Peninsula Enterprise, April 25, 1891
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Moral -- AlcoholMoral -- Other violent crime
Mr. R. H. Pennewell, Onancock, was attacked and severely cut on head and neck by Geo. Kelly, on last Saturday. The deed was done by the young man while maddened by drink and is doubtless regretted by him.
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Infrastructure -- Public : Cemeteries
A large monument made of beautiful red Scotch granite now marks the grave of the late Peter H. Davis at Davis wharf. It is highly polished and neatly carved, and will compare favorably with any of the most prominent monuments on the peninsula. The work which was furnished by John D. Couper of Norfolk, Va., was imported from Scotland.
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Infrastructure -- Public : Schools
At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of "Margaret Academy" held on the 18th., Dr. Jos. E. Brodwater, was selected a trustee in place of M. Oldham, Jr., who declined the compliment because he has no spare time from the clerk's office to attend to its duties. The resignation of Geo. H. Adair was tendered and accepted and Orris A. Browne selected to fill the vacancy.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : LegislationSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Plantingfields -- Crops - White potatoes : Yield
Atlantic.
Irish potatoes planted early, rotted badly and full crop not expected -- strawberries never more promising -- corn is being planted by some of our farmers.
The organization of an Oyster Union is being agitated here with fair prospect of success. The very able letter written by our countryman, Hon. Jno. W. H. Parker, on the oyster question, is generally complimented and our people hope to hear from him again through the columns of the ENTERPRISE -- and until those forgetting to resect the rights of the poor man and his struggle for bread, shall cease to covet what in law they are not entitled to.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - HotelsTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Resorts
Chincoteague.
Ex-Governor Chas. Stockley, Judge J. C. Grubb, and Hon. J. W. Cassey, M. C. of Delaware, spent several days at the Atlantic Hotel this week. They were attracted here, they said, by the fine accommodations of the Atlantic, and pronounces it the best kept hotel south of Dover.
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MigrationWomen -- Personal injury
Mappsville.
The business attractions offered at Newport News are so great that it is feared our neighboring village, Temperanceville, will suffer the loss of a great part of the energetic business men of the place. Several have already gone and others are anxious to follow.
A distressing accident resulting in the death of a young lady, Middie, daughter of Mr. Revel Taylor, near this place occurred about two weeks ago. The young lady was left by her father and mother in charge of the family for the day, with a little brother for company her larger brother being in a remote part of the farm plowing. It seems that she was preparing supper by an old log fire in an open fireplace when by some means her dress caught fire and was soon a mass of flame. She ran wildly to her brother crying all the while for help and he hearing the sounds of distress and seeing a fast approaching column of flame and smoke -- he could not see her person on account of an intervening hill -- left his team and ran rapidly to the scene. The young lady had become so exhausted by her efforts and by the flames that she barely crawled in his direction when he had gotten to a position where he could see her and by the time he reached her she lay a helpless charred mass of suffering humanity. His strong arms carried her tenderly to the house whose hearthstone had so constantly been brightened by her merry smile. Here all was done to alleviate her intense suffering that loving hearts could prompt and ready hands perform. Dr. Brodwater was called in, but could do nothing but administer soothing doses to deaden the excruciating pain which she suffered. She passed away in a few hours, seemingly conscious almost to the last. "Turn the lights up high mama, it is getting so dark," were the last words from her lips that greeted the anxious ears around and that rung down the curtain of death upon one of the saddest scenes that mortal eyes are called upon to witness. The funeral services were conducted by Rev. Mr. Hayes in the presence of the assembled neighborhood.
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Infrastructure -- Public : ChurchesInfrastructure -- Commercial - Residential constructionInfrastructure -- Public : Camp meetings
Parksley.
Rev. J. G. Farring, was in Baltimore, last week, arranging with the architect details of the plan for the Methodist Protestant Church, work upon which will begin at an early date.
Joiner Brothers, are painting Miss Chadbourne's house in Wilson Avenue.
Joseph Moore, has added a handsome porch to his house in Dunne Avenue.
Mrs. Stanley J. Lewis, is ornamenting the hotel ground with handsome flowers and shrubbery.
J. Morgan Dix, has started to build a dwelling for his mother, Mrs. Jeannette Dix, on Bennett St.
W. H. Colona, Geo. Roger Rue and Wm. H. Rue, have improved their properties with neat enclosures, and planted shade and fruit trees.
Presiding Elder Corkran, of the M. E. Church, held quarterly meeting at Parksley, on Friday of last week. The church and parsonage property will be improved. It was decided to hold a camp-meeting at Parksley, this summer, and the assistance of a goodly number of prominent preachers was assured.
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Transportation -- Water - Boat buildingSea -- Finfish - Catch : TroutSea -- Finfish - Methods : Hand line
Wachapreague.
Mr. John T. Richardson, the well known boat builder of Accomac, is receiving orders now almost daily, and turns out a boat from his shop here weekly.
Trout fish have put in an appearance in our waters, and Capt. Wm. Mason, better known as "Fish Hawk," is handling as graceful a line this year as usual and catching the most of them.
Meeting of County Alliance.
Farmers -- Farmers' organizations
There will be an adjourned meeting of the County Alliance held at Accomac C. H., on Monday, 27th day of April, 1891. All delegates to the Parksley meeting will be entitled to seats in that body. By order of
GEO. W. LECATO,
President.
J. T. HUTCHINSON,
Secretary.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : LegislationSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Planting
MR. EDITOR:
I have read the letter of Mr. Jno. W. H. Parker, in the last issue of your paper, with much interest. I wish to ask a few questions of the author, and also to make a few comments. What does Mr. Parker mean by "the oyster grounds"? Does his idea of it cover natural rocks, planted beds, bare grounds and shelled bottoms? The term used must be understood and defined, to get a clear understanding of the subject.
I favor surveying, marking, guarding and maintaining the natural oyster beds (not a foot of them to be left out) for all the people as a common. 2d, That any person who owns planted oysters or shells shall also own the ground on which they rest, in fee, at a cost of (2) two cents per acre. 3d, That all the bare grounds shall be used for oyster farming by any and all citizens, who wish to develop them, and that the party who does the work shall own the land in fee.
If Mr. Parker is correct in his law, I do not see that any right of property exists in oysters in the water; no one can own a planted bed, though authorized by the laws of the state. Is the opinion of law of Kent, Vattel and other jurists, superior to the enactment of the State legislature? Has any man or set of men ever stood so high, that their interpretations of the law, bound legislature of State forever afterwards, so that a wise law demanded by the people could not be enacted?
Were the opinions of Kent and Vattel given with reference to oyster farming, the growing of a crop of shell fish on the land covered by salt water the propagation of which is as well understood, as that of corn, wheat or oats?
If learned men like Kent and Vattel were living to-day and were called on for opinions on this subject, they would treat this industry as it is to-day, and not as they understood, the fishing and navagature rights in their time -- they were great men fully abreast of the times in which they lived, and if to-day, on earth, they would not be slothful, but now, as then, in the front rank of men.
Law is progressive as all else in this age, and it has made greater advance in the last twenty-five years, than in one hundred years that preceded: it never could have gone too fast for great men like Kent and Vattel.
In their day oyster farming had never been dreamed of; the oyster itself was not an article of commerce, as it is to-day, with thousands of men ready to produce it, and ten thousands ready to buy it, along the great arteries of trade (railroads).
Mr. Parker says, "It (referring to the legislature) cannot take private property of certain individuals and make it common property of all the citizens, nor can it take common property of all the citizens, and make it private property of certain individuals." That may be true, but it does not appear so to a man of ordinary intelligence; it may, however, be wrapped in some legal mystery, names may be changed, and things may not be as they seem. How can it be so? Our highways are common to all the people, and they were taken from private individuals who owned them in fee.
All the lands, above water, were common property at one time; the Indians held them that way; they were common to all the citizens, when our forefathers arrived here; the common rights of the people in the high lands have been denied, and all the lands are the property of certain individuals, a minority of the people own them, to the exclusion of the majority. If there is authority for this, there is law and good reasons for it, to introduce oyster culture.
I hold that the civilization of to-day demands that the Indian custom of holding lands in common, shall no longer apply to undeveloped lands under the water, but that they pass in fee to citizens who are willing to do the work of improvement.
I want this oyster business placed on a law, broad, liberal and progressive. I want to see ten times as many oysters going into market, five years hence, as now go. I want to see in that time the wealth of our people double. I want to see it going ahead and not tied to the customs of the Indians, and if there is any law to hold it back, it will be swept aside by the power if the people.
Respectfully, ORRIS A. BROWNE.