Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1914-04-23

we have enjoyed for the past decade.
In connection with the proposed
railroad, to be built in st. Mary's,
il would be well for us to consider
o few of the many advantages en-
ioyed by this favored section.
The county is almost an island,
being bounded by the Chesapeake
bay, the Wicomico, Potomac and
Patuxent rivers, and the.r numerous
navigable tributaries, aud these
abound i'm sea food of an un-
usually high grade.
Along the water courses the land
10 generally fat and rises gently to-
ward the interior with bat slight
elevation. According to the avail
able statistics, the number of farms
in the county 10 about 1900, with a
total area of 10000 acres, the pop
ulation 10 something over 1900.
The soil is generally dark heavy
loan, becoming lighter toward the
interior, and when judiciously
farmed has proven kind and pro-
ductive. The temperate summers,
long autumns, mild winters and
early springs together with the pro-
ductiveness of the soil make the
section an ideal one for truck farm
ing. The rapid growth of grasses,
making grazing possible for nearly
ten months in the year, opens up a
vast feld for dairying and stock
raising.
The nearness of transportation
facilities, when the railroad shall be
i'm operation, win place the further
est shipper within Eve miles of a
shipping point. Fine vegetables of
all kinds are easily grown and clover
and hay thrive abundently. Wheat
corn and tobacco are the staple
crops at present, but the soil will
respond very readily to trucking.
The reason this industry has not
been attempted is the fact that we
have not had the means of reaching
q suitable market. Tho railroad
viii eliminate this objection.
Small fruits are produced plenti-
fully and with little care; apples,
pears and peaches have proven re-
munerative to those who have en-
gagged in their cultivation.
Nearly one fourth of the county
is in timber, including oak, poplar,
ash, chestnut, hickory, walnut, gum,
and birch, and recently the activity
in the local lumber market has ere
ated an unusual amount of wonder,
and 10 but one of the many unde-
veloped sources of wealth that has
been lying dormant for numbers of
years.
The waters of the county abound
in fish, oysters and CT abs, the catch
ing of which gives employment to a
large number of persons.
There are in the county three
banking institutions, the oldest of
which 10 the First National Bank of
Sc. Mary's with resources of over
half q million. The other two are
younger in the field, but are forg-
ing ahead rapidly and all reflect the
enviable prosperity of the county.
The educational facilities, as rep
resented in Leonard Hall, Charlotte
Hall, st. Mary's Academy and st.
Msry's Seminary, and the public
schools. compare more than favor
ably with like institutions, and are
equalled by but few counties of the
State.
In recent years q number of cam
ming factories have been established
and are in q fiourishing condition.
The financial condition of the
county shows a more fiattering con-
dition of the counties well being,
along those lines, than can be boosted
of by amy other Maryland county.
The sinking fund to redeem the
bonded indebtedness of the county
being on deposit at the per cent
rate, reconciles the fund with the
outstanding obligation.
Within the last few years, we are
bold to state, without fear of sue
cessful contradiction, that, st.
Mary's has shown greater progress
along progressive lines than any
other equal area IN the eastern sea-
board, and this without any strenu-
ous effort on the part of our citizens.
The time, we trust, has arrived