it with the square level and plumb. Corn, Wine and Oil were strewed upon it, emblematic of the Corn of nourish- ment, Wine of refreshment and Oil of joy. After music by the Band, the benediction was pronounced, and the procession returned to the Hall.
"The procession was large and highly respect- able, numbering about one hundred and fifty Ma- sons, members of the following Lodges :- Friendship, No. 84, Hagerstown; Eureka, No. 105, Sharpsburg; Mediary, No. 140, Williamsport; Acacie, No. 155, Mechanicstown, Frederick County; Warren, No. 51, Baltimore; Door to Virtue No. 46, Westminster; Columbia, No. 58, Frederick City; Plymouth, No. 143, Union Bridge. There were also Masons in the procession representing Lodges from Onio, Pennsyl- vania, Indiana and West Virginia."
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OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND.
cious and safe. In the architecture there was perhaps too great an attempt at ornamentation. The cost of the building was about $80,000. The County Commissioners who had charge of tlie crection of the Court House were the boards elec- ted in 1871 and 1873. The former was composed of Theodore Embrey, Henry F. Neikirk, Samuel Strite, Henry W. Lyday and John H. Harp, all republicans but Mr. Neikirk. The second board, which closed the work and accepted the building from Robert Thornburg, the contractor, was com- posed of John Fessler, Joseph Seibert, Henry Funk, Elias Young and George W. Brown, all Democrats .*
The rebuilding of the Episcopal Church did not begin as promptly as the work on the Court House. There were two obstacles. One was the necessity of collecting sufficient funds to justify the beginning of the work. The other was a difference among members of the congregation as to the location of the new edifice. Some of the vestry, among them the vencrable Benjamin Reigle, were strongly opposed to removal. But the ina- jority, headed by the Rector, believed it unwise to build a fine church on a narrow, noisy busi- ness street, almost adjacent to the railroad sta-
tion. This view prevailed, and a splendid lot on the corner of Prospect and Antietam street, at the Dry Bridge, in one of the highest elevations in the town, was purchased from Col. George Schley.
Just before the destruction of the old church, in December, 1871, the Rector of the Parish- the Rev. Claudius B. Haines-resigned. The Rev. Walter A. Mitchell, then in Howard Coun- ty, was called and he arrived in the beginning of January, 1872, to find his church in ruins. The congregation of Zion Reformed Church tendered to the Episcopalians the use of their Sunday- school room and in that room the churchless con- gregation worshipped for many months. In the meantime, Mr. Mitchell was actively at work, se- curing subscriptions to the new church and arrang- ing for plans. The building committee was com- posed as follows: The Rev. W. A. Mitchell, Dr. Frederick Dorscy, George W. Harris and George W. Polc. The architect was E. T. Littell, of New York, and the plans he drew produced one of the most beautiful churches in Maryland. Work be- gan on the church in August, 1872, and the cor- nerstone was laid September 4, of that year.
By October 1873, the work had so far pro-
*The following description of the building was published in the Hagerstown newspapers in January 1874:
The main front building is 91 feet, 6 inches x 56 feet 9 inches; the rear building is 62 feet 6 inches x 59 feet 6 inches, with a 15 feet story both front and rear; front building has a corridor in the centre which runs back to its rear wall; the rear building has also one 10 feet wide. On the right is the Reg- ister's office, 34x26 feet 6 inches, the record rooms being a double vaulted arch, with iron frame and shutter on the inside of windows, 5 feet wide and 10 feet high with semi-circular head. The Clerk's office is on the left of the corridor, and is of the same dimensions and finish as the Register's office .- The first space occupied in the rear of these rooms on the right and left, are the massive public and private stairways leading to the second floor, which are built of solid oak; the first room on the left is the Sheriff's office, 12x20 feet; the 2d is the Collec- tor's office, 12x20 feet, and the third is the School Commissioners' room, 26x20 feet. On the right is the County Commissioners' room, 38x20 feet, which completes the space of the lower floor.
Ascending the stairway, we enter a corridor 10 feet wide, on the right of which is the Grand Jury room, 24x20 feet, and Petit Jury room 141/2x20 feet, and on the left is the State's Attorney's room 12x20 feet; a room set apart for the use of the School Commissioners, but not occupied by them, and anoth- er Petit Jury room. The Court room is entered from
the head of the public and private stairways and corridor, and is 75x50 feet, with a 20 feet ceiling, very handsomely finished in stucco. The Hall is lighted by eleven circular head windows, 6 feet wide and 15 feet high, with the best double thick glass, and is finished with paneling and wainscotting .- The bar rail is solid walnut and oak finely finished in oil, and the Judges' stand and Clerk's desk are also handsomely finished. In the rear of the Judges stand are the witness and council rooms, each 12x 24 feet.
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There is a cellar under the entire building, eight feet in height, and it is surmounted by a substantial and beautiful Mansard roof, ornamented with pa- villions; covered with best Buckingham slate. The building is estimated to contain from 800,000 to 1,- 000,000 of brick, and an immense amount of timber. but of the latter no approximate estimate can be formed. The Court Hall and corridors are heated by three of the fine furnaces of Messrs. Bellman, Armstrong & Co., of this town.
The Architects were H. A. & J. P. Sims, 1426 Walnut Street, Philadelphia; Contractor and Builder, R. C. Thornburg; Superintendent of Mason work, John Overmyer; Painter and Glazier, George Lias; Slaters, Beck and Bowers ;-- Tinning and Plumbing, Garlinger & Co .; Plasterer, John Lushbaugh; the galvanized iron was furnished by Messsr. William P. Gephart & Co., of Dayton, Ohio, but now of Wash- ington, D. C., and the Gas fixtures were furnished by Messrs. Baker & Arnold, Philadelphia.
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gressed that the Sunday school room in the base- ment eould be used for the church serviees. Two years later, the body of the church was completed and ready for oeeupancy. On October 11, 1875, the opening serviees were held, the sermon being preached by the Righ Rev. Theodore Lyman, Bish- op of North Carolina, and a former reetor of St. John's Parish. At this time the tower of the church had been built, but the spire was left for a future time. The work of completion was un- dertaken in 1881 by Mr. Columbus C. Baldwin, a wealthy eitizen of New York, born in Maryland. His wife who was Sallie Roman, daughter of J. Dixon Roman, had died some years before, and this beautiful stone tower and spire were erected as a memorial to her. In the tower Mr. Baldwin placed a peal of bells. Some years later, the church was further improved and beautified by Mrs. Henry Rosenburg, and a reredos and chaneel window were erected as a memorial to her father, Dr. Charles Macgill. In the rear of the church fronting on Antietam street about 1888, Mrs.
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