Milford chronicle., 1955-06-10
Laurel Showing
Decided Growth
Continued from page one)

! Continued from page one)
with their pupils. This is accom-
plished without confusion or traffic
jams due to the well planned en-
trance TO the area.
Laurel sends to various colleges
and universities annually their full
share of students who have made
good in their scholastic and athletic
activities and seek higher learning.
| it is showa
| Laurel Is one Of the two COM
munities 0n the western side of the
state which has water transpOrta-
tiun The Laurel river is navigable
| for light dTeft vessels and has been
| taking advantage of its river trans
portation. Recently a large ship
navigated the channel loaded with
grain for one of the milling COM
panieS.
The Laurel Chamber of Com
merce has started a movement to
have the government deepen the
channel from the Chesapeake Bay
to the towns eaSternmoSt wharfage.
which is we'll beyond the center of
the old city. This work, if approved
would come under the direction of
the Baltimore office of the United
States Engineers, which has charge
of the tributaries and of Chesapeake
Bay itself. Laurel feels as many
others do, that river traffic will
stage a comeback in the next few
years. This opinion is prevalent
throughout the eastern seabOard of
the United States. according to the
Association of State Development
and Planning Agencies.
The six Laurel churches spear
head the religious life of the city
and are furnishing many extra
curricu1ar activities in the com
munity the report shows, especially
| for the younger members. Noted
pastors serve the pulpits in the
area and contentment on the ex-
preston of peoples faces is prev
alent everywhere. In the last five
years it is estimated that approx
mately 100000 has been expended
by the churches in additions and
improvements which keeps them
apace with other communities in
the state.
The community has special pride
in the beautiful, modern and well
equipped Mrs. Walter S. Carpenter,
Jr., Memorial Library. This build
ing completely stated, and with
more than 10000 volumes, is being
well and fully used by citizens. 1t
is stocked with modern and classic
works and periodicals of all types
which are of assistance to all who
wish to make use of the institution.
There is a handy parking area in
the rear of the library and the
beautiful building, costing we'll
over $150,000 is a memorial to the
former Mary Scotten. 1t was open
ed in 1851.
Two banks-the Sussex Trust
Company and the Peoples National
Rank-serve the area. These insti-
tutions have combined assets of $S,-
$4,000. One bank has already COM
pleted a drive-in entrance and the
other is in process of building one.
Both banks have or are completing
reInOdeling of banking facilities
costing more than $172,000. These
improvements came about because
of public demands for increased
services.
Housing in Laurel has made great
strides the report points out: Homes
are in many instances well above
the average cost of those in other
areas and in many instances fall
ing into the $4,000 and $4,000
bracket. Well over $50 homes have
been built in the area during the
last three years. The total cost of
this development is said to reach
approximately $1,SO0,000. Builders
are said to be keeping up with
housing demands.
From an industrial standpoint.
Laurel is also keeping apace. Two
large feed mills have been con-
structed in the area in the last
few years. Beacon Mills and Rails
ton-Purina Mills, are servicing the
entire Maryland Virginia
area, as well as processing feeds
tc ship to other states.
The Valiant Fertilizer Company
has al50 enlarged it's Laurel mill
due to greatly increased demands
for their products. The Delaware
Soy Products has also made i'm
prOvements and increased capacity.
Oliphant and Son, Co.. is now in
fbp proppcC of bI1iIdipg d, 1arOo