The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-06-13
.ELKTON'S OPPORTUNITY.

'he STATE. Inc governor, Comptroller,
Treasurer and Attorney General we're
named in the act committee to select
Location for the buildings, with the provi-
sion that the House should be accessible to
Baltimore City. The committee who have
this important business in charge are visit
ing institutions of the kind situated in
neighboring States, and seeking to obtain
as thorough information on the subject as
possible, before selecting site for the
proposed building. The question arises,
can more eligible location be found for
such an institution than Elkton? We
think not. 1t is within two hours ride of
Baltimore City with direct communication
by railroad to all parts of the State. 1t is
accessible to every county on the Eastern
Shore by the Delaware Railroad and its
numerous branches. By the present rail
road facilities between Elkton and Balti-
more an officer could come from the city
by the morning train and return by one
o'clock, and other facilities in the way OF
travel would be added if necessary by the
Without the proposed institution was placed
Immediately in the vicinity of Baltimore,
it could not be located more convenient to
that city, and to all sections of the State
than at Elkton. In fact when we take into
consideration the demands for an eligible
site in connection with the interest and
convenience of every portion of the State,
Elkton has superior advantages as point
of location, to any other site that can be
found. If geographical claims in the mat
ter of State expenditures are to be consid-
cred at all, the reasons for establishing the
proposed institution here are still further
strengthened. Large sums have been
drawn from the treasury of the State for
the use of kindred institutions, nearly all
of which are established in or near Balti-
more City. 100000 have been given to
the Green Spring Hospital, $500, 900 to the
Maryland Hospital, and other similar ap-
preparations have been made, the city re-
ceiving the benefit of location and expendi-
ture within or near her limits. Frederick
has the asylum for tho Dumb and Blind.
The Eastern Shore has never received any
part of these appropriations, with the ex-
ception perhaps of a tri1e to the Wash
ingten College.
A site can be selected at this place which
would be in every way admirably adapted
for such an institution as that about to be
built. A most healthy place, with water
abundant and of the best quality; gas
works already in the town; the best of clay
for brick, and the granite quarries of Port
Deposit within 20 miles by rail direct, and
the Susquehanna with its millions of feet
of lumber at hand, all combining to afford
an abundant supply of building material
at the cheapest rates. With these strong
reasons and many others that might be
named, for the establishment of the pro-
posed House of Correction at this point,
the people of Cecil expect, and they have
right to expect, that Governor Groome
will use his utmost influence to have the
institution located at Elkton. We have
pointed out that no more accessible site
can be found for it and given few of the
many reasons why it should be located
here.
There is no party significance in the
Governor striving to have the House placed
here, but it seems to us a matter of imper-
tive duty resting upon him. The public
must be satisfied when the matter is
brought properly before it, that no more
appropriate point can be found, and the
other members of the committee we con-
ceive cannot but agree that the best inter-
ests of the State would be served, and the
object of the bill fully carried out, by locat-
ing the House at this point. The people
of this county and of the entire Eastern
Shore Is well, when they consider the mat
ter, cannot fail to be unanimous in their
convictions that here is the proper point of
location, and Governor Groome by making
a determined effort to secure the site for
this county will, in addition to having done
his whole duty in serving the best interests
of the State, have placed his home con-
stituents under obligations which they will
not be easily moved to forget in the future,
and that kind of obligation, meritorious
act, which no part of the State could fail
to approve. We have already heard the
remark as coming from high authority that
if Governor Groome did not use his best
efforts to have the new institution located
at Elkton, that it would be matter of
general surprise, and we know that the
people of his own county, his neighbors
and friends, would look upon the Governor
with their present pardonable pride in him
lessened many degrees, if he fail them in
this matter, which we feel he will not.