The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-05-03
A PROSPEROUS COUNTY SEAT.

A PROSPEROUS COUNTY SEAT.
Animpression seems to exist among
many persons in this State that
Charles county, remote as it is from
the railroad facilities possessed by
some gifts more fortunate neighbors
is little more than a wilderness inhab-
tied sparsely by a people who exc out
a precarious living in most primi-
tive manner. While its unbounded
hospitality is known to be only con-
fined within it's borders yet there
seems to exist a feeling that the
county is what might be termed one
of the least successful ones in the
State.
A visit to the countytown, however,
would show the stranger how little
he knows of the real prosperity that
exists in this thriving county seat.
The streets are in excellent order and
while the residents do not possess
the advantages of hydrant water
and electric lights, yet in other re-
spects the place will compare favor
ably with similar towns in
other portions of the State. The
houses are nearly all modern, in fact,
practically new. Handsome subur-
ban residences dot the landscape and
the we'll kept lawns attest the pride
of the owners. The county court
house is a new brick building, large
enough to answer all the needs ofthe
county, in the rear of which is the
county Jail, Extensive improve
ments in the way of building several
new churches are in contemplation,
and the Catholic edifce is now in
process of erection.
Of course the drawback of La
Plata, like other southern towns, is
theexcess ofnegro population. There
are some worthy colored persons,
but the majority ofthem are shiftless.
Bel Air, however, can also speak
feelingly on this subject. The effect
of the new ballot law, viewed from
an impartial standpoint, is looked
upon to remedy this in a measure.
Unfortunately, the purchasable vote
has among it's numbers those who
can read and write. The adjustment
of the ballot clerk will make it ex-
ceedingly difficult to tell whether the
purchased franchise is delivered in ac-
cordance with the bargain and the
use of money will doubtless be a re-
lict of bye-gone days.
AS this is one of the oldest settled
portions of Maryland, it goes with.
out saying that Charles county has
among its residents many persons Of
intellect and refinement. The type
of the old aristocractic Southern
gentleman is not by any means ex,
tinct. Generations of careful train.
ing and gentle breeding have pro-
duced an individuality of manner
that can never be mistaken. AS for
the fair sex, the art of printing, ad
vanced as it is, has not yet devised a
process that could convey to the
uninitiate, the beauty, charm, grace
fulness and intelligence possessed by
the daughters of this section Of our
commonwealth.
Since the above was written, a large
portion of the to wn has been destroy
ed by fire. Lack of apparatus al
lowed the flames, which originally
started in a bakery, to spread
Among the buildings destroyed was
the INDEPENDANT newspaper office, o
which ex-senator Posey is the editor
Doubtless this conAagration will i'm
press the residents of the place of tn.
necessity oftown water and sufficient
apparatus to fight fires. Since the
water works have been established
here a number of fires have beer
easily extinguished, anyone of which
unchecked, would have swept the
town.