The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-04-14
corrsspsadsses Bsifisssrs Coua,y Unson.
LETTER FROM KENT COUNTY, ND.
Pleasing Memories An Ancient Town
with Activity on Every Hand
Local Option, &C.
CHEsrEarowN, April 7th, 1883.

CHEsrEarowS, April 7th, 1883.
Editors Union To write 20 you from here Is
quite q change Of base, yet sure this old town
would prove very interesting II you once could
pull yourself away from TowsOntown and roam
through Its new pastures. To the Kent county has
many memories and sociations--memories Of my
ancestors, whose graves posses melancholy In
terest, and with many Of whose descendants
have pleasant acq uaintance. Associations Happy
counting days and experiences holidays and FUR
loughs well spent carrying me back 10 those times
when care "a; lightly upon me aud the future look
cd bright aud attractive, full hopes and brilian.
cy. AZ look down the stretch Of year, between
now aud then see those hopes turned 10 ashes,
that briilianey dimmcd In so many respects. And
yet withal though things have not turned cut as
| could have wishcd, 80 much remains for which
10 DO thankful.
Chcstertown used 10 be n famous place In Colo.
niai days, when she had direct trade with Eng.
land, vessels transporting tobacco from her own
wharves and returning laden down with products
ofthe mOthercountry. Many Of the old residences
are built Of the small dark English bricks brought
over by these vessels. The place formerly owned
by my wife has n date on tho door. knocker Of
massive brass "iTO9." we'll rs can make IL
ont, which I think shows quite u respectable old
age. Yet the thick walls of the house and the
evident care taken in building still assert them
selves, and the house stands firm to-day, though
marrcd in its ancient beauty by the dissertation Of
q coat OF whitewash on the brick walls.
l should judge Chestortown had about 1000 TO
$500 inhabitants and Is principally one long street,
stretching away from the Chester river for proba-
bly, mile. Along this street We End houses Of
all descriptions and materials ancient and modern,
wood aud brick, aud equally varied In style %
architecture. This running through
the town is wide and pleasan, In aspect aud has
upon IL the various stores Of the merchants also
the Kent National Bank, the Voshcll House, which
repeated experience has demonstrated TO me 20 be
good hotel aud well managed, nice aceommoda-
tions and good feed the Roman Catholis church
and the new Methodist Episcopal church, both Of
these being neat, handsome edifees. Further
along We came to the stopping place or terminus
Of the Kent county railroad. Ststion-house We
could not find or see and concluded that on rainy
days the passengers took refuge in the pnudreit.
factory ON the opposite side Of the street, which
probably gave them a chance TO vcgctate after.
wards. Right about here also some small.
pOx nags hanging IN the outer walls, and with 50
sweet scent aud aroma perVading the air. We
naturally wondered what ;hcsc poor people had
done that they should be thus dreaifully punished
by n visitation Of such disease when they had
already this stencil near a; hand strong enough
TO kill them. Why should this fertilizer factory
be allowed right on the main street uf 80 pretty n
place. where every one coming or going must
smell u!
| About midway Of this street stands the square
or piaHs. and fronting upon 1t IL the court house.
n modernizci neat battling Of brick and seeming
brick building upon which noticed the Masonic
square and compa,.cs. Then there is the Epi,co.
pal church. now being improved and enlarged
Behind this i. the county jail. The lawyers Offices
are on streets 10 the RICH; and lett ef the court
house. The place has, believe. two weekly pa.
pcrs, aud spirit Of Prosressiveness Is prevalent.
A large paper mill has lately been built by stock
conn aEy, which gives a market for the straw 81
| the farmers. 4 sash and bl,ni factory is being
pushed forward and large brick yard has been
added to the Industrial intcrcs,s of the place. be
! sides canning factories. Altogether Chestcrtpwn
seems 90 be shaking of the dull sluth and sapinc.
ness Of past years and is reaching out after mate
rial interests in quite lively way.
Wheat, corn and peachcs are the staple produ-ts
Of the county. The wheat looks badly at this
time. The farmers are just beginning 10 plow for
corn and the peach orchards, Of which We passed
/ miles. a'e as yet without beauty. 4 couple Of
weeks from now and the face Of the country will
be n mas Of pink color from the blossoms.
This j. y local option county and find here u
renewal Of my experience Of last winter in Calvcr,
county, which l. that any man who drinks can
get all the whisky he wants. Whether IL is the
fault Of the law or of the cnlercc!s Of the law %
where the defect is cannot pretend TO say, but
| the point with me il. woLld not the temperance
people find that high license Law 81 proper pro
visions and such restrictions ~ will break up the
bumming and free treating curse, be much more
effective and beneficial than the imperative local
and governs the traffic the latter seeks to ami
hilatc the iTaficc aud practically throws wide
open the door for indiscriminate abuse in IL. To
me, personally. whisky IL absolutely unknown, yet
the fact that the United States Government sells
more licenses in local option counties than ever
before IL profoundly suggestive and recognizing
the damnable curse Of intemperanee. ask my
seif, what Il 10 DO done! We can only cure this
evil BY recognizing its~sxtstcnee and taking hold
Of IL In y practical, humanitarian way. Get some
legislative enactment that will meet the difficulty
and bring the evil into its narrowest bounds.
This town, being situated upon the beautiful
Chester river, has good facilities In the way Of
steamboat communication with the rest Of the
world. The boats Of the Chester River Company
run direct from Baltimore. besides which there i,
a night line Of boats. Then the Sassairas river
| lines make connection by stage from worton's, on
the Bay. and the Colchester line from COLCHESTER.
also on the Bay shore. You can make the round
trip by this route in one day aad have several
hours in Chestertown or Baltimore, as you choose.
| Besides tho boats the railroad has two trains a
day 10 and fro. Altogether this Is an interesting
place. particularly pretty and attractive about the
lst Of May. Though my companions and myself
came down here on some disagreeab!e dry as ius,
law business. yet we managed TO charm away quite
| pleasantly the hours Of our stay.
Yours, ". II. RIcHARuSoS.