Accomack News, February 3, 1906
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Real estate
Capt. Ben Young, of Mearsville, sold his farm at that place recently to Mr. Robert Chase for the sum of $2,300.00; about 22 acres.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : SeasideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Law enforcementSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Poaching
It is reported that Sheriff Jarvis and posse, of Northampton, who went to arrest depredators on some oyster grounds, were captured by the oystermen at the muzzle of Winchesters, and that they now have the Sheriff and his deputies corralled -- Robinson Crusoe like -- on a lone and desert island.
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Infrastructure -- Public : FencesTransportation -- Road - Construction
Assawoman.
Time is near at hand when one must keep ones stock confined. Neighbors, prepare your pastures in due time!
Last issue, a writer from this place briefly touched upon the advantage of a public road to Arbuckles Bay. Lets ask the honorable Board of Supervisors for their assistance.
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Moral -- Alcohol
Bloxom.
Mr. W. P. Powell, who was convicted of selling liquor at this place has skipped; so has "Old Bob," the hotel servant, who was convicted by the same court of the same offense. They say that there are others here who are being shadowed. Our people seem to be determined that the illicit sale of liquor shall be stopped. Amen.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - ResortsMoral -- Firearms
Chincoteague.
Joshua Birch is in charge of Wallop's Island club-house for the balance of the winter.
While monkeying with an old revolver, Mr. Asa Turlington shot himself through the hand, the bullet lodging in his leg, Friday last.
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Forests -- SawmillsForests -- Timber rightsFarmers -- Farm subdivision
Mappsville.
J. S. Gordy & Co., came near having a serious accident at their saw mill here last week. The cylinder head was knocked off by a loose nut or pin on the piston head, damaging the engine about $125 and nearly scalding the fireman, George Nelson with the escaping steam.
Dennis & Gordy have purchased from J. L. Rayfield a lot of timber known as part of the Fisher land for which he paid a handsome sum.
The lands of the late Perry Bloxom will be divided by a commission composed of A. S. Matthews, Jos. R. Riggs, N. W. Nock, J. S. Gordy and Julius G. Matthews. These lands are well set in pine timber and are valuable also as farm land.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Dredging
Sanford.
One day last week there were five boats reported to be dredging on Birdo and Island rocks.
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Natural resources -- Conservation - ResourcesSea -- Shellfish - Crabbing : Dredging
The Rew bill prohibiting the catching of crabs by dredging in the winter months, notwithstanding strong opposition by the crab packers of Hampton, has passed to its third reading -- and will likely become a law -- unless defeated in the Senate, which is not probable. Mr. Rew is entitled to the thanks of not only the crabbers, but of all Tidewater people for his work in behalf of this bill.
ROADS.
Transportation -- Road - Maintenance
In our issue of last week we advocated putting a special license tax on saw-mills, lumber merchants, etc. Since writing this editorial we notice by the Richmond papers that a member of the legislature has recently introduced a bill in accord with the views expressed by us, and provides that the funds derived from this license shall be turned over to the district road funds, and that it shall be used for the exclusive benefit of the public roads. We have no exact information at hand as to the amount we now spend on our roads, but assume from the basis of assessment, and the amount of tax levied per dollar for road purposes that the sum will reach approximately $15,000 per year. Add to this amount a fair and reasonable sum which we assume will be derived from the license named, and then the aggregate will hardly exceed a thousand dollars more, making the possible total about $16,000 for road purposes. It will be apparent at once therefore, that we can't expect much improvement in our roads by this additional thousand from the mills and lumber dealers, when the $15,000, collected before, has effected comparatively so little toward giving us good roads. Judging from the results shown in road-making under the present system, we are led to inquire as to whether or not we are now getting the best possible results for the money we are spending. While we do not know the exact number of miles of public road in the county, we assume that there are about four hundred, and of this four hundred we assume that only about one hundred miles are worked by the road machines during a year. Dividing the amount now collected and expended yearly for road work by the number of miles worked, and we see that the cost is about one hundred and fifty dollars per mile. But granting that 200 miles are worked yearly, the cost would then be $75.00 per mile. While these sums in either case would be small for building a mile of new road under average conditions, yet it appears an excessive amount to pay for repairing roads already built, especially for such repairs as are now usually made upon them. If this is true, it leads us to ask as to whether or not we are now getting just and adequate return for the $15,000 spent on roads. If we are, the condition of our roads plainly shows then that the system is at fault, rather than the men who have charge of our roads and who spend the money. On the other hand, if we are not getting proper results for the money spent, the conclusion is inevitable that either the system itself is again at fault, or else there is lack of economical and proper administration of the system. In either case present condition of our highways seem to earnestly demand a change. After our roads have been once plowed and worked, as most of them have already been, it would seem to us that they could be kept in such condition as we now find them, or better even, for much less than $150 per mile per year, or for less than $75.00 per mile even. We are inclined to think that the roads could be let out in sections, to the lowest responsible bidder, under proper guarantees for performance of duty, and be kept in better than their usual condition for considerable less money per mile than we are now spending upon them. In this article we haven't considered the need of more money necessary to make good roads, we all recognize that fact -- we have only considered whether or not we are getting adequate results out of what money we now have. We commend this entire matter to the earnest consideration of both our Board of Supervisors and tax-payers, and if to them a change of method seems desirable they should not hesitate to act at once in the matter.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Planting
To prevent the moving of stakes designating the boundary lines of oyster planting grounds.
1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, that it shall not be lawful for any person to move, change location of stake or carry away any stake or object used for the purpose of designating the boundary lines or any assignment of oyster lands in this Commonwealth.
2. Any person violating any of the provisions of the above act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars and be confined in jail for a period of not less than thirty days nor more than twelve months.
3. All acts and parts of acts in conflict with this act are hereby repealed.
HOGS!
Fields -- Livestock - SwineInfrastructure -- Public : Fences
Tax-payers you are not allowed to vote at the next election on the question of raising hogs. Your Mayor, Robertson and myself want you to have the right; the other four councilmen would not give the right to vote on it, and made the law that you should not raise hogs after this year.
J. C. JUSTICE.
Onancock, Va., Feb. 2. 1906.