The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-02-13
COMNIERCIALIZED MARRIAGE
MART.
Law Makes Profitable Business Out
OF Sacred Thing.

"a h10SACO
The Baltimore News of Sunday.
February 8, gives writeup bv
ROBERT Garland on the marriage mill
that operates at our county seat,
made possible by Maryland's lax
marriage laws. The News reporter
visited Elkton, in company with a
photographer. saw the mill in oper-
alton, took some snap shots and jot-
ted down his impressions, the follow
ing being extracts from the article:
Elkton is undergoing a matri-
monial boom. The marriage mill is
working overtime in Cecil's county
seat nowadays. Thirty-two catch
as-catch-can weddings in eight work.
ing hours is recently established
record in Maryland's well-known
Gretna Green. One marriage every
10 minutes isn't bad for a town of
something like 5000 people.
During January some 3S5 licenses
were issued; nearly Is marriages
each day, not counting Sundays,
when the Circuit Court is supposed
to be at rest. For 1919 the register
shows 1895 permits to wed, against
1890 for the preceding year. These
hurry-up ceremonies bring 81 to the
court, an average of So to the busi-
ness-like clergyman who ties the
nasty knot and the same sum to the
Jitney men. Figure it out. 430O
weddings at 81 apiece for the COM
munity, over $4,000 per annum for
Elktonians to enjoy.
Cecil's county seat is frankly sem
sitive about it's well-earned reputa-
ton as a place where anybody can
get married at any time. When all
other places have failed, try Elk
ton-as did Eugenia Kelly and "Al''
Davis several years ago. From the
cradle to the grave, Elkton will fix
you up, legality guaranteed and no
embarrassing questions asked.
Twelve minutes and few dollars
are all you need; even the IL min
utes isn't altogether necessary.
However, the dollars are.
For years Wilmington was known
to sweethearts who wished to marry
hurriedly and on the quiet as a con-
venlent Gretna Green for Pennsyl-l
vania, New Jersey and New York.
Abuses crept in, however, abuses
similar to those rampant in Elkton
today, and the Delaware Legislature
passed law in 1913 which prac-
tlcally put a stop to marriages in
that State Of couples from across the
borders. 1t was in May of the same
year that Elkton set up in business
as Gretna Green.
The News correspondent was
hanging around the southbound
station, waiting to see the Honey
moon Express" come in. So was a
large part of the youth and beauty
of Elkton. And from what the
newspaper man overheard, a report
er is about as popular in Elkton as a
Bolshevik would be in Wall street.
This is the big morning train: to
meet it every chauffeur and jitney
driver is on hand. Others precede
IT, however. '4s4Na
There lwere numerous victims on
the Honeymoon Express" No SOON
er had they stepped from the cars
than the traffic in couples began.
From behind the station, where a
dozen or more automobiles were
drawn up side by side, came a din
such as one seldom hears, shouts and
yells from rival and leather-lunged
busmen. Nothing was overlooked
that might attract attention and
patronage. Horns blew, engines. :
ran, an unmufied motor added to the
din. Pandemonium was loose.
Drivers, white and black, fought
[or patronage until the unhappy
couples knew not where to turn.
Chauffeurs argued among themsel-
yes for customers; sums of money
we're banded here and there.
BY the time the Honeymoon Ex-
press had started south again the
aackmen and their cars had disap-.
speared in the direction of Elkton's
ovely old Courthouse, where Fl.
Lewis, Clerk of the Circuit
Court, and j. w. McAllister, deputy
'lerk, issue marriage licenses whole
,ale.
The same scene is enacted here
after the arrival of every train. The
orides-to-be are parked outside in
he waiting cars, thus avoiding many
complications; their
alleged age and willingness are taken
IN the say-so of the grooms. These
Benedicts are lined along
counter; they take the necessary
'ath in a body, thus saving time.
They give their name, their age,
heir home town. the supposed birth
lay OF the girl outside, and, upon
'ayment of a dollar, a license is
landed them.
Then begins the mad rush to the
Waiting clergymen, sort of Van
lerbilt Cup race through Elkton's
Iuiet thoroughfares. There were