Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1922-04-29
What Our Contemporaries
Think About Pocomoke City
A SURVEY OF EDITORIALS APPEARING IN VAR
IOUS NEWSPAPERS FOLLOWING THE GREAT
FIRE OF MONDAY, APRIL IL.

new city that arose was in a number
of respects a better city than that
which had been before. But Baltimore
t. day would have been more beauti-
fdl had it been possible to carry out
IN their entirety the plans formulated
b. men of vision, and proposed and
cebated in the City Council Of the
tine. 1t is not to be denied that Bal
limore then missed some of its great
est opportunities, and that it is still
a:ying for the selfshness and lack of
vision of few of it's citizens.
Pocomoke City is today facing sit
uatiop similar in many ways to that
mich confronted Baltimore in those
early spring days Is years ago.
Today, as Baltimore was then, she ~
planning the rebuilding of her burn
Ell district. Already her citizens have
determined that there will be no NOR
frame structures, but that the new
city shall be of materials able 70
withstand another visitation of fire.
hut this, we hope, will not be all tina,
the city will demand of its new self.
w preach no counsel of perfection.
We know the obstacles to anything
!Ee common action even on an occA-
sion Of this kind. But we feel, never
thelesS. that Pocomoke City would dt
veil to consider whether the oppor
unity which is now given it cannot
be used to create a town which vii.
ne UNIQUE on the Eastern Shore, IF
not in the country.
We are but voicing the general
opinion when we say that the small
towns ct the United States are singh
larly lacking in charm and individual
ity. Those who have travelled know
TO we'll the dreary sameness of our
county seats, their woeful higgledy-
iggledy-ness, their often slatternly
promiscuity, the main streets with
treir false brick fronts and galvanl@
cd iron cornices, the incongruity of ar
hitectl.ral styles-in a word, the ut
ter lack of any unifying plan or in
tentiou. Nor is this shortcoming con-
fined to the small towns. 1t is appar-
cnt in the best of our larger cities.
1t is not wise to give advice, and OK
cept for the very real conviction we
have OF the opportunity which is now
offered to Pocomoke City we should
de sist on this occasion. But tn vision
which comes before us of Pocomoke
I ity as it might so we'll be will not De-
.owned.
Am. cans have learned much since
thew first built such towns as POGO
lnoke City. They have achieved, along
with material wealth, definite as
iraton toward beauty and distinct
j. n. But they are hampered too often
by existing ugliness. Pocomoke City
To-Day is not so hampered. What is 70
T. event it's citizens from deciding
here and now that their town shall be
nique in one respect at least? That
it shall be intelligently planned, that
tie buildings which compose it shall
conform to general design, lifted 10
their use and to the neighborhood.
end that the new city which is to arise
hall be a model city, embodying the
heSt, materially and spiritually, tia
q ,perience has taught US.
Men travel for thousands of miles
to see towns like Chester in England,
Carcassonne in France, 0Fyieto, Italy,
none intrinsically of greater import
'ance than this one Eastern Shore
own, but rendered noteworthy be-
cause somehow they have managed
to express in their architecture def
mite and unmistakable spirit.
1t will be many year, perhaps, be
fore men come to Pocomoke City as
they now go to Chester and Ovieto.
Continued on Page 8.