The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-07-18
From the Newtown Ducks County, Enterprise
LOWER MARYLAND.

rev, II any OF our le;lueTs, perhaps, ha'eeNci
| visited the lower counties oil Maryland, OH the
| Western shore Whilst the Eastern has been
opened to the eyes of the world by means of the
| Delaware railroad the counties on the other
| side of the Chesapeake Bay have remained n
terra incognitn to travellers. But in the coun-
ties of Anne Arundel, Prince Georges, Charles,
st. Mary's, and Calvert, are thousands OF acres
of the very best land. which can be bought
cheap, that have never been disclosed to the
eyes of the home hunter, on account of the lack
of available means of getting over the coun-
try by public conveyance.
In 1863 Travelled on business over parts of
these counties, and as sketches of travel are
now rather popular style OF literature, l have
concluded to take the reader with me AMI
although have not the pleasing style of Bay
ard Taylor, u Richardson or a Bowes, they may
be read, and some attention be drawn to he
elected portion of neighboring State.
Late in the summer preparations were made.
The route from Baltimore was by the Washing
ton turnpike, which leaves the city in Il south
ern direction, over rather barren region, COW
cred with scrub oak, and an occasional farm,
but underlaid by vast deposits of iron ore
Six miles out of town we cross the Patapsco,
near the famous Relay House, where one of the
finest stone arched bridges in the world carries
the Washington branch of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad across the river Our road now
crosses the railroad, and climbs over pebby hills,
for several miles. Land is not of the best quail
ity, but the vast amount of manure brought
from Washington during the war has made
many farms near the railroad rather fertile
The old Baltimore and Washington turnpike is
rather bad road, but the worst feature is the
want of bridges, they having been worn out, or
carried away by freshets, and the company has
have to be forded with very steep approaches,
which renders heavy hauling for any distance OH
the road next to impossible Yet at that time
the company had the audacity to charge toll
Villages are few and Indifferent OH the route.
Sixteen miles from Baltimore is Laurel on the
Patuxent, village Of about 1000 inhabitants
which once had u newspaper Here is a large
cotton mill, i'll full operation, and an agricultu-
raj implement manufactory, once doing Il large
business now deserted and going to decay,
Below Laurel the land is of better quality.
naturally very good, but the slave system of la
Dor has Impoverished 1t, and there are many
farms grown up with sedge grass and bushes,
and the old buildings fast falling to decay
This land is waiting for the tide of northern
emigration, which will come.
There is little to attract the attention of the
traveller until he nears Bladensburg, and the
new village at the railroad before you reach that
old town, called Hyattsvillc where there arc Il
large numper of beautiful residence, built by
citizens of Washington city. 1t reminds one
somewhat of the suburbs of tie towns of central
New York, and have no doubt that most of
the houses were built by men from northern
States, who have been drawn to the Capitol
| by office or contract, and have an idea how pco-
pie that can afford it, live in the enlightened
| section of our great nation.
| AT Bladensburg we cross the Eastern Branch
at the head of tide water, by fordng. Indivd-
ual enterprise has resulted in constructing II
| tootpa!h oil the piers of the old bridge but it
will require the enlightening Influences of the
| rising generation to develop enough public spil-
it to build IL road bridge. Bladcnsburg is not
IA bad looking town. 1t is only six miles from
Washington, and is surrounded by II naturally
good country, near the best market for produce
in the Union. We here leave the turnpike, and
pass off to the left down the valley of the
Branch" past the famous duelling grounds ;
and now the vast white dome of the Capitol of
the nation lies before us. l had passed the
| night at Bladensvillc, and the morning sun dis
polling the miss of the valley struck with its
horizontal beams tie vast pile leaving the rest of
the slroudcd city as under IL cloud On the hills
| around are the forts, now about being disnian-
tied, which guarded the great heart of the nation
during the long years of the war We arrived
to point near the city, where we struck the
Marlboro stage road, then turn left go up II
long hill through large fort, and down the
Marlboro road to place known Long Old
Fields. This place is appropriately named, for
to this day, around it aic many old fields, both
| long and wide. 1t is village of old houses, Il
! store or two and IA tavern. We hclc leave the
stage road turn to the right, across cold fields :"
| and through pine woods, where the regular
ridges, now covered with the pilc trees, show
| that tnce it was cultivated with corn and to-
bacco. and the last crop d, noting that there was
| no use OF trying it again, it was left to nature
Nature kindly took charge of the deserted and