Most city dwellers take zoning as a matter of course. They know that without such protection there would be no strictly residential areas, no unspoiled park and recreation centers in their metropolis, no concentrated business districts; that the whole would be a confusion of purposes pleasing neither business nor inhabitant; that property would become devaluated, new industry discouraged, and eventually the people themselves would move to new locations in more orderly surroundings.

 

Dukes County boasts a total of 3,799 “housing units,” for its 5,669 inhabitants, according to revised figures issued by the U.S. Bureau of the Census for 1940. At the time the tally was made 1,699 of the houses were occupied, 524 were vacant and for sale or for rent, and 1,576 were vacant for other reasons.

A total of 36.8 per cent of the population of Dukes County, calculated on the 1930 census, is being supported by public funds either from the ERA, public welfare or soldiers’ relief, according to figures compiled by the Hyannis Regional ERA office for February.

 

For Dukes County, the accompanying table shows, the total relief load is 479 cases, supporting 1,820 persons. The number of persons is the total supported by men or women working on the ERA, public welfare, soldiers’ aid, or receiving direct aid as unemployable.

 

Not long ago we heard a valued summer resident of an Island town discourse in a rather surprising way. She said:

 

“Some of us have formed a knockers’ club this year. If anyone asks us about the Vineyard, we say, ‘We-e-ell, the mosquitoes were pretty bad this season,’ or something of that sort designed to be discouraging. You see, it’s a question whether the Island isn’t becoming a little too popular, whether there haven’t been too many people around this year.”

 

The past week has been an eventful one in the history of Cottage City and in her prospects for the future. The decision in the question of the ownership of the parks in favor of the town will mark a new era in its history. The removal of this cloud, which has so long gung like a pall over its prosperity, will give a new impetus to improving property and the purchase of land and building of new cottages. The people’s rights have been protected by the courts, and it is many years since so healthy a sentiment has prevailed here in business circles.

 

One of the most delightfully situated Islands on the Atlantic coast is the old Indian home of the Chappaquiddic Tribe, now almost extinct, but sparsely settled by parties who make life busy in the various callings associated with agriculture and fishing interests. This island is about three miles wide by five in length. In beauty of landscape and water view, with its general diversity of soil and rolling aspect of every hand, it has been appropriately called “a gem,” in a setting at once beautiful and enchanting.