You will naturally inquire how the town came to be built in it's present
situation? The governor of the province was proprietor of most of the
land. Is not _that_ a sufficient reason.
About forty years ago the two towns of Baltimore, and the Point, contained
only _two_ brick houses, and a few wooden ones: in a late edition of
Salmon's Geography, I find Baltimore described as consisting of a few
straggling houses, scarcely deserving the _name_ of a _town_. Within these
fifteen years it has increased in size and population beyond all
precedent. It now contains nearly twenty thousand inhabitants; and, in
point of trade, Baltimore is the fourth town in America.
The following anecdote will give you some idea of the growth of the town,
and amazing increase in the value of land: -
An english gentleman, who emigrated to this country some years ago, built
a small _country seat_ on the side of the race ground; this house is
now in the possession of a colonel Rogers, and in the _centre street of
Baltimore_. The colonel has sold the wings for two thousand guineas to
build upon, and still retains the house.
But the improvements have not advanced in proportion to the buildings;
there is scarcely a dozen lamps in the whole town, which is badly paved,
&c.
All the inhabitants agree as to the necessity of establishing a powerful,
and energetic government, for the regulation of the town, _somewhere_; but
though frequent town meetings have been called, they cannot agree about
the _means_.
Something must soon be done, as the nuisances are every day increasing.
Yours sincerely, &c.
Since writing the above, the general assembly has ordered fifty thousand
dollars be raised by lottery, which are laid out in paving the town, and
clearing the Basin. Two enormous machines have been constructed on the
dutch plan, to work with oxen, which make such progress in clearing the
channel, that it is expected in a few years it will be sufficiently deep,
to admit the largest merchantmen to come up to the wharfs of the town. And
since my landing in England, my brother informs me, Baltimore is at last
incorporated; a vigorous police established; and improvements are going on
with spirit.
* * * * *
_Baltimore, November 27th, 1794._
DEAR SIR,
Yours of the 21st of August I received. - So I find you fall into the
commonplace notion of the English, that manufactories are forming here,
which will in a short time render all importation of british goods
unnecessary. Take my word for it, you have nothing of that kind to fear,
whilst the United States have so few inhabitants, and so _much_ of
their best land uncultivated. It is not their _interest_ to engage in
manufactories; and when the country is sufficiently populous, it will be
easier to conquer South America, and procure thence the _means_ of
purchasing commodities, than to go through the _drudgery_ of their
_fabrication_: but at present such is the cheapness of land, and the high
price of wheat, and other produce, that it has raised the value of labour
beyond the profits of almost any manufacture.
