The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1926-02-25
Why Not Make Oakla nd Bigger, Bet
ter and More Prosperous, Asks a
Newcomer to the Garrett County

Newcomer to the Garrett County
Town.
To the Editor of The Republican.
The writer, being a newcomer, is
not so well qualified to answer his
own question as many of the long
time citizens; still he may elicit an in
terest in the subject that others may
take up and make valuable.
The writer has no financial inter
ests to serve, but he has never been
envious of the prosperity of others.He
simply loves Oakland and appreciates
its many fine people.
The competition between aowns and
cities for the getting of big industries
to locate with them is as great as
competition is between merchants and
manufacturers.
And that town that can offer the
greatest inducements in low taxes,
chaep labor, cheap rents, cheap fuel,
or power, and good shipping facili-
ties, gets the business.
AS the writer views the subject,
Oakland is under quite handicap in
these particulars-ncte enough induce
ments.
The summer tourists spending of
money has dwindled to a negligible
quantity. So that at present the mer-
obo,+e o,,d ,rofocciopo1 WOW oro dc
pendent on the amount of profits that
the farmers can spend in Oakland.
Farmers are like men on q fixed
monthly wage or salary. In five
year period their average yearly in
come can be estimated about like the
salaried mans.
Out of the farmers fixed income
there is a limit to how much he can
spend with the merchants.
Oakland being situated in an agri-
cultural district, its growth is limited
by the prosperity of the farmer.
We have a good creamery and
good cannery which helps the farmer
and indirectly Oakland. But if way
can be found by which the farmer can
quadruple his income, then his spend
ing money will benefit Oakland by
this increase. So | have been trying
to think what the farmer can raise at
good profit in addition to what he is
now raising.
Cellulose is a substance found in all
foods Of vegetable origin. 1t is es-
pecially abundant in the stalks and
leaves of plants like celery, lettuce,
spinach; in oat, wheat and rye straw
and in corn stalks. 1t is found in
wood; it is the structural frame work
or walls which surround the vegetable
cells.
Artificial silk is made from lustra
cellulose; so is glucose; another pro-
duct is viscose. Cellulose enters into
the making of high explosives; in fact
has many valuable uses that space
will not permit enlmerating.
Straw and corn stalks do not give
the farmer at present much profit, but
they are rich in cellulose. So if fac
tory in the manufacture of artificial
silk could be induced to locate in Oak
land and the farmers would agree to
supply it with the raw material, can
see how it would benefit Oakland as a
community.
The manufacture of silk from cellu-
lose is growing industry.
Unless other kinds of manufacture
ing can be established in or near Oak
land the farmers will form the basic
source of revenue for the towns peo-
pie for many years to come.
So it is up to the cooperation of
the merchants and the property own
ers to make Oakland grow
On close examination my sugges-
tions may not be feasible, and others,
hope, may find better ones There
are always opportunities for business
growth if we search hard enough to
find them, for where there is a will
there is way.
Oakland is a beautiful place to live
in, viewed from the standpoint of a
residence, but it needs more workers
and more pay-rolls to make it prosper
as if deserves to F r. CORLISS.