Peninsula Enterprise, February 14, 1891
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Transportation -- Water - Steamboats
The new steamer Pocomoke for the Eastern Shore Steamboat Company, will be launched to-day.
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Professionals -- Surveyors
Mr. Wm. Kennard Nottingham, the efficient county surveyor of Northampton, offers his services to the people of Accomac, through our columns in this issue.
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Moral -- Other violent crime
Henry Watson and Luke Savage, colored, were carried to penitentiary by deputy sheriff, last Tuesday, to serve term of imprisonment of 5 years, in accordane with sentence pronounced at January term of our court.
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Moral -- Property crime
The Governor of Virginia has refused to commute the sentence of one year's imprisonment in penitentiary, rendered by jury against George Richardson at January term, to confinement in county jail, but will place him in charge of a Prison Association recently established in the city of Richmond for the reformation of youthful criminals. The place in which he is to be confined being a similar institution to what is known in some other States as, a House of Correction, intended to correct the vices of youth, and the boy having already repented of his crime, his imprisonment will doubtless be of short duration.
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Architecture -- Historic preservation
At the meeting of the Eastern Shore Historical Society, at Eastville, last Monday, an address was delivered by Hon. J. W. H. Parker. A resolution thanking him for same and that a copy be furnished to the secretary for publication, and that the same be also published in the Eastern Shore papers was unanimously adopted. On motion Onancock was selected for the next place of meeting and Prof. Frank P. Brent was unanimously chosen to deliver an address before the Society. Hon. Jno. W. H. Parker, Dr. Geo. T. Scarburgh and Dr. O. B. Finney, were appointed a committee to designate the time of next meeting.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential construction
Accomac C. H.
Rev. Jno. A. Barker and wife move into their new residence on Lilliston avenue, Tuesday, and on Wednesday were pounded heavily by members of the Baptist Church and other friends.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential constructionTransportation -- Railroad - PersonnelTransportation -- Water - FreightInfrastructure -- Public : ChurchesTransportation -- Water - Sailboats
Chincoteague.
Our building boom continues despite the winter weather. Handsome dwellings are in course of construction for S. Doughty, A. Lewis, Eba Merritt and Mr. Gray.
Rev. Avery Donovan, railroad agent at Franklin city, from the establishment of road until a few months ago, when he accepted a similar situation at Dover, Del., will, we are advised, enter the ministry soon.
Schooner P. J. Hart, sloop J. M. Price and schooner Palestine, arrived in our port this week, the first two with cargoes of coal and the latter loaded with shingles, lathes & c.
A successful revival is in progress at our M.P. Church. To date there have been 55 converts, and to the churches 26 members have been added. The pastor is being assisted by ministers of M.P., M.E. and Baptist Churches.
The following transfers of vessel property have been made here of late: Yacht Lulie Scott, by Waters & Scott, Stockton, Md., to Walter Hill & Bro., for $540 -- Sloop Morris, from Messongo, to W.C. Bunting, for $600 -- sloop Little Tom, by B. C. Lewis to Walter Hudson, for $300 -- and sloop Wm. James, By K. J. Bunting to Wm. J. Adams, for $200.
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Infrastructure -- Public : TownsInfrastructure -- Commercial - Rental housingInfrastructure -- Commercial - Real estateInfrastructure -- Public : Schools
Onancock.
There is not a vacant dwelling house in Onancock, and it is said, that many persons are anxious to locate in Onancock, but are deterred from doing so, by inability to secure homes. Outsiders seem to think that our town has all the material necessary for a first-class boom.
Thomas James, of Savageville, has purchased the farm owned by Frank Walter, near that place. The price paid was $5,900.
About 9 o'clock in the morning and 4 in the afternoon, Kerr street is a scene of bustle and activity. To the Academy 105 pupils and to the High school 145 -- 250 promising boys and girls can be seen hurrying in response to the ringing of the school bells.
The large school hall of the College Building has been refitted and converted into an elegant dining room by Mr. Thos. Mears, the proprietor of the College House. It is said, that a more comfortable bed and a more elegant table than the proprietor of the College House gives his guests, cannot be found in all these parts.
Public School Report for January.
Infrastructure -- Public - Government : School administration
Number of schools in operation 110, number of graded schools 25, number of pupils enrolled 5,410, number of pupils in average daily attendance 4,880, number of schools visited by superintendent 34. Lee district has the largest enrollment, Islands district the largest average daily attendance.
The three schools of about the same and best daily average attendance for this month are Temperanceville and Tangier graded schools, and a single school near Trower P.O., taught by Mr. Jas. W. Edmonds, Mr. Colmore E. Byrd and Mr. Joseph A. Baker are principals, respectively, of the graded schools mentioned. The success of our schools largely depends upon the average attendance. Hope that all teachers will make a special effort to encourage both patrons and pupils along this line.
Thanks for the neat and prompt reports for the month of January.
Strong efforts are being made to secure a Peabody Normal Institute at Onancock this summer -- will report results soon. J.E. Mapp,
Co. Supt. Schools.
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Farmers -- Farmers' organizationsTransportation -- Road - MaintenanceTransportation -- Road - Legislation
MR. EDITOR:
I informed you in my last letter from this point, of the action of the sub-alliance on the subject of the public roads. The committee, then appointed, had several conferences, and finally a meeting with Judge Kendall and Messrs. Samuel Townsend and Thomas E. Leatherbury, members of the Board of Supervisors, for the county. The result of the work is the road system has been changed for the county by adopting section 1901 in the Code. This the Board did at its meeting on the 9th inst. It remains now to be put in force -- with very limited means, it may not be effective at first. "The tide never runs strong on the turn," but good will follow, because the Judge and the Supervisors are interested and determined, that the bad condition of the roads shall be bettered.
If the roads fail to be let to contract, as provided for in the section referred to above, we may still expect improvement -- because Judge Kendall has taken hold of the present system in earnest, and will enforce the law in relation to it, especially section 1011 of the Code, and for this purpose he has prepared and printed blanks, to be filled in by the surveyors of the roads showing all the facts and details of the work. One of his forms shows the number of days that hands are called on the roads; the number of men that appeared and worked, the names of those who failed to appear, the number of fines collected and how and where the same was used. Judge Kendall had these reports made at his last court. Of course in the beginning they were not perfect, but the Judge has served notice, that they must be so in the future, that there must be business in the work, and the easy-going, satisfied way of letting everything go by run, and the wear on teams and the patience of the people must stop.
There is but little money, a few hundred dollars to start with, but the officials are pulling in the proper direction, pulling together and good must come.
This is the best that could be done, for lack of a proper legislation on the subject. With a good road law and the bill manifested, at this time, by the county officials, Northampton county would be improved and twenty per cent added to the wealth in the next five years by this step alone.
Yours respectfully, NORTHAMPTON.
Sunnyside, February 11th, 1891.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : LegislationSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Planting
MR. EDITOR:
I am glad to see the oyster question so ably discussed in your columns, and hope it will continue to be agitated until out of it comes some truths which will lead to the adoption of laws that will protect the natural beds from destruction, and at the same time foster the increased culture of the oyster. As Captain Browne says, the fleets of vessels that twenty years ago could be seen in our waters taking oysters are gone -- and gone because the oysters are gone too. That Pocomoke Sound and adjacent tributary streams are enjoying a prosperous season cannot be denied. What is that due to? Is it not due to the fact that Pocomoke has been protected against dredging, and that tonging does not destroy the beds like dredging? I have heard that tonging is like a good hoeing. It is also true that much of this prosperity spoken of in the resolutions of the Messongo Neck meeting came along the line indicated in Capt. Browne's letter, viz: Waste bottoms have been staked off and planted -- lands that were of no use made to yield a handsome income.
I agree with Capt. Browne, I don't believe the oystermen ought to be taxed directly any more than the miner going down in the bowels of the earth and getting out its treasures, and one is about as hard as the other. The State gets the benefit indirectly in increased property and general thrift of her people. In all discussion of this question the welfare of the citizens is lost in the eagerness of the State to get revenue. It takes other things to constitute a wealthy State besides oyster beds and mountains of ore. And it seems to me the most important question is not how the State can get money out of it directly, but how she can by wise legislation come to the assistance of her sons and help them develop this industry.
One thing is certainly needed and that is the cull law. The very small oysters ought not to be taken to market. The State of Maryland had such a law -- and very often a boat goes into Crisfield with small oysters and evades the Maryland law by claiming they are Virginia oysters. If you will take a map and look at the oyster planting grounds belonging to Accomac and Northampton counties, you will be astonished that so little has been done to utilize this means of wealth. On our water courses there are many farms whose shores and planting grounds are worth more than the farms. I presume Capt. B. is not far out of the way when he says, that about one hundredth part is natural oyster beds. The question is, how much has been taken up and is utilized as a source of revenue.
I, for one, after twenty years' experiences with oysters and oystermen, heartily endorse the proposition. "Mark off, stake out, survey and record the flats of the natural oyster bed in the respective counties in which they are located, (there will be work for the oyster Navy)." They need some. Then grant to the oystermen the bare grounds under the water, at the same price and on the same terms that all the other lands of the Commonwealth have been granted. Have a good cull law.
The hardship of the business is a sufficient restriction. It is wrong to impose any direct tax on the hard working oysterman -- he earns all he makes -- if it is $50 per day.
NEXT.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : LegislationWatermen -- Watermen's organizations
MR. EDITOR:
Please permit me through your widely circulated paper to suggest to the oystermen and all directly interested on the oyster question in Accomac county, the advisability of holding mass-meetings at several convenient points, say, Chincoteague Island, Greenbackville, Horntown, Sykes Island, Alantic, Messongo, Muddy Creek, Modestown, Guilford, Hunting Creek, Chesconnessix, Onancock, Hoffman's Wharf, Nandua, Craddockville, Tangier Island, Locustville and Wachapreague; said mass-meetings to appoint three delegates each, representing the different branches of the oyster industry, to attend a County Convention to be held at an early day, say first day of March court, next, said County Convention to elect at least seven delegates to attend a Tidewater convention to be held at Cape Charles [City], in May, next, Hampton, or some other convenient point, composed of delegates representing each and every county where there are oyster grounds said Tidewater Convention to endeavor to formulate a law, to be presented to the next session of the
The oyster question is being agitated in the newspapers more than ever before, and is looked upon as being the most important one to Tidewater Virginians that will claim the attention of the next Legislature.
The maxim "In union there is strength" will readily apply in this connection. If the various sections representing the oyster industry stand united on a definite plan, material results may follow, otherwise no one can predict the outcome of future legislation on the oyster question.
Yours truly, JNO. D. GRANT.
The American Fish Guano Company.
Fields -- FertilizerSea -- Fish factories
TO THE PUBLIC:
Reports reflecting upon the financial standing and business interests of The American Fish Guano Company having been brought to the notice of the undersigned, he hereby publicly denounces such reports as false and malicious; and gives notice that if any such report can be traced to a responsible person as the originator, he will be proceeded against to the fullest extent of the law. This company is not, and has not been, financially embarrassed, and has never entertained the slightest idea of quitting business at its present location at Hoffman's wharf, Va., nor of removing any of its plant or property; and is, and will continue to be, prepared at all times to fill orders for the several kinds of fertilizers manufactured by it. Orders for its goods are respectfully solicited through its advertised agents.
Very respectfully,
A. J. MORSE,
Treasurer.
Hoffman's Wharf, Va., Feb. 4th, 1891.
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Architecture -- Historic preservation
Hon. John W. H. Parker delivered a chaste and eloquent address at the meeting of the Eastern Shore Historical Society, at Eastville, last Monday. The glorious memories of the Eastern Shore were depicted by him in a manner which commanded the attention and elicited the applause of his entire audience. The speech interesting in its details, considered as a whole, was a grand production, both for its literary merit and the valuable information it contained. His description of the Eastern Shore, its early history, incidents in the lives and character of its distinguished men, the manner and habits of its people in the past, products of its soil now and then, and its bright future were discussed in turn by him in a very felicitous manner. It will be published in a later issue of this paper.