Peninsula Enterprise, October 13, 1888

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Moral -- Vandalism

A small tenement house near Onancock, belonging to Mr. John W. H. Parker, occupied by one Sarah Conner, colored, was destroyed by an incendiary fire on last Monday night.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Fairs

The Chesapeake Agricultural Fair, Cape Charles City, as will be noted elsewhere, opens October 30th, continuing four days. No effort is being spared to make it a success, and the indications are that it will be in all respects. The buildings and grounds are receiving the daily attention of the managers.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Waterfowl and shorebirdInfrastructure -- Public - Government : Life-saving serviceInfrastructure -- Utilities - Water Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : SeasideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : PricesInfrastructure -- Public : Churches

Chincoteague.

Mr. I. N. Mills, general superintendent of Del. Division of P. W. & B. R.R., was here last week on a gunning trip. He bagged one day over 300 birds.

Col. Wm. Ludlow, U.S.A., was here last week. He inspected and approved a well connected with the Assateague Light by pipes 180 feet in length, and condemned the artesian well by which ineffectual efforts were made for weeks to secure water.

Our people are greatly elated over the prospect for fat oysters again this season, and remunerative prices are expected inasmuch as they are poor in the waters above us. They are selling here at present for 75 and 80 cents per bushel, and in the Philadelphia market at $4 per barrel.

The new M. E. Church is nearing completion and will be dedicated before winter weather sets in. The windows are here, and when put in will add greatly to the beauty of the structure. The church seating and furnishings have been ordered.

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Sea -- Finfish - Catch : DrumInfrastructure -- Public : ChurchesTourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Rabbit and squirrelTourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : OtherInfrastructure -- Public : Schools

Modestown.

Drum fish are plentiful in our market. The most of them are caught in the surf at night.

The protracted meeting in progress of late at our Baptist Church, has closed without apparent results.

Mr. E. T. Bundick, the Nimrod of this locality, while out hunting a few nights ago, chased an opossum and rabbit into an old graveyard and captured them in a coffin which they had sought as a place of refuge.

A private school, organized by Mr. O. J. Lucas and liberally patronized, is now in operation at Modestown, conducted by Miss Maggie Sherman, an accomplished lady of Culpepper C. H., Va. The higher English branches, Latin, French, German, vocal and instrumental music are taught in her school, which taken in connection with our public schools gives to the children of our vicinity advantages of securing an education second to none on the Peninsula.

Housebreaking and Robbery.

Moral -- Property crime

On last Monday night, the storehouse of Finney & Rogers, Finney's wharf, was broken into and letters containing $600 in money belonging to the shippers in that vicinity were stolen. The thief forced an entrance with an axe through the side door, and after securing his plunder set fire to the box containing the letters and made his escape. The clerk sleeping upstairs heard him, but did not go down immediately, thinking the noise was made by a cat. Concluding later, luckily, however, to investigate the disturbance, he was just in time to save the storehouse and contents from being destroyed by fire. If he had delayed a few moments longer the fire would have made such progress that it would have been impossible almost to have put it out. The clerk giving the alarm, a search was made resulting in the finding of a considerable sum of silver in a coal pile, wrapped in a handkerchief which was identified as the property of one Rufus Payne, colored, a cook on the schooner of Finney & Rogers lying at their wharf. It was also discovered that an axe belonging on said schooner had been used in breaking open the store and an additional clue thereby furnished, pointing to said Payne as the thief. These and other suspicious circumstances led to the arrest of Payne, and being arraigned before Justice Boggs, he was promptly sent to jail to await the action of the grand jury.

Charged with Discrimination.

Transportation -- Railroad - Rates and faresTransportation -- Railroad - Regulation

A special dispatch from Washington to the Baltimore Sun Oct. 10th, says that a hearing before the Inter-State Commerce Commission of the complaint of Delaware State Grange Patrons of Husbandry against the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad, was continued in that city the previous day, and goes on to give the following particulars:

The hearing was begun in Dover, Delaware, two weeks ago, when the complainants presented voluminous testimony tending to prove exorbitant charges for the shipment of berries, peaches and other perishable freight from points on the Peninsula to Jersey City, in return for which charges inadequate train service was rendered. The burden of complaint was that peaches and berries were so seriously delayed in transit as to be utterly worthless when arriving in New York. At today's session. C. Gandy Brown, a Delaware farmer, testified that by reason of the high freight charges on perishable fruit the business of raising them was unprofitable and that it was cheaper and more secure to devote the farm to more staple products. James. W. McCarrick, of the Clyde Steamship Line, Norfolk, and Daniel J. Turner, Jr., and Wm. H. Stanford, of the Old Dominion Steamship Company, testified to holding conferences in New York with Frank Thompson, John S. Wilson and A. H. Cassatt of the Pennsylvania Railroad, relative to forming a pool for freight rates out of Norfolk. It was testified that one of these meetings was held subsequent to the passage of the Inter-State commerce law. On behalf of the respondent testimony was adduced to how that the peach and berry service was costly, requiring special cars and extra exertions. The trainmaster of the Delaware, Philadelphia and New York divisions of the Pennsylvania system testified that peach and berry trains were invariably sent through with all possible dispatch, ordinary freights and frequently passenger trains being required to lay by for them. It was also testified that the cost of this service was double that of the ordinary freight service.

October 10th. At the hearing of the case continued today, Geo. R. Howell, of Philadelphia, freight agent of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, testified that every possible means was employed by the road to insure the prompt movement of the trains on which were consignments of perishable goods from the peninsula to Jersey City.

The testimony of Mr. Butler, of Jersey City, freight agent of the Pennsylvania, was to the same effect. The testimony of several fruit growers of Delaware was to the effect that the railroad charges were reasonable. Several witnesses from Accomac have been summoned to testify before the commission.