April 14, 1911

The peach orchard of W. H. Chandler, in charge of Juniper Chase, is a sight to attract the attention of anyone, having never seen the like before. There are 1500 orchard heaters in the orchard, made of sheet iron, and having a holding capacity of three gallons each. And this is estimated to burn twelve hours. Therefore the burners will consume 4500 gallons of oil in twelve hours—or in one night. There is now a tank car at the railroad station, capacity 8000 gallons and two more are expected this week. The oil is being hauled from the station in a tank to one of the orchards, where a reservoir of brick, concrete lined, has been built, and where the oil is stored for filling the heaters. It is estimated that fifty of these heaters cover one acre of ground. The peach orchard of Mr. Chandler is at present said to be in good condition, and the prospect for a good crop is very flattering. These burner—or heaters—have been fired this week. The last two nights, Sunday and Monday, there have been big frosts; but it is thought no damage is done to the fruit. Mr. Chase has also two hot-houses, which are to be used for sweet potatoes. This farm is the most of it—within the incorporated limits of town, and has been used in part as a fruit farm for many years. Last year and the year previous, the old peach orchards were pulled up and the present orchards are of young trees, having been in bearing but two years. There is also 700 Keiffer pear trees on this farm, which bear a good crop nearly every year. This adventure of the Chandler’s, while by no means news in some other states, is a decided departure from the “old ruts” in lower Delaware. There are many persons who think we should let Nature have her course, and not try to divert her from established custom. Indeed, we hear a person remark the other day in substance: “I don’t believe its right to do what Mr. Chandler’s doing. If the Lord don’t want a peach crop, he’ll kill it; and if he does want us to have one, he’ll send one without us trying to kill the frost by artificial means.

At a recent session of the A. M. E. Quarterly Conference, the Rev. D. J. Blackston was asked to return as pastor of the church in North Milton for another year, subject to appointment by the A. M. E. Conference, which meets in Philadelphia on May 10th.

If Town Council will put five hundred dollars more on the piece of street it spent that amount on last year, we think it may succeed in ruining it completely. It is now a pretty mess, and has been during the later spell of wet weather; and possibly will continue to be unless the dirt, or clay, is taken off the stone, that the water may run off.

Frederick Pepper has removed into the building he has recently built near town. John Wright, having purchased the building he recently occupied has removed therein; and Kames Clendaniel has removed into the building vacated by Mr. Wright—the Wagamon property near the lake.

The Cave Neck school—Columbus Welch teacher—closed on Wednesday the 5th.

There ae some sad events that occur in everyday life, and one of the saddest was witnessed in this town lately. A woman who had been the wife of three legitimate husbands, and had lived in affluent circumstances, died in a home in a city not far distant, and was brought to this town for burial, and there were hardly enough people attending the funeral to put her in the ground. Such is life!

And also not long ago there was a woman, deceased, in an adjoining township, and the relatives of the dead one refused to give her age. Was there an insurance company mixed up in this refusal?

And again, we knew of an undertaker in another town to be given an old shawl by the friends of the deceased woman, to put in the bottom of the casket wherein the dead was to rest, for some mysterious purpose. Was there superstition in this?

There have been nineteen carloads of charcoal shipped from Lavinia Switch, the product of the wood from the tract opposite Lavinia Woods. These cars average 1300 bushels to the car. There ae three more puts, and the last, already burned and ready for shipment; but as a pit only turns out 150 bushels, this will await shipment with another lot. The business will now go to near Ingram’s Branch, where another lot of wood is to be burned, and this coal will also be shipped from Lavinia Switch.

The sidewalk in front of Harry Robinson’s store has been repaired; and other steps have taken the place of the chunks that were used before.

The Board of Health has advertised our town’s advantages on the business envelopes of merchants, free of charge; to be sent forth to the world on the result gathered after many days.

H. R. Draper has rented the office on Front Street, lately occupied by Stephen McPherson, jeweler, and has fitted it up for an office for himself.

Mr. Draper is getting his cannery renovated and overhauled, preparatory to the coming tomato pack.

Irvin King, late of the firm of Waples and King, hardware merchants, has secured a position with the Oliver Plow Co., to canvass this Peninsula.

William Wharton, after spending ten weeks with Green Brittingham in lower Broadkiln, has returned to Milton and is engaged at the Jester house.

The town is now overstocked with turnip greens, and they are a drag on the market at three cents a pound. The cause is as follows: For the last several years, much of the clover seed sown has been mixed with turnip seed. Consequently at this season clover fields ae full, as the farmers want them to be, with turnip greens. The farmers give these to the colored women, or to anyone else, who will pull them out; and the women cut and peddle them around from house to house, and of course sell them, while the merchants’ turnip greens bought from his farmer customers decay on his hands.

Charles Darby, of the firm of Carey & Darby, is convalescent from an attack of measles.

Mrs. Fred Welch, of Philadelphia, is a Milton visitor.

Thomas Ingram has had balustrades put around and in front of his porch.

The M. E. church proposes to have another organ, and a meeting of the congregation is called for Tuesday evening to decide what kind of an organ it shall be.

Great quantities of ties are distributed along the railroad track west of the Milton station. The company is repairing its road bed, preparatory to the excursion season.

By virtue of the order of the Levy Court of Sussex County, Emile Pepper, collector of taxes for the South representative District, has notified the D. M. & V. R. R. Co., by poster on its office, under date of April 1st, that unless the taxes due the county and school district are settled within ten days from date, he will distrain on the personal property of said railroad company, at the Milton depot, and collect the taxes, with costs, from the goods as per inventory attached to the poster. The indebtedness is, county, poor and road taxes for 1909 –10, $48.77; and for school taxes for 1909 –10, $42.00. The ten days expired on Monday.

There is a band of gypsies encamped near Waple’s Mill. Said to be the same one that were encamped near Lavinia in the winter.

H. K. Wagamon’s property, near the old saw mill site, is being painted by Smith & Outten.

Mrs. A. G. Rought and son Roland, after spending three weeks in New York, returned home on Saturday.

Mrs. Charles Darby is quite ill at her home on Walnut Street. On Monday a former physician of the family was telegraphed to come to see her. He arrived on Monday evening; and after diagnosing the case frankly acknowledged he did not know what ailed the patient. He was taken to Harrington to meet the 3 o’clock train on Tuesday morning, and returned to Camden, N. J.

On Sunday evening, Chief-of-Police Mustard of this town, received a telegram from the chief-of-Police of New York City, stating that James W. Johnson, son of Nathaniel T. Johnson, of Milton, was dead. Nothing further was said. On Monday mail a letter was received by his friends from his brother, stating the boy had committed suicide by inhaling gas and no cause us assigned for the act. He was 18 years old, a “bell boy” at a hotel, and boarded with his brother No. 210, 127th Street. The remains were brought to Milton on the noon train of Tuesday. Funeral services were held at the A. M. E. Church in North Milton, by the Rev. D. J. Blackston, and interment made in the A. M. E. Cemetery, near town, by S. J. Wilson & Son.

Timely discovery prevented a fire at the home of C. E. Thackeray on Tuesday morning. By some means clothing in a stairway caught fire, and when extinguished two or three dresses and some lingerie were consumed. It is supposed that in coming downstairs, the clothing must have become ignited from the lamp in the hands of someone.

The supervisor of Streets is this week taking up and relaying a part of the pavement belonging to Mrs. Emma Burton, in the burnt district.