Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-08-13
STREAMS WASH
WEALTH FROM
INLAND PORTS
BY FREDERIC j. HAsKIN.

Washington, d. c., Aug. H.
Men have been building cities and
deserving them from time imme-
mortal. The usual causes are mil
itary and economic. Carthage, one
of the greatest cities of early
times was utterly destroyed after
1.-The Punic wars waged by the Ro-
mans. Virginia City, Nevada, was
deserted because the mining indus
try which made it a substantial
municipality lapsed upon the ex-
haustion of the lode. But here in
the east is group of cities which
have fallen from their previous i'm
portance by the operation of the
forces of nature.
The great mass Of the people of,
the United States, being distributed
so widely over the expanse of the
new territory of the west, lacks the
environment to create a realization
or the antiquity of the eastern sec
ton. 1t is difficult for the man in
Chicago to realize that the eastern
Americans have lived on this soil
for as long a period under the Brit
ish flag as under the American
t'ttt oiiS pCItod CAlCliiiHS HUH the
first settlement of the eastern sea-
board up to the American Revolu-
ton was as long as that from the
revolution to the present day.
f More than three centuries of hui
man occupation bring about cur
ious changes in the habitations Of
men. When the country was first
settled the soil was virgin and, for
the most part, covered with dense
forests. The pioneers built their
primitive houses on the banks of
streams because the streams were
their easiest roadways. They fell-
ed the trees and planted their corn
and tobacco and, in the course of
the years, ports sprang up by the
waterside and became thriving
cities. The farms reached farther
and farther back into the wilder
ness, large areas being cleared of |
timber.
Southern Maryland furnishes an
example of such development. Its
soil is loamy and was extremely I
fertile. AS, year after year, the
gently rolling hillsides were
ploughed, the soil was loosened |
and the rains of each year washed
1t down into the streams. Three
centuries of this erosion gradually
have filled up the streams. The
riverside and bayside cities which
once throve on the shipping of the
products of the farm did not keerf
up with the erosion of the land.
The result was that the streams
filled year by year until the chan
nels were clogged and what once
were noble waterways now are
narrow creeks.
Soil and Streams Ruined.
This erosion which was~'despoil-
ing the rivers, the highways of
also was washing off
he rich, fertile top soil. Therefore
he land which produced the crops,
he object of commerce, disappear
ID in company with the streams. 1t
was inevitable that the cities
should decline with both their
means of commerce and the COM
nodities of commerce taken away
~ this operation Of natural forces
ret in motion by the plough.
When the Romans took Garth
lge they tore down the buildings,
,owed salt upon the site and
)loughed it under. Fhe lost cities
If southern Maryland, no less, have
,een ploughed under. There are
hree excellent examples of these
,laces, Bladensburg, Port Tobacco
md Piscataway.
Bladensburg was a port to the
vharves of which came great NOR
hant ships from England that
allied up the Potomac and followed
is eastern branch to the port
which was a. city long before
was ever planned. To-
lay no craft larger than a small
motor boat can get UP as far as
3ladensburg and, after a. dry spell,
ven such a small boat is likely to
round.
Bladensburg was a thriving port
f entry, great tobacco shipping
oint. 1t boosted hotels and ware
ouses and numerous beautiful CO.
Dnial mansions. several of which
till stand. Today it is a village
{ small population and probably
vould have disappeared altogether
Fere IL NOT lOT tue ldCl eildI IL 10
ear Washington.
Probably the most interesting Of
ne lost cities is Port Tobacco. Old
laps of Maryland show this place
larked with the large star or cir
lie as indicating an important CEN
Or. Marylanders lean strongly on
addition, and even today the maps
how Port Tobacco as a second
lass city. Not more than three
antilles live there.
Port Tobacco. obviously, was one
{ the busiest of the tobacco ex-
orting points. 1t stood on an es-
larry of the Potomac. From It
ldiated the roads peculiar to
,uthern Maryland, roads over
hich the planters rolled their
uge hogsheads of tobacco. Its
,urt house was the pride of that
ction. Its hotel was the social
inter Of the country. In its pub
, square was marble fountain1
id it's warehouses occupied wide
aces. 1t was an important CO.
NAL port. Today it is not a port
oil. There Is no water at Port
,bacco. The stream has BEEN
led by arnafon IN aiIch an avtanf