Peninsula Enterprise, February 9, 1895
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Weather -- Other
The mercury fell at Accomac C. H., Thursday afternoon, 2 degrees a minute, 13 degrees in 7 minutes. Reputable gentlemen vouch for the accuracy of the statement who noted the fall with watches in their hands.
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Weather -- Snow stormsWeather -- Freezes
Snow fell to the depth of about three inches in this county during Wednesday night and Thursday morning, and on Friday morning the thermometer stood at about 4 degrees above zero -- some insist that it went below zero.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - FairsTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racing
The Virginia, Maryland and Delaware trotting circuit was organized at a meeting of delegates from tracks in these States, in Baltimore last Tuesday and the time named for the next meeting of the Chesapeake Agricultural Fair Association, Cape Charles, was from August 20 to 23.
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Moral -- Murder
Eleven jurors only were secured on last Tuesday and Wednesday in the Criminal Court of Baltimore out of 400 talesmen summoned for the trial of the nine colored men hailing from this county, charged with killing Edward Carver in Somerset Co., last June. The difficulty in securing a jury would seem to indicate a great deal of feeling against them in that city.
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Weather -- Freezes
The cold weather of this year has caused some of our people, who have been insisting that an old fashion winter was a thing of the past, to change their minds. With the mercury hovering uncomfortably near the zero point and the ground covered with snow, and looking as if it was here to stay, they are convinced that it is the same old world we are still living in and if we wait long enough, nature, as well as history, will repeat itself.
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African-Americans -- Work - AgricultureFields -- Livestock - Horses
Assawoman.
The old Mount Wharton property is now owned by Alexander Ames, colored, and is successfully farmed by his son Isaiah.
Several of our farmers have been to Norfolk after horses.
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Watermen -- Personal injuryTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racing
Belle Haven.
Mr. William Goody accidentally fell overboard and was drowned while crossing Nassawadox Creek in a small boat last Saturday. His body was recovered and buried on Monday.
Mrs. Willie Winder is visiting relatives on Cedar Island.
Dr. John T. B. Hyslop has a fine colt under training which promises unusual results.
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Weather -- FreezesInfrastructure -- Commercial - Banks
Onancock.
The Steamer Pocomoke was tied up to the wharf at Onancock late Wednesday evening and is still there, we take it for granted, and will remain there until the ice breaks up. The creek is covered with ice of 5 or [illegible].
Mr. Otho L. Parker, purser of Steamer Pocomoke, was elected cashier of the Onancock National Bank at a meeting of the directors last Tuesday. The selection is a good one and such as was expected at the hands of the careful business men to whom he owes his appointment. Mr. Parker is a painstaking, industrious and accurate business man, and if he is not thoroughly posted now in his new duties, will soon be able to meet all the requirements of a first-class bank cashier. He will enter upon the duties of the position about the 15th of this month.
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Sea -- Finfish - Catch : RockSea -- Shellfish - Clamming : BaysideInfrastructure -- Public : ChurchesInfrastructure -- Public : SchoolsTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Fraternal orders
Sanford.
Rock and perch are plentiful in the Pocomoke River. Several of our citizens dug a quantity of maninoes last week -- the waters had receded until the tide was lower than it has been known for 15 years.
Several new buildings will go up in this locality when the Spring opens.
A very successful revival is in progress at Sykes, 35 persons having been converted.
Dr. John E. Mapp visited our school recently, and reports that a new school building and 3 teachers are very much needed.
The Pocomoke Tent of Rechabites was organized a few weeks ago with 20 members. Now it has 50 enrolled, and contemplate building a hall in the east end of the town in the near future.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - GuidesTourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Waterfowl and shorebird
Wachapreague.
Dr. Mason, with a party of friends from Savageville, left here a few days ago under the guidance of Capt. Joe Stevens for a week's shooting down the bay.
Nine Negroes on Trial.
Moral -- Murder
BALTIMORE, February 5,
The criminal court was the scene of a unique exhibition to-day, when nine big, burly Eastern Shore negroes were put on trial for the murder of Constable Edward Carver, of Somerset county. There would have been ten prisoners had not a mob of Somerset citizens, unable to wait for the slow wheels of justice to move, put a summary end to the career of Isaac Kemp, the leader of the murderous gang. He was riddled with fifty bullets.
The exhibition of this impetuous spirit on the part of the citizens of Somerset accounts for the transfer of the trial to Baltimore, as it was claimed that the feeling in Somerset against the negroes was so bitter that not only could they not get a fair trial there, but their lives were not safe. The names of the nine negroes are Leonard Conquest, John Williams, George Brown, George Harmon, Thomas Smith, John Handy, Alfred Conquest, George Parker and George Holden. The jury panel of 225 was exhausted when but seven jurors had been accepted. Another panel of 22 was ordered and the court adjourned until tomorrow.
Board of Superintendents.
Transportation -- Road - MaintenanceInfrasturcture -- Public - Government : County
The meeting held on the 4th inst., was a very important one. A grave and living question (how best to work the public roads) was a subject of earnest and prolonged discussion and resulted in appointing the chairman of the Board, Spencer F. Rodgers of Finney, P. O., a committee to correspond with road machine companies and ascertain what a machine can be bought for. While the Board entered no order to that effect it was evident it intends in the near future to have our roads worked with road machines and will purchase one for each parish or it may conclude to buy one for each magisterial district. Mr. Rogers will report at next meeting to be held March 6th.
Proceedings of Camp-Meeting Committee.
Infrastructure -- Public : Camp meetings
EDITOR ENTERPRISE:
On the 23d inst., a camp-meeting committee of Turlington's grove met at Keller. Many questions have been asked me concerning that meeting. "Did you decide to have a camp-meeting?" "Did you all decide to sell the camp-grounds?" "What was the meeting for?" To check guess work and mis-apprehensions and furnish correct information I write this article.
It was a meeting of the committee of last year. A committee that jointly represented Pungoteague and Wachapreague circuits. Two items of unfinished business made the meeting necessary.
At the last meeting, it was decided to enclose the tabernacle, so as to keep out the cattle and hogs that might seek it for shelter. It was not known what this would cost, for this reason the treasurer could not make a final report. The committee met therefore to receive his report. Another item was the disposition of a little surplus remaining after all the expenses of the camp-meeting of 1894 had been paid. It was the first year in the history of this encampment that there was a surplus. Heretofore a debt has always been assumed by the members of the committee, when the camp meeting closed.
The report of the treasurer was considered and adopted.
A former act of the committee relative to remitting a part of the rent to the boarding-tent keepers was re-considered, and again decided in favor of these gentlemen.
A motion was then made to keep the surplus in the hands of the treasurer, as a reserve fund to keep the tabernacle in repair, and this to lessen the amount to be asked of the public when the next camp-meeting is held. Hitherto, the affirmative of each question has been carried unanimously, but this motion resulted in drawing very decided lines between opposite views. The Wachapreague members of the committee, unanimously favored this view, while the members from the other circuit were as unanimously opposed to it.
The surplus under consideration, was only $10, but each branch of the committee, regarded its disposition as involving a principle. It was for this, and not for the small amount, that each urged its respective views. Neither circuit has any secrets concerning the views of the two branches of the committee. Briefly and substantially they were these. The brethren from Pungoteague held, that the division of the old circuit had thrown the camp ground within the bounds of Wachapreague circuit, and adjacent to its churches; the encampment was too remote from their charge for it to receive a direct impulse from its meetings, or to be gainers in membership by its conversions; in general, the members of that charge believed that the days for camp meetings had gone by; they believed more could be accomplished by concentrating efforts within their individual churches and circuit; for these reasons they deemed it best to sever, in the early future, their official and circuit connection with Turlington's grove encampments. And, as a first step toward a fine dissolution of join interests, they thought the surplus ought to be mutually divided between the two circuits. In further advocacy of this view, they urged the fact, that, before the camp meeting was held last year, this same committee had unanimously decided to apply to the missionary collections for 1894, any surplus in hand after the expenses of the camp-meeting has been paid.
The Wachapreague branch of the committee held, that as the money had been given by the public, for camp-meeting purposes, solely, it would partake somewhat of the nature of a breach of trust to apply it to any purpose, excepting that for which the public gave it, it would be an unwise precedent, that might jeopardize future collections, if the public believed they would divert the camp meeting offerings, to circuit purposes or needs. It was admitted that it had been decided to apply any surplus to the respective missionary collections of the two circuits for 1894; but giving the amount to missions, and giving it to the circuits for application to circuit expenses, were not the same in principle, or in fact, therefore the money should be kept for the purpose specified by the motion.
The motion was vigorously discussed, but no vote was taken. The result of a vote was so evident in advance, and the members of Wachapreague circuit so largely outnumbered the members of Pungoteague circuit, that, I -- as chairman -- declined to put the question unless the minority also asked for the vote. This, they naturally, were unwilling to do, and the matter was quietly left for the decision of the Quarterly Conferences.
While the brethren differed in opinion, it was the differing of those who have at heart, the interest of Christ and his Kingdom, and the meeting harmoniously opened was closed in harmony and good-will. And it is to correct any erroneous impressions concerning that meeting that I make on my individual responsibility the above statements.
Joseph R. Sturgis.
Jan. 28th, 1895.