Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1921-07-02


Eastern Shore Society motored
through Worcester County last Satur-
day afternoon. arriving at Snow Hill
about 4 o'clock. They were wei
coined here by delegation of fifty
business men, who gave them the
"glad hand after which Judge Will
liam r. johnson made an address of
welcome which was heartily applaud
ed by the "EXiles" as Joe Bratten
calls them, being one of the chiefs of
the clan-a Bratten of Wicomico.
In Monday; Baltimore Sun Mr..
Bratten tells about the trip of the
Eastern Shoremen down the PENN
sula. in the following article:
The "Exiles" on their journey down
the Shore travelled through a country
filed with historical interest, coun
try which their ancestors had helped
to wrest from Great Britain and from
which they had driven hostile Indians.
However attractive and beautiful
the Eastern Shore may be, the "EX-
lies" saw room for improvement, es-
pecially in the villages, farm dwell
lings and outbuildings. Henry Men
cken saw only the fronts of the
dwellings in the towns and villages.
II is in the rear of the dwellings the
eyesores-that is. the dilapidatcd
buildings. decaying fences and over
grown shrubbcry-mar the trimness
of the towns.
Historic Trails
The journey down the Shore was
along historic trails, which extended
all the way from Baltimore to Ocean
CITY. The first reminder of Colonial
days was the old Joppa road, near
Towson. leading to Joppa, the first
seat of Baltimore county. The town
exists now only in musty records.
Towson is an old settlement. but II
did not get on the map until Balti-
more county voters by referendum
selected il as the county seat after
the separation of the county and
city in the early fifties. The Gun
powder and Bush rivers are historical
because of early Colonial settlements
on their banks.
Belair. originally called Aquilla
SCOTS Old Field. became the county
seat of Hartford in 1882. The first
Courthouse was burned in 1858. The
present handsome structure was erect
ed later Hartford has set an example
which other counties might we'll fol-
low. On the walls of the courtroom
hang portraits of men prominent in
the country's history.
Hartford won distinctive niche in
history by the adoption, of declara-
ton of independence on March y,
1875, several months ahead OF the
far-famed Mecklenberg Declaration,
and a year in advance of the Declar-
alton signed in independence Hall IN
Philadelphia on July /, 1916.
Havre DE Grace Interesting
Havre de Grace is interesting be-
cause il was once the favortc site
for the National capital and because
of stout resistance to the British at
tack on the town in the War OF
1912. In more modern times the
town is on the national way because
of the race track near it and because
of the proximity of the Aberdeen
arsenal and proving grounds, where
tests that will revolutionize chemical
warfare are being made.
Cecil's Contribution
Cecil County's most notable contri-
buttons to the national gallery have
been David Davis, of the United
States Supreme Court; the Bayard
family, which moved to Delaware. and
Jacob Tome. Within sight of the
bridge spanning the SuSquehanna
river is Palmers Island, which was
dedicated by its owner, even before
the Maryland colony was founded,
to be the site of a great national
university. The tall bridge which
connects Havre de Grace and Perry
vile will go down into history as
marking colossal blunder by Har-
ford and Cecil counties. When the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company sup
planted the old bridge with the new,
to save the cost of removing the lat
ter il offered it as public highway
to Hartford and Cecil counties free of
charge, the only stipulation being that
the two counties should join in its
maintenance.
The offer was rejected, and the late
Murray Vandiver, then a director of
he Railroad Company. took up the