Peninsula Enterprise, July 4, 1896

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Fields -- Livestock - Sheep

The sheep on Parramore's Beach will be penned next Monday and Tuesday, July 6 and 7. Persons desiring to buy sheep or wool will do well to attend.

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Moral -- Alcohol

Mr. William T. Bundick, elector for the First district on the Prohibition Presidential ticket, will speak at the hall in Belle Haven on Monday evening, July 6th, 8 o'clock.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Fairs

The Chesapeake Agricultural Association will hold their annual fair at Cape Charles, this year, on the first, second and third days of September. Privileges on the Fair Grounds will be sold to the highest bidder on Wednesday, July 15th, 5 o'clock, or on arrival of south bound train in afternoon of that day. Pamphlets, in hands of secretary for distribution, and will be furnished on application.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - BanksTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Boat racingTransportation -- Water - Freight

Chincoteague.

The erection of the new bank building begins next Monday.

Steamer Lillie, Capt. S. E. Matthews, will convey passengers from Wishart's Point to Chincoteague on the day of the boat race, July 15th, leaving the Point at 9:30 a.m., and Chincoteague at 5 p.m., for the sum of 50 cents for the round trip. The steamer will have in tow a barge which will accommodate 150 passengers. A pleasant and quick trip is assured.

The boat race to come of here on the 15th inst., promises to be very interesting and exciting. The friends of each are daily putting up their cash on the result.

Schooners J. R. Moffitt and Emma Robertson arrived this week from New York with cargoes of bricks; Schr. J. G. Conner from Philadelphia with cargo of coal; schooners Joseph Allen, Thomas Thomas and Medora Francis from New York with cargoes of ice.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Baseball

Greenbackville.

The Greenbackville nine, came up from Mappsville last Saturday with cocked hats and happy hearts. They went down to cross bats with the Mappsville boys and scored 32 to 9 in favor of Greenbackville. The Mappsville team, however, must have enjoyed it, for they engaged to play their victors at Greenbackville, next Saturday afternoon, July 4th. Perhaps 'twill be their time to shout then. If so, we'll perch upon the fence and listen. The ladies of the town purpose adding to the presence of the game a table of substantial edibles. Ice cream, confectioneries and fruits in abundance.

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Architecture -- Churches

Mappsville.

The Baptist Church of this place has been greatly improved by the addition of a baptistry.

The Mappsville base ball team got left last Saturday in the contest with Greenbackville nine.

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Transportation -- Road - ConstructionForests -- Barrel factories Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racingInfrastructure -- Commercial - Race tracks

New Church.

A petition is in circulation here looking to the opening on a road from Maryland into Virginia through the lands of Mr. L. T. Tull, which if done, will give this place a big boom.

Mr. A. F. Mears has bought the property here occupied by Shockley & Parsons for the purpose of starting a cooperage establishment.

Fine trotting on our track here last Saturday and expected every Saturday.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Veterans

Onancock.

The Rosebuds, by a score of 12 to 11, won their first victory over the Bluebells last Tuesday.

Our town was represented at the Confederate reunion by Messrs. F. P. Brent, George B. Fosque, Thomas Addison, Thomas W. Taylor and his son Tom.

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Infrastructure -- Public : Camp meetingsAfrican-Americans -- ReligionInfrastructure -- Commercial - Residential construction

Onley.

A camp-meeting will be held by the colored people in a grove near Onley Station, commencing Sunday, August 9th.

Agent Beachboard will build a dwelling at this place soon.

Mr. T. B. Taylor has improved his residence by a handsome porch.

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MigrationInfrastructure -- Commercial - Commercial construction

Parksley.

Dr. A. D. F. Ewell, has had a building erected, and will soon stock it with drugs.

Miss Ethel Lewis is in Richmond attending the reunion and the 4th of July festivities.

Mr. L. F. Hinman and family have moved to Altoona, Pa., where his sons are in the produce business.

Dr. Fletcher Drummond will build a handsome dwelling in Parksley. Carpenters are now at work on his outbuildings.

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Moral -- Firearms

Pungoteague.

The cartridge of a pistol, with which Eslie Kellam, son of Frank Kellam, was playing this week, exploded and a part of it hit him in the right eye, destroying entirely the sight on it.

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Sea -- Shellfish - Crabbing : BaysideWatermen -- Personal injuryInfrastructure -- Public : Churches

Tangier.

The crabbing business has been duller with us this season than ever before in late years.

The body of Capt. Tubman Pruitt, who was drowned in February, was found a few days ago and brought home for interment. The body of Capt. William H. Crockett, who was drowned at the same time, has not been found yet.

A picnic will be held on Tangier Beach, under the auspices of the M. E. Church, on July 8th and 9th. A tent has been secured with a seating capacity of about 1,000 people, able speakers have been secured for the occasion and services will be held day and night. Meals, ice cream, confectioneries, &c., will be served in first class style. The public is cordially invited. The base ball nines of Saxis and Tangier will play a match game here during the picnic.

Governor O'Ferrall's Reply to the Letter of Gov. Lowndes.

Sea -- Shellfish - Crabbing : Law enforcementSea -- Shellfish - Crabbing : Bayside

He Declines to Release the Crabbers.

Replying to a letter from Governor Lowndes, of Maryland, inquiring into the case of three Maryland crabbers, alleged to have been illegally arrested and detained by the Virginia authorities, and suggesting a boundary line to prevent further trouble between the sister States, Governor O'Ferrall, of Virginia, has sent a lengthy communication to Governor Lowndes. The reply shows that the Governor of Virginia understands the situation, and that while willing to accord to a sister State all that is due to her, is not forgetful of the duty which he owes to his own State. The letter is a follows:

"My information, which I deem reliable, is that the arrests to which you refer were made within the territory of Virginia, and that the men were engaged at the time of their arrest in violating the laws of Virginia prohibiting non-residents from oystering or crabbing in her waters.

"I am further informed that the buoys placed on the dividing line between Maryland and Virginia have been destroyed from time to time by designing men, and that if they were replaced it is believed they would again be destroyed. It is insisted that there are land objects which clearly indicate the line, and that they are ample to enable any citizen of either State to ascertain it if he uses ordinary precaution.

"However, desiring that there shall be no room in the future for any citizen of either State to mistake the line or plead ignorance when arrested for a violation of the law, I adopt your suggestion that the buoys be replaced -- the cost to be born equally by the two States, and the time and commissioners to be hereafter agreed upon by us.

Now, as to your request that Aaron Byrd, William Moore George Powell, recently arrested for illegally taking crabs in Virginia's waters and now in custody in Accomac county, this State, be discharged and their boats returned to them, I beg to say that these men are now in the hands of the law officers of said county and I have no authority to order their discharge, or prior to their conviction, grant pardons.

"I beg to say further that one of the boats since its capture was forcibly taken by a number of citizens of Maryland from the custody of the law officer of this State who had it in charge and carried back to your State, and that until it is returned to said law officer I must respectfully decline to entertain any request in connection with it or for the restitution of the other boat. You will agree with me that this act deserves the severest condemnation and the persons who were engaged in it merit punishment. I respectfully submit that if the complaint which has been made to you that citizens of your State were illegally arrested in Maryland waters be true, it is equally true that an illegal seizure was made in Virginia waters by citizens of Maryland.

"I desire to assure you that there is no disposition upon the part of Virginia to deal harshly with the citizens of Maryland -- all she desires to do is to preserve her waters for the use of her own people and to prevent the citizens of any other State from depredating upon her oyster or crabbing ground.

"Maryland has laws similar to those of Virginia except they are more rigid, I believe, for I understand in your State citizens of one county cannot work in the waters of another county. Virginia does not so restrict her citizens.

"Virginia has suffered long and much from the incursions of those on her border, and for years prior to 1894 she lost annually thousands of dollars; since then I have been gratified to find that her rights have been generally respected and she has had little cause to complain.

"As evidence of her disposition to continue and cultivate the most pleasant relations with Maryland, with whom she is so closely connected in business interests and social intercourse, I point to her action in 1894 in resolving a doubt against herself and returning two captured boats. I refer also to an act of her General Assembly, approved March 8th, 1894, entitled 'An act to provide reciprocal rights and powers between the States of Maryland and Virginia,' and which is as follows:

"1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia, That it shall be lawful when the laws of Virginia are violated by citizens of Maryland in the waters of Virginia, and when the laws of Maryland are violated by citizens of Virginia in the waters of Maryland, that the offenders can be pursued by the legally constituted authorities of said State where the offense was committed, up to and across the boundary line between said States, into the waters of said State where the offender resides, to a distance not exceeding ten miles, and, if a capture is made in the continuous pursuit, the offender, vessel and property shall be taken to the State where the offense was committed, to be dealt with under the laws of said State.

"2. This act shall be in force from the passage of a similar act by the General Assembly of Maryland.

"It was with deep regret that I learned that the General Assembly of Maryland in its wisdom declined to pass a similar act. It seemed to me that it would have been to the advantage of both States, for now a violation by a citizen of one State can be committed just across the line in the other State, and when discovered the violator can slip back and escape arrest and watch his opportunity to repeat his depredation. I must admit, however, that Virginia would probably have been more benefitted that Maryland, for it appears that Virginia has suffered far more than Maryland by the raids of non-residents.

"It is proper for me to state that no inference must be drawn from anything herein written that I will extend clemency to the men if convicted, or that if the seized boat is returned, I will restore either of the boats. They are matters which must be left for future consideration.

Appreciating your desire to guard well the rights of your citizens and feeling assured that you will attribute to me only a disposition to protect the rights and maintain the laws of Virginia in a fair and honorable manner, I have the honor to be with high regards, officially and personally, your obedient servant,

CHARLES T. O'FERRALL, Governor of Virginia."