The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-03-30
"a R.rT COUNTY.
What she ne d am the Advantages
Offered Settlers.


intervi, wed MIR Thomas } Peddi-
cord, prominent citizen of Oak
land, Nd W tn reference to the
resources and prospective develop
ment of Garrett COUNTY
Il do not delievc.' said this n.
tlemen, THAT ten per cent of the
peopl, of Maryland are well in
formed with regard to the resources
and possibilities of this section of
the STATE. 1t is not generally
known, or else many people lose
sight of the fact, that Garrett is the
largest county in Maryland The
vast area within our county limits.
with its productive soil and natural
advantages, has population of
only about $4,000 souls. 1t is true
that the population is increasing.
but the increase is very gradual
far too slow, in fact, for the good
of the county.
elm 1880 the population num-
bered $500, in 1890 it had in
creased to l4,313, making an in
crease of about sixteen per cent. in
ten years. This was the largest in
crease during that period in any
of the Maryland counties except
Anne Arundel, which SHOWED an
increase of about nineteen per cent.
"Washlngton county, which has
less area than Garrett. has 80, 1882
population. whilst Baltimore county
which is smaller also, has popula
ton of 1909 1t must be appar
ent, therefore, that what our county
needs most is a greater population
to develope her resources. 1t is abb
solutely necessary that the process
of Development should be more
rapid than it has been or is likely
to be through the natural increase
of population. We sorely need and
We must have immigration and l
believe the department over which
you preside might accomplish q
great deal for this section
"What class of immigrants does
your section need?"
"ln order to determine that ques-
ton we must look at the prospec-
tive development. | believe the
future of Gatrett county is in agri-
culture, grazingand dairy products.
At the present time there is only
ten or fifteen per cent. of our broad
acres in cultivation or susceptible
of being cultivated. With ninety
per cent. of our territory covered
with timber, we need men to cut
down our forests and prepare the
land for farming. 1t is not essen
tial to our prosperity that the
county should be filled with immi-
grants in year or two. If, how
ever, we could begin on this line of
work by placing a family or two of
good thrifty farmers in each neigh
borhood, these would naturally at
tract their friends and others, and
the work would 60 on steadily with
out very great effort
"What advantages does your
county offer settlers?"
GAS compared with the far West
the advantages of this section are
numerous and great. One of the
greatest advantages we offer is
cheap land. Thousands and thou
sands of acres of productive unim-
proved land can be purchased at
from three to five dollars per acre.
This land when cleared and Guilt
waited, will readily yield twenty to
twenty-five bushels of oats or buck
wheat, and two to three hundred
bushels of potatoes without fertili-
zers. Another important thing is
the matter of transportation. We
have ample facilities in this direc-
ton. All parts of the county are
accessible to and have railroad COM
We have the main
line of the Baltimore and Ohio run
ming through our county a distance
of thirty miles. In addition We
have the West Virginia Central,
Cumberland and Pennsylvania and
the. State Line road"
els not the climate verv severe:?"
can impression evidently exists
in some quarters that the climate is
so rigorous in winter as to make
this very undesirable place of res
idence at that season of the year.
No greater mistake could be made.
1t is true that the mercury falls
pretty low at times, but you know
that we are twenty-seven hundred
feet above tide, and in this elevated
locality the atmosphere is so
thoroughly dry that one does not
suffer nearly so much as when the
air is filled with moisture. The
dry air, though cold, is less pene-
trating than the damp air. The
climate all around is delightful.
There is no climate nor soil any
where better adapted to the produc-
ton of apples and vegetables of all