Eastern Shore Herald, July 1, 1910
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Excursions
A party of young people of the county left Oysterport last Friday for a visit to the islands. They went by launch and had a most enjoyable time.
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Transportation -- Railroad - Freight
Saturday, June 18, there was shipped over the N.Y., P. & N. R.R., 136,000 barrels of white potatoes, being the largest day's shipment this company has ever had on white potatoes. Cape Charles shipped alone 16,000 barrels.
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Transportation -- Road - AutomobilesTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Excursions
It is reported that some citizens of Cape Charles City will establish an automobile line to Cape Charles for the benefit of sight-seeing visitors. It would be well to extend it to Eastville.
Broadwater Items.
Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Excursions
Mr. J. H. Robins is visiting friends in Norfolk.
People wishing to spend a quiet 4th on the 2d, and enjoy the delightful sea breeze, are invited to the Island next Saturday. Refreshments will be sold on the fair grounds as usual.
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Forests -- Forest products - BarrelsTransportation -- Road - Hard surfacing
Eastville.
The work of building the standard macadamized road through Eastville will begin in a short time. The bonds have been disposed of.
Growers hereabouts complain of the inability to get barrels to put their potatoes in. The barrel factories have been working over time, but are behind-hand in their orders.
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fields -- Crops - White potatoes : Prices
Wardtown.
It is foolish in the farmers to kick over the prices they are getting for potatoes.
Respected Colored Man Dead
African-Americans -- Race relations
Harry Fitchett, an old and respected negro man of this vicinity, died Tuesday and was buried Wednesday in the graveyard near the colored church. He had reached the advanced age of nearly 90 years and worked regularly up to the last.
To Be Tried July Court
Moral -- MurderSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : SeasideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Poaching
The trial of Captain John Evans for killing John Gibbons, will take place July court. The case has attracted a great deal of interest over the county. On account of the publication by some papers of exaggerated accounts of the affair, many people have been strongly prejudiced against the defendant in the case. This was evident at the hearing for bail some time ago. The evidence of the defense has not been heard either by the bail commissioner or the grand jury.
Change of Schedule
Transportation -- Railroad - Other
A change of the railroad schedule has been announced to take effect July 2nd. The afternoon local will pass here at 2:18 under that arrangement. The trains run very conveniently for local passengers as far as Cape Charles.
THE IRISH POTATO CROP
Transportation -- Railroad - Freightfields -- Crops - White potatoes : PricesProfessionals -- Commission merchants
Large Shipments From all Parts Of The County.
The past week has been one of heavy shipments of Irish potatoes from this section, and after this week there will be a material change in the quantities to go off. For the past two weeks they have gone from Cape Charles at the rate of 12,000 barrels a day, with the exception of the day after the big rain. All the stations along the railroad and the boat landings along the bay shore have shown greater activity in shipments than ever before, and there is no doubt that the output of Northampton county will be greater than ever in the history of the business.
The Produce Exchange handled one day, Saturday a week ago, 300 car loads from the two counties. This represents about half the quantity sent off. The Exchange has bought some, but most of the shippers have to trust to the management as to the prices obtained. There are some large buyers in the county. Many of them have given the top of the market and in this way land a good portion of the business. At this point Messrs. Holland, Wisherd & Moore, W. W. Fitchett, T. H. Nottingham and H. P. James, Jr., have done most of the buying. The former have bought at Cape Charles also, and at Cobbs and Cheriton. At Cape Charles City there have been representatives from all the large cities of the North. In spite of the offers of the local buyers there have been a number who have shipped direct to the commission merchants.
The Irish cobler variety has had the lead this year, but lately there have been larger shipments of other varieties. There has been little or no rot this year, and Northampton would have made a big thing had the price stood up. At last reports they were going at $1.50, somewhat above last week's prices.
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fields -- Crops - White potatoes : YieldFarmers -- Innovation
The price of Irish potatoes this year has not been such as to encourage the truckers to double the production another year, in fact it has been rather discouraging, and there are very few truckers who can show any large profits this season. The crop in both Northampton and Accomack has been the largest in the history of the business, and the yield has been unusually good, so with the Norfolk section. These two coming together evidently glutted the markets. Under usual conditions this would not have occurred, but such is the case. The Herald regrets deeply that there has been so little money cleared. However, it should serve to impress the truth of repeated statements that the people of this section bank too heavily on the potato. If the Eastern Shore crop had been half what it is there would have come into the two counties more clear money than will be the case on the present large crop.