Progress of Eastern Shore of Virginia Since the Construction of the Railroad
What has caused the great progress Eastern Shore has made in the last quarter of a century, is a question that may be answered in several ways; but it will be agreed by most everyone that the most prominent cause was the construction of the N. Y. P. & N. Railroad that runs north and south through our peninsula.
The chief promoter in the movement to construct this road was Mr. William L. Scott of Pennsylvania. He made a visit down here and declared that the Eastern Shore was once the "Garden of Eden" and is now the garden spot of the world. He realized the great possibilities in the future of our peninsula. He saw a railroad would make a complete connection between the north and south, and also saw the great need of such a connection. He realized that it would be a great money making proposition, so he did all in his power to send a railroad through here. The plan was carried out and as a result the Eastern Shore has been made one of the most progressive and most productive sections of the world.
By the construction of the railroad we were put into direct touch with the northern markets and, therefore, we could sell our produce to a very great advantage. The peninsula is rather narrow and the farms are not far from the railroad and our products are easily transported to the station, where they are shipped to their designation without delay. Before, there were only a few points at which steamers landed and the farmers had to carry their goods often a long way and only a few could afford such things. It would be hard to haul a large crop of anything in these conditions and therefore there was only a small area of land cultivated and there was no way for an advancement.
As time went on and our people found out the convenience of the railroad, and how easily they could send their produce to market, more began to raise crops. Then they began to realize that the more land was cultivated the more produce could be raised, and, consequently the more money would be received for it. They also began to enrich the land, and, of course, that increased the productiveness of it. Taking all these facts into consideration, there was no reason why the Eastern Shore could not progress, and as a result of these things, land became very valuable and very hard to obtain in some cases at any price.
In this advancement there has been another very noticeable occurrence to the people; and that is the present high cost of labor. In olden times the laborers worked for a few dollars a month and some rations of meat. But now they demand very high wages and the farmers, mill owners, etc., have to pay high wages in order to get them. It is evident that as time goes on and the land continues to advance in value, wages will continue to advance and in course of time they will become exceedingly high.
The railroad not only caused an advancement financially, but also has caused a great socialistic advancement.
In the time of stage coaches it took a lot of time to get from one place to another and this peninsula seemed very large; but the railroad has the tendency to put our people closer together, because they can easily get from place to place. One can board a train at one end of the peninsula and in a few hours be at the other end, when in the time of coaches it would take days to accomplish such a journey.
Again, living conditions have been very much improved. It would naturally follow that if there were a financial advancement, there would be an advancement in living conditions. As the land advance in value and people become more able, they can afford to have better homes and advance the conditions in which they live generally.
The great financial advancement has called forth purchase, maintenance and running of a great number of automobiles. As more automobiles are bought there is a growing movement for good roads. The automobile owner realizes the immense value and the great necessity of good roads more than those who do not own them. The demand good roads and they are getting them. In the course of a few years we will have as good roads all through our peninsula as there [are] anywhere. This is one of the greatest things that can be done for society; and hardly anything else helps to increase the value of land more than good roads.
Now, the most important of anything else in the way of progress is the school system. The increased financial conditions make the people more able to build and support good schools. In the last few years they have begun to realize the great advantage and necessity of schools. We have now in our peninsula the public school system and have high schools all over our beloved Eastern Shore. Some of our high schools are second to no other high schools in the State of Virginia or any other state. We get the best teachers and professors obtainable, which means a great thing for the education of our boys and girls, who will be later the citizens and controllers of affairs in this great, fine and prosperous land that comprises the Eastern Shore.
Before the railroad was built the best land was worth scarcely twenty-five dollars an acre. Sometime afterwards land began to advance in value, and now it is very valuable -- most any land selling from two to three hundred dollars an acre. The produce had to be shipped by boat and there were only a few places at which the boats landed and, therefore, it was very inconvenient and almost impossible to convey a large crop to these places if the shipper lived at much of a distance from the shipping point, and then the boats ran at very irregular intervals of time. Now, as the railroad runs about through the center of the peninsula, our farmers can easily get their produce to the stations, where it is shipped to the markets that day, or whenever they desire to have it shipped.
Our people used to get mail only twice a week, and when they traveled they had to go either in stage coaches or boats, which ran about twice a week. Now we have the mail three times a day and we also have fast trains by which we can easily get anywhere we want to.
As the Eastern Shore advanced financially, we became able to build and maintain better schools. The way our people used to get their education was by private schools -- some of the families having governesses. And in consideration of these facts, only a few were able to go to college. Now we have high schools all over the peninsula that gives us a good preparatory course and prepares us for college. And as our section continues to advance financially, more will be able to receive a college education, and, therefore, we will be better suited to control the affairs of this peninsula -- the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.