Synoecism

[RickD]

Oops, seem I missed you update. 
So this Mr. Andersen caused quite some controversy. Grid layouts may not be very fancy but they are efficient.

[greckman]

What a good idea Gorbs to vary the size of the farms and have them all in a grid. Good job!

[gorbag]

Oops, seem I missed you update. 
So this Mr. Andersen caused quite some controversy. Grid layouts may not be very fancy but they are efficient.

They are indeed. I want to see how this grows compared with the more "organic" parts of the region.

What a good idea Gorbs to vary the size of the farms and have them all in a grid. Good job!

Thanks Greck!

Entry 19: Fighting Fire with, er, Water



After having installed the water pipes for the thirsty residents, the village of Dartacre could get on with pitting in place what had been planned all along - a fire station.

When Dartacre was a small village, people used to put out fires by stamping on them, filling buckets from the river, or catching themselves alight and rolling around in a carpet.

Many years have passed since then and the village has a number of very flammable industries not to mention homes and fields. A major disaster was just one careless cigarette away.



A fire station was erected on the edge of Dartacre so to cover both villages of Dartacre and Dart River.



Residents were able to relax in peace, knowing full well that any careless mistake would be dealt with by the volunteer firemen and women and that they would no longer have to roll in their Axminsters, except for fun, of course.

[RickD]

Nice rural fire station. Is it from Peg's MTP set?

[Kevin1a]

I'm glad to see the fire station on the edge of town.  The local youth will have a new place to gather and contribute to the community as members of the "Jugendfeuerwehr" German for Youth Fire Brigade.  Do we have an English word for that?  I know my cousin is a member in Germany, and they practice right alongside the older guys who have been doing it for years.

[canyonjumper]

Great stuff gorbz!


        -Jordan

[CoastRunner]

Glad to see there's a fire station now!  Wouldn't want your great work burning down!   

[Skimbo]

I like the way you tell us about every small step of development in this region. And the pictures are always nice too

[gorbag]

Replies

Firstly, apologies for going AWOL. My work does that to me from time to time. I've got a couple of bigger things coming up...

Nice rural fire station. Is it from Peg's MTP set?

Thanks. Yes it is. 

I'm glad to see the fire station on the edge of town.  The local youth will have a new place to gather and contribute to the community as members of the "Jugendfeuerwehr" German for Youth Fire Brigade.  Do we have an English word for that?  I know my cousin is a member in Germany, and they practice right alongside the older guys who have been doing it for years.

Contribute to the community.. Hopefully some of them will. A lot of them still have to work the fields at the moment. We don't have a corresponding word, except maybe Youth Fire Brigade.

Great stuff gorbz!

Ta very much.

Glad to see there's a fire station now!  Wouldn't want your great work burning down!   

Well, I was tempted... For storyline purposes you understand

I like the way you tell us about every small step of development in this region. And the pictures are always nice too

How very kind. I'm glad you're enjoying.

Entry 20: Secret Machinations



As the years and months wore on, industry was booming. Gradually, the industry was changing from small operations to increasingly large.



These large factories of J.B. Magnusson and Son (where they make other factories - the question is if they're the factory that makes factories then which was the factory that made this factory?)



This was unremarkable until it was remarked by one thinking resident "but where do they get their resources from?"

Where indeed?

[Battlecat]

Glad to see you're back!  Very interesting update there!

[gorbag]

Glad to see you're back!  Very interesting update there!

Thanks, Battlecat.



Entry 21: Learning Difficulties

[Kevin1a]

I'm glad to see that education is being addressed.  Good education will help St. Rafael, and the other towns in the region attract cleaner manufacturing industry, and not the dirty polluting kind.  Mr Smith must be a member of a union.  They sent some professional protesters to support him in his quest for reasonable working conditions.   How do the regions farmers view the increasing industrialization?

[RickD]

They sent some professional protesters

Maybe those are the kids celebrating the school free day. 

[canyonjumper]

Cool gorbag! That poor teacher

               Your friend,
                              Jordan

[gorbag]

Replies

I'm glad to see that education is being addressed.  Good education will help St. Rafael, and the other towns in the region attract cleaner manufacturing industry, and not the dirty polluting kind.  Mr Smith must be a member of a union.  They sent some professional protesters to support him in his quest for reasonable working conditions.   How do the regions farmers view the increasing industrialization?

There are a fair number of primary schools in the area now. Most have only one teacher. There are no schools for the teenagers yet. Something that needs to be addressed as the population ages.

There is some dirty industry, but the cleaner manufacturing industries have not come yet. But as the industries pump money in tax so then the cycle of wealth can improve the education and so on.

Funny about the professional protestors

Most farms are still out of the way of the industry. The change is seen in the demand produced for their goods. Some farmers are grumbling because the crops are now not growing so well in some places due to the smog.

Maybe those are the kids celebrating the school free day. 

Maybe! Rather large kids though!

Cool gorbag! That poor teacher

I wouldn't worry. He's not called "The Bulldog" for nothing.



Entry 22: Mine your own business

Want to know the solution to the problem of the mystery resources? Of course you do! Unbeknownst to most people but known to Mr Magnusson, a mining operation had been set up far to the north west of Dartacre. In fact, the mine was nestled in the mountains near a large lake. In 1920, a mining company, without any permissions from the fledgling and almost powerless authorities, set up its operations.

Renee and Edith Despard, who were keen bridge players, found coal and other precious resources in the hills.



They were able to set up a mining operation to extract the minerals. However, in order to work successfully they needed workers. They were a long way away from any settlements and so had to provide the housing for the workers.



Faraway was initially a small town but it grew as rapidly as the extractions from the mine. In 5 years, this small settlement far beyond Lake Despard (as it was now called) had grown in to a populous, but rather dusty, smelly and boring town.

[Lowkee33]

Nice update!  Its good to see some non-maxis trees in there.

Who would have thought bridge players would be so industrious?  I guess spades are trump.

[canyonjumper]

Great update gorbz! I always enjoy reading your entries.


                Your friend,
                               Jordan

[Kevin1a]

Uh oh, I hope the runoff from the mine tailings doesn't pollute Lake Despard or even worse: the drinking water.  At least it's coal and not gold, which from my understanding does not entail the use of cyanide leaching.  Are there plans to build a rail line to the mine?  Nice update, the town really captures the dirty low density sprawl of a mining town, though as a bit of constructive criticism, it could use a main street with some saloons and houses of ill repute.

[gorbag]

Replies

Nice update!  Its good to see some non-maxis trees in there.

Who would have thought bridge players would be so industrious?  I guess spades are trump.

Nice joke. Yeah, I finally got some non-Maxis trees. It's a pity I discovered them after I treed my entire region. I'll probably re-tree a lot of the region, but I'm not looking forward to it.

Great update gorbz! I always enjoy reading your entries.

Your readership is very appreciated.

Uh oh, I hope the runoff from the mine tailings doesn't pollute Lake Despard or even worse: the drinking water.  At least it's coal and not gold, which from my understanding does not entail the use of cyanide leaching.  Are there plans to build a rail line to the mine?  Nice update, the town really captures the dirty low density sprawl of a mining town, though as a bit of constructive criticism, it could use a main street with some saloons and houses of ill repute.

Quite right. It's a pity this town is downhill from the mine. I imagine that the illness and mortality rates will be high. There are plans to build a rail line to the mine. The town does have a bit of a main street now, but I will see what I can do about the saloons. Great idea! I'll be sure to show them in a future update.



Entry 23: To the manor born.

`JEEVES! Jeeves. Where are you?'
`I'm here Lord Martlebury.'
`Jolly good. Get me a Revis Island Iced Tea please.'
`Certainly, my lord.'
`You know Jeeves, it really isn't boffo that I'm the only rich person in the region.'
`If you say so, my lord.'
`I jolly well do. It's so hard being surrounded by the common people.'
`I think I'll just give your drink an extra something, my lord.'
`If you must. That's the problem of owning this business. It makes me a lot of money but there's no one to share it with. I do miss society.'
`You could share it with your neighbours, my lord.'
`What an absurd suggestion Jeeves. We already make sure the grass around our property is wonderfully fertilised. Even by the dusty streets. What more do they want? Paved streets for those awful bright blue cars that they drive?'
'Here you are my lord.'
'GAK! What did you put in it Jeeves?'
'Just a little extra something. Drink up, my Lord.'

[canyonjumper]

lol gorbz, I love your humour, always lightens up my day

                        Your friend,
                                       Jordan