Accomack News, April 27, 1907
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fields -- Crops - White potatoes : Seed and slips
Farmers are complaining of their Irish potato seed rotting in the ground on account of damp cold weather, especially the northern grown stock planted.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Bayside
We are informed that the oysters served at the banquet of the Alumni of the University of Virginia, at Hotel Doughty on the 13th inst., were not Cherrystone oysters, but came from the beds of our friend, John W. Custis, on Deep Creek, and we take pleasure in making the correction.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Real estate
Bell's Neck.
Mr. Clay Johnson sold to Ballard Bros. of Willis' Wharf, seven acres of land for the sum of $3,800.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : SeasideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : LitigationFields -- Livestock - Horses
Chincoteague.
Oyster Inspector Jones was in Atlantic as a witness in the Wise-Dunton oyster-ground case Tuesday last.
Through exposure W. J. Matthews and Clarence Beebe lost valuable ponies on the beach recently.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Clamming : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Clamming : Markets
Dreka.
Capt. J. E. Marks loaded with clams for Baltimore Friday.
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Transportation -- Road - MaintenanceTransportation -- Railroad - Freight
Mears.
The road between here and Mearsville has been torn up so by timber carts that part of it has been abandoned by the public and a road through private land is now used.
Shipments are still in full blast at this place for non-residents. Home people need not apply to our obliging Railroad Company.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - MillineriesInfrastructure -- Public : Towns
Sanford.
Sanford thinks Hallwood will have to keep coming mighty fast to catch our little town, for we have already nine stores, three saw-mills, one Town Hall, three churches and a barrel factory building and several new dwellings. Cut that out about the millinery shops, for we like Pocomoke City styles.
Accomack Traction and Power Co.
Transportation -- Railroad - Trollies
At a meeting of the Finance Committee Monday, a resolution was adopted urging the securing of $5,000 additional stock subscriptions. With this done, it is believed success is assured. From estimates in hand the cost of construction and equipment will be $70,000. It was also proposed to issue $40,000 of 30 years coupon bonds, redeemable in 10 years, with interest at 6 per cent., payable 1st of January and the 1st of July.
OUR COUNTY ROADS.
Transportation -- Railroad - TrolliesTransportation -- Road - Maintenance
COMMUNICATION.
Editor ACCOMACK NEWS,
Onancock, Virginia:
Mr Dear Sir:
In behalf of the people in general and the tax-payers in particular, I doff my hat to you for your well timed, sensible and forceful road editorial of last week.
In the lower part of the county we are indeed laboring and suffering under the baneful and "disgraceful" effects of our county road management, of which you have kindly, intelligently and fearlessly written. Yes, Mr. Editor, we indeed have a "well-to-do-county" in old Accomack, of which, in many respects, we can and do justly feel proud, and we now only need GOOD COUNTY ROADS and the trolley system to make us the healthiest, wealthiest and happiest county in our good old State, and perhaps in all the country! The trolley lines we soon expect to see from sea to bay, but shall we ever see and realize good roads -- not here and there, but everywhere all over our county?
And if not, why not? Many of us have been hoping, looking and waiting for better roads lo, these many years! Are they not really in worse condition to-day, in many sections of the county, than ever known before?
Now Mr. Editor what really is the trouble? Are we not annually spending more money on our roads at this time than ever before? The county Treasurer will please answer through your columns. Is it the fault of our present road system, or the manner in which the system is managed by our supervisors and road workers?
If so why not have a new deal, sell the expensive mules and outfits and invest in something less expensive and more effective -- go back it may be to the old fashioned axe, spade, shovel and hoe and therewith fill up at least the holes and ruts with old bricks, dirt, brush, with anything in fact to improve the present "disgraceful" condition of our highways! Let me briefly illustrate: I have in mind a short piece of road -- about one mile, over which I was almost compelled to pass daily in a slow zig-zag walk -- this road has been recently repaired at almost nominal expense and in a very short time, by filling the holes with old brick-bats and mortar from the ruins of a near by house, and now you can safely drive over said road at a ten mile gait!
I have recently crossed two pieces of road near Painter Station which are commonly dubbed by the near citizens as "Fleming's and Mears' bars," respectively.
Mr. Editor, I will not attempt to describe said "bars," as personal observation is necessary to convey the real danger and "disgracefulness" of said roads! They are indeed fifty years behind the times, and a reflection on the road management of any intelligent people or county! Only a few weeks ago a gentleman from the North, with abundant means to invest in real estate came down expressly for that purpose -- but on being informed that "Fleming's bar" was the only road by which the Neck could be reached from said station, returned on an early train in disgust with his money to invest elsewhere!
Mr. Editor can we as a county afford to be thus criticised and thus cheated out of the real worth of our real estate? Some will say that the hauling of our timber by steam mill owners and other purchasers of timber chiefly cause our bad roads, but what if they do, are we not the recipients of their generous prices for our hitherto unutilized county wealth and can we not well afford to furnish decent roads over which they can get said timber to market.
What will the touring automobilists who according to recent press notices, will be passing down through our peninsular to the exposition from now on till the fall, think of us from a road stand-point? They will not likely want to return this way or to invest their money in our county. Now Mr. Editor all this and very much more can be said of our roads without malice aforethought, and in good faith for the betterment of our county and people, so let us put our heads together and never stop talking, writing and voting until we improve by some means and methods our public highways.
In conclusion Mr. Editor, if you will excuse the personal allusion, I want to say that your brother, Mr. Thomas B. Quinby took the initiative step in getting up and organizing our Eastern Shore of Virginia Produce Exchange which has proven a very great financial blessing to our people -- will you not persevere in the initiative lead in behalf of good roads which is equally important -- be it said to your honor and to our ultimate good.
Press on in the good cause and we will all try to hold up your hands in so doing. I am yours for the public good.
TAX-PAYER.
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Transportation -- Railroad - Trollies
The NEWS has just received an interesting letter from Mr. Robert P. Fletcher, now of Wilmington, Del., and one of its subscribers which is well worth the attention of our citizens who are interested in the upbuilding of their community. Reference is made to the proposed trolley line, and he says:
"Keep the trolley movement to the front -- direct railroad communication is Onancock's only salvation. The Delaware towns -- Fredinca, Magnolia, Lebanon, Leipsic, Odessa, Smyrna, and Delaware City are all located on rivers with direct water communication with Philadelphia. When the Delaware railroad was put through, these towns were the most flourishing south of Wilmington, and the railroad wanted to pass through each, but the merchants put so many obstacles in the way, for the most of them were vessel owners -- the railroad people took the more direct route through the "high woods," and left each of these towns from one to five miles distant. Every town I have mentioned is dead and buried, and the assessed value of property not one-half what it was forty-five years ago, and trade all gone, notwithstanding the farm lands surrounding these places are the best in the country. All vessels have been sold -- the steamboats little affairs -- run only in the summer season. On the contrary where there was nothing but forest where the railroad ran through, have grown up flourishing railroad towns opposite the river towns I have named and the railroad towns have all the trade."
Experience is a great teacher, and Onancock has had a lesson before when the N. Y., P. & N. R. R., was built, which has long ago operated as an "eye-opener" for the don't cares, and non-progressive folk who placed a false-self interest against the movement. The entire town, however, is strong for the trolley and it will surely come.