The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-08-05
THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC COAST
Washington, d. Z.

Washington, d. Z.
Editor Register:
Last month l went to Connecticut to
attend the 50th anniversary of our
class graduation at Wesleyan Univer-
sity. Nineteen Of the class are living
and fourteen were present, an unusual
ly large proportion. Many of them
have retired from active service on &C
count of old age and impaired health.
All were convinced that l was indebted
for health and youth to 80 years in the
climate of South Dakota. We crossed
five states, Maryland, Delaware, Penn
sylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut,
through New York city and numerous
towns and other large cities, in all Of
which the smokestack is a prominent
feature. Much Of the land appears
poor and uncultivated but by the rota-
ton Of crops, the use of fertilizers and
legumes some Of it is made very pro-
ductive. One Of u acquaintance in
Connecticut had 1851 baskets of the
finest varieties Of peaches in 1913 and
has the prospect Of a larger crop this
year. Except when in the cities we
were never far from forests. The tree
is encouraged everywhere ever in the
business streets OF the towns. We
entered New York City through a tun-
mel under the river. The depot is far
below the level of the streets. Forty
years ago transportation was entirely
by horse cars on the surface only.
Now they have the electric car on the
surface, in the tunnels below and on
the elevated roads above the streets.
Many miles of elegant dwellings and
business blocks, ten to twenty stories
high, cover land which was hen a
rocky, barren waste with only here
and there a hut made of drift wood.
My mental picture of the city, once so
familiar, is entirely obliterated. Many
of the old places | knew best l did not
care to visit. The growth the country
has made, east and west, north and
south, during the last half century is
wonderful.
have been examining the N. w. and
S. E. counties of Virginia. The war
left the state almost destitute in 1855.
Her young men were gone. During the
fo,,r rc fou, 90 tLo fo,,1 x,oro o,1
tivated and they grew up to brush. The
people were impoverished, their cattle
and horses taken, the slaves freed and
there has been neither capital nor
labor to crop the land. 1t is passing
now out of the hands of the old own
ers. Many who were children then
have told me that the officers of both
armies often protected the homes and
buildings on the farms. There is an
abundance of woodland on every farm
for fuel and lumber, also springs and
streams of water. A prominent horti-
c%ulturist of the agricultural depart
ment told me that the "apples and
other fruit being planted would soon
produce enough to supply the world.
The large cities and seaports, so near,
furnish a good market. An automobile
trip of rs miles from Harpers Ferry
parallel with the Potomac river passed
the most beautiful farms and crops We
have ever seen. The best farms pro
duce 60 to 80 bushels Of corn and 5
IONS of alfalfa per acre. They keep
thoroughbred horses and cattle and
many farmers sell their milk seven
months of the year for % cents per
gallon. Any old Virginian cloves
every mich of his state" but it is fast
being occupied by northern people. We
hope a sufficient number will remain
TO retain the "taint" of the old original
stock. We respect their pride of lin
age and regret that so many Of them
are unable to ~rehabitate their once
beautiful estates.
The counties about Richmond. St
Petersburg and Norfolk suffered more
from the wal than any other portion
of the south but the land is very rich
and Is now being reclaimed to produce
supplies by water for Washington.
Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York
and all New England. A glance at
the map will show how %convenient
these large cities are.
Wy IL III nli1l;nn