The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-03-18
For The Cecil "
OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR.


~-----rs-.->~-
For The Cecil Wing
OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR.
Mr.. EDIToR:-We see an occasional arti-
Gle in Tile Wing about our near neighbors,
but not SO much as we might possibly be
benefited by, if we would encourage
wholesome rivalry that might make us sec
our wants as others see them. Partly with
this view, we propose to give few obser
vatons on Oxford and its surroundings.
We may remember when it was but a
small country village, with its stores and
smith shops, three hotels, one bank, two
churches, and the ordinary complement of
mechanics, 4 doctor, &c. 1t was just far
enough from every other centre to make it
become a point of trade, so soon as they
had an outlet to the greater cities for their
surplus products. Being in the centre of
fertile tract Of country, though itself on
rather poor soil, the development of the
wealth of this soil has built up and sup
ported a town with all its appurtenanceS,
even the citizens themselves. True, their
course has not been one of uninterrupted
prosperity, but it will do to compare with
some of its neighbors in this respect.
Its natural advantages are not superior
to Elkton, but on the other hand far in
ferior. 1t has no water communication or
water power directly at hand to assist
manufacture, and yet she is doing much in
this direction. In one branch she is far
behind our county town: L. e., i'll the manu-
facture of drunkards. Sixteen years ago,
she had three licensed hotels; now, with
four times tie people to accommodate she has
too. The money that is in other places
sunk in maintaining an additional dozen
dram shops, is here spent in adding com
forts and conveniences to the dwellings of
the laboring man. By spending less for
whisky, they have more to spend for water;
aud the Town Council are now at work in
earnest, boring mother earth for an album
dant supply of this needtul article. AS
the town is located on the water shed be
tween the west branch of Elk creek and
the Octoraro, they have no convenient
water power adequate to pump them
supply, nor is there water enough within "a
mile to give a full supply when it is pumped.
They have a basin that formerly was ade-
w
connected with pipes on the principal
streets, and the artesian we'll they are now
sinking, is to furnish an additional supply
to fill it. 1t is costly experiment., but
they must have it. We were shown spec-
mems of the boriugs brought up from the
drill. that has now descended to depth of
1877 feet, and is being driven deeper every
day. AT this depth, they We're going
through flint rock, nearly pure quartz, and
expect to strike a water vein among this
sort of stone. To supply the growing
wants of the town, it is altogether probable
that at some future day the water may be
brought from the Octoraro creek at Mt.
Vernon, by pumping it into a reservoir
there, and thence by an aqueduct three
miles long.
While looking at the immense expense
being incurred here to have full supply
of water in every house in town, | coulu
not but think of the condition of our own
town of Port Deposit, where the people
seem content with having an abundant
supply of water in their houses once erery
fec gears, or whenever Providence sends it
in, and walking up the hill and carrying it
in the rest of the time, when the best of
spring water that Nature has provided
would run in of its own free will if man
would but supply pipe. There are few
places SO admirably supplied by Nature
with the facilities for having water in every
house from attic to cellar and SO poorly
supplied 10y man. You Elktonians have
water enough, presume, such as it is, but
you have to dig for it, while in Port it
comes without that.
Another element you Elktonians have
over Oxford is the county offices and the
host of officers and lawyers that are Incl
dental to the business of the court, which
should be profit to the town. We have
limited that Oxford gets along without SO
much whisky as ElktoD, but we do not
mean to infer that the lawyers and county
officers make all the difference in this
respect. The doctrine preached by one of
your most prominent divines on a recent
occasion has been the voice of every pulpit
in Oxford for many years, and we are in
clined to think that if the fountain head
be pure in this particular, the stream that
flows from it will not be contaminated with
its faint.
Oxford no doubt owes much of its pros
perity to its railroads. The Peach Bottom
narrow gauge railroad is one of her special
pets. 1t is owned and built by the people
along its lire, and is proving a paying in
Stituton, if not III dividends at least i'll the
advantages to its patrons.
The Oxford Agricultural Society has
done much to add to the Importance and
business interests of the town, by the fairs
held there Spring and Fall. This is a
joint affair, and is supported largely by
Cecil and Lancaster counties, and the pres
ent Board of Managers is composed of four
from each county. All the proceeds of the
exhibitions are scattered again among those
who contribute them, in the shape of pre-
miums, and strong incentives to improve
ment, and opportunities to compare pro
ducts and the skill of ladies' handiwork, is
here presented. In past seasons some of
our Cecil ladies have won honorable prizes,
and they are able to hold their own in
future. The 9th District has now as fine
pair of cattle as are to be found, and we
hope no mishap will befall them, and that
they may reach the Centennial. The Ok
ford Fair is the place where everybody
goes from the upper end of Cecil county.
1t is convenient place for family reunions,
where friend meets friend from widely
scattered territory, at the same time that it
furnishes days pleasure at less expense
than any other way, or at the bare cost of
an hours leisure.
There are other things Of interest here
worth observing that may be noted in some
future papers. SCRIBE.