The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-03-13
For The Cecil Wing
BUSINESS PROSPECTS.

MIR. EDIToR:-There are very few places
but that have more to look forward to
when trade and business may revive than
Elkton. North East has her rolling mills
and lumber manufactures, Port Deposit
and Havre de Grace their lumberings,
foundries, &c, Cherry Hill and Fair Hill
their paper mills and cotton factories; but
where is Elkton? what is to revive her
trade? There is not a steam whistle, the
rolling of machinery, or the sound of
steam hammer to disturb the quiet of our
citizens in their morning slumbers, or call
them forth to active business life. There
is very little to be seen in the early morn
ing but few idlers about the doors of the
hotels.
And why is all this? From the simple
fact that the few men who have some
money prefer to keep it to grind those who
are trying to do some business, down to the
earth, who are compelled to have money to
keep their heads above water, by taxing
them enormously at from one to two PEI
cent per month, which takes all the profit
from their business keeping them eternally
under the matches. You will see by look
ing over our county papers there are more
Mortgages sales in and about the neigh
borhood of Elkton, and in the county, than
in any county, perhaps, in the State. l
say, from these prospects before us what
have we to look to for a revival of trade
Nothing; absolutely nothing.
We are entirely dependent upon the
farmers Of the vicinity for the little trade
our town has, and as a general thing they
have some money once or perhaps twice
year; and great many of them must 60
in debt for great many of their supplies,
and by the time their crop is ready for
market it is all consumed in the payment
Of their debts for their bills for the former
year.
So it is, and SO it will be, until there is
some manufacturing business put in opera
ton that will furnish the farmer with
ready market for his butter and eggs, fruit,
&C., that he may not have to trudge to
Wilmington, or some such place to get the
cash for his goods. But talk about a
mandatory and no one has any money for
any such purpose, when there is over thirty
thousand dollars spent annually in the
town for an article that could be entirely
dispensed with to the lettering of the con-
dtion of many of our citizens. Instead of
a whole block of buildings every house in
it dispensing the soul and body destroying
beverage being used for such purposes,
if devoted to some legitimate business
such as mechanics shops, &c, we might
expect some good to follow from it; but as
long as we are cursed with rum and pauper
manufacturers to the extent that Elkton
now has them, we cannot expect anything
more than we have. An evil which the
next Grand Jury in its wisdom is to be
hoped will correct; and the fourteen fami-
lies that are now supported by the sale of
rum will have to turn their attention to
some other and more productive calling
become producers instead of consumers:
thing else must necessarily take its place
for the support of those who have been
engaged in it, and our town must be bene-
flied to that extent at least.
One other reason why our town is drained
of money is that we have no manufactures
to bring money to the place, no money
being paid out to operators, &c. hence all
the money that is brought in is by the
farmers. They buy what they need, or
such things as they can get, from the
storekeepers, who buy their goods in the
city; and as soon as it is paid to them it is
sent off to meet their bills, and is entirely
gone so far as we are concerned But not
so with the manufacturer. When his goods
are made they are sent to the city and the
money comes back and is paid to the opera
tors, which keeps supply of cash at home;
while, on the other hand, it is a continual
drain.
Therefore, let us try and keep pace with
our sister villages that are much younger
and when we get rum out perhaps we may
be in a more prosperous condition, which
is ga contamination devoutly to be wished"
by an old CITIZEN.