Peninsula Enterprise, October 24, 1891
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Infrastructure -- Public : Fences
One of the cases, known as "Hedge Fence Case" was tried at term of circuit court which has just adjourned, and the jury decided very promptly and very properly for the defendant, and as any other jury of the county would have decided.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racing
Mr. John C. Otwell, Wattsville, sold his fine trotter last week, to Noah Walker, Jr., of Baltimore. The sum received for same, it is stated was $750.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Veterans
The Ex-Confederates of Eastern Shore will meet at Parksley, on next Wednesday, 28th inst. Special train will leave Cape Charles [City] at 7 a. m., and stop at all stations for delegates. Turn out "Johnny Rebs."
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Infrastructure -- Public : Cemeteries
The Town Council of Onancock having decided to prohibit the internment of deceased persons within the corporation limits, at its last meeting adopted a resolution, asking the citizens of the town to meet in the Town Hall on the evening of the 29th inst., to take into consideration the establishment of a cemetery for the town and vicinity.
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Fields -- Crops - Sweet potatoes : PricesForests -- Forest products - Lumber
Assawaman.
Our people are sick at prices of potatoes.
The Queen Hive Mill Co. is overrun with orders for lumber.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : SeasideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : PackingSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : PricesInfrastructure -- Commercial - HotelsTransportation -- Water - Wrecks
Chincoteague.
Two oyster shucking houses opened here last week, which are giving employment to quite a number of our citizens.
Oysters are being shipped to market from this place and the returns have been satisfactory.
W. S. Cowles, late commander of U. S. Despatch, S. L. Heaps, paymaster, and Lieut. B. T. Mulligan, on their way home, made the Atlantic Hotel their headquarters, and spoke of it in the most flattering terms. They said, they did not think there was such a well kept hotel on Eastern Shore. They left Monday for Washington, in obedience to an order of Secretary Tracey.
The largest amount, to wit $405.48, ever paid at our office in one day for tickets, was paid by the crew of Despatch, on their way to Philadelphia.
The artist located here received $50 from the crew of the Despatch for photographs taken of them, and an equal amount from the citizens for work in same line.
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Infrastructure -- Public : ChurchesInfrastructure -- Commercial - Real estateSea -- Finfish - Catch : TroutTransportation -- Road - Personal injuryTransportation -- Water - Personal injury
Parksley.
Work was commenced this week on foundation of the new M. P. Church.
Three lots suitable for dwellings were sold by Mr. S. T. Jones to Louis F. Hinman, this week.
Trout fish in flour barrels are being sold here at $10 per barrel. They were caught in Carolina waters.
Mr. John Matthews was thrown by a broken axle from barrel of potatoes in his cart, on a stump, last week, receiving painful though not serious injuries.
Mr. Augustus Barnes was knocked senseless by a boom in Pocomoke sound, last week. He was brought home on Friday of last week and is slowly recovering from injury sustained.
Death of a Former Countyman.
Professionals -- Other
Mr. Albert Mott, chief consul of the Maryland division of the L.A.W., received a telegram Tuesday announcing the death on Monday, in Chicago, of Mr. E. F. LeCato, formerly of this city. Mr. LeCato had been sick but a short time and his illness was not considered dangerous until last Sunday. His death was caused by inflammation of the bowels. Mr. LeCato was about twenty-seven years of age, and unmarried. Early in the year he left Baltimore to accept the position of manager of bicycle department in the athletic goods firm of A. G. Spaulding & Bro., in Chicago. Mr. LeCato had lived in Baltimore nearly all his life. For several years he was captain of the Maryland Bicycle Club of this city, and was very well known to wheel men all over the State. Mr. LeCato's remains will arrive in Baltimore tomorrow (Thursday) morning, and will be taken for burial to Northampton county, Va., where his father lives. -- Baltimore Sun.
He was well known and highly esteemed on the Eastern Shore for his many excellent traits of character. He is especially remembered for his polite and engaging manners, while in the employ of the Eastern Shore Steamboat Co. Hi untimely death is universally regretted. He was the son of Mr. L. Thos. LeCato, a well known citizen of Northampton, formerly of this county -- the author of the article, in this issue, forwarded to us for publication prior to his death.
Wreck at Hog Island.
Transportation -- Water - Wrecks
George W. Doughty, Keeper of the Hog Island Lighthouse, on the coast of Virginia, reports to Ensign Geo. R. French, United State Navy, in charge of the Branch Hydrographic office at Baltimore, the existence of a dangerous wreck in that vicinity, but does not give its exact location. The report states a three-masted schooner sank on the 14th instant, southeast by east of Hog Island light in eight fathoms of water. Her masts are about seventy feet out of the water. The wreck lies in the track of coasting vessels and makes a dangerous obstacle to navigation. The name of the vessel is not given nor does the keeper say if the crew was saved or not. The captain of the life saving station there urges that she be blown up. Ensign French promptly forwarded the report to the Chief Hydrographer of the Navy at Washington.
The Game Law.
Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : BirdNatural resources -- Conservation - Game
Partridges may be killed between the 15th day of October and the 15th day of January only.
It is unlawful to kill the buzzard, or to capture for sale or transportation or kill the mocking bird, or kill or capture the brown thrush, cardinal or red bird, wood robin, blue bird, house martin, or starling, or destroy their nest.
Query: It is unlawful to kill or capture the "wood robin." Is the "wood robin" our ordinary "robin red breast?" This is a question. By some the "rusty mock" is called the "wood robin," by others the "robin red breast" is the "wood robin." Which is it? The small boy is interested in the answer. Will the Commonwealth's attorney reply?
To Confederate Veterans.
Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Veterans
I have arranged for special rates for all veterans to go to Parksley, on the 18th, next Wednesday. The charges will be 2 1/2 cents per mile traveled. I invite all old Confederates who are unable to pay their way, to get the money and go to the meeting -- and I will have it refunded to them at the meeting. A special train will leave Cape Charles [City] at 7 a.m., on the 28th, and stop at all stations -- the train will be just four hours ahead of the regular train.
Orris A. Browne, Committee.
The Sweet Potato. . . Some Reasons for its Decline in Value.
Fields -- Crops - Sweet potatoes : Quality controlProfessionals -- Commission merchants
MR. EDITOR.
In view of many conflicting opinions, I have thought that a retrospective consideration of the raising and shipping of the sweet potato crop might help us in our dilemma; and for that purpose this article is submitted to the farmers of the Eastern Shore.
From 1854 to the beginning of the war, the writer was interested in buying and shipping the crop, but directly after the war, he became specially connected and interested in both buying and selling and continued so until recently, when he has been carting shats in the fall and all through the winter, putting out sprouts in the spring, hoeing grass through the hot days in June and getting poorly paid for his work.
At that time, 1854, and until 1873, sweet potatoes were sold in bulk; that is, carted in carts and wagons to the wharves, and measured or weighed out to the buyers. They were shipped in vessels in the same condition. They were sold in New York in competition with Jerseys, Delawares, and brought more money than any variety on the market.
They were known then as "Nansemonds," and later as "Deal's Islands" -- a name applied to them by Capt. W. H. Parker who at that time was receiving cargoes from that section; and still later as "Eastern Shores." They had then, as now, the highest reputation for eating qualities.
In 1873, if my memory is correct, a New York vessel landed at Finney's wharf, now Wachapreague City, a load of empty barrels. The idea originated with Mr. _____ as an improvement on the old plan, and to give individual farmers the privilege of consigning their potatoes, if they wished, instead of selling as before. But it proved to be a turning of the tide in that business, that has been running ebb to this day. And why? Realize it did away with compulsory inspection. Under the previous system, farmers were compelled to cull their potatoes or be subject to having it done by the buyers at the wharves. They prided themselves on never having a load of potatoes culled and it was somewhat a reproach to undergo that ordeal.
Do the majority of our farmers to-day hold to the principle of shipping potatoes that need no culling?
Under the new system, many farmers prided themselves on their individual mark and do to this day. But it is true that hundreds of barrels of potatoes are shipped from the Eastern Shore under fictitious names, and many farmers boast of getting as much for culls as their neighbor who ships number one stock.
The man who shipped the culls for primes put the consumer's money in his pocket and complimented himself on his sharpness; but his deception was part of a whole that stands to-day between his success, and that of his neighbor, in a crop upon which he relies, to a great extent, for his future livelihood.
Meanwhile the Jersey farmer, shipping his potatoes in open packages mostly, was compelled to cull them, so while Virginia sweets were every year losing favor with the consumers, Jerseys were justly gaining in popularity.
With these facts before us it is plain to see that "Observer" was correct in his reasoning.
There is another factor that grew out of this new order of things.
Under the old management, that is prior to 1873, there were but six commission merchants who sold Eastern Shore produce. But on the arrival of the cargo of sweets in barrels those who had heretofore been buyers, learning from the marks on the barrels that they were shipped by individual shippers, flooded the county with their cards and stencils, and to-day there are likely fifty firms in New York contending for this trade. And that applies as well, in proportion, to other cities to which this business extends.
These merchants have devised all imaginable plans for precedence in this trade. They have catered to the demands, often unreasonable, made by the farmers, have reduced their commission until it has become a mere nominal consideration, revolutionizing the whole business from a legitimate commission business to a buying and selling operation. This is a rough synopsis of the Eastern Shore sweet potato trade from the year 1867, and if the farmers can learn from it to whom belong the errors and wrongs, if any have been made, or if it in any way aids them in adopting some systematic plan tending to their general good, then the writer will be well paid.
In conclusion, let me make one proposition which in my opinion will meet the wants of both raiser and seller, and accomplish the end view, viz: bind ourselves to ship our goods to no firm who charges less then ten per cent. commission, and hold the consignees strictly responsible for the faithful and honest discharge of their duties and commission merchants, to the full extent of the law. And let inspectors be appointed at all the depots and wharves to classify and mark all produce that may be shipped.
L. T. LECATO.
Concord, Oct. 19, 1891.