December 2, 1910

The morning of Thanksgiving Day was as pretty as one need desire to see. The day was not generally observed in Milton. The bank was closed, as was also many places of business. The post office was open long enough for the distribution of the mails and those persons who had any work under way kept at it regardless of Thanksgiving. A service was held in the morning at the M. E. Church, conducted by the Rev. Frank Holland, the Milton M. E. minister, assisted by the Rev. Benj. Bryan of Harbeson. Mr. Holland preached a Thanksgiving sermon relating the origin of the day and dwelling on many points that were interesting to his hearers. He spoke of the Christian position this country holds in the world, of its enlightenment, and of the many causes for which we have to be thankful. If we are a judge, the sermon was an entertaining and good one and well chosen. There was a fairly good congregation and $6.66 was the collection which was divided between the two churches for the benefit of the poor of the town.

Miss Lydia, daughter of Postmaster and Mrs. John L. Black, who is teaching school at Bear Station, came from the Dover Institute on Wednesday evening accompanied by a coterie of young ladies. On Thanksgiving Day the enjoyed the many places of interest in the town; and on Thursday evening the Misses Lydia and Letitia Black gave a social in their honor, which was largely attended by the young ladies and gentlemen of the town.

“Leaves have their time to fall,” so wrote Mrs. Dorothea Hemans, but the women of Milton think that during the past two weeks they have had all the time their own and have been falling almost continually. However, the trees are nearly denuded, and in a short time this fun will cease.

Captain Frank Lacey has had the sidewalk in front of his vacant lot on Federal Street nicely cleaned off. Others will do well to take notice of this handiwork of Martin Chandler.

Mrs. Elizabeth Fowler, of Philadelphia, and Mrs. Avarilla Behringer of Swedesboro, N. J., are the guests of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. King.

Horace Hastings, a former principal of the Milton Public Schools, but now of Delmar, spent Thanksgiving in Milton.

The floor of the upper room above William Clements’ carriage house, on Bay Avenue, collapsed on Wednesday by being overloaded with too much corn. The carriage beneath was wrecked.

Samuel Reynolds, of near town, appears to be in bad luck. Two weeks ago a lot of fodder and hay was burnt, from an unknown origin; last week he lost a calf and on Thursday a cow died.

The canneries are still shipping this year’s pack of tomatoes.

W. T. Collins is making improvements to his property near town.

Letters of administration on the estate of the late Horace O. Lockerman of Drawbridge have been granted to his widow.

A citizen meeting was held in the school hall on Wednesday evening, and the need and advisability of instituting a system of water works in town was discussed. A Mr. Denning, who is installing a system at Bridgeville, was present and gave to the meeting some points regarding cost of construction.

Nothing definite was arrived at. A committee was appointed to secure information on the […] from the towns having such systems and [reconvene] another time. No definite date for another meeting has been set; there may be one called […] there may not be another called at all.

[….three paragraphs obscured…] John White, colored, expects to occupy it in the coming year.

Waples & King have completed their invoice, and Charles Fisher is now in possession of this store, corner Federal and Wharton Streets.

Rev. Frank Holland preached to the Jr. O. U. A. M. at the M. P. Church on Sunday morning. The order was present in a body.

In the afternoon a meeting for men only was held in the lodge room of this organization and addressed by the Rev. Frank Holland and others. Until this meeting was held, we supposed its intent to be the reclamation and uplifting of some of the lodge’s members, which, by the way, is greatly needed, but we have since learned it to be an idea of the Rev. Frank Holland, and its nature and object to be for the general good of all men. The next one will be held on Sunday afternoon, December 11th, and they will be continued on every other Sunday afterward in the Jr. O. U. A. M. lodge room on Front Street.

David Wiltbank has built an addition to his barn on Hazzard Alley.

Martha B. Smith died at her home in Lincoln on Monday morning of paralysis. Funeral services were held in the Lincoln M. E. Church on Wednesday at noon, and interment made at Barratt’s Chapel by S. J. Wilson & Son.

Another active octogenarian has passed away. Curtis C. Reed died on Monday morning of diabetes after a few days illness, aged 33 years. Funeral services were held at Reynold’s M. P. Church on Wednesday afternoon by the Rev. Frank Holland, and sepulture made in the adjoining cemetery by J. R. Atkins. Deceased was an active, energetic man up to within a few days of his death, and will be much missed in the community around Reynold’s Church.

Miss Eva Smith has had the sidewalk in front of her property on North Union Street repaired, and the extension to the bridge has also been filled in with dirt, and on Tuesday morning the walking over this course to have been appreciated should have been tried.

On Saturday a quartet of professional gentlemen came from Wilmington to take a gunning spell in Sussex. They arrived in Milton by the evening train and brought their stimulants with them. A part of this was stolen on Sunday, and on Sunday evening early the thief went back after t5he remainder and was recognized, and ran out of the house. On Monday he came back and offered to pay the bill, and was told “we do not take money from a thief.” Two of these visitors are attorneys, and say they can put this man to the whipping post. Will they do it? This is merely a brief statement of the event.

Three years ago John Crouch had a watch stolen from his shop. A Baltimore man working in Goodwin Bros. & Conwell cannery was accused of the theft. The firm wanted all the men they had, and although the man denied the theft the watch was gone, and Captain George A. Goodwin paid Mr. Crouch $20.00 for the loss of the watch and chain to keep the man at work. The man worked one day after this and left. On last Sunday afternoon a colored man who lives in the same house the alleged stealer of the watch lived in, crawl under the house after a runaway chicken and found a watch and chain. Mr. Crouch says it’s not the one he lost.

Samuel Fithian, of Salem, N. J., has bought the good will and stock of Mayor John U. Jones’ cigar and tobacco store, and will take possession about the first of December. He will reside in the property of Mrs. Mollie Lingo, on North Union Street.

Elizabeth Dutton, relict of the late Harry Dutton, died at Lewes on Tuesday, aged 89 years, 3 months and 6 days. Funeral services at White’s Chapel on Thursday afternoon by the Rev. Buyke, and interment in adjacent cemetery by S. J. Wilson & Son.