Peninsula Enterprise, December 10, 1887

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Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Quarantine, federalTransportation -- Water - Aids to navigationTransportation -- Water - Channel and harbor dredging

The secretary of the treasury in his report to Congress makes the following estimates: For the establishment of a lighthouse and fog signal to mark the lower entrance to Tangier Sound, $25,000; for the purchase of additional land for site and for repairs to the buoy depot at Chincoteague Island, $1,250; for purchase of site for Cape Charles quarantine, Fisherman's Island, $5,000, for wharf at same, $1,500; opening inland water-way from Chincoteague bay to Delaware bay near Lewes, Del., continuing operations $50,000.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Real estate

Mr. John J. Blackstone sold as special commissioner last Thursday, 110 acres of land of William E. Kellam near Locustville for the sum of $3,355.

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Architecture -- Other public buildings

The outer wall of our new clerk's office has been completed, and the work on roof is being rapidly pushed under the supervision of Mr. George R. Nock. It is expected to be finished by the 1st of January, and will be a handsome and stable structure.

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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Commercial constructionInfrastructure -- Commercial - HotelsTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Fraternal ordersFarmers -- Farmers' organizations

Belle Haven.

The new storehouse of Jacob Mears is nearly completed and will be occupied shortly.

Mr. G. L. Doughty left for Baltimore, last Tuesday, for the purpose of purchasing furniture for his hotel of which he will take charge on his return. We bespeak for one so accommodating and congenial a liberal patronage.

At a meeting of Belle Haven Lodge A. O. U. W., last Tuesday, seven candidates were initiated. The membership now is 42, and the largest of that Order on the Eastern. D. D. G. M. Dr. G. T. Truitt, and Bros. Len Mears, T. J. Killman and Jacob Ayres, of Beacon Lodge, were in attendance. A sumptuous supper was served, prepared by Bro. Geo. W. Jacob.

Belle Haven Grange met and organized, over West & Willis' store, last Saturday, with the following officers: -- Geo. H. Adair, master; Wm. T. Johnson, overseer; James C. Fosque, steward; Wm. T. Fleming, assistant steward; Wm. J. Rue, chaplain; Wm. C. Mapp, lecturer; John M. West, secretary and treasurer; Mrs. Maggie Wescott, lady assistant steward; Mrs. H. S. Adair, flora; Mrs. S. Johnson, ceres; Mrs. S. Fleming, pomona; Wm. T. Mears, gatekeeper. There are several applicants for membership.

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Transportation -- Railroad - Personal injuryTransportation -- Railroad - FreightInfrastructure -- Public - Government : MilitaryMoral -- Other violent crimeInfrastructure -- Public : Fire companiesMoral -- Murder

Cape Charles City.

Mr. George Sprague, fireman on the N.Y., P. & N. R.R. was killed one day last week, while working in the shifting yard of the P. & R. R.R., by attempting to get on the shifter as it was going by him. He slipped and fell and the engine passed over his body.

There is a big through freight going over N. Y., P. & N. R.R., to points North. The freights on Saturday and Sunday were especially large.

The mayor of Cape Charles called a special meeting of the city council last Tuesday for the purpose of taking into consideration the advisability of raising and equipping a military company for the protection of the people of the place. It was decided to organize a company at once, and application will be made to the State authorities for a sufficient number of arms. The council are determined to spare neither money nor means to crush out all such lawlessness as has occurred at times for the past few months. It has been not only a source of great annoyance, but has caused the citizens much uneasiness, as they feel that life or property are greatly endangered. The council also offered a reward for the arrest and conviction of the party who so seriously injured a deputy sergeant in the affray of Friday night last. Steps were also taken to organize a fire company, and a committee appointed to perfect arrangements for organization, and investigate the price of some kind of fire apparatus. A subscription list has already been started to assist in purchasing the apparatus.

A fatal affray occurred here on Friday night of last week which resulted in the shooting of one Dick Wilson, colored in the abdomen, who has since died of the wound. The facts in the case were as follows: The town sergeant in attempting to break up a disorderly crowd assembled in front of Parson's restaurant, arrested two negroes who were engaged in a fight, and called to his assistance Mr. McCubbin a merchant of the place. In taking the negroes to the lockup some two hundred yards distant, the sergeant and his assistant were followed by the crowd of negroes who first threatened to rescue the negroes and one of them finally struck McCubben with a brick, knocking him senseless. -- The sergeant went to the assistance of McCubben and in the affray, shot as he supposed the man whom he thought had struck McCubben, but which proved to be afterwards one of the negroes which he had had in custody. The citizens of Cape Charles generally agree that the sergeant was justified in using his pistol. McCubben was seriously injured and fears are entertained that his wound will prove fatal. The Commonwealth's attorney of Northampton will investigate the matter, witnesses having been summoned for that purpose.

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Sea -- Finfish - Methods : Purse and other netsTourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Waterfowl and shorebirdSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : SeasideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : PricesTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - ResortsTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Second homesTransportation -- Water - Channel and harbor dredgingDisease

Chincoteague.

Our market has been bounteously supplied with fish caught in fyke nets this winter, at the same prices as in the summer season.

Our watermen report great improvement in depth of water on our bar of late. A short time ago there was only 8 feet of water "at the top of the tide," and 6 feet "at low water,' now the depth is 3 or 4 feet more.

Our sportsmen never had finer opportunities for indulging their taste "in sporting," The bay is literally covered with ducks and hundreds of them, besides scores of wild geese, which stop here on their way to winter quarters, South, are being killed daily.

The wishes of our oystermen for war prices for oysters are being realized this season. From 200 to 400 barrels are being shipped daily, and the returns for them are $3 for culls and $4.50 for primes. The speculators pay for them $1 to $1.20 per bushel and give the shippers a third of the profits. Our channel is filled with oyster boats and our town with commission merchants.

Dr. J. W. Fields has generously donated to Mr. Gracey W. Sharretts several acres of land on Assateague Island, recently in litigation between them. Mr. Sharretts will have several handsome cottages erected soon on same.

Chicken pox prevails among the children of the island.

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Transportation -- Railroad - Stations and sidingsTourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Waterfowl and shorebirdTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - ResortsInfrastructure -- Public : Churches

Greenbackville.

The Pennsylvania R.R. Co., contemplates the building of a new and more commodious passenger platform than the one now in use at Franklin City, in the near future.

A goodly number of sportsmen from the North are now in Accomac county. They have headquarters at different points in the upper part of the county, stopping at New Church, Horntown, Franklin City and Chincoteague Island. It is said the sportsmen now enjoying the hospitality of the county are a quiet and gentlemanly set of visitors, and that they are very literal in their dealings with our citizens. Such being the facts, they should by all means be encouraged to visit the county, and every means not inconsistent with self preservation and the law, should be extended to them, to make their visit pleasant.

The protracted meeting which has been in progress at this place for several weeks, still continues. Large crowds of people attend nightly, but the same interest is not manifested in the revival exercises as on many former occasions.