Peninsula Enterprise, May 11, 1882
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Transportation -- Water - Steamboats
We learn from our esteemed correspondent at Locustmount that Captain Stoney and Mr. Huggins will immediately enter into negotiations for the wharves they require on the seaside this season. Ultimately, they expect to occupy every available wharf on the entire seacoast of the county.
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Fields -- Crops - White potatoes : Diseases and pests
The potato bug flourisheth . . . . This beetle has made its appearance in large numbers, and is causing great destruction.
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Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Life-saving service
WE learn that the government proposes building life-saving stations on Wallop's, Metompkin, and Parramore's beaches.
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Transportation -- Railroad - Construction
WE regret to learn that certain parties have been pulling up the survey stakes of the Peninsula Railroad Company. This may prove a dangerous business.
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Transportation -- Road - Maintenance
MAJOR WM. P. BELL has been appointed surveyor of the roads for this town. The Major is a wheel-horse, and we guarantee no man to break his four-horse wagon over his roads.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential construction
OUR enterprising townsman, M. Oldham, Esq., is busily building additions to his new purchase and painting up. He will soon have one of the handsomest and most attractive residences in town.
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Infrasturcture -- Public - Government : CountyInfrastructure -- Public - Government : TaxationArchitecture -- JailsArchitecture -- CourthousesTransportation -- Road - Bridges
ON Thursday, the 4th inst., a full meeting of the county Board of Supervisors was held. Sundry accounts for the poor and many miscellaneous accounts were examined and allowed. The board visited the county jail and directed that certain improvements for the benefit of the health and comfort of prisoners should be made. They approved the expenditure, as ascertained by the County Court, for repair of the bridge at Mason's Mill. Conferring only, the board had a full discussion of the propriety of building a new court-house. They were entirely agreed as to its great need, and seemed to believe that an additional tax of 8 cents on the hundred dollars for three or five years would be ample to raise the needed amount. They estimate the cost at not more than $15,000 for the new building. The board adjourned to meet Monday, May 29th, 1882.
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Laborers -- FisheriesMoral -- Murder
A special dispatch to the Baltimore Sun from Bowie, Md., given the details of the horrible murder of Capt. Edward Melson, of this county, on the night of the 4th inst., about three miles below Pope's creek, on the Potomac river. The particulars received are as follows: Captain Edward Melson, of the sloop Fanny Southern, was dredging oysters off Machodoc creek, and had made arrangements to sail next morning. The crew of the sloop consisted of the captain and two men, one colored and the other supposed to be a German. Some time during the night the German killed the captain while he was asleep in his berth by cutting his throat, and also mortally wounded the colored man by beating him with a club. After committing the deed the murderer put on the captain's clothes and robbed the boat, getting about $1,000, which he supposed to have known was on board. He left the boat with sails set floating in the river, and rowed ashore in a small boat. He took passage on the steamer Arrowsmith at Mathias Point bound for Washington, D.C.. He is described as a thick-set, smooth, full-faced man, about 5 1/2 feet high, short dark hair, wearing a cap and dark suit of clothes. Captain Melson was from this County. His remains were brought home for interment on Monday last.
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Infrastructure -- Public : FencesForests -- Deforestation
NO SECTION of Virginia is to-day more poorly off for timber for all purposes than this Peninsula. The saw mills, the worm and the potato have all in the past eighteen years conspired to destroy our woodlands. The expense of fences has been proven by figures of statisticians to be, in the whole country, amply sufficient to furnish the national and state governments with funds to meet all expenses, and for interest besides. No farmer fences his lands to keep his own stock from his crops, but the stock of others compels him to yearly undergo an expense of at least $200 for every mile of farm. This is a hardship. The value of the unnecessary fences in the county of Accomac would pay every tax to which we are subjected and, in addition, give us all the actually needful fence for pasturage. It is utterly wrong that the half dozen who own each a "highwoods" cow and half a dozen sharp-nosed progging hogs should compel a man who owns his lands pay at the rate of $200 a mile for fence to allow them to turn out stock upon a pasture utterly worthless. Yet so it is. And to compel landowners to undergo this terrible burden is little short of robbery; because, to protect against this, the profit money must be taken. As the Greensboro, N.C., Patriot well says, "Is there any moral difference between robbing me through others' cattle unless there is a ten rail fence and a top rider, and robbing me of my spoons and plates unless my door be locked and double-barred". We call our people's attention to this question. It is an eminently practical one ? one of economy and thrift.
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Transportation -- Railroad - Construction
We are surprised to learn that men have been found who have needlessly, and without any excuse that they were interfering with their work, removed stakes placed by the Peninsula Railroad surveyors. Perhaps the parties may not recognize the fact that the Legislature of the State has granted to the company surveying for this road a charter to do so, and that the laws protect them in their work. We cannot believe that this work of destroying the landmarks of the survey is out of wantonness, but we must conclude that it is simply ignorance. We say plainly that such acts will not be tolerated by those in authority on the road, and that, if continued, the law will unquestionably be called upon to protect them. We hope that while so very many of our citizens are giving freely the right of way to the greatest helper Accomac has ever known to be started for the good of her people, that these stake-pullers will take heed and not work in contravention to the best interests of their people, the road, and themselves generally. We are glad to all that this vandalism is by no means general.