May 19, 1905

Now, as the season advances, the wild flora begins to put forth its attractiveness; dogwood has been showing its white flowers for a week, and the wild honeysuckle is enchanting to the eyes of the girls who go into the woods to romp and gather these beauties. The oak is in leaf and the staunch old hickory is again enlivening for another year’s campaign. The pine is sprouting its cones, and it is an interesting study to watch the developments of these coniferae as they progress day by day in their order of maturing. The blue bells are numerous along the hillside and all the other congenital wild flowers are abundant and pretty.

Sometime back, a committee appointed by the Milton M. E. Church to dispose of the abandoned M. E. Church in Cave Neck, gave the latter building to Peter Dutton, of J., on whose land it is located. The windows of this building are of four lights 14 in. x 82 in. Some weeks ago some miscreants, or perhaps, more than one, broke all the lights in these windows except one. Pure downright cussedness, must have led them to the deed.

Charles Veasey was arrested on Saturday and confined in the lockup for inhumanely beating a horse, and cussing a man who expostulated with him for doing the deed. He was subsequently fined $2.00 and costs, amounting to $4.60, which was paid.

A jolly party from Lewes came to Milton in a naphtha launch last week.

P. J. Hart is building an annex to his hotel property, 18 ft. by 22 ft., to be used as a dining room.

Captain Charles Burris and wife have gone on a trip south.

All of the small trees that were growing on the bank along the west end of Lavinia’s Road, have been cut down.

While coming into town last Thursday morning, the horses of William Reed took fright and ran down Union Street to Front, where they were stopped. No damage was done.

It looks as though the M. D. & V. R. R. Co. intends to do business this summer, if we may judge by the quantity of ties it is putting along the road to replace the rotten ones under the track.

Ike Bailey was arrested on Thursday morning for drunkenness and cursing Mayor Fosque. He was locked up until the afternoon, when he was arraigned before the Mayor and fined. The amount of fine and costs were $4.00 which was paid by Captain Frank E. Carey.

J. Polk Davidson had his steam launch framed. It is 24 ft. long, 9 ft. beam, and 4 ft. hold. He is building it on the north shore of the Broadkiln, near the river cannery.

Milton Public Schools closed on Friday. There was some services by the larger children. Professor Edward Bacon blew the cornet, and the smaller children sang.

Rev. Charles A Behringer, the P. E. minister, is much interested in baseball, and takes an active part in the game.

Large quantities of square lumber (oak) for car building, is being shipped from the station for the P. W. & B. R. R. Co.

David Dickerson has a chute built from his hennery across his lot to the meadow, north of Magnolia Street. It is made of narrow lumber with a top. Through this chute the chickens pass from the hennery to the meadow–which is wired around–without injuring the lot, and without any trouble in driving them. This is genius; and a good idea.

Mr. George Scatts and wife, of Philadelphia, have been visiting Theodore E. Primrose and family. Mrs. Scatts is a niece of Mr. Primrose.

Congressman-elect Dr. Burton was in town on Saturday.

Mr. J. D. Vincent, engaged in Wilmington, is visiting his family.

Thomas Spencer, tenant of William H. Chandler’s farm, tells us he will have about one-fourth of a crop of pears. He states that a part of the trees, whose buds were killed by the late frosts, are blooming again. He thinks that if all of the peaches now on the trees were to mature, he would not have one hundred baskets.

On Saturday at 4.30 o’clock, we counted sixty-two carriages and other vehicles with teams attached, in the lower part of the town.

The next Sussex County Sunday School Convention will be held in Milton on October 24th.

Josiah Culver will build a residence on Union Street, near the shirt factory. J. H. Davidson is the contractor.

An inspector was here on Friday for the steamer. She left on Wednesday from Philadelphia to finish her repairs.

We understand the term of E. L. Collins, as Justice-of-the-Peace, expires on the 29th inst., by limitation.

Jerry Mason, colored, died at his home near Ellendale, on Thursday, of consumption, aged 65 years. The funeral was held at his late home on Saturday, and interment was made in the A. M. E. Cemetery near Milton. Deceased was raised by Joseph McColley, and was for many years a sexton of Laws Church, in Kent County. S. J. Wilson & Son, undertakers.

On Sunday the Broadkiln Bible Society met at the M. E. Church and elected the following delegates to attend the Sussex County Bible Society, which held its session at Frankford on Thursday: Captain G. E. Megee and Mrs. S. J. .Wilson; alternates, Mrs. G. E. Megee, J. H. Davidson. There was thirty dollars raised and the following made life members of the society: Mrs. Lydia Megee, Frank Outten, J. L. Black.

During the storm the Sunday evening the cottage of Albert Davidson on Broadkiln Beach was struck by lightning and entirely consumed.

Another terrific storm occurred here about 6 o’clock on Monday afternoon and continued alternately through the night. During the early evening hail fell as large as marbles. The dwelling on the farm of Mrs. Mary Fox, near town, and in tenure of George Postles, was struck by lightning and badly damaged. A young man employed on the farm was knocked down, but uninjured. In North Milton the wind was of a cyclonic character, twisting off peach and apple trees. It also blew the large bay house of Thomas Atkins down, and committed other pranks too numerous to mention.