The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1882-07-22
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM LAUREL, MD.
The Town of Laurel-A Busy and Grow
ing Village-Cheap Railroad Fares
other Matters of Interest.
LAUREL, PRINCE GEORGES Co., Nd,

LAUREL, PRINCE GEORGES Co., MD,
July 10, 1882.
Messrs. Editors Thinking that a few lines
about matters and things in this locality, only
nominally distant from the Capital of Balt-
more county, might not be uninteresting to many
of the numerous readers Of The UNION, | have
concluded to forward them.
1 left the Belt on last Monday afternoon and in
about an hour and a half from the time OF start
ing was safely landed at the railroad station OF
this delightful rural town, pleasantly located on
the right bank of the Patuxent river about mid
way between Baltimore and Washington on the
Washington branch of the b. & o. railroad. The
town, by the table of distances, is twenty-five
miles from Baltimore and eighteen from wash
ington, but by Strengthening the curves at the
Baltimore end, it is about equally distant from
both cities. The trains that run between The me-
tropois of the State and the capital of the Nation
are so numerous as to be considered constant
ouantitv From ten to twelve stop daily each
wav at this station, and thus make the town
most desirable one as a permanent residence or
for summer boarders. The Communication tickets,
good for all trains stopping, cost only SlS quar-
ter to Baltimore, and ST. to Washington. This
makes the single trip each way about 10 cents,
only twice as much the charge from Boundary
station to the City Hall, with this difference In
favor of Laurel that the commuter can ride as
often as he is able to do, every day for his twenty
cents round trip. There is scarcely to be found
another town in the State on the line of any other
railroad so favorably situated for the enjoyment
of every pleasure and pastime conducive to health
and comfort where the railroad travel is cheap.
Laurel has q population ranging somewhere
between fifteen hundred and two thousand IN
habitants. 1t is incorporated and governed by a
board of five commissioners elected annually.
Local option prevails and existed here before 1t
was adopted by the whole county. In the town
are five churches, the Protestant Episcopal, no
man Catholic, ana rresoyterlan, naving Ume
There is one large public school, with five teach
ers, and private school three public halls, seven
general merchandise stores, two meat and provis-
ion stores, two bakeries and confectioners, four
millinery and dress making establishments, two
coal yards, one lumber yard, two foundries, one
brick yard two drug stores, one watch maker and
jeweler, saddler, two shoemakcrs, two tailOrs,
one hotel and three regular boarding houses. AT
present there are more summer bOarders here than
have been since 1866.
The town may be said to be divided into two
parts and geographically styled east and west
Laurel The former lying parallel with and on
each side of the railroad, and extending one-half
mile west of the station, has improved the most
rapidly. Its beautiful residences almost conceal
ed from view by encircling shade trees are greatly
admired, and the Academy of Music, occupying a
commanding position, is one of the principal OBJ
the outside it has more of the appearance of Il
church than an academy of music, but an exami
nation of its interior proves it to be c0mmodi-
Gus, convenient, and completein all gifts arrange
ments any similar building could be found.
The Herald, one of the newspapers of Prince
Georges, occupies part of this building. 1t is
Republican in politics. and from the numbers
have seen in the house of the friend with whom
sojourning, consider it first class weekly,
exceedingly newsy in all of its articles and well
come visitor to the family circle In its registra-
ton advertisement L sec that the registers of
Prince Georges do not assign as many days for
registering in August Baltimore county
registers do. They allow only five days, but ours
allow six.
There is a literary society here called Our So
cial Union, which gives entertainments every
other week, alternating them between literary
and musical and dramatic. There is a striking
resemblance between them and those entertain
ments at Gainesville regularly reported in The
UNION.
West Laurel or Laurel proper begins about
one-half mile west of the railroad station and ex-
tends westward about three -fourths of mile. In
this section of the town the factory is located
which has become famous for its different brands
of cotton-the Laurel DIS always taking the lead
in the markets of the world The factory is SUI
perntended by Gen. 6. II. Nye, who rendered
gallant service in the Union army during the late
war. over TWO Hunureu operatives are empIOyeu
in the mill, and more than fifteen thousand yards
of fabric are manufactured daily. The water is
now very low in the Patuxent river which com
PEELED the mill to be shut down before the regular
hour one day this week. Many families who have
lived here are at present residents in different
parts of Baltimore county, and wherever found
they are always classed among the most indus
trious, moral and religious of the citizens. Mt.
Vernon, Woodbury., Warren, Thistle and Union
hear wit tn he trut Oft hat hav
ten.
Laurel is place of more than ordinary import
ance, for in addition to the attractions already
enumerated it is honored by having as one of its
distinguished citizens, the Hon. Barnes Compton,
Treasurer of the State, and as near neighbor
just across the river, in Howard the Hon. A P.
German, two gentlemen who are universally es-
teemed for their intrinsic worth and sterling
qualities of head and heart, by all classes in this
community irrespective of political opinion.
On Monday evening l had the pleasure of being
present at the meeting Of Laurel Wreath Lodge
A. F., A. NJ, when past masters jewel
presented to mutual friend, Bro. William H.
Harrison, who has faithfully and continuously
served the Lodge as W. Master for eight years.
On Tuesday evening 1 visited a newly organized
Lodge of A. F., and A. NJ, at Badensburg, about
twelve miles south of Laurel, where a Bible,
Square and Compasses were presented to Bro.
Nagle, W. Master, by a number of his devoted
friends. In Laurel there are hourishing Lodges
of the orders of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias
with kind reception here. NJ.