Peninsula Enterprise, January 4, 1896
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Natural resources -- Conservation - Game
The meeting of the Eastern Shore Game Association at Accomac C. H., on last Monday, was well attended. Speeches were made by Judge B. T. Gunter, Hon. John W. B. Parker, Otho F. Mears, Dr. George W. LeCato and L. James Hyslop, setting forth the objects of the organization and for the most part commending the same. Many suggestions were made as to changes to be made in the game laws. It was unanimously agreed that a law ought to be enacted prohibiting the killing of the marsh hen, and with a few dissenting, that the time for killing quail should not be extended beyond January 1st. It was the sense of the meeting that the initiation fee and annual dues of non resident members should be increased to a sum not less than $5 in each case.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sportsfield sports - Hunting : Personal injury
William B. Wescott, aged about 18 years, while out gunning near his home in Savage's Neck, Northampton county, on the day before Xmas, shot himself accidentally in the breast, inflicting a wound which proved fatal in a few minutes.
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Transportation -- Railroad - Personal injury
Mr. James Mason, a well known citizen of the county, was struck at Bloxom Station, by the south-bound train, Saturday, December 21st, and lived only a few hours thereafter. He was thrown for a distance of thirty feet or more upon the platform of the station. He was attempting to cross the track at the time of the accident and miscalculated as the time it would take him to cross it. He was highly esteemed and his death is deeply regretted in the community in which he lived. He was 74 years old.
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Mental illness
George Burroughs, of Assawoman, and a Mrs. Clayville, of Hallwood, were taken to the asylum at Williamsburg, Va., last week.
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Fields -- Livestock - Swine
A ham, 21 years old, was served at the wedding dinner of Mr. and Mrs. John R. Ayres. It was cured by Mr. Louis J. Ross, and through the courtesy of his son Mr. William L. Ross, we are able to testify to its delicious flavor and sweetness. Like old wine, it is certainly improved by age.
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Moral -- Firearms
Ernest Marshall, of New Church, was shot through the arm a few days ago by a friend. The pistol which the friend pointed at him in fun was not loaded of course, in his opinion, but it went off all the same when the trigger was pulled. Marshall fortunately received only a flesh wound.
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Natural resources -- Conservation - GameFields -- Livestock - HorsesFields -- Livestock - Mules
Assawaman.
The amendment to the game law recently passed by the legislature, extending time for shooting quail and rabbits, to the 15th of January, and the bill passed prohibiting horses, mules and colts from running at large on public highways seem to give entire satisfaction to our people.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Crabbing : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Bayside
Chesconnessex.
A report in circulation to the effect that Mr. Ellinger has taken up the best crabbing ground of Foxes Island is received with great indignation here, and naturally because it has been a source of support to so many of our people in the past.
Our oystermen returning from Potomac river report a profitable season's work.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - BanksInfrastructure -- Public - Government : Life-saving serviceTransportation -- Water - FreightForests -- Shipping : Water
Chincoteague.
Hon. W. S. Wilson, Oliver D. Collins and others, of Snow Hill, Md., spent several days with us recently with the view of establishing a private bank here. They received a hearty encouragement from our people and a bank in our midst is assured. It will begin operations about the middle of January with Charles Rowley, of Girdletree, as cashier. Our people believe in and are willing to trust the projectors of the bank, realize their need of it and are willing to help it on to success.
Lieut. J. F. Wilde, of Onancock, at this day of writing is "holding an investigation at Assateague Life Saving Station."
Schooner Thomas Thomas arrived this week from New York with cargo of coal and loaded with oysters for Fair Haven, Conn.; Schooner Palestine arrived from Norfolk with cargo of hay and lumber.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential construction
Onancock.
Mr. E. A. Ames will occupy his new dwelling now nearing completion, in a few days.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Fox
Onley.
Two foxes were caught in a chase on Parramore's Beach on 28th ult. About 40 persons went in pursuit of them with a pack of 9 hounds.
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Transportation -- Railroad - WrecksForests -- Shipping : Rail
Parksley.
A car loaded with wood jumped the track a few days ago while being put upon the switch at this place, and tore up some of the ties and track.
Ephraim D. Wessels, of Hopeton, accidentally shot himself in the hand, but not seriously, a few days ago, while cleaning a revolver.
Temperance Speaking.
Moral -- Alcohol
There will be a public temperance speaking in Trinity Church, near Hadlock, on the 9th of January, at 3 p.m. An oyster supper will be served also on the occasion and an entertainment will be given, consisting of music and dialogues. Admission 15 cents.
W. L. ELZEY, Chairman.
House Breaking and Robbery.
Moral -- Property crime
Several daring robberies have of late been committed at Accomac C. H., and to date the citizens have no idea who the miscreants are. On Sunday night before Christmas they broke open and entered the drug store of Blackstone & Bell, office of Judge J. W. Gillet, dwelling of L. J. Gunter and Saloon of William E. Lewis, and on last Tuesday night forcibly entered the dwelling of Miss Sadie Bayly during her absence from home and ransacked it from top to bottom. The booty taken away by them has not been very large and briefly summed up as follows: From Blackstone & Bell, cash $6.50, pocketbooks, perfumery and cigars -- in all about $10; from L. J. Gunter, pistol worth about $5.00; from Miss Sadie Bayly, watch, worth about $50. The thieves evidently have committed their depredations in search of money. Where they will strike next no one knows. The thieves are generally regarded as novices in the business and eventually will doubtless be caught.
Public School Report for Month of December.
Infrastructure -- Public - Government : School administration
No. of schools in operation 126; No. of pupils enrolled 5,273; No. of pupils in average daily attendance 3,893; No. of different schools visited by Supt. 26.
J. E. MAPP, Supt. Schools.
Local Option.
Moral -- Alcohol
MR. EDITOR
Please allow me to say through your paper, that the committee on local option have distributed petitions throughout the counties of Accomac and Northampton, and every friend of the cause is hereby requested to call at the post-office or store and sign one of them at once, as the petitions must be in the hands of the committee by 18th inst., for presentation to the judge. Friends and brethren of the temperance cause allow me to say, now is the time for every man to do his duty in the effort to rid this fair land of ours of the licensed bar room. The managers of the campaign are in need of funds to defray the necessary expenses of getting the election ordered. Will you help them? Please send all contributions to A. W. Shot, treasurer, Bloxom, Va., who will promptly acknowledge same. Sign one of the petitions at once, send a contribution to the campaign fund, work and vote as God directs. The liquor business is a public business, the liquor dealers are public servants. Through local option we can endorse or condemn the business, which will we do?
JOHN W. GUY, Sec'y, Local Option Committee.
Bridgetown, Va., Jan. 1, 1896.
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reprinted from Baltimore Sun.Sea -- Finfish - Methods : Pound-netSea -- Finfish - Legislation
In his annual report to Governor O'Ferrall for the year ended December 31, the commissioner of fisheries of Virginia says: "It is an alarming fact that all of the finer varieties of fish are becoming less abundant." This he attributes largely to the use of pound nets, declaring that while in 1875 there was only one fish pound in Virginia, the number had increased in 1891 to 916. These nets, he says, extend from the capes of Virginia on both sides of the bay to the Maryland line. The fish are obliged to pass the nets on their way to the spawning grounds, and it is impossible for enough to escape to keep up the supply. This the commissioner pronounces "an outrage of growing proportions," and he adds that "if the authorities do not take hold of the matter and make and enforce laws for the better protection of spawning fish, all of our finer varieties will soon become as scarce as terrapin." Fishing ought to be "intelligently controlled," but the Virginia commissioner does not hesitate to affirm that in his State "the custom and policy are far behind the times, and instead of protecting and developing fish and game we act like barbarians and destroy them." He, therefore, asks for legislation which will provide for the removal of pound-nets and all other forms of distinctive apparatus at the proper season.
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Transportation -- Road - Maintenance
"A most formidable illustration of the immense economic importance of road improvement has been furnished by a statement made by the office of road inquiry into the United States Department of Agriculture says the Philadelphia Record. According to this statement the total value of farm products in 1890 was nearly $2,500,000,000, while the cost of haulage of the same over the common roads was estimated at very little under $959,000,000. In other words, the agricultural industries of the country expend considerably more than one third of the total value of the products of the farm and forest in transporting the same not to the consumers, but only to the points of shipment by rail or water. The cost of this transportation, which is wholly born by the farmers, according to the statement referred to, amounts to twice the total earnings of the railway companies from freights upon the same class of merchandise.
Hog Island Light.
Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Lighthouse service
Notice is given by the Lighthouse Board that, on or about January 31, 1896, a first order light will be established in the tower recently erected on southerly part of Hog Island nearly one half-mile (800 meters) N. three-fifths W. from the present Hog Island Light, N. side of Great Machipongo Inlet. The light will illuminate the entire horizon, and will show a white flash every 45 seconds. Duration of flash 3 seconds. The focal plane of the light will be 180 feet above mean high water, and the light may be seen 19 and three-fourths miles in clear weather, the observer's eye 15 feet above the sea.