Peninsula Enterprise, May 30, 1885

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Transportation -- Railroad - PersonnelTransportation -- Railroad - Stations and sidings

The new station Only, formerly known as X roads, will be opened on Monday next, and we predict that it will be one of the most important shipping points on our railroad. Its present accommodations will be a freight house, ticket office, etc., but it is believed that the railroad authorities recognizing the fitness of the place will make it a first-class station in every respect. Mr. Alfred J. McMath has been appointed agent at Only. A new station will also be opened on Monday at Fair Oaks with such conveniences as a freight house, ticket office, etc., and Mr. L. J. Turlington as agent at that place. This also will be a good shipping point, and the citizens of that vicinity have "great expectations" that it will be a first-class station at an early day.

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Transportation -- Water - Wrecks

Bottles, tin cans, tropical fruits, divers articles of ladies' apparel, etc., strewn along the coast opposite this point for miles, for several days past have caused some of our people to conjecture, that a ship had foundered at sea. Others think that a ship has merely cleaned herself of rubbish before going into port.

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Moral -- MurderLaborers -- Fisheries

Burkman, the murderer of Capt. Melson of this county, will have another trial at Tappahannock, on the second Tuesday of the June term of the county court of Essex.

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Transportation -- Railroad - Personal injuryTransportation -- Railroad - Wrecks

An accident, caused by a misplaced switch, occurred on the N. Y., P. & N. Railroad at Salisbury, last Wednesday. A conductor had his wrist broken and the passengers were a little shaken up. Two new freight cars were badly wrecked and the cowcatcher, headlight and front of an engine broken to splinters.

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Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Life-saving serviceTransportation -- Water - StrandingsInfrastructure -- Public : Schools

Chincoteague.

Our community was excited on Thursday evening the 21st by the report that a wreck was on the shoals near the Inlet. Captain Whealton and Tracy of the Life Saving Service proceeded hurriedly with a crew to Wallops Station, launched the surf boat -- and about midnight came upon the vessel. No one was on board and with the flood tide she was drifting off the shoal. They found her to be the schooner "Rescue" David Key, master, cargo, lumber from Little Washington, N. C., to Melville, N. J. In attempting to get in Chincoteague Inlet she had struck on Fox Shoal. The life saving crew by pumping and laboring all night, succeeded in getting the vessel and cargo into harbor -- and she is now discharging her load. Too much credit cannot be given Captains Whealton and Tracy with their industrious crew in behalf of this vessel and her cargo. But for the timely aid she would soon have been lost, or have fallen into the hands of the wreckers who would have demanded half of the property saved.

The festival of the Methodists held during the past week was quite a success financially. The Methodist Episcopal Church is to be moved up on the lot donated by Mr. Geo. C. Birch and service held in Temperance Hall until a new church is built.

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Sea -- Finfish - Catch : TroutSea -- Finfish - Methods : Pound-netInfrastructure -- Commercial - Residential constructionFields -- Crops - Strawberries

Craddockville.

Mr. Benjamin F. Davis will put in a fish pound next week, and trout fish now sold at 8 cts. per pound, will be "put upon the market" at 7 1/2 cts. per pound.

A handsome dwelling, with necessary outbuildings are being erected by Mr. Benjamin F. Bull upon his premises.

Strawberries are being generally shipped by our farmers, consigned to commission merchants in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore.

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Transportation -- Railroad - FreightTransportation -- Railroad - Stations and sidingsInfrastructure -- Commercial - Commercial construction

Mappsburg.

Mappsburg Station will be open for freight June 1st. The fast freight train put on expressly for the benefit of the farmers of the Eastern Shore will leave this station at 3.30 p.m. daily. Under the present arrangement berries, peas and other perishable trucks can be placed in market in the best possible condition. The efforts of the railroad authorities to serve us in this respect cannot be too highly appreciated.

A large and handsome storehouse is soon to be erected and to be occupied by the enterprising firm of T. G. Elliott & Co., at Edmonds Crossing.

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Transportation -- Water - SteamboatsInfrastructure -- Public : Churches

Onancock.

The steamer Maggie was placed on the route the early part of the week. This gives us four steamers per week to Baltimore.

The prospect for potato drummers this season is the best we have ever had, according to the recollection of our oldest citizen.

The protracted meetings which have been in progress here lately have been very successful. There has been so far over 20 converts.

Homicide at Messongo.

Moral -- MurderForests -- Timber rights

Bennett T. W. Byrd was shot and mortally wounded by Samuel T. Taylor, near Messongo Bridge, this county, last Thursday morning. The difficulty originated between them, we are informed, about some wood on the premises of Taylor which Byrd it seems claimed as agent for another party and was attempting to remove therefrom. Taylor denied Byrd's right to the wood and had requested him not to attempt to remove it. Byrd, according to the report which reaches us, it seems not only did not heed the warnings of Taylor, but attacked him with a fence stake -- and in turn was shot by Taylor. The wounds inflicted upon Byrd are in the arm and side -- the arm being nearly torn from the body and his side so badly lacerated that he cannot live but a few hours. Between the two parties a feud has existed for many years and the fact that it has culminated fatally was not unexpected. Taylor on Thursday surrendered himself and was committed to jail by Justice Scarburgh. Taylor is 83 years, Byrd's age is about 55 years. Mr. T. H. Bayly Browne has been employed as counsel for Mr. Taylor.

According to later advices, Mr. Byrd died of his wounds Thursday at 4 o'clock.

Homicide in Slutkill Neck.

Moral -- Murder

John W. Young was struck by Wm. T. Rayfield with a fence stake on last Monday night and died of the wounds received in about five hours. Both of the parties were residents of Slutkill Neck and were returning in company with several others from a party, when a dispute arose between them, which terminated with such fatal results. The cause for the dispute was a trifling one and originated it seems from evidence detailed at the coroners inquest in a friendly tussle in which Young and Rayfield both appear to have participated. During the tussle Rayfield, it seems became enraged on a very slight provocation, drew his pistol and threatened to shoot Young. Young succeeded however in making him put away his pistol and had turned to get up in a carriage waiting for him when Rayfield seized a fence stake and struck him. Young was taken to his home and medical aid was summoned but nothing could be done and he died at 3:25 a.m. The autopsy revealed fracture of the skull and large clots of blood upon the brain. The verdict of the jury of inquest was, that he came to his death at the hands of William T. Rayfield. Prior to the inquest, Justice Scarburgh, who was acting coroner, issued his warrant for the arrest of Rayfield which was promptly executed by special constable, L. J. Gunter. Rayfield was committed to jail. The murderer is a mere boy of seventeen -- Young was about twenty-three years old.