The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-08-30
THE CITY AND THE COUNTIES.
Baltimore Mems

The outflow of residents of Baltimore city
into the counties of the State during the sum-
mer months is every year having significant
influence upon the social and business life OF
both city and State. In nearly all the coun-
ties summer boarding is recognized in
dustry, and thousands of Baltimoreans seek
the quiet of the farm houses and the rural vii
lagos for longer or shorter periods. 1t is said
that in Kent end other counties the income to
all classes of the community from the summer
boarder is greater than the income from the
oyster yield. OF recent years there has been
q constant increase in the number of land
holders in the counties from the city. Not
only the wealthy, who are able to maintain
country home as well as town one, but peo-
pie Of moderate means are buying real estate
in the various sections of Maryland. either as
an investment or as temporary dwelling places
in the summer. OF course. the summer re-
Sorts = Y are largely patroniZed by city
residents; but q noticeable feature of the an.
nual sojourns of pater familias and of his
household in rural Maryland is the increasing
number who go to the real country" and en-
ioy the comforts and delights of the seques-
tered farm house.
Even cursory observers say that within the
past ten years there has been a remarkable
change in the spirit and temper of the counties
toward the city and of the city toward the
counties. The people of the two are being
drawn more and more closely together, and q
gratifying community of interest is every
year becoming more manifest. Baltimore is
not behind the tendency of the times apparent
in all the great cities in the matter of seeking
permanent or temporary homes in the country.
as the tax lists of Baltimore, Hartford, Carroll
and Anne Arundel counties show. While the
vast strides in transportation facilities made in
the past decade may have something to do
with this. yet at the heart of it is the natural
desire of man for the freedom and delights of
country life especially in the days when
nature appears in her most pleasing moods.
1t has not been long since the Eastern Shore
was regarded as naturally tributary to Phila-
delphia, and, in some counties, at least, the
city of Baltimore was generally looked upon
as a public enemy, whose sole purpose was to
drain taxes from that section and rob it of
political offices, and give nothing in return.
ALI this has been changed. Railroad lines
cross the peninsula, with Baltimore as their
terminal and the Eastern Shoresman can
come here with less loss of time and more
real benefit to himself than he can 60 to that
other city which ought to be within the con-
fines of Maryland, but is not by virtue of Lord
Thurlows decision. Baltimoreans are nu-
merous and familiar across the bay these days.
and the trade of the Eastern Shore, so long
diverted to Philadelphia, now comes to its
proper place. and the true market for all
Maryland. Western Maryland is more firmly
bound than ever to Baltimore by lines ofsteel,
and Southern Maryland promises to be in the
near future as well provided with steam roads
as other sections. The rural trolley is just en- :
tering upon its development. and the next
generation may see all the country adjacent to
the city traversed by electric roads.
1t is proper that the city should take every
interest in the counties. The old antagonism
between the two, it is true, is fast dying out
chiefly because of the reasons we have stated,
but the good work can be accelerated, and it
ought to be. There should be no such thing.
on broad grounds, as city man or country
man, but all should be Marylanders. Every
rural Marylander should be proud of his me-
tropolis. and every Baltmorean should be
proud of his State. There is no part of it but
has shone in history; has had its patriots and
distinguished men in every walk oflife. There
is no part of it but offers pleasing features of
scenery or resources, from the ocean-swept
shores of Worcester to the forest-clad noun
tains of Garrett from the rocks of Deer Creek
and the height of Pen-Mar to the placid PATIO
mac. What county in the country surpasses
Baltimore in its scenery, Its natural resources,
its adaptability to homes, its varied products.
and its hospitable and generous people
What one has greater historic charms than old
st. Mary's, the mother of them all