Peninsula Enterprise, January 11, 1896

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reprinted from Cape Charles Headlight, January 8.Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Town

At a citizens' mass meeting held at Eastville last Friday night it was decided to apply to the Legislature for a charter to incorporate that town, with Mr. R. W. Nottingham as Mayor, and Messrs. R. V. Nottingham, Rob Nottingham, Harry Nottingham, N. L. Holland and J. A. Jarvis as councilmen. The above gentlemen are intelligent and good business men and will no doubt endeavor to advance the interests of the town.

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Transportation -- Water - Steamboats

The gasoline steamer Bertie E. Tull is now owned, it is stated, by parties in Pocomoke City and Cape Charles, and will run between Snow Hill and Baltimore via Onancock and other landings on the Eastern Shore.

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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Law enforcement

Capt. George W. Murphy, commanding the oyster police boat Tangier, will, it is stated, tender his resignation in a few days. Four persons so far have made known their willingness to be his successor.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Newspapers

Robert P. Coleburn, for several years an attache of the Enterprise office, leaves for Norfolk next week, his future home, and George B. Bowen, foreman for several years of the Eastern Shore Herald, is now filling the position vacated by him.

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Moral -- Other violent crime

Carr Merrill, convicted at the present term of the court for malicious shooting with intent to maim William Fisher, gets a term of ten years in the penitentiary. Both of the parties are colored men from Maryland.

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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : SeasideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : DredgingSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Surveying

Greenbackville.

Some few of our oyster planters are clamoring for the privilege of dredging their oyster beds, and want the law so amended, but the majority don't think it will work well, as the temptation to dredge them where they are thickest will create trouble.

Our oyster planters have had the most of their beds surveyed and recorded, and the rest will as soon as the weather gets mild enough for D. F. White, our surveyor, to work.

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Professionals -- DoctorsTransportation -- Railroad - Personnel

Onancock.

Dr. E. W. Robertson performed a very skillful surgical operation on Mr. W. T. Bundick, of this place, Tuesday. Mr. Bundick is doing well.

Mr. T. A. Joynes, of this place, has been made assistant general manager of the Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Railway Co. This is very gratifying to the many friends of Mr. Joynes on this Peninsula. He has served nearly 20 years in the work and is in every way worthy and qualified for the place.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential constructionForests -- SawmillsMoral -- Property crime

Onley.

The new dwelling, recently completed near this place by Mr. E. A. Ames, was occupied by his family this week.

A cornstack at sawmill of Hopkins, Waples & Co., was broken open by thieves last Saturday night and a lot of corn taken therefrom by them.

A turkey, weighing when dressed, about 15 pounds, was purchased by Mr. John L. Ward a few days ago and put in his dairy for safe keeping. He has not seen it since. It was appropriated by a thief that night.

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Infrastructure -- Public : SchoolsFarmers -- Innovation

Parksley.

All of the schools of this vicinity have re-opened with a good attendance, and Parksley is the only one in the district that has not a comfortable school building, It is to be hoped, that our trustees will take pity on our shivering school children.

Mr. H. E. Van Deman, of this town, is engaged in delivering lectures to Farmers' Institutes in Delaware. It is suggested, that our county and State, should secure his services on the same line, as he is a high authority on horticulture, and many other things of great use to farmers.

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Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Rabbit and squirrelInfrastructure -- Utilities - Ice

Pungoteague.

Messrs. John N. Harmanson and Charles H. Ames, old residents of the town, now of Baltimore, took in the pleasures of rabbit hunting and other sports at their old home during the holidays. They have since been in pursuit of other game -- orders from the merchants.

Several new scholars matriculated at our academy at the beginning of the year -- a part of them from the upper part of the county. Our efficient corps of teachers is attracting the attention of parents in different sections of the county and their merits deserve recognition from every part of it.

Our citizens for the most part of late have been engaged in "harvesting" ice. It is of fine quality -- about three and a half inches thick.

Accidentally Shot.

Moral -- Firearms

Charles T. Hopkins, aged 15 years, son of Deputy Treasurer John H. Hopkins, was accidentally shot while on a visit to his grandfather in Onancock last week. His rifle, which he had left cocked and leaning against a well, was blown down by the wind and discharged when he was about 10 feet distant, the ball from same passing through the fleshy part of one leg into the other leg. The wound is not a serious one.

THE OYSTER INDUSTRY.

Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Legislation

A Board of Fish Commissioners Recommended to Control It.

A meeting of citizens, interested in the oyster industry, was held at Cape Charles last Monday. The attendance was large and in the number was Senator LeCato and Delegates Matthews and Smith.

Capt. O. A. Browne was elected chairman and Capt. George G. Savage secretary.

The object of the meeting is fully explained by the following preamble and resolutions offered by Captain Browne and unanimously adopted:

"Whereas for the past forty years erroneous ideas from time to time have been promulgated concerning the oyster industry of this State, expensive navies have been created, abolished, sacrificed and re-established for revenue and protection, which has been inadequate; legislation has been confusing and detrimental to it; surveys of public and private oyster beds have been made and not permanently marked; the leasing of oyster grounds to planters is frivolous and insufficient, the present law is partial in placing its burdens, by requiring tax of the oyster planters to support a navy to guard the natural oyster beds, which are practically free to tongmen; therefore, in order that business may be properly understood throughout the State, that the oyster navy be put on a practical, economical footing, that the surveys may be suitably marked, that the leasing of the oyster grounds may be properly done, that the law may be equal and just in dealing with every interest.

"Resolved, By the oystermen assembled at Cape Charles, on the 6th day of January, 1896, to respectfully recommend to the Legislature that it create a board of fish commissioners for the Chesapeake bay and its tributaries, composed of five persons, to be elected by the Legislature, three of whom shall reside in the salt water section of the State and two shall reside above salt water; that the board of fish commissioners shall have the largest powers conferred upon it to deal with the oyster industry compatible with the laws of the State and general government; that the members of the board of fish commissioners shall be paid their expenses of travel and board when on duty, but no other compensation; that the board of fish commissioners be authorized to employ a secretary at a salary of $1,200 per year; that a copy of these resolutions be sent to the Senator and representatives of this county in the Legislature, to be placed before their respective bodies for their consideration and action."

Baptist Ministers' Disapprove.

Infrastructure -- Public : ChurchesMoral -- Other

The Baptist ministers' of Accomac Association, in conference at Modestown, Tuesday, January 7th, passed the following resolution:

Resolved, That we do express our disapproval of an existing custom found on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, namely: that of couples being married on the public highways seated in carriages. We believe that the said custom detracts from the solemnity and the sacredness of the holy and divine law. Signed by each minister present:

A. J. REAMY, J. L. KING, Secretary, J. M. DUNAWAY, W. W. WOOD, M. F. SANFORD, CHARLES CLEMENTS.