Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-10-07
OCEAN CITY ROAD
TO BE LINED WITH
SMALL FARMS
Big Land Development Scheme Spon-
sOred by Senator Harrison-High-
way to be Planted With Trees
and Lighted BY Electricity.

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land from Salisbury, in Wicomico
county, to Ocean City, on the Atlantic
Ocean, with series of 20-acre farms,
each equipped with comfortable
home and necessary buildings, all in
good taste; to line that drive of 80
miles with wel-selectcd and properly
placed trees, is the scheme that is
backed by the wealth of Wcomico and
Worcester counties.
II is the definite promise that this
shall be done. not ten years hence but
very soon. Quiet work has accom-
plished more than publicity could
possibly have done, and this, the first
announcement of the project, finds its
accomplishment an assured fact.
The plan originated in the mind Of
State Senator Orlando Harrison, who
says that it came to him like an
inspiration as he watched the small
farm owners assisting in the harvest
ing of the fruit crop at the Harrison
nurseries. Senator Harrison says he
was struck with the efficiency of the
men who owned their own places.
The idea grew in the Senator's
mind until it became an obsession and
he simply had to work it out. 1t is
the purpose, and the preliminaries
are all arranged for, to purchase the
whole stretch of country on both sides
of the road, except the towns and
the already prepared places, to divide
it into plots of three acres, of 2l0-foot
front, and sell it to the young men
who desire to become their own
bosses.
Barring the land already so di-
vided and the many villages stretch
ed out along the roadside, more than
1000 "one-man" farms in the very
best of all small-fruit sections will
be prepared for purchasers. 1t has
been told often how small tract is
necessary to maintain comfortably a
family in the berry section. Three
acres in this past season meant cash
return of from $4,000 to $4,000, and
the stretch that is now going to be
developed is the cream of berry land.
II is practically virgin soil.
With the land sub-divided the pur-
chaser will find no obstacle in his way
to become a producer. From so to GO
per cent. of the purchase price will
be advanced him by the local Building
Loan Associations or the local Farm
Loan Bank. His building operations
will be financed. Every encourage
ment will be given desirable immi-
grants. All the money advanced will
be charged at 81 per cent. interest
rate, and payments with the loan as
ISOLATION will be upon a small month
ly basis. The Farm Loan will receive
payments on their loan in multiples
of S25, rs often as desired by the bor-
rover. The loan of the Farm Loan
Bank will be permitted to run for a
period of 30 years, with only the in
terest to be met.
The idea in the minds of the pro-
motors of the development scheme is
that it is the solution of the question
of keeping the young people on the
farm. They picture the young man
with his bride, starting in the small
way. assured of plenty and the OPP
portunity to bank each year sub
stantial sum, with all of the land he
desires just at the rear of the farm
house.
The scheme is so far advanced that
promoters are every ready for the
plans and specifications of buildings.
The local Chamber of Commerce is
being taken into confidence, and be-
fore cold weather has arrived the en-
tire plan will be under development.
The raising of poultry in small
way will be encouraged, for it has
been shown that, comparatively, there
is much more money in a small pro-
duction that in a large.
1t is, too, a part OF the big idea that
electricity shall be made available at
each of the "family farms" The pro-
moters intend to light the highway,
as well as the towns touched by the
road, from central plant. This is
but crude picture of what is, per-
haps, the greatest in Maryland. 1t is
not intended as a money-making
scheme primarily, but it will probably
yield good return to the promoters.
Those who are pushing the scheme,
and Senator Harrison is the main
hacker, are carried away with the
beauty of the whole thing. They are
so sure of the absolute success of il
al that they want to talk all the time
about it, yet they are the practical
hard-headed men who have developed
that country and who have succeeded
in pulling hard dollars out of the land