Peninsula Enterprise, March 7, 1891
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Law enforcement
The schooner J. W. Brooks, belonging to Caleb Evans, of Crisfield, taken for dredging unlawfully in Virginia water, was condemned at present term of county court, as forfeited to the Commonwealth, and order entered for sale.
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Fields -- Livestock - HorsesFields -- Livestock - Mules
Mr. Ben W. Mears, Keller, has just returned from the city with a fine drove of horses and mules, suitable for road and farm, and is now offering them for sale at a small advance over cost.
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Fields -- Fertilizer
F. M. Sturgis & Son, Onley station have received a car load of fine salt for fertilizing and other purposes, and are offering the same at $1.50 per sack.
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Lumbermen -- Personal injury
Three of the toes of Capt. Edward B. Waples were nearly severed from his foot by a hatchet with which he was chopping at his mill, near Onley, on last Monday. It flew off the helve against the saw and rebounding struck him on the foot with the result stated. It was thought, at the time of the accident, that the amputation of two of his toes would be necessary, but his physician thought differently, and we are glad to believe, that his mishap is not so serious, as at first reported.
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Professionals -- Builders
G. W. Coard, contractor and builder, now has the finest spring styles of buildings issued. Parties wishing his services are requested to call and examine same. Correspondence solicited at Accomac C.H., Va.
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Moral -- Murder
Samuel Lewis, on trial for the third time at this term of court, was convicted of murder in second degree, on Thursday, and his term of imprisonment fixed by jury at five years in penitentiary. He was sentenced by judge in accordance with verdict rendered.
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Sea -- Fish factoriesTransportation -- Water - Strandings
Chincoteague.
Capt. John W. Bunting has given to each of his sons, Kendall and William, one-third interest in his fish factory and steamer. The plant is to be enlarged, new machinery added and to be run on much larger scale than ever before.
Schooner Nettie Ellen drifted from Franklin City, on Saturday night, to Chincoteague, an is now ashore on upper end of island. She will be gotten off without much cost or damage.
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Fields -- Crops - CornFarmers -- Farmers' organizationsMoral -- Other violent crime
Leemont.
Corn very scarce in this neighborhood and selling at 75 cents a bushel.
D. Frank White organized a sub-alliance at Bloxom station with 19 members, last Monday night. Mr. Sylvanus W. Russell was elected president, and Stephen Goin, secretary.
At an entertainment given by Mr. D. K. Reeder, last Monday some miscreant threw a lump of coal through the window, which struck Miss Sallie P. Lewis on the head, knocking her senseless and causing an ugly wound.
Improvement of Nandua Creek.
reprinted from Richmond Times, March 4.Transportation -- Water - Channel and harbor dredging
The Secretary of War sent to the House today the report of Lieutenant Haynes, of the Corps of Engineers, giving the results of the preliminary examination of Nandua creek, Virginia, for improvements under the provisions of the river and harbor act of 1890. Lieutenant Haynes, in his report, says that the improvement asked for is the deepening of a bar at the entrance to the creek, and at the present time there is a depth of six feet on the bar at low tide; and although the channel is crooked, there does not appear to be any serious difficulty in navigating it. There is only one boat-landing in the creek, and vessels drawing more than six feet cannot reach it. It thus happens that a deepening of the bar would add little, if anything, to the facilities of navigation, except to make if easier of entrance. If the existing channel was well buoyed it would be a benefit. The county tributary to Nandua creek, the report says, is fertile and cultivated. The amount of shipping being large, the amount of freight of all kinds reaches 5,000 to 6,000 tons per annum at a value of from $125,000 to $150,000 per year. If, therefore, Mr. Haynes says, there is any serious danger of this trade being cut off by the filling up of the channel at the entrance to the creek, or it could be largely increased by deepening, he should say that the creek was worthy of improvement, but there does not appear to be any danger of its filling up of becoming any worse than it is now. On the contrary, it is probable that it will be better through natural agencies.
The prevalent opinion among the people, he says, seems to be that it would cost but a few thousand dollars to dredge a channel and that it would remain there. A dredged channel would, however, he says, be of the same shifting character as the natural one unless it were supplied with other works to regulate the flow of the tides. It is probable that dyke built out from the south side of the entrance in connection with the dredging would make the channel more stable and possibly deeper. The rough estimate of the cost of dredging a new channel six feet deep at low tide and one hundred and fifty feet wide is $10,000. The dyke would cost about $30,000, making the total cost of improvement about $40,000. The expenditure of this amount at Nandua creek, he says, in his opinion, would not add sensibly to the existing facilities, and he, therefore, reports that the improvement asked for at the present time is not worthy of being undertaken by the Government.
Church Dedication at Onley.
Infrastructure -- Public : Churches
The new church building of the M.E.Church, South, at Onley, Accomac county, Va., will, (Providence willing), be dedicated to the worship of God, Sunday morning, March 22nd, inst. Rev. A. C. Bledsoe, D. D., of the Virginia Conference, will preach at 11 o'clock a.m., of that day, and also at 7.30 p.m. the dedicatory service will follow immediately after the morning sermon. The public is cordially invited to these services.
Rev. John T. Moore,
Pastor.
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Watermen -- Watermen's organizations
MR. EDITOR:
We are instructed to give notice that there will be a meeting of the representatives of all the branches of the Oystermen's Protective Union, in the Rechabite Hall, Sykes Island, March 20th, 10 a. m., for the purpose of organizing a supreme branch of the Union. Each branch will be entitled to one representative for every 25 members -- and all representatives are requested to bring their credentials to said meeting and report to the committee on entertainment.
Respectfully, G. W. GLENN, JAS. WEAVER, GEO. W. LAWS, Com.
Sykes, Va., March 3rd, 1891.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : LegislationSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Dredging
MR. EDITOR:
As the oyster question is to be discussed at the Convention to be held in your town at April court, with a view to harmonizing all interests, I wish space to present the claim of the oyster dredger, that he may not be left out, and that all things may be considered for the best.
The dredger has done more good in developing, spreading and enlarging the oyster area of Virginia -- especially the natural beds -- than all else combined. It is a very conservative claim to make, that every bed of natural oysters that has been worked by the dredgers are now five times as great in area, as they were when the work commenced. The benefit of this work has been felt principally in Pocomoke Sound [and]Tangier Sound, Potomac River and east of Gwyn's Island. The spreading of oysters is never done with tongs; tonging is done at anchor -- the oysters are taken from the bottom, put on board, and there cleaned; the shells being thrown back exactly where they were taken from. Dredging is done while sailing along, and every tine the vessel sails off the oyster bed, the shells taken from the oysters are cast upon ground not previously occupied by oysters, and are left there for young oyster to catch on, and thus the beds are enlarged.
I relate this little fact to show that the dredgery has claims in advance of other interest; and I as a dredger, who aided to make the oyster rock, wish once again to reap a part of the profits. Pocomoke Sound is now said to be full of fine oysters; and they are increasing so fast that those who take them with tongs are unable to harvest the yearly productions. There is no reason why the method of taking oysters should be confined to only one way, and that the most primitive, any more than harvesting grain, such as oats and wheat, should be confined to the scythe or sickle, instead of reapers and self benders. I do not see why the tongers should have a monopoly of oyster beds in Pocomoke Sound; certain it is, none of them have created anything -- they neither increased nor grew oysters. Certain it is that they are paying very little for all these natural advantages -- not one-twentieth part the sum the dredgers paid, when they worked there, by licence.
The tongers have a monopoly and they propose to hold it, but I do not see the justice of it. Why should they have the pudding all to themselves, when I am so poor and needy? Why cannot my wife and children have some too?
The dredging fleet has been practically destroyed by law and the few of us that are left have as much right to the beds as the tongers. We can handle oysters cheaper, we can save labor, and sell them cheaper, and the people at large are certainly benefited. These are all points recognized as of value in other industries of the age -- then, Mr. Editor, why should improved methods be cast aside in the oyster trade and used in all others for the benefit of mankind?
It will be said that the dredger will destroy the oyster beds -- so will any other mode of taking them, provided it is not restrained, and some one shall call a halt at the proper moment. The tonger will not cease taking them any more than a dredger, so long as it pays for his day's work. The natural beds are the property of the State, and I doubt if any place will be adopted to preserve them, so that only the annual growth and no more will be taken each year -- this being the case, it is eminently proper that the dredger's right should be well considered, and granted privileges for which they are willing to pay handsomely.
BOB WHITE.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : SeasideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Legislation
MR. EDITOR:
Being a practical oysterman in one particular, at least -- the eating of them -- I would like just for once, to get my finger in the literary oyster pie that is now being served up weekly to the readers of the ENTERPRISE; not, however, with the view of controverting any propositions therein made, however much I may be opposed to some of them, but solely with on object in view, and that is to make a proposition altogether one-sided in character, and that as to the seaside, in reference to the subject under consideration. We want our seaside oyster interest protected. We want a patrol boat properly manned to superintend the interest from Cape Charles to the Maryland line. We want this boat and crew to see that citizens of other States are not allowed to deplete our natural seed beds and carry shells, blisters, oysters and everything of the nature away to enrich citizens of other States, as is notoriously the case at present in this respect. We want also, this police boat to oversee the acts of some of our citizens who may be prone to violate our oyster laws in regard to the culling of oysters, the taking of them from natural beds out of season, the staking off oyster lands unlawfully, etc. Many reasons readily suggest themselves to justify our people in asking this at the hands of our authorities, which I have at present no opportunity to set forth, and to effect this end I would suggest that petitions directed to the proper authorities be started at every store or public place in the two counties looking at this end. Let us act at once and save our seaside oyster interest.
N. W. NOCK.
Mappsville, March 3, '91.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Guides
WANTED -- At Accomac Club House, a sober industrious man -- must know how to handle boats, decoys &c. Address Chas. A. Delano, Wachapreague, Va.
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Fields -- Fertilizer
NOTICE -- All persons who have ordered dry ground fish of the undersigned will please come for same. Price of pure ground fish in bags $30 per ton, acidulated fish in bags $11 per ton of 2000 pounds. All others who wish to order will do so now as supply is limited. S.K. Martin, Hoffman's Wharf.