Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1942-10-02
The STORY OF
The EASTERN SHORE
OF MARYLAND
~ RNEN UENkNE
NJ

II has been over century since
the first railroad that ever crossed
any part Of the Eastern Shore was
built. Cecil was the first county
that was fortunate enough to grant
the right of way, because 1t was on
the direct line of travel between VIII
mington, Del, and Maryland's me-
tropoItan city of Baltimore. 1t was
not until the year 1872 that railroad
was built in Worcester County, and
that was a junction road less than
twenty miles in length and extended
from Kings Creek Station IN Somer-
set County to Newtown noW POGO
moke City) in Worcester Goa the
main line continuing eo few N'ose
Greek "a CrtsNe)d In tsSh NHN'os
oh,aNea the whit at way, the J, y,
Il, a N, n a. Cos extended the NN'
"a CANE Charles Vas thus making
the former junction eeettoo part W
The main line OF the road (toRether
with a ferry boat line between Cape
Charles and NorfollO thus connecting
Now York City and Norfolk, va
Bv this arrangement the Crisileld
Branch became a junction road, ana
was connected with the main line at
Kings Creek. During the late lo1Os
the I'd. M. & W Delaware-Marylanu-
Virginia Railroad was built through
Worcester County and connected with
Virginia and connected SelbyVllie'
Del, with Franklin City, Va" ana a
ferry boat line between Franklin Guy
and Chmcoteague Island, va" en-
ahled that laland Go have convenient
connection with the northern e'l'ee IN
WAY AZ Georgetown and narringtom
bel In preVious years, IA the Penn
svlvania RailrOad extended through
the entire length OF the state OF Dela.
ware. improved county seats ana
towns of the Eastern Shore were con-
nected with il by branch roads. From
Towsend. CLAYTON and Seaford, con-
nections were made respectively with
Chestertown, Centreville, Easton and
Cambridge, besides many other I'M
portant towns. Not long after the
founding of Ocean City, the Eastern
Shores popular summer seaside re-
sort in 1875, the (B. c. & Al Baltl-
more. Chesapeake and Atlantic Rail
road Co., constructed railroad be-
tween Claiborne and Ocean City
which with ferry boat line between
Claiborne and Baltimore City, con-
nected the latter city with Ocean
City, Md.
The steamboat companies which
operated a line, of steamers on every
nayigable river Of the Eastern Shore
for around seventy years, thus con-
Meeting every town of any apprecl-
able size with Baltimore City, have
been completely put out of business
by the construction of improved high
way roads thru the counties OF the
Eastern Shore and adjoining states
and the advent of automobiles and
trucks of every description and ca
pacitv. These have furnished such
an improved and convenient method
of rapid transit and transportation,
that travel by stage coach and prl-
vate horse drawn vehicles and water
craft, has been abandoned.
Even the railroad companies have
been crippled by the introduction OF
motorized buses, capable of rapid
transit. All kinds of freight, farm
products, and lumber are now being
transported even at long distances by
trucks and motorized conveyances.
Wonderful transformations have
been effected since the Civil War
period, and the Eastern Shore has
come in for its share of the vast a
chievements.
The application of steam, gas, cleo
tricity, gasoline and waterpower to
practical uses has caused a great
change in the manner of living. The
people of the Eastern Shore have
lost no time in taking advantage of
the assistance that the above named
powerful agents furnish. The fire
place, the wood burning cook-stove
the tallow candle, in many cases, the
kerosene lamp, the old well, with its
sweep, pole and bucket, the spinning
wheel, the loom, the flax brake the
wool cards the ox-cart and even the
family carriage-are now only a
memory.
BY Rural Identification, the motor
engine, the gas tank and other mod
ern appliances, the farmers of the
Eastern Shore can enjoy the many
conveniences that are enjoyed by the
town and city dwellers. There was a
time when Shipbuildino was a Dros-