The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-03-09
CECIL COUNTY.
Some Interesting Facts Cleaned
From the Report of the Bureau

pany were the first white men to
visit the regions now known as
Cecil County, which was first set
tied in 1868, near the mouth of
Principle Creek. Captain William
Clayborn, who disputed the claims
of Lord Baltimore, built trading
post on Watson's Island, in the
Susquehanna, near Perryville,
shortly before 1884. The county
was regularly organized in 1914,
was named for Cecilius Calvert,
second Lord Baltimore, and was
the tenth formed. Its boundaries
are Pennsylvania mason & Dixon
Line) on the north, Delaware on
east, the Susquehanna on the west
and the Sassafras River, separating
it from Kent on the south. Cecils
area is 375 square miles. The
population in 1900 was 24.662. Its
tax rate in 1904 was $1.00 and
last year $l.20. The county is
among the foremost ones of the State
in agriculture and manufactures.
Cecil is among the smallest
counties in the point of area, and
has a large water surfac ,, the Elk,
Northeast, Bohemia and their
tributaries, with other smaller
streams, traversing the county.
The surface is rolling, becoming
quite billy towards the north and
east. There is abundant water
power on the numerous streams,
much of which is utilized for mills.
The people of Cecil we're early
interested in education. The
Friends Meeting House at Calvert,
erected in 1902, established school,
and st. Stephens Parish another,
in 1874. A committee to open free
schools was appointed by the Gen
eral Assembly in 1928. A system
of free county public schools was
established in 1869, six years be
fore the State system was organ.
lied. The famed West Noting
ham Academy, near Colora, was
opened in 1741. The Jacob Tome
Institute, at Port Deposit, is one Of
the best and most richly endowed
secondary schools in the country.
The county has established high
schools at Elkton, North East,
Chesapeake City and Cecilton.
The Elkton High School has de-
partment of Manual Training.
There are ninety-nine white and
sixteen colored schools of the public
system in the county.
Elkton is the county-seat. Other
towns incorporated are Port De-
posit, Chesapeake City, North East,
Perryville, Rising Sun, Cecilton
and Charlestown.
Cecil has in general good soil,
fitted for farming, trucking and
fruit growing. There is fair sup
ply of timber, fine water power,
navigable rivers, and extensive
shad and herring fisheries.
The county has over 800 miles of
main and minor public roads, and
is among those availing of State aid
for improved highways under the
terms of the Shoemaker Act.
In 1900 the county contained
1888 farms, with a reported acreage
of 2OQ,629 acres. The soil varies
from yellow clay to disintegrated
rock, and is generally fertile. Much
phosphate, lime and manure is used.
The main products are corn, wheat,
hay, tomatoes, potatoes and buck
wheat. Cecil County timothy is
famed throughout the country, is
graded highest, and is largely
grown in the upper districts. The
shipments of dairy and creamery
products to nearby cities reach up
wards of 1875, 900 per annum.
The streams of Cecil were former
ly well lined with mills and factor
les. Some having been dismantled,
but most are still operating, and d
number of new plants have been
erected within the past twenty five
years, such as paper and pulp mills,
phosphate, brick and clay works.
The Principle Iron Works still
operated, were formerly among the
foremost of their kind in the coun-
try. The Port Deposit quarries
yield the famous granite, unsur.
passed for building purposes. There
areimany minor plants, including a
large number of flour mills, several
saw mills, many canneries and
creameries scattered throughout the
county.
The county is well supplied with
National banks, there being seven,
all of which are solid and prosper.
ing. Eight weekly newspapers are
published in the county, four at
EiIknn tho onnpfu coaf ono ut