Peninsula Enterprise, March 16 1882

Accomac Court House Peninsula Enterprise, March 16, 1882

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MigrationLaborers -- Farm

Mr. A. J. Mears, the agent sent to New York by the farmers in the lower part of our county to secure German farm hands, returned on last Saturday with several fine specimens of the Teutonic race. In a letter to us dated the 8th inst., he writes that he has made arrangements to supply the Eastern Shore with all the labor that is wanting at an expense of $10.25 for each laborer, $7.50 of which amount will be repaid out of his wages.

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Moral -- Firearms

On Saturday, the 11th inst., Jefferson D. Mears, of Messongo, was shot just under the eye, while on a schooner in the Potomac River, by the careless handling of a pistol in the hands of Lee Smith, Sluthkill Neck. The wound is not considered a dangerous one, but that fact does not relieve Smith of a charge of recklessness that deserves the severest condemnation.

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Infrastructure -- Public : ChurchesTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Other

There will be an oyster supper at Guilford Methodist Church on Thursday, March 23d, beginning at 4 o'clock p.m. and continuing until after night. The proceeds will be used for the benefit of Guilford Church and Parsonage.

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Fields -- Crops - White potatoes : Acreage

Our farmers are planting the usual quantities of 'round potatoes.'

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Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Life-saving service

As an example of the efficiency of our Life Saving service, a friend who lately visited Smith's Island reports that on the 10th inst., Capt. Geo. Hitchens and crew of the station situated on that Island, in six minutes launched their boat and brought safely to land a man 250 yards distant, whose boat, tossed about at the mercy of the waves, would have perished but for the timely aid given him.

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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Law enforcement

Hon. John Neely, counsel for the prisoners of this county now held at Matthews C. H. to answer an indictment for an alleged violation of the oyster laws, left for that place on last Sunday.

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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Law enforcement

We were incorrectly informed, and reported the capture in the 'late oyster war' of a schooner belonging to Messrs. Finney Bros. We congratulate our friends, of course, that they were not victims of 'the late unpleasantness,' and we extend our sympathies to the gentlemen who was the owner of the schooner in question.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racing

In the trotting race at Pungoteague, on the 10th inst., between the 3-year-old Morrill colts, of Messrs. Edward East and Levin T. Parker, the colt of the latter was an easy winner.

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Moral -- Vandalism

Accomac C. H.

The carriage curtains of Mr. Wm. S. Kellam, of Locustville, was cut in several places, on Court day, at this place, by some lawless person. We are uninformed who the miscreant was. We would give his name to the public, if we knew, to be judged by them with the contempt he so richly deserves.

Weather.

Weather -- Snow storms

THE snow, the beautiful snow, came merrily down yesterday, but was received with so warm an embrace by mother earth as quickly to dissipate it. The ides of March are upon us, and storm and rain and blustering winds may be expected. At least so say St. Patrick's day, the Equinox, Vennor, and the Almanac.

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Transportation -- Water - Steamboats

Sturgis, Va., March 13, 1882

Editor of The Enterprise:

Dear Sir:

We had the pleasure a few days since of a visit from Capt. A. B. Stoney and Mr. Geo. H. Huggins, who are prominently connected with Key Port (N.J.) Steamboat Company, and who, while with us, made soundings and thoroughly examined the waters, tributaries, and wharves of Matchapungo Creek. They were favorably impressed with the apparent utility of this stream as a field for the profitable use of steam transportation, and left with the determination to place a propeller of 3500 barrel capacity on this line. She will make the round trip every four days, and guarantee that stuff shipped by their line will be landed in New York in 20 hours. They expect to start in June and continue to the 1st of November. If it pays they propose for next season to organize a company and build three able and safe steamers. This line of steamers will touch at Powellton and Parramore's Point, the three wharves on Matchapungo Creek, and the waters of Sand Shoal Inlet, running a wharf off to Maukon Channel, opposite Capeville, this covering the sea side from the vicinity of Custis' Neck, in Accomac, to Cape Charles, in Northampton County. Now, Mr. Editor, in the course of a few years or perhaps months, when the railroad gets in operation, with three Steamboat Companies in full blast, am I far out of the way in saying we will need but a "wheel-barrow," or perhaps a basket, to handle our produce for shipment, so convenient will everything be? Capt. Stoney will soon pay us another visit for the purpose of engaging wharves. He will then call a meeting of the citizens of Locustville at that village, and of Powellton and Parramore's Point, for the first season. The time of such meeting will be generally made known, and the attendance of all interested, specially invited.

T. G. E.

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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Law enforcement

We are surprised at the extreme bitterness with which our exchanges in almost every issue express themselves towards those of our citizens who were captured and are now on trial for an alleged violation of the oyster laws. They are not, and cannot be classed as 'pirates' in any sense in which the meaning of that word may be construed. The worst that can be said of them, if that can be, and we are informed that there is no proof other than the possession of oysters that they had been violating the dredging laws, is that they were engaged in a business, the prohibition of which by Statute has heretofore been regarded as a dead letter. With our water thrown open, as it were, to the world, and everyone reaping the benefits which belong to our citizens, is there not some excuse for them if they have dredged in forbidden waters even, which for want of protection has become the common property of all mankind? On the other hand the law is of recent enactment, and we doubt if many of those violating it were aware of the penalty incident to that transgression. If, in reply to this, it should be said ignorance of the law excuses no one, we submit that it does not. It goes very far tho' to remove the stigma which attempted to be cast upon them by those designating them pirates. They are not pirates in any sense of the word -- they may have violated the laws -- but there is no one who knows the high character and unblemished integrity of many of those now in the clutches of the law and branded as felons who will not refute the charge of pirates, with the contempt it deserves. The conduct of our citizens (now in custody) at the time of their capture is a refutation of the charge itself. They knew of the fleet which was being equipped against those engaged in dredging. That they did not flee is it not proof of [illegible]. We believe in an outraged law being vindicated, but at times even the rigors should be relaxed. Yea, even justice demands it. Now, all the circumstances being considered, can any case be presented more deserving leniency than those considered in this article, if on trial it should appear that our citizens have violated the law?

Peninsula Enterprise
Accomac Court House
March 16 1882