Peninsula Enterprise, December 13, 1883
Untitled
reprinted from Democratic Messenger.Infrastructure -- Commercial - Hotels
We learn that Mr. Augustus Parker, proprietor of the Atlantic Hotel, Berlin, contemplates the erection of a fine hotel building in Drummondtown.
Untitled
Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Bird
A hawk was killed at Masonville, this county, last Saturday, by Mr. W. F. Mason, with a metal tag attached to his leg, having the inscriptions thereon, on the one side, "Edwin C. Burritt, Ithica, New York," and on the opposite side, "September 6th, 1880, watchmaker and Jeweler, 10 East State street."
Untitled
Infrastructure -- Public : Churches
The Methodist Church in Messongo Neck is to be built by contract, and the sub-building committee advertise for bids in our issue of to-day.
Untitled
Infrastructure -- Public - Government : School administration
County School Superintendent Weaver furnishes the following extract from his report for the month ending Nov. 20, 1883: No. of schools in operation, 68; No. of graded schools with more than one teacher, 9; No. of pupils enrolled, 2,649; No. of pupils in daily average attendance, 2,016.66; No. of different schools visited 36.
Untitled
Sea -- Fish factoriesSea -- Finfish - Catch : MenhadenTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racing
Chincoteague.
The Wilcox Connecticut Company will pull up stakes and locate at the Delaware Breakwater, and Gum & Jeffries will sell out to a stock company.
Our menhaden fisheries, we are informed, were a failure this season.
We would suggest to the owners of our four minute horses that they seek some track for the exhibition of their speed and horsemanship other than the principal thoroughfare of our island. Accidents are often the result of reckless driving.
Untitled
Infrastructure -- Commercial - Race tracks
Leemont.
A half-mile race course was laid off at this place by Mr. W. J. Lewis last week. The track will be free to the public until after the Christmas holidays, and after that date those who wish to use it will have to "put up" a little cash perhaps. The track was built for the especial use, however, of a handsome and promising filly of Mr. Lewis, which he values at $500.
Untitled
Infrastructure -- Commercial - General StoresForests -- SawmillsForests -- Forest products - LumberInfrastructure -- Commercial - Residential construction
Oak Hall.
Mr. Julien Snow, an enterprising and accommodating merchant from the western shore, recently opened a store at Wattsville, three miles above here, is becoming quite popular.
Messrs. Selby & Conquest, our enterprising merchants, have had a brisk trade and done well this season. Mr. Selby's saw mill, located here, has also been very busy of late filling a large contract for oak timber for the Northern market.
Our little village has at last caught the spirit of improvement. Mr. J. O. Selby, who some months ago purchased the Adair property, is erecting quite a handsome building on it, which when completed will add very much to the good looks of our little town. If madame rumor speaks the truth the family who is to occupy it will be as new as the house, and add much to the social element of our community.
Untitled
Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Legislation
Saxe's.
Capt. John R. Marshall and Mr. Geo. W. Glenn, of Saxe's Island, have gone to Richmond as representatives of the oyster interest in that locality.
Capture of Dredgers.
Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Law enforcementSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Poaching
The pungy Thos. B. Hamilton, of Tangier Island, Capt. Henry A. Thomas, this county, and crew consisting of John Thomas, this county, Geo. J. Hamilton, Charles Barrett, Hugh Doyle and Joseph Stewart of Baltimore, and the schooner Geo. W. Cook, of Baltimore, crew Ellis Parks and John H. McCready, of this county, and William Lewis, John Shirlock, of Baltimore, and Simon Ruffin and Henry Cooper, colored, of North Carolina, were captured last Thursday while dredging on Island Rock at the mouth of Deep Creek, in the waters of the Commonwealth, by Inspector Geo. W. Hinman and posse. The parties had an examination before Justice Scarburgh on Friday, who committed them to await the action of the grand jury. Four other vessels were engaged in unlawful dredging at the time the captures noted were made, two of which were recognized as the schooner Martha B. Skinner, of Baltimore, James Strikins, captain and the pungy Wm. Henry, of this county. The captain and crew of the Skinner showed fight when approached by Inspector Hinman, and without waiting to be hailed, fired upon him and his crew, and a lively fight ensured, many shots being exchanged before the Skinner, by her superior sailing qualities, got out of the way of her pursuer.
The sails and hull of Inspector Hinman's boat were riddled with bullets, but strange to say,his crew though considerably exposed, escaped without injury. The engagement with the Skinner gave the other boats the opportunity to escape. The facts in connection with the captures made, show conclusively that the law was meant to be violated by the parties engaged in dredging. They not only had boxed over the names of their boats to prevent detection by that means, but had refused when waited on by a committee of citizens of Messongo on the day previous, to leave the dredging grounds though informed by them it was unlawful. The captain (John Williams) of the schooner Cook made his escape to Tangier.
Since the above was put in type Capt. Henry A. Thomas, John Thomas, Ellis Parks and John H. McCready have had a hearing before Judge Parramore on a writ of habeas corpus, being released on bail until the grand jury meets.
Untitled
Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Legislation
NO MATTER should engage the earlier attention of our present legislature than the oyster question. It merits the precedence we claim for it because the oyster law as it now stands is merely a dead letter upon our statute book. The legislature which passed it having provided no means for its enforcement it is now transgressed with impunity by the citizens of our own and other States, and as a consequence thereof, the State is being robbed of a considerable revenue by the rapid depletion of her oysters beds. Not only is legislation necessary to avert this evil, but a still greater one the breaches of the peace to which it now leads, make that duty imperative. The necessity for that legislation we are glad to see is fully appreciated by our Representative Senator Fletcher. A resolution looking to the protection necessary to make the law operative is soon to be introduced by him as will be seen by reference to another column. No member of the legislature surely can longer doubt that protection is necessary when a class of her citizens ask, as the tongman do, for a tax to be imposed upon them to defray the expenses incurred thereby. Will they give it? Have they the right to refuse to furnish the means of protecting not only the property but the lives of the citizens. Without it, it has been demonstrated often since the passage of the dredging law, that both are in peril. We believe that our legislature cannot pass by unheeded the demands made upon them by our citizens. They can hardly fail to see, we believe, that the demand made is a just one and should merit the attention we claim for it.