The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-05-03
Editoria5 correspondence.

Editorial correspondence.
APRIL 26th, 1873.
Dear Union Having received an invitation
10 lecture before the Social Literary Asso-
Maryland, on Tuesday Of last week we took our
satchel and repaired to the ''City of Monuments"
AT $50 a. M, Wednesday, we were rushing to-
ware the political metropolis of the nation at a
comfortable speed. Soon we landed at
LAUREL,
pleasant and thriving village in Prince Georges
county. II contains about 800 or 2, 900 inhab-
itants, number of fine residences, and very
creditable public school building, admirably To-
Gated on spacious lot of land well adapted to
the purpose. We think the Laurel people deserve
the generous thanks of the public that they did
not follow the example too frequently set in this
matter-that of placing school building upon
piece OF land that is unfit for anything else
The Pautuxent rolls Economically beside the vii
lage and turns several manufacturing establish
ments.
OUR STAGE COACH
has an air of antiquity about il. 1t is set on
strong Q springs that makes the machine rock,
bounce, lunge and plunge like vast sea-monster
comfortable for all that, it plies through the
pine forests and sand regions of Prince Georges.
Soon we are in the pines. Upon investigation
one can discover that the day is not far distant
when corn grew on the acres now covered with
pines. The ridges formed by the rows are yet
perceptable. Out of these and we see peach trees
in blossom. The sand is deep and makes heavy
travelling. But our man at the helm is an old
stager. He is John Shelton by name He has
had varied experience in mounting and cross
ing the Alleganies and Blue Ridge in Pennsyl-
vania land Virginia, in this business. A stout
bay and black compose his team. They keep up
brisk trot up hill and down. They make
twelve miles in two hours and make two stops
for mails. When we reach
sPENCERvILLE,
seven miles from Laurel, we are cheered again
with the unmistakable marks of civilization. 1t
is small village containing post-office, con-
siderable store, one or two good shops steam
grist and saw mill, and seKeral comfortable look
| ing houses. This spot has been redeemed from
the desert by the enterprise and money of de-
spised ''carpet-baggers."
Tired of waiting for the stage we walked ahead
for about three miles through a section of coun-
| try sold between IL and 20 years ago for So per
| acre. 1t could not now be bought for $75. 1t
is dotted with comfortable and stylish residences,
| with verandahs and bay-windows, lawns, walks
and shrubbery. One of these proprietors reaped
last year an average crop of 20 bushels of wheat
to the acre. In this locality is be seen one of the
signal stations of the U. S. coast survey. Soon
we arrived at the substantial mansion of our
friend and collegemate,
DR.. FRANCIS THOMAS,
who is devoting his energies to agricultural pur-
SUITS We were glad to meet his cheerful face
and shake his honest hand. A pleasant chat
about the days of yore and a dinner that was
we'll appreciated, and we visited the mansion of
IL 4bo cal, Il.
built of brick, which tradition says were brought
from England in 1903. 1t looks like an ancient
land mark and bears the unmistakable evidence
of belonging to the arstocracy of its day. In
one corner stands an old clock that was placed
there just one hundred years ago by the present
propretor's grandfather.
The community is one of clubs, societies and
associations 1t contains four or Eve farmers
clubs of fifteen or sixteen members each, which
meet monthly at the houses Of the MEMBERS
The middle-aged women have an association
which partakes of the literary in character and
the practical in utility. 1t meets monthly at the
members homes, and has an existence of from
fifteen to twenty years. The oldest club of this
character was organized thirty years ago and
has lost no meeting since. There is also society
termed the "Home Interests" having its regular
monthly meetings. II is composed Of the young
married folks, and its business pertains 10 horti-
culture, Horticulture, housekeeping, and other
things appropriate for the attention of those com
posing it. There is society called the "Inno-
cents" This is somewhat select. 1t is more
free and easy than the Others being without strict
rules and regulations. They meet every two
weeks and engage in music, cards, dancing cha
rades and theatricals The ''Sociable and De-
BATE is a sort of joint affair which meets at the
houses of its members every two weeks, where
good sociable entertainment is to be had and al
ternating its meeting every fortnight at the Lyce-
um Hall, lin Sandy Spring village,) which is
owned by joint stock company, composed of
nearly every person in the community. Here
they meet for debate, lectures and other enter
tainments Of a literary character
The village of
SANDY SPRING
is composed of two large and fourishng stores,
steam grist and saw mill, owned by Hon. B.
Rush Roberts, the office of the Montgomery coun-
ty fire insurance company which has capital
of six millions, Lyceum Hall, which will seat
comfortably about 2hl.- 1Crsons-anQ-is neatly
f'saTnished, a Fiii5nds' and Methodist chuSch,
two blacksmith and two wheelwright shops, a
white and colored school, each of which is at
tended by about so scholars, and several substan-
tial and handsome residences. Its chief misfortune
seems to be that it is destined TO be without a
posteriy to its present enterprise and intelligence.
In the immediate vicinity are several graduates
OF Yale College and number of gentlemen worth
from SIS, 900 to 100000, and they have made
money first out Of the soil and then by fnancer
ing. 1t has been our pleasure TO visit no country
community whose standard of intelligence and
enterprise is higher. Wespent pleasant moments
under the roofs of VIM. H. Farquhar, Charles F.
Porter Edward P. Thomas and B. Rush Roberts.
At the house of the latter we met the venerable
Benjamin Hollowell and his lady. He is one of
the leading spirits in the conduct of the admins
tration's Indian policy
On Thursday night at O'Clock were in
troduced by Edward P. Thomas, the President
of the debate at Lyceum Hall, to a large, atten
tive and intelligent audience which we punished
for three-quarters of an hour with discourse
upon the subject of "Woolgatherng.
On Friday morning we reluctantly babe adicu
TO this thrifty neighborhood S. P B.