Peninsula Enterprise, November 28, 1891
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Watermen -- Watermen's organizations
Dr. Frank Fletcher and Mr. George W. Glenn, were appointed at the convention in Hampton, last week, as delegates from Accomac to look after the oyster interests of the county, in city of Richmond, when Legislature meets. Those having suggestions to make should communicate with them.
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Tourists and sportsmen -- Field sports - Hunting : Personal injury
Wesley, the son of Mr. W. A. Bloxom, proprietor of the hotel at Locustville, fell from a tree, while hunting Saturday night, and broke his collar bone.
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Transportation -- Road - Maintenance
At a meeting of the citizens of Keller and vicinity, on last Wednesday, looking to the improvement of the public roads, resolutions were adapted setting forth improvements needed on the roads and the methods of securing same. They arrived too late for publication, this week, but will appear in our next issue.
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Moral -- Other violent crime
The clerk of our county court was notified by the superintendent of the penitentiary, last Saturday, that John Parker, colored, a convict from this county, died November 14th. He was convicted of attempted rape at the November term, 1889, and sentenced in accordance with the verdict of the jury to serve the term of three years and six months.
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Farmers -- Farmers' organizations
The announcement is authorized, that, "there will be a called meeting of the County Alliance at Accomac C. H., next Monday.
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Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Lighthouse service
Chincoteague.
Commander Harrington, inspector of 4th Lighthouse district, was here this week, to look after Assateague [Lighthouse] and Killick Shoal Lights, and reports them in proper trim and keepers in good shape.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - HotelsInfrastructure -- Public : Churches
New Church.
Hurley's hotel has been well patronized by sportsmen, since the gunning season opened.
During a revival meeting at our Baptist Church, which has just closed, conducted by Rev. W. W. Wood, fourteen persons professed religion and five of them were baptized by Mr. Wood, at Wagram, last Sunday.
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Fields -- Crops - Other fruitInfrastructure -- Commercial - Real estateSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Planting
Parksley.
A large number of fruit trees are being received at this station from the nurseries by farmers of this vicinity.
Mr. A. D. Shrieves sold this week, 5 acres of land, near Hunting Creek, to Mr. Jas. G. Barnes, at $45 per acre, which but for the oyster industry of that section, would not be worth 45 cents per acre.
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Residential constructionFields -- Livestock - HorsesTransportation -- Road - ConstructionInfrastructure -- Commercial - Residential developmentFields -- Crops - Sweet potatoes : Pricesfields -- Crops - Sweet potatoes : Storage
Pungoteague.
Our building boom continues here despite the hard times. A new dwelling has just been completed for Mr. John W. Joynes.
The Walker Bros. bought Wm. E. Jacobs, the fine horse of Mr. Jos. S. Bull, this week, at the price of about $500.
Mr. L. W. Groton, Onancock, will open a street through his property here, soon , opposite L. H. Ames & Son's store, and divide the same into building lots, which he will offer for sale.
No part of the county, perhaps, has been more depressed by the low price of potatoes this season, than this. Hundreds of barrels have been put into kilns in this section, waiting a demand which will justify the shipment of them.
The gypsies encamped recently on the suburbs of our town, did a thriving business with the colored brethren and a few of the white people. They told fortunes, taking poultry in exchange, and no barnyard was so well stocked with fowl in this vicinity as their camp was.
Convention of Oystermen.
Watermen -- Watermen's organizationsSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : Legislation
HAMPTON, VA., November 19th --
The Oystermen's Protective Union of Virginia, commenced its session here on yesterday, at 11 a. m., with G. W. Glenn, S. M. W., of Accomac, in the chair, and Jas. E. Anderton, of Accomac, secretary. There were delegates present from all sections of Tidewater, nearly every county being represented. The usual committees were appointed and the convention adjourned to 2:30 p. m. The committee on credentials reported the advisory committees for the ensuing year, and on motion, it was adopted.
After the name of Captain O. A. Browne, of Accomac, was added, a committee to frame a law to submit to the Legislature was appointed, consisting of Messrs. James A. Hall, S. F. Miller, James McMenamin, L. C. Cartlett and J. W. Backus. After several hours of deliberation they made a report, the chairman stating that they deemed it best not to frame any law to press before the Legislature, but to report a platform on which all could stand, and to use every effort to have the recommendations incorporated in a law that would be passed. The report was adopted and was, in substance, as follows:
1. Declaring that the natural rocks should be mapped and recorded and used as a common for oystering by all people of the State, and should not be sold, leased, rented or assigned.
2. Asserting that the occupants of planting ground should have the best possible title given them by the State.
3. That the oyster rocks and planting grounds should be kept separate and distinct, so that one would not encroach on the other.
4. That a 2 1/2 inch culling law should be passed to apply to all, except Eastern side of Accomac and Northampton counties.
5. Denying the right of the State to constitutionally tax the oyster industry, different from all other industries, but expressed a willingness to pay a special tax to keep up a navy to protect the tongers.
6. Dredgers to have same law as now exists.
7. Summer oystering to be stopped.
8. No seed oysters to be taken from the State.
The Sweet Potato.
Fields -- Crops - Sweet potatoes : CultivationFields -- Crops - Sweet potatoes : Quality control
MR.EDITOR -- I have noticed a few articles in your paper of late, on the sweet potatoes and the mode of handling them.
If you will allow me I will make a few remarks. I have grown and shipped sweets from Delaware and Virginia soil, also, I have seen and eaten sweets grown in New Jersey. The appearance and eating quality are quite different -- the appearance being in favor of the Jerseys, the eating quality in favor of Virginia's while the Delaware's have both good appearance and good quality. Sweets grown on our bright sandy land are equal to either Delaware's or Jersey's. The mode of handling makes more difference in the sale of them than anything else. Here, the most of us dig with hoes or plough them out with small plows, thereby cutting and bruising them in such a way that a great many of them are not fit for any use -- then, we put them in barrels with the small and cut ones in the bottom, with large ones on top -- while the Jersey farmers dig with diggers and avoid all cutting and bruising possible, sort them well and put them up in grade, fancy, primes and seconds. They grow them on their light sandy land and so as to have them as bright as possible and good quality, while many of our farmers grow them on low, black or clay land where the quality is not fit for anything, and only help to stock the market with worthless stock, being dark and rough. Now, is it any wonder that Virginia sweets have the lowest standard of any in the country?
I have been growing sweets for market for the last sixteen years, and my experience has taught me, that we should strive for good quality and appearance.
Our mode of shipping is very bad I think. The most of us always try to ship to the highest markets, and most always hit the lowest ones -- we sell to our home speculators when we hear the market is low and ship when we hear it will pay more than our speculators are paying. By this method we are continually depressing the markets, for we are putting our sweets in the hands of two opposing parties, the commission men and the speculators, who of a necessity must cut each other in prices on our own stock to make sales outside of the cities we send them to. The speculator must sell to the buyers in other cities than New York or Baltimore, and the commission men in these two cities must sell to the other cities too, and often they are re-shipped on commission, and if the markets are full they cut in prices.
Our markets on sweets generally stand up well until the buyers begin to buy, then the market is up and down all the time, nearly always the farmers get the down prices.
What we need, is some method, by which we can avoid glutting New York and Baltimore markets, while there is a demand for our trucks in other cities.
I have suggested a plan ( that has been endorsed by several prominent farmers), which we think will greatly avoid glutting the markets and there by give the farmers advantage of the markets as well as the speculators, which I will speak of later.
AN EASTERN SHORE TRUCKER.
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Transportation -- Road - MaintenanceTransportation -- Road - Legislation
To the Citizens of Accomack County.
It is very evident that there is a wide spread dissatisfaction with the present public road system of this county. This is made specially apparent by the resolutions adopted at the last Democratic Convention, by action of the PENINSULA ENTERPRISE, and by the report of the recent meeting held at Atlantic, to discuss the subject. The resolutions adopted by the convention simply demand a change and the use of late mechanical appliances in constructing and keeping in repair the roads. The editorials of the ENTERPRISE also demand a change, and call upon the representatives of this county in the Legislature to make it. The meeting at Atlantic alone made any suggestions as to what changes were wanted. It is expecting too much of the members of the Legislature, to think that they can draft a road law to give satisfaction to the people of the county, when the only suggestion made is for a change. All changes are not advances in the right direction. It is expecting us to make bricks without straw, if we are not told what the people want. With a view to the passage of a new and suitable road law, which would embody the views of a majority of the citizens of this county, I would respectfully make the following suggestions: That the voters meet at each voting precinct of this county and pass resolutions setting out their views as to what road legislation they desire. That at the same time they appoint delegates, say one for every one hundred registered voters; to meet at some central point on a certain day. That the Board of Supervisors, the attorney for the Commonwealth and the county Judge, (officers especially conversant with the road needs of the county,) be invited to meet with these delegates. That this convention of delegates and officers agree upon provisions of a law. That the county Judge and attorney for the Commonwealth draft such a law and forward it to the members of the Legislature. If this is done in time I will agree that it shall pass the Senate. Unless some concert of action is taken to express the views and wants of the people, there will probably be no change. If my suggestions are acted upon, I have no doubt the bill which may be forwarded to Richmond, will be the law of this county in a very short time. I make these suggestions only with a view of obtaining a road law which will be acceptable to the people.
I am with respect,
J. W. G. BLACKSTONE.
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Transportation -- Road - MaintenanceTransportation -- Road - Legislation
An article of Senator Blackstone in this issue merits the attention of all interested in the improvement of our roads. The Senator is right in saying, "that it is expecting too much of the members of the Legislature, to think that they can draft a road law to give satisfaction to the people of the county when the only suggestion made is a change." He is right, too, in suggesting that the people meet to find out what they want, and his call for the officials to be present, is, too, equally correct -- but to that list we would suggest that the names of the Senator and our other representatives be also added. Indeed, as representatives of the people, we suggest that it is their duty, perhaps, to be present at such a meeting, to hear the suggestions to be made for a road law, to participate in its deliberations, to assist in drafting their resolutions, if they would intelligently arrive at their wishes and be prepared to have a road law enacted in accordance with their behests.
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Infrastructure -- Public - Government : Postal service
The citizens of Pocomoke have, we are advised, forwarded a petition to the railroad authorities, praying for an increase of our mail facilities, and thereby have put the people of Accomac under lasting obligations to them, and deserve their hearty thanks. If their prayer is granted, a special mail train, which now stops at Pocomoke City, will run through to Keller, and remain there at night -- an arrangement which would give us one mail about three hours earlier in the afternoon, and enable us to forward it North several hours earlier in the morning. Their prayer should prevail and without delay -- but the train should not stop at Keller, but run through to Cape Charles [City].
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Infrastructure -- Commercial - Groceries
Next Monday is court day and the public will find that Bundick's large fat oysters in every style will be harder to beat than ever before. Meals at all hours, so don't wait 'till court adjourns, but call early and avoid the rush. He has also lowered his prices on fresh beef, &c.