The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-07-01
A VISIT TO CENTREVILLE.
Wonderful Growth of the TOwn-Great I'm
proyement In the Agricultural Section, &c.

After returning from Boston on June II,
the senior member of The ADVOCATE and his
wife accepted the invitation of Mr.. " I'm. ).
Price, ST., to visit Centreville, Queen Anne's
county, Nd, which is Mr.. Vanderford's place
of nativity He had not been there since
1861, and only few landmarks were recog-
nized, and not many of his associates OF those
days are now living, except Messrs. VIM.
Bailey, J. W. w. Woodford, and few others.
The town has been so changed IN every re-
spect that it seemed like Southern or West
ern town that had been doomed by strangers
who had settled there. But such is not the
case; the native young men have come to the
front and placed the town among the foremost
in enterprise and manufactures on the shore.
Four handsome churches; a large high
school building, in which Miss Maggie Lock
ard, of Westminster, has been teacher Tor
several years; two large banks, the most pros
porous and said to be the best managed on the
Eastern Shore; two frst-class newspapers,
one, the Record, edited by Col. W. Scott
Roberts, who was resident of Westminster
and editor ofthe Western Maryland Democrat
and sold the paper to the late Joseph Shaw,
who was brutally murdered by mob IN 1865;
the other, The Observer, edited by VIM. j.
Price, Jr., graduate of Western Maryland
College; two railroads-one to Philadelphia
machine shop; the ice plant and ice cream
mandatory Of the Messrs. Price; hundreds
of beautiful private residences of frame and
brick; numerous fine stores, and last, but not
least the supply of water obtained from sew
eral artesian wells, have made a wonderful
change ia the Centreville of forty -four years
ago.
An extensive drive through several districts
of the county showed that the spirit OF upto-
date agriculture was predominant among the
farmers and truckers from Love Point TO
Booker's Wharf, to Church Hill, Ruihsburg
and Wye Mills. The roads are in excellent
condition. residences and barns new and the
best machinery is used in the cultivation OF
crops The crab pens, where thousands OF
hard crabs are watched while shedding and
become what are known as soft shell, and the
many duck aud geese yards on Kent Island
we're matters of great interest to the visitors.
Kent Island geese aud ducks are as much
sought for in season in the large cities As Car
roll cOunly's celebrated spring chickens and
turkeys. Wheat, rye, corn, oats and potatoes
were thriving, and the wheat crop, which was
harvested by the 24th, is said to be one of the
best gathered for years.
Notwithstanding these changes IN the shire
town and villages, the whole sOuled hospitality
and courtesy Of the residents has not vanished
and few of the ladies and gentlemen of the
olden time with their quiet dignity and man.
ners, are still left es "reminiscences of the days
before the civil war. In passing through
towns and along the roads We came across
few Of the old servants who hadn't forgot
their manners" that Is, spoke pleasantly and
raised their hats OF the rising generation OF
educated negroes the least said the better. To
quote from an old colorei man. "they never
had no raising no how. aud you CANT edercai-
them fit Tor nothing.
Our host, Mr.. Price, though above three
score and ten, is active ia agriculture aud
other business. and owns and supervis-s the
cultivation Of twelve fine farms.
We met several ladies and gentlemen who
we're educated at Western Maryland College,
and they spoke 10 the highest terms Of thai
institution and the good Old times when
they were boys aud girls in Westminster.