Eastern Shore Herald, January 12, 1906

For Home Insurance Company.

Infrastructure -- Commercial - Insurance companies

At a meeting of those interested in the organization of a home insurance company for the Eastern Shore held here Wednesday, there were present some of the most active of the promoters of the enterprise.

Dr. John T. Wilkins, Jr., was chosen chairman of the meeting. The general impression seemed to be that there is a good field for a local insurance company on the Eastern Shore and those present went effectively to work to organize.

On motion it was resolved that the proposed company be called the Eastern Shore Fire Insurance Co.

Then the following committee on permanent organization was chosen: Thos. W. Blackstone, chairman, Dr. J. H. Ayers, E. T. Powell, John H. Hopkins, S. W. Mathews, Dr. John T. Wilkins, Jr., J. T. Daniel and G. S. Kendall.

The following resolution was then passed: Resolved, that the capital stock of this company be fixed at not less than $50,000, in shares of $50 each, of which 20 per cent is to be paid in cash and balance to be covered by a note payable not over 10 per cent in each three months.

Messrs. Ailworth, R. S. Wilkins, J. Thos. Powell, A. J. Lilliston, Dr. John W. Bowdoin and A. Clinton Mathews were appointed as soliciting agents to secure stock in said company and get list of insurance risks, the compensation to be 1 1-2 per cent of the amount subscribed.

G. S. Kendall and T. B. Robertson were appointed as committee to have done the necessary printing of contracts, etc.

On motion it was resolved that the organization committee and stockholders meet at Keller Feb. 15th, for the purpose of organization if the way be clear.

adjourned.

T. B. ROBERTSON, Sec.

Progressive Parksley.

Infrastructure -- Public : TownsInfrastructure -- Utilities - ElectricInfrastructure -- Commercial - Residential constructionInfrastructure -- Commercial - Commercial constructionInfrastructure -- Commercial - Banks

No town on the Eastern Shore of Virginia has presented a better picture of thrift and progress during the past year than the pretty and attractive town of Parksley in Accomack county. In passing it recently there could be noticed some of the evidences of thrift in the new buildings being erected.

It was only a few years ago that the whole business section of the town was wiped out of existence by a destructive fire, but the business men and property owners of the place with commendable pluck and enterprise, went to work and builded again even better structures than ever before.

The town is beautifully laid off in broad streets and convenient squares, graded and drained. The main business block faces the railroad property. It consists of handsome brick buildings, with good brick sidewalks. The walks are all bordered with shade trees, that add to the attractiveness of the place. Conspicuous in a square near the depot is the beautiful Confederate monument built some five or six years ago to commemorate the deeds of bravery and devotion of the men of the State who laid down their lives at the altar of their country. Standing there as it does, in its silent dignity, it is an object lesson to the rising generation as they pass by. It beckons them to the higher ideals of life that inspired those who answered the call of their Southern country, and whose bodies now sleep on the far distant fields of glory.

The town was incorporated by act of the last legislature and has advanced materially since. Recently an electric light plant has been installed by the Parksley Coal and Supply Co., chiefly under the management of Mr. Hopkins. A large number of buildings have been lighted and the streets will also have the same later.

Among the dwellings erected and occupied during the last year in town were those of E. Colona and R. L. Parks on Cassatt ave.; A. Shetzline, Mrs. Sallie E. Mason, R. A. Causey and four dwellings of Parksley Grocery Co. on Adelaide st.; E. T. Parks on Wilson ave.; Parksley Coal and Supply Co. new brick store house and handsome hall above on Bennett st.; brick storehouse of J. R. Hickman on Dunne ave.; enlarging and improving Kent's hall and the dwelling of H. R. Bennett on Maxwell st. Those nearing completion are dwellings for Hon. John R. Rew, on Wilson ave., Dr. C. T. W. Hall, on Monument st., and the handsome new bank building of the Parksley National Bank on Dunne ave.

Two Murders.

Moral -- Murder

In a row over a game of craps last Friday night, John Funn, colored, was shot and instantly killed by Robert Myers, another negro. The row occurred in a house in Jersey Row, Cape Charles. Myers was brought here Saturday and lodged in jail.

At Keller, last Saturday, Will Perkins, colored, struck Frank Boggs, colored, a fatal blow with an axe.

Business Farmers.

reprinted from Southern Farm Magazine, January.Farmers -- Farmers' organizations

At the six annual meeting of the stockholders of the Produce Exchange of the Eastern Shore of Virginia last month a dividend of 10 per cent. for the year was declared. The Exchange has a membership of 2500, its capital stock is $32,000 and its surplus fund $20,000. Its business during the year increased largely over that of 1904. It handled 414,133 barrels of Irish potatoes, an increase of 180,810 barrels; 643,595 barrels of sweet potatoes, an increase of 137,824 barrels; and 81,120 packages of strawberries, peas, onions and cabbages. More than once the Southern Farm Magazine has called attention to the strictly practical work this co-operative organization is accomplishing in assembling at convenient shipping points the vegetables produced by its members and in handling them intelligently for the markets to the end that they go to the point where they will bring the best prices. Operating in one of the most fertile tracts of country in the South, the Exchange is a valuable example for the farmers in all parts of the country. It is demonstrating what system, common sense and business acumen can accomplish by farmers for farmers.

A Plea For Bob White.

Natural resources -- Conservation - GameTourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : BirdTourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Dogs

Capeville, Jan 2. 1906.

To the Eastern Shore Herald:

If there is a single one of God's creatures which needs sympathy at this crisis it is "Bob White." In the glad summer time he reared his brood in the meadows and golden grain fields, and all his ways were ways of pleasantness and his paths were peace. When the farmers visited his fields Bob was always there, and perched upon some distant fence post never failed to greet the yeoman good morning with his merry whistle of "bob white," and the farmer's heart beats joyfully as the well known notes of the bird fell upon his ear, for he recognized in the feathered creature a great friend, one which ceaselessly guarded his crops and shielded them from ravages of insect foes. As the farmer proceeded farther on his way, he was delighted to find "Mrs. Bob White" with her brood. How she tumbled over and over and beat the ground to attract the attention of the man until her little ones could hide themselves away in the shelter of the weeds. Had she only known that this noble son of the soil was her friend and would not have disturbed one of her little ones for a crown, she might have saved herself so much violent exercise.

Later in the season, as the farmer goes around his farm and down the crooked cattle paths through the meadow, he notices little brown specks hurrying across his pathway, he did not rush down to investigate the strange phenomenon, for he knew it was "Bob White" and his family crossing the way.

Nature has taught the little creatures for safety's sake to always go with a rush when passing through an open space. And still later on in the season, when walking through a meadow, all of a sudden there was a roaring noise about the farmer and he was startled for an instant, but with a moments reflection he knew it was nothing more than a flush of a family of bob whites. Having laid in the grass as the man approached so long as it was deemed prudent, they made this surprising noise in a hurry to fly away; and way down in the farmer's heart he wishes that bob white were not so easily scared, and that at some time they might tarry long enough on the ground for him to get a good look at the flock.

The only time when anything like a good view can be had is in dead of winter when the little creatures covey about the fences and briar patches, and the farmer with his gun and on his journey over the snow covered field comes up with them chilled and numb from the cold. Then they seem not to pay so much attention to his presence as earlier in the season. Yes, humble in the covey to keep from freezing, and the very fact that the birds covey makes it a great source of study and delight to the naturalist.

Poor "Bob White," yea, poor indeed, is the verdict of all. Every hunter who slaughters so many of the beautiful birds must join in the chorus of "poor Bob White."

Ever since our forefathers landed upon the shores of the new world Bob White has been a familiar figure in all the country rambles, and its fleetness of wing coupled with its superb flavor of its flesh have made it the greatest of America's game birds.

Millions upon millions of quail have been slain in the name of sport, at least they call it sport. But still with all this havoc from year to year, the birds have apparently thriven, and large flocks grow in the farmer's fields. Yet with the improvements in firearms in the past few years, with the vast increase in bird dogs, unless a severe halt is called Bob White must soon be a thing of the past, his hapless story something to read, as we now read the stories of the deer, the buffalo and the wild turkey, which once roamed our vast domain. Shall such havoc last until the bird is destroyed or becomes extinct? Or, shall the farmers of this country rise in their might and as one man say that the present wholesale destruction shall cease? Since laws for the preservation of birds fail to a great extent to have the desired effect, let the yeomen of the country take the matter in hand. They can protect birds. If the farmers of this country could realize fully how rapidly this bird is disappearing from their fields how quickly would their voices be raised for protection. As a matter of conscience how mean it is for a farmer to suffer hunters to go upon his premises to slay his feathered friends. He has power to protect their lives, but Pontius Pilate like; he washes his hands of their blood, and as one who whistles for company in passing through a graveyard he tries to drown the mutterings of conscience to make himself believe that it was nothing but right to let the birds be killed. Shame, shame, on such a farmer. The birds are among his best friends, and to suffer them to be killed shows that he is only a coward and ingrate.

W.W.D.

Untitled

Infrastructure -- Public : Towns

Elsewhere in this issue will be found a short writeup of Parksley, one of the thriving towns of upper Accomack. The pluck and enterprise of the people of that game little town is highly commendable and shows what the business men and property holders can do if they go to work to build their town instead of pulling it down all the time. Eastville has made some advance in the last ten years, but we wish our people could pattern by what Parksley has done and go ahead. It would be well worth the expense for some of the people of this community to visit Parksley just to see what they have done there, though without half our advantages.

It is the earnest desire of the Herald to see Eastville progress, and to this end we have worked for years, because it is the home town of the Herald. We therefore make our talk plain, not to offend any, but to try to better the conditions with all the people of the place, for we forcefully realize one thing, that the more business there is centered here, the more we will get to do ourselves, and the better prices and rents the property owners can then demand.

Eastern Shore Herald
Eastville
January 12, 1906