Peninsula Enterprise, October 20, 1894

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Fishing

Fish of the finest quality and in great abundance are now being caught daily at sea by everyone who is brave enough to risk the perils of our bars. The catch of the average fisherman is from one to three bushels.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : BirdTourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Rabbit and squirrelNatural resources -- Conservation - Game

The following section of the statute is published at the request of the Commonwealth's attorney, in response to frequent inquiries as to what is the law in reference to shooting partridges and rabbits: "It shall not be lawful for any person to shoot or kill rabbits, sometimes known as hares, or partridges, sometimes known as quail, in the counties of Accomac and Northampton, between the 1st day of January and the 15th day of November of each year. The penalty is a fine of ten dollars for each offense, and imprisonment in jail until the fine is paid, but not exceeding ten days."

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Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Life-saving service

A skiff, having on board Thomas Mears and two of his brothers, sons of Mr. Gilbert Mears, was capsized in going over Metompkin bar on last Thursday. Capt. George Crockett happened to be near them at the time of the accident and succeeded in taking two of them into his boat, but was unable to save the other, and he would have been drowned doubtless, if the Life Saving crew of Metompkin had not gone to the rescue. The sea was running high at the time and but for the speedy assistance rendered all would probably have been drowned.

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Transportation -- Road - Better roads movement

D. F. White, Edward T. Lang and Joseph T. Bull were appointed as delegates to the "Convention on good roads" held in Richmond last Thursday.

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Transportation -- Water - Strandings

Captains William and John Somers and Bud Grinnalds had a narrow escape from drowning this week. Their boat was capsized in going over Assawoman bar and drifted out to sea with them clinging to her for three hours. When almost exhausted and unable to retain their hold on the boat for a few minutes longer, they were rescued by the crew of a vessel from Chincoteague.

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Transportation -- Water - StrandingsForests -- Shipping : Water

The schooner Joseph P. Boggs, Capt. Crockett, reported lost last week on York Spit has been floated without serious damage. Her deck load of lumber was lost.

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Transportation -- Water - Channel and harbor dredgingInfrastructure -- Public : ChurchesTransportation -- Water - FreightSea -- Shellfish - Clamming : SeasideSea -- Shellfish - Clamming : Markets

Chincoteague.

Mr. A. Stierle, civil engineer, and others arrived here last week, and chartering a boat left on an inspecting tour of the proposed inland waterway from Chincoteague to Cape Charles. A favorable report by the engineer means possibly the removal of the obstruction in the channels and an increase in trade all along our coast -- and the necessity for an improved waterway can hardly fail to be seen by him. Through our narrows and over its shoals 70,000 barrels of sweet potatoes were sent to market via Franklin City this year and through its tortuous waters thousands of bushels of oysters are carried annually. To facilitate the transportation of same, to say nothing of the increase, calls for not only a favorable report, but work at once looking to the improvement asked for. A hundred boats or more are registered at this place and the loss to our people by the delays incident to the shoals in channels through which they have to trade is almost incalculable. Everybody on our coast will be benefitted if the improvement is made as contemplated.

A protracted meeting was begun in "Sanctified" locality, last week, under the auspices of M. E. Church.

Schooner Palestine arrived here this week with load of coal and schooner Medora Francis with load of building material. Schooner Sunbeam was loaded this week with clams for New York.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Fraternal orders

Modestown.

This autumn weather, neither too hot nor too cold, with its varying forest colors, October moon, golden sunset, is truly beautiful and inspiring.

The District Lodge organization at Mappsville, Saturday, was attended by Good Templars from six lodges in Accomac and Northampton, and was a delightful meeting. They start well, and will meet again in Drummondtown, February 12th, 10 a. m.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Commercial constructionInfrastructure -- Commercial - BanksTransportation -- Water - StrandingsInfrastructure -- Public : ChurchesAfrican-Americans -- ReligionInfrastructure -- Public : Schools

Onancock.

The carpenters have completed their work on the First National Bank building and the painters are putting on the finishing touches.

The schooner Ira L. Crockett, belonging to Capt. H. L. Crockett, went ashore in Chesconnessix Creek during storm of last week and has not been gotten off yet.

There was a baptizing of colored candidates Sunday afternoon, on the shore of I. W. Bagwell's beautiful home, Mount Prospect.

The lumber is being hauled for the new school building on the Margaret Academy grounds.

We regret to note that Mr. N. B. Wescott and family will soon move to their home near Mappsburg. Onancock suffers a loss in this.

Harmanson-West Camp.

Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Veterans

The Executive Committee of Harmanson-West Camp Confederate Veterans met at Hallwood, on Monday, October 15th, to transact the general business of the Camp. At this meeting the following committees were appointed:

Committee on arrangements for grand meeting to be held at Parksley, November 22d, next, and to solicit donations for same:

Atlantic and Islands -- James W. Broughton, Thomas C. Kelly, John D. Parsons and Dr. Frank Fletcher.

Metompkin -- Dr. A. D. F. Ewell, N. W. Nock and John H. Wise. Lee -- L. D. Warren, John W. Edmonds, B. T. Gunter, Jr., and F. P. Brent.

Pungoteague -- T. T. Wescott, S. T. Kellam and L. C. Mears.

Committee to superintend arrangements of grounds for meeting -- Dr. A. D. F. Ewell and John H. Wise.

The committees on arrangement for meeting of November 22d, are requested to meet as early as practicable, to appoint sub-committees in the different neighborhoods, and to receive the publication of this as official notice.

Next meeting of committee will be at Parksley, November 10th, at 12:30 p. m.

Navigable Waters and Resources of Virginia.

Migration

Capt. J. B. Baylor, of the United States coast survey, read a paper on the Navigable Waters and Resources of Virginia, at the Immigration convention in session in the City of Richmond, this week. Captain Baylor said in part: "Chesapeake bay is one of the richest agricultural regions on the earth and its fertility can be compared only with that of the valleys of the Nile, the Ganges and other great river. It is the most prolific fishing grounds of like proportion in the world. The total harvest from these waters of oysters alone has been over one hundred and fifty million bushels during the past ten years. This enormous quantity of valuable food has been practically a free gift from bounteous nature. The poorest immigrant can have on these shores an abundance and variety of food for the taking which only the well-to-do can obtain in most parts of the world. The prospective immigrant can be sure that he will find here cheap and certain transportation for the product of his labor to every market of the world. No great corporation can dictate to him what toll he shall pay. The captain of the largest vessel ever constructed can approach the capes of Virginia with safety. He will hardly have to think of the condition of the weather, nor will he have to study his tidal table. He will find here no dangerous bar upon whose improvement thousands have been expended to delay for one single hour his entrance. He will find a great inland bay, in which the navies on the world could lie at anchor, which has been traversed by the Great Eastern for more that one hundred and fifty miles. He will not find it necessary to enter any great tidal dock to discharge with ease his cargo at any stage of the tide and with the wind in any quarter whatsoever. Should his vessel need repair he can now find here the largest dry dock on the American continent and one of the very best equipped shipbuilding yards in the whole world.

"The business of the principal ports of Chesapeake bay and its tributaries may be summarized as follows: For the port of Baltimore, where an inland journey of over 150 miles is necessary, 1,406 vessels either entered from foreign countries or cleared for foreign countries during the year ended June 30, 1893, exporting and importing $87,318,460 worth of domestic and foreign products; for Newport News, 142 vessels exporting and importing $8,144,253 worth of domestic and foreign products; for Richmond, 29 vessels exporting and importing $2,488,586 worth of domestic and foreign products. There is no part of the United States (I speak advisedly -- I am familiar with the resources, climate and with the condition of the working people in almost every State east of the Sierra Nevada mountains) that offers greater advantages to the immigrant that the tide-water section of Virginia; nowhere else can he obtain more easily not only the necessities, but even the luxuries of life."