Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-02-21
HE S EN TIN Ell
ROCKVILLE. MD.

cIludy MoTuluS ''''''''''.. CD. 81, 1910.
THE Future OF RocKvILLE. We profess no
prophetic ken-but there is good reason to be-
lieve that the future Of our pleasant and beau
tiful little town will far outstrip the past in
improvement. A railroad passing through
ii, leading TO the Point of Rocks, and another
in contemplation, branch of the Metropoli-
tan, leading from Gaithersburg to Laurel, and
the ramifcation Of other roads, tending to BEN
eft our county and town, are indications of an
this section Of the State. The advantages to
be derived from these, are in the near future,
and another decade will not pass until the
beneficial effects of these improvements are
seen and felt by our people. Rockville may
thus become the centre of large and flourish
ing trade, which viii add hundreds TO her
population and thousands Of dollars to the
wealth of her citizens. But to attain these re-
suits ii will not do to sit down in idleness and
fold the hands in peace, expecting improve
Tnents TO come Of themselves and voluntarily
lay wealth in your lap. Fortunes are not made
in that way. You might as reasonably hope
to gather strawberries from snow-banl. No,
no-the gods help those who help themselves
ducements, not by fixing such prices upon
property that no one will purchase but by
placing it within the reach of those who want
10 buy. There is no reason just now why
property should advance a hundred per cent
above its real value. Most people know as well
how to invest as Others know how TO sell, and
are keen enough to look forward to prospec-
tive advantages, and whether they could not
invest in other localities where trade is al
ready established and profits are certain The
true policy is to build up trade by inviting
immigration and giving encouragement 10 any
who may desire to settle among us. There is
room in and around Rockville for the estab-
lishment Of various branches of industry which
might be carried on probably. A lanyard
wonld yield reDunerative profits. A cabinet
maker would succeed well here. There is
room for q good clothing-store. A cigar and
tobacco store ought to do good business A
jeweller and siversmith would do we'll And
we have no doubt foundry that would turn
out good castings, of all kinds, would yield
good profits. There is no reason in the argu-
ment against the introduction of these indus
tries to say that these articles can all be.had in
Georgetown and Washington as cheap as they
can be produced here. Suppose they can
you are sending your money away to enrich
other localities and thus injure your own me-
chanics and forever keep your town from i'm
proving. A businessman, too, would take
into the account Of profit and loss the time
spent in going aud coming from the cities mem
toned. To build up such interests ought
now to be the main object of our people. 1t is
population that makes business, and the con-
verse business makes population. With
railroad at the door, leather and castings and
other articles can be conveyed to any point and
thus instead of sending money away to pur-
chase them, money would be brought here for
the sale OF these same articles. 1t requires no
stretch Of the imag inaton to say that these
industries in successful operation would rapid
~ increase population and enhance values and
put them on more permanent basis, than any
prospective advantages to be derived from the
railroads. These build up towns-not by
passing through them-but by increasing its
business and adding TO its population by that
increase. Put these, and other industries, in
operation, and you will soon see a different
order of things The sound of the hammer
aud the saw will be heard in every direction,
and men wilgo whsting to their work with
cheerful hearts, instead OF having their faces
stretched out as long as the moral law.
There is always a class of persons, every
where who look upon the gloomy side of
things, and who throw stumbling blocks in
the way of those who originate any new move
ment, and who prophesy only evil and ruin.
These are drones in the great industrial hive,
and would now be using the old wooden
had they been born when that
Anticipated instrument was made TO turn up
the soil. This is an age Of progress, and the
times demand energy and action. Rockville
has bright future before it, but 10 keep that
future bright its people must ACT
We commend TO some perusal of "Gold
smiths Deserted Village" They would be
sorry to see its counterpart in Rockville.
They need not, but they must wake up.