The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1910-09-02
UPPER MARLBORO SEEKS
FACTORIES TO M
TOBACCO INDUSTRY


Essary:
Foryears Southern Ma ryland has been
exploited as the land of opportunity.
1t has been pointed to as the only
section of it's State yet ~undeveloped.
1t has been described as a splendid
field for investment, whether in farms,
in homes, in fisheries, or in timber.
All that has been said Of the posi-
bilities of Southern Maryland is true.
Therefore, Upper Marlboro, located at
the gateway of this naturally rich
section, is bound, sooner or later, to
regain its old position among the Mary
land cities. And Washington, standing
at the gateway to Upper Marlboro will
be vastly benefited.
The growth of business in Southern
Maryland means the growth of business
between that section and Washington.
The only railroad penetrating this ter
ritory is operated from the District OF
Columbia. Washington is the PENN
sula's nearest market, it's nearest
financial center.
This NEAR that Washington can play
an important part in the future devel-
opment of Southern Maryland if Wash
ington's interests get behind the move
ment for Southern M%aryland's growth.
Upper Marlboro as the most import
ant city of this section west of Anna
polls, makes the first bid for Washing
toms favor and offers in return, a good
profit on every dollar of Washington
money..spent in it's section.
The most important opportunity
which Marlboro offers Washington
and the outside world, generally, lies in
the development of the tobacco industry
of Prince Georges and adjoining
ties. This territory wants tobacco fac
tories where the product of its farms
may be worked up and prepared for
the
Tobacco is the staple crop of South
ern Maryland. 1t is to this section
what corn is to Kansas, wheat to the
Dakotas,; sugar to Louisiana, and cot
ton to Georgia. Twenty thousand hogs
heads of this product are shipped out
of Southern Maryland every year.
This is practically 10, 900 tons. Until
two or three years ago, all this tobacco
went to the French markets. Then it
sold for 5 and 6 cents a pound.
Recently, the Danville, Va, and
other buyers have come into the field
and are bidding against the French
man. Now, tobacco is bringing from
10 to II cents a pound. At that price,
the growers are making handsome
profits. They are building new homes,
practicing new methods of cultivation
and investing in automobiles.
This is good enough, as far as 1t
goes, Now Marlboro and its neighbor-
ing communities want to manufacture
some of this tobacco. They want to
keep the manufacturers profits at
home. They want Washington and
other cities to help finance their plans.
lIlCN III IllS SIlo OilSy Gal
any other thing just at this time.
Marlboro in itself wants its marsh
lands drained. There are marches on
three sides of this historic old town
and they hold property values down,
prevent expansion and scare away
many home-seekers. The reclamation
of this land should be aided by the
National Government, these people
think, and they point to the great
Western reclamamation projects fnanc-
ed by the Government, to drive home
their argument.
Yet another thing Marlboro needs.
1t wants a piked roadway to the
National Capitol. Nothing would pro-
mote a closer relationship between the
communities more effectively than such
a highway. Already five of the twelve
miles between the two cities are macad-
amized. The contract for the remain
der had been let but the con-
tractor failed, and for more than q
year construction has been suspended.
Transportation facilities between
Washington and Marlboro and between
Baltimore and Marlboro are satisfac-
tory. This town has two trains every
day each way over the Chesapeake
Beach road and two each way over the
Pope's Creek branch of the Pennsyl-
vania to Baltimore. Considering the
business it delivers to these two
roads, better service could hardly be
asked by Marlboro.
People in this section who know
whereof they speak, contend also that
Prince Georges county should be
Washington's garden. They claim
that truck farming here promises the
best of results. The climate is the
finest, the soil well adapted and the
most profitable market in the East is
at the county's door.
Already truck farming has been de-
veloped to a limited extent. 1t has
not, however, assumed anything like
the proportions of the industry on the
Eastern Shore of Maryland, for in
stance. 1t is now only a side line. 1t
m after the tobacco crop, except
in the case of a few farmers who have
found that there is more money in
supplying Washington and Baltimore's
markets than in any other business in
which they are engaged.
Among the things which Marlboro
has to day is the county seat of Prince
Georges county. When the idea of
removing this important function of
government to Hyattsville, or Lincoln,
or Laurel is mentioned, Marlboro
people laugh. They say that just al
long as there is a Prince Georges
county, Marlboro will be the seat of
county government. For years they