Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-05-23
lcommunicated.1
FROM MARYLAND.
hiiico't City-An Old FIGURING MilI-CoIieges
--Aristocracy, Etc, Etc.


After an uninterrupted silence of
weeks, occasioned by change of resi-
dence and other unavoidable circum.
stances, | again resume correspond
ence. | find there is about so much
writing in me that must of necessity
come TO the surface, and as memory's
chain links me to the scenes of my
former Western home, il is in nv
heart TO send my inner thoughts in
the form of words, through the Her
aid, to those dear friends of my early
ministerial life.
Ny present letter is dated at Eli
/ colt Guy, ten miles west of Balti-
more, and the scene of the great
flood which occurred in the Patapsco
river, July Goth, 1868. The early
settlers Of this town were of Quaker
origin and it dates back fully one hun.
dred years. 1t takes it's name from
an English family, of ancient date,
who sought the protection of Lord
Baltimore from tho prosecutions
which followed the Qual1ers ia the
early settlement of the American
colonies. At present, none of the
family reside here, and the antiquat-
ed stone Quaker meeting house stands
on hill overlooking the town, en-
tirely unoccupied, lasting memento
OF the antiquity and gospel simpici-
ty OF class of Christians whose
name and excellences are like "oint-
ment poured forth" The readers of
the Herald can form some idea of the
situation of Ellicott City when | In
form them that, except in size, it is
the exact counterpart of Galena-
emphatically, "a city set upon hill Z"
| Our population numbers about two
thousand. The business part of town
is in deep ravine, with only one
main street, while we climb NJ nu-
merous flights Of stairs to find our
places to eat and sleep. The ravine
runs very much like that of Galena.
with this difference, that the water
courses run in different directions.
that Of Fever river running to the
southwest, and the Patapsco to the
east. A very fine stone bridge spans
the rivera water course about the
size of Grant river, but considerably
widened by the terrible food. which
nearly depopulated the place, three
years ago. The water power of the
Patapsco is almost equal TO that OF
Minneapolis, and numerous mills and
cotton factories are located here, all
doing an immense and thriving bust
ness. During the late war, cotton
mills became q source of wealth to
their owners, one of whom informed
me that his nett profits, mostly on
the rise. of cotton goods, in four years
time amounted to about a quarter OF
o million of dollars. During the
flood, one Of the largestland wealth.
lest mills was swept away, and has
never been rebuilt; but Time will
again set its wheels revolving, and Its
two hundred workmen will again
make its walls ring with looms and
spindles. The oldest Touring mill
here was erected in 1909, and to day
it's dozen run of stones keeps one
teamster, with mammoth wagon
constantly employ ed in carting bar.
rels Of -four to the Baltimore & Ohio
r. r., only quarter of mile distant
1t is known as the Patapsco Mill,
and it's brand of best family flour is
now selling for only $11.50 per bar
rel, about 81 90 moro than many 9th
er brands, nearly or quite as good.
But there is much every way in a
name for it is the name of this brand
Of flour which gives it such populari.
ty.
Our town is blest with three col.
leges, one of which is under the pat.
ronage of the Catholics, the Others
of Protestants. All three have very
fine, spacious buildings, which have
a commanding view of the town and
surrounding country. In the Cath,
olic institution there are about one
hundred boys, a part of whom are Of
Protestant families, and very likely
will become Catholics by the time
their education is completed. II
should be SAID to the credit of oui
Catholic college, that it has an excel
lent reputation both for its physica
and moral discipline, and stands de
servedly high as one Of the best
schools outside of Baltimore CITY
With regard to the other two, We
might offer the same commentator
though the High Church proclivities
of their teachers and professors are
something of an objection to thai
class of citizens who believe in s
charity that makes no obeisance &c
dissenters or churchmen, but looks
upon priest and people as belonging
to the Great Shepherd and Bishop O.
souls. 1t is unfortunate that Mary
land Christianity should still cling tc
the antiquated notions of past ages
when reason and revelation botI
combine to destroy that caste among
Christians which is so clearly the
only barrier to that millennial glory
that is finally to roll like the resist
less tide over the islands andsconti
nents of earth. We often see thi.
spirit in our literary institutions, anC
we esteem such unfortunate, though
it were to develop itself in our owr
particular church organization. Ii
is quite natural that, being so near
the great city of Baltimore, we should
show some aristocracy, almost upon
its suburbs, and so your readers
must not wonder that a line of dis.
tinction is still kept up in this lati>
tude between the rich and poor, the
bond and free. Public sentiment,
even concerning our Southern
schools, is still unchanged. The rich
and aristocratic are the children OF
the "free woman" while the progeny
of the "bond woman" are permitted
to grope in darkness, outside of the
pale of that religion which dislikes to
go beyond the precincts of its mar
row, contracted selfshness. What
we want is liberal education, liberal
christianity, that gives no denomina-
ton precedence over another, any
farther that denomination is instru-