Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-09-05
OLD And NEW
NORTHUMBERLAND.
EDITOR CITIZEN:

A<hAhVh NtaAHhN'
J When ! so away from Northumber-
land coanty, stay a year and come
back, | can see, more vividly perhaps
than steady resident, the things
that have been done and the things
that haven't been done,-lots of both
kinds. Northumberland is still my
home. Its events and its people are
the dearest to me on earth. | love
the county none the less for the per-
centage of cranks, hard heads, sore
heads and sleepy heads it has within
its borders. These form an essen tial
unit of population all over the world
| believe that few of the people of
Northumberland stop to realize the
progress the county has made. One
of Northumberland's merchants aud
l were talking about it a month or so
ago. 1t has not been long since in
place of the feet of Weems steamers,
now giving almost daily service from
Coan and the Yeocomico to Baltimore
and Washington, there was only the
old Sue, and she laid off from Christ
mas until March.
Lots of people have found out that
there is not fortune in truck farm
ing, just as people are finding out all
the time that there is not much
money in anything unless a man
knows how to get 1T out, but imagine
it the total amount of checks sent to
farmers in the region of Coan river
fifteen years ago could be placed
alongside of the total for the season
of 1902, it would make many eyes
open.
The Coan river section has ad-
vanced and is advancing still. Real
estate within hauling distance Of the
river is increasing in value. Big
farms are being divided into little
ones, and all are being cultivated
better and closer. 1t is we'll.
AS a matter of fact, ber-
land is or boom. Slow boom, of
course, but, nevertheless, believe, a
sure one. The county is earning more
all the time and needing more. My
merchant friend remarked that il has
not been long since folks in the up
per part of the county wanted nothing
better than an ox-cart to ride in.
Now it must be top buggy, and a
good one at that. Cattle and horses
bring more now than ever, although
''.s. s"S prvpoiUy assresvI Vvni~s
around there are plenty of folks,
esteeming themselves honest and
truthful, who make oath that their
one-hundred aud northumberland
fifty-dollar horses are worth cash
value of only thirty, forty or fifty
dollars. Northumberland needs more
John K. Hardings as property asses
sors. When he assessed land he made
about five hundred people fighting
mad, but he assisted them to tell the
truth about the value of their real
estate.
Reedville was easily the leader in
Northumberland's boom. am not
prepared to say that it is not yet the
leader. Reedville has had good busi-
ness blood in it; it has always had
much local pride-two things place
needs in order to grow. Local pride
reminds me that the quality is about
as strong in Baltimore as any city in
the country. Make fun of New York
city and resident does not care
whit about it. He is looking out for
himself, doesn't care anything about
the city or what anyone thinks of it.
Make fun of Baltimore to a Balti-
morean and he wants to punch you
that minute. Try it.
Reedville has enterprising people,
the best hall In the county, the best
church building, and the bank. 1t
will be the first place in the county
to have a newspaper. Northumber-
land will start paper some day
unless the CITIZEN will agree to
move overland Reedville will likely
have it. I'll start one there myself
if anyone says | shall not do it.
Land near Reedville that could
have been bought at ten or fifteen
dollars an acre some years ago will
bring fifty or hundred now. The
figures mean something. The fishing
Industry has been the mainstay of
that portion of Northumberland.
Trap fishing will, too, continue to be
a powerful industry of the whole
county, spreading as it now does
along the entire water front, from
the Yeocomico to the Great Wicom-
leo. 1t is in need of good legislation,
legislation so far as the State is con-
cerned and legislation for its regula-
ton among the fishermen themselves.
Lodge. in the upper part of the
county, owes much to man to whom
has been given little-Benjamin
Chambers. No one man has done
more for that part of the county.
Lodge and Mundy's Necks have had
Iotbar ualnabla pnapT norlJ ,,o.n