Peninsula Enterprise, September 24, 1887
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African-Americans -- Work - Business And professional Professionals -- Teachers
The colored teachers of Accomac have formed an organization "for the improvement of their race." At each meeting, an essay is read by one of them on some branch of education.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - ResortsInfrastructure -- Commercial - HotelsMoral -- Other
Chincoteague.
The new hotel built by Mr. D. J. Whealton will soon be opened to the public.
Our justices court has been in full blast for the last few days prosecuting cases of bigamy and illegal co-habiting, Judge Mumford sending them up for the action of the grand jury.
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Fields -- Crops -Sweet potatoes : OtherTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Horse racing
Fair Oaks.
The commission merchants say, that the finest sweet potatoes from the Eastern Shore are shipped from our station.
Mr. Will Turlington has a three year old colt, which he is willing to match in a trotting race with any other of same age on Eastern Shore.
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Forests -- Shipping : WaterInfrastructure -- Public : ChurchesArchitecture -- Churches
Greenbackville.
The schooner Peter J. Hart, Capt. J. S. Pruitt, left here on last Monday with a cargo of pine wood for New York market and will bring back a cargo of coal.
Work was commenced on the new M. P. Church building at the Sign Post, on the road from Greenbackville to Horntown, on last Monday. The building is to be 28x40. The M. P. denomination seem to be gaining, both in their number of church buildings as well as in increase of membership.
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Fields -- Livestock - Diseases and pestsFields -- Livestock - SwineDiseaseInfrastructure -- Public : SchoolsMigration
Mearsville.
The cholera has made a clean sweep of the hogs in this neighborhood. So many have died that the stench at some points in horrible.
Typhoid fever prevails to an alarming extent in this section. Many persons are dangerously ill with the disease.
A house is being erected by Mr. A. F. Mears, to be used as a graded school and "a long felt want" in this community is therefore to be met, to the great joy of our citizens.
Mr. William Fisher, formerly of this place, but now a citizen of Missouri is now on a visit to friends and relatives in this section, for the first time in 25 years. The gentleman has prospered in his adopted home and has fared so well that his old friends say that there is very little change in his appearance.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential constructionInfrastructure -- Commercial - Commercial constructionInfrastructure -- Public : Colleges
Onancock.
R. H. Pennewell is having a residence built on the eastern limits of the town.
Thomas A. Northam is having the lumber hauled for a new storehouse on Main street.
The following persons from Onancock will attend the colleges designated: Miss Lizzie W. Quinby, Hollins Institute; H. Rhodes Hundley, Richmond College; Thomas B. Quinby, Thos. W. Russell and Stewart K. Powell, University of Virginia.
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Infrastructure -- Public : Schools
Pastoria.
Miss E. L. Core has been appointed principal of Zion graded school, with Miss Sadie Heath, of Onancock as assistant. School will open October 1st.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential constructionTransportation -- Road - Bridges
Pungoteague.
A fine dwelling being erected for Mr. Lloyd M. Smith, will be ready for occupancy by Dec. 18th.
The two bridges, recently built by Mr. R. J. Parker on the suburbs of our town add much to its appearance, as well as to the convenience of its inhabitants.
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Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Bayside
Sykes.
Our upper oyster rocks in Pocomoke Sound are alive with young oysters, but some [of] our oystermen do not seem to want to leave even a shell for their children and are taking everything in "the shape of an oyster" they can get their hands on. If they would leave the young oyster in the Sound to grow two years, it would be a gold mine to them.
Board of Supervisors.
Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Welfare
The Board of Supervisors met on Monday, 19th inst., examined and allowed miscellaneous accounts presented against the county. Archibald Annis, superintendent of the poor, filed his annual report for year ending June 30th, 1887, which was examined and approved by the Board and the clerk was directed to certify copy thereof, to the auditor of Public Accounts. The Board also settled with Mr. Annis for the said year, from which settlement it appeared that the expense of maintaining the poor house for said year amounted only to the sum of $2,155.13. The Board adjourned to meet on the 3rd of October next.
Our Clerk's Office.
Architecture -- Other public buildingsDevelopment -- Boosterism
MR. EDITOR. -- The order of the Supervisors of the county, to have a new clerk's office built has brought out many communications in the several papers of the Eastern Shore. The controversy over the plan of building it and the hard things that are being said, this communication does not enter into -- because the difference between the cost of a good, suitable building and an indifferent one, is matter of little concern to the great and rich county of Accomac -- but a suitable building, well built, handsome and safe is of great moment to the county, and it is to the county's interest only, that this article will refer to. The cost whether it be six or seven thousand dollars will never be known or felt by the tax payers. If the expense of it, say six thousand dollars, was placed on the head of the inhabitants of the county it would not cost us 25 cents each, if the cost was placed on the listed tax payers it would not cost us one dollar each, if it was placed on the property, we have four millions six hundred thousand dollars, of assessed property from which to pay it, and 13 cents on every hundred dollars will pay the bill. The sum no matter how placed, is an insignificant one to a people as well off as we are. There are plenty of farmers all over the county, who spend more money on their barns and stables, than we spend on our public buildings or any other public interest that we have. This should not be so, and I hope ere long to see the same spirit of improvement and private enterprise of our citizens, turned with proper pride to public improvements for the county is sadly lacking in this direction. I do not know a county in the State that has as indifferent public buildings as we have. The small county of Essex, which is not worth one-fourth as much money as the county of Accomac, has a courthouse four times as large and convenient as ours. The county of Warwick, one of the smallest in the State, and not worth as much as one-eighth as much as Accomac, I am informed has a new ten thousand dollar courthouse.
Our people care much for individual improvement and appearances. Our private houses are as neat and as comfortable as any in the State. We have as many churches, and they are kept in good order, we have the best driving horses in the State, and as many and as nice carriages, and our people at any public gathering are as genteel and well dressed as country people anywhere. In particulars of this kind we are unsurpassed, but in public matters we are sadly behind the age. Our court house was built 130 years go, our clerks office 90 years ago, public school houses new, but remarkably common, and our public roads in a miserable condition are matters that need looking after. Individually I am in favor of improving the public roads, first, because it costs too much to keep them in their present condition, and retards the general business. Appropriating money for the improvements mentioned, judiciously spent will add value to the real estate valued at three millions of dollars, will again and greatly to the more than a million of personal property that we are possessed of, to the great convenience, economy and pleasure of the people. A little money will do much good properly spent, and will meet with the approbation of the people. Money spent in this direction some people think (who do not know any better) will be the absolute destruction of it. Such is not the case, for nearly all of it will be expended in our midst for our own benefit.
Mr. Editor, I am aware that the writing of such a letter as this is not in the fashion of the times, where men who speak or write are always putting up a poor mouth, and telling the people of their great poverty and burdens. This is the trick of the office seeker to enlist sympathy and friendly feeling at a sacrifice of the truth, for there are no people as a whole better off than we are in any part of this world that I have ever seen.
The truth contained in this letter I am sure will be visible to thinking men, and that it may be put in practice at an early date I sincerely hope.
Yours,
ORRIS A. BROWNE.
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Architecture -- Other public buildings
A correspondent of the Cape Charles Echo in its last issue, shielding himself under a nom de plume, made a huge attack upon the Board of Supervisors of Accomac and the builder employed by them to supervise the construction of a clerk's office, which he has since repented. The Board and its builder very properly at its meeting last Monday resented the foul aspersions upon their character, by denoucing in a card, which will appear in the Echo of today, the author as a vile and malicious slanderer, and the "correspondent" cognizant of these facts, as we are informed, will retract, but not reveal his identity. He is a sadder, and it is to be hoped a wiser man, because of his experience as a correspondent. At least he is not likely to vent his spleen again so publicly upon gentlemen, whom he finds so ready to resent an insult and individually to hold themselves responsible for their acts. As individuals their action in relation to the correspondent will commend them to the public, and we believe we voice the sentiments of the tax payers of Accomac, when we assert that they will approve the action of the Board in reference to our clerk's office. -- But whether the croakers of high [illegible] degree approve, we know that they have acted according to their convictions of right and will dare to do not only in this matter, but in all others what in their opinion the best interest of the county demand of them.
In regard to the clerk's office the members of the Board are too intelligent to make it a monument of stupidity for themselves. They recognize the fact that the records of the county are too important to be put in danger by fire or of being stolen, because of their failure to expend a few hundred dollars more than the croakers think necessary and we shall be disappointed if they heed their insane utterances. A clerk's office strong, substantial and ornamental is expected at the hands of our Board, and we have that confidence in its members to believe that they will have one erected, which we will not wish to tear down as we did the court house before it was completed, but which will be a monument of their wisdom for a century, it may be. -- We have already in hand $5,000 to pay for its construction, who is so narrow minded as to wish them to withhold an expenditure of $3,000 more which is perhaps necessary to complete it, or will regret the pittance it will cost them in taxes?
Steam Saw Mill For Sale.
Forests -- Sawmills
Will be sold at public auction at Nelsonia, on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, at 3 p. m., unless sooner sold privately, my STEAM SAW MILL, situated near Nelsonia, also THREE MULES, ONE TIMBER WAGON, ONE TIMBER CART, ONE PAIR OF TIMBER WHEELS extra. The mill is in good order.
Any person wishing to purchase will call on the undersigned at Modestown, Va.
MIDDLETON MASON.