Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1885-05-22

We have heretofore given extracts from
marsh lands in Maryland, read tetore the
farmers convention last February, but the fol-
low ing concerning those Of our county and adj
joining sections will be OF local interest:
There is, perhaps no section Of the State the
agricultural resources of which are so little
know as Southern Maryland, and certainly no
section tn Il has suffered more from the effects OF
malarial feveis, induced by tae existence Of eI-
ensive marshes which could be reclaimed with
out great expense or trouble.
Mr. J. II. Alexander, in his Report on the
new map OF Maryland" 1885. calls attention to
the importance OF constructing canal or canals
10 drain the extensive marsh land Al the head
Of Wicomico river, in Charles county, knswn as
ID ia Swamp" or 'AlIen's Fresh, " tmbrac-
ing An area of more than 5, 900 acres.
The physical outline of this swamp is that OF
a long basin followed out between ad jaceHt
hig hIands with an average width OF nearly
aile, TO a distance OF Nv elve miles from tide
water The bottom of the basin, formed OF the
soil of the hills, and decayed vegetable matter,
is for the mos part covered with water. In
speaking OF the survey made of this lamp, Mr.
Alexander says: The foot in passing over it
finds nothing but succession OF miry knobs,
NNOse uHptthsdHt iuOuVEOui 10 'h'tSb' ilOh
lime to time, by plunging into water three or
four feet de D. Nevertheless, continues Mr..
Alexander, ''amid all these apparently unfavor
able circumstances, there is good ground for
believing in the possibility OF the ultimate and
not dispropprtIonatey costly or difficult re-
d.mption of the swamp"
The otter swamps in Charles county are Pts
cataw.y. Mattawomau, Port Tobacco, Pemon-
key, Maryland Point, Nanjemoy, PiccawaXen
and Cobb Neck.
1t is needless to call attention in detail 10 the
extensive marshes in Calvert, ST. Mary 5, Prince
Georges, Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Har-
ford counties, or to expatiate upon the benefit :
" hich would result from their being proper ~
embarked and DRAINED. An examination oil
their actual condition Would undoubtedly show
that these marshes can all be drained and made
firm and safe pasturage, if not permanently
arable land.
There is no physical difficulty in the way o.
draining any III Of the marsh lands of Mary
land Engineers can furnish plans and extcut,
me work, il The financial means are provided
/ But " hen cone to consider The actual per
Torrance OF the work, there will be host o
conflicting interests; ard even many who's
lands and eAlih would be bent fitted will per
sist in declalin. their satisfaction 18th the pi e
sent slate OF IhDgs mist ia bic as ii is, ard lhel
drsh.Iief in the practicability Of any scheme o
iurrovem.n' or he ultimate prohl TO e deriv
I'd Iheieirt IN.
For accomplishing so important an oil ct
the following suggestion Is sui mtled Tor tb
considefalitn OF hi convention, VIZ: That
,ou nitl,e lie Al pointed to urge upon the mex
Legislature The Gtslratility y creating com
nlssion invest with power and provided wit
Il fficis Mt means TO make cal eful survey OF II
the maI>h lands in the State TO consider the
pTeseut IL tjuenre upon agriculture, popu IA 10
|, aud health; and so ascertain the means b
, which said lands can be most .fftciualy draiI
I'd and brought into cultivation.