Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1881-01-06
Some Comparisons.

Comparisons are said to be odlsus;
60 are some medicines, yet as the lat
ter may be beneficial, so too may be
the former. AS the physician admin
listers nauseous draught and is re-
wardsd with thanks ofthe patient az
ter the efficacy of tn, remedy is ack-
nowlcdged; SO too may we be released
from being as odious as our compari
sons should they prove to be remedl,
al.
1t is our purpose to contrast on:
town, as it appears and is at present,
with vha, it .eemed 10 be and was,
from thirty to forty years ago
Ali Now we hear YOU sv, ""hv all
THIS fuss and feathers about becoming
odious." "Odious? Inpossb!el We
ttatter ourselves that facts will force a
most favorable comparison Well,
let us see What are we now? We
are town Of upwards o! 500 lnhab.
itants; we'll ordered, newly painted,
many steepIed, and duly corporated
borough, having regard for law and
religion, an earnest care for our pub
lie schools and n great pride in our
sidewalks and shade trees; we follow
our church bells aud the styles with
eommsndSble diligence and have AK
handsome churches, that we well at
tended on Sunday and four general
stores, that are well patronized on the
other s1 dayn. Measurahly, we are
"tony" likewise measurably, We SIRE
intelligent. a Fashion Quarterly,
and Quarterly Review may be found
on the sam. shelf and with them the
New York Week. and Dune Nov
81.
We have q brass band, cbors in our
churches, four mails each day, nuner
Gus fairs and festivals and other cvi
dences Of modern metropolitan hab's
and advantages. Olhos much, OF all
this could our town boast thirty years
ago? Verify, OF but .Ittle Qurpopu
lation then but little owe. ono t1Ild,
paint, st,aples, borough ordinances,
public schools, sidewalks, shade trees
and church bells were unknown aud
an invoice Of The stock in any one Of
our stores to-day vii! squea that Of
the entire mercantile business hen,
There ware however in those days
one mammoth tannery and two small
er ones, to-day, none; then, there wa>
a wooden factory in successful opera.
ton, TO day none; then, We had a
forge, to-day, mona. In those days
fully onehaIf the population were
manufacturers to day, the proportion
ia too slight 10 be appreciab!e. Then
shipments were from, now they are to
the town. To use wsli known ex.
preston the balance Of trade was then
in our favor, nov It Is against us, Then
we were getting rich, now we are set
ting poor. 1t was an old fashioned
town, but thrifty; SOW it has become
modernizel and with it, prodigaI Of
it's ancient opportunities and Advauts-
ges. 1t wore linsoys, It's true, bat
the pride in having made them, was
more honorable, than that borns in
the display Of the finer, but Imported
fabric Of to day. The music Of spin.
dies and trip hammer may have been
more monotonous, than the well exc
cuted harmonlas Of u piano forte but
the accompaniment of SOLID comfort IN
the way of regular and desirable in.
conss more than atonsd for its mouot =.
ony.
And yet we are accustomed to say
to strsngers that our town is q very
progressive one and no doubt many Of
US believe it, whereas in reality We
have refrigerated in the one very ma
tcrial and almost essential condition
of real prosperity, our manufacturing
interests. To be continuous BUYERS
in other markets and to produce moth
ing to sell in other markets is to bat
state the condition Of our local scono
my and that such locality grows
poorer each day, ie sell evident.
And now, bow do you like The com
Tarison hisAtoned, modernizsd Ma
chanica.ow Is it odlous, and il 60
who is responsible for it?
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