One of the most popular men of Union Street, north, was until recently annoyed by a certain young gentleman “from the country,” hitching his horse on Sunday evenings and putting himself and cleaning away the natural expectoration the next morning. The gentleman of the first part had his hitching post dug up and removed. On the following Sunday evening the gentleman of the second part came in town and essayed to find his familiar hitching post. The gentleman of the first part was on the qui vive and said, “Look ‘ere, I’ve hired two men to dig up my hitching post. I’m tired of your insults! If you want to hitch your hoss, drive down the alley, there’s room there.”
Expatiating on this question we may say it is not only private houses that are invaded by the stench of teams and their natural deposit, when hitched in front of their residences, but the effluvia that invades the bedrooms of their homes is nauseating after the persons have retired.
It is admitted, people from the country must have a place for their teams. There is twenty-six feet allowed—if I am correct—for passageway on the streets of Milton; yet on Saturday afternoon or other business days, the teams hitching along the streets are in such condition that a runaway would telescope all teams on either side of the way, and no jury in the county could locate the damage. Apparently there should be something done to mitigate this evil. People must come to town. Our business interests demand this. And yet the olfactories of the 20th century demand a better regime than of old! There is plenty of room for Milton visitors and Milton customers. Shall we suggest, first it is the town’s business; second, if the town is so mercenary as to want to drive trade form our midst, then the merchants should come forward and do their duty to themselves. The writer has no “ax to grind” in this, but there never was a better portentous meaning than “coming events cast their shadows before us.” It has been seen and will be again.
Mrs. Mary G. Smithers dies at her home on Atlantic Street, after a protracted illness, on Tuesday, June 7th, aged 77 years. Funeral services were held at her late home on Thursday by the Rev. R. T. Coursey, and sepulture made in the M. E. Cemetery in this town. Deceased leaves to survive her one son, William Smithers, Esq., attorney-at-law of Philadelphia, and three daughters, Mrs. Mary Lank, of Milton; Mrs. Annie Rehiner,, of New York; Mrs. Fannie Cook, of Chicago, besides several grandchildren, and a host of friends. The children were all in attendance at the funeral.
The recently organized “Milton Merchandise Company” has changed hands. F. B. Carey and Charles Darby will be the future proprietors. Both are young men, but retired captains, and we predict for them a successful career.
Schooner Ella Call, Captain Warrington, arrived last week with 98 tons of crushed stone for Milton streets, and the work of digging and filling chug holes has been going on ever since under the management of our efficient officer, Bailiff Robinson.
The letter that appeared in the Chronicle of last week, “On the Pacific Coast,” written from San Francisco, Cal., by Joseph Burchenal, formerly of Frederica, and addressed to J. B. Anderson, of that town, was interesting reading to the Milton correspondent; and made doubly so by his acquaintanceship with Mr. Burchenal, the writer of the letter, and with Mr. J. B. Anderson, of Frederica, the addressee. I remembered Mr. Burchenal when I was a boy, and he returned from his first cruise around the world. I was captivated by his magnificent physique. And when I heard him relate how he had picked the gold from the crevices of the rocks “on the Pacific Coast,” how he had ridden over Peru’s precipitous mountain passes on mule back, to the silver mines of South America, I was entranced. I have heard him tell of the beauties of a storm at sea, as but few other men could do it from the standpoint of experience. His powers of oratory are grand, and at the time of which I write his knowledge was mostly the result of experience. But when I heard him tell of his having stood with a few companions in the opening of his tent—either in Australia or California—and with drawn revolver, dare any of the other nationalities to fire on the little “Stars and Stripes” he had raised over his improvised domicile, then my youthful heart beat with rapture. Mr. Burchenal is a man of remarkable attainments to the writer’s knowledge, and the writer knows comparatively little about him of late. The last time I met him was in Dover, when he was prothonotary of Kent County. We had not, at that time, met for several years, and we had a good talk together, Mr. J. B. Anderson, the addressee of Mr. Burchenal’s letter, has been an acquaintance of the writer since early boyhood. Ten years ago he was the executor of my father’s estate, and I consider him among the best of Frederica’s citizens. If Mr. Joseph Burchenal shall ever see this letter, he will know whom “D. A. C.” is, the former little boy of Frederica.
Mrs. Ann Baynum died at her home on Broad Street early on Monday morning, aged 79 years. The funeral was held at her late residence on Tuesday afternoon by the Rev. McCready, and interment made in the M. E. cemetery by J. R. Atkins.
Elizabeth Abbott, aged 17 years and 4 months, died at the home of her uncle near Union Church on Sunday. Funeral services were held at Union Church on Monday, and interment made in adjoining cemetery. Rev. Kelso preached the sermon, and S. J. Wilson & Son did the rest.
Post office inspector Maxwell paid Milton an official visit on Tuesday.
On Saturday evening the sad intelligence of the death of R. Davis Carey, president and one of the founders of the Carey Brothers Wall Paper Manufacturing Co., died at his home in Glenside near Philadelphia, last Saturday after a short illness. Mr. Carey was born in Milton, Delaware and went to Philadelphia in 1858. After attending the public schools he entered into partnership with Jacob Hollowbush in the firm of Hollowbush and Carey, and later in 1883 this firm was succeeded by Carey Brothers and Grovemeyer. In 1881 Mr. Carey with his brother, the late Theodore C. Carey, established the wallpaper manufacturing business. Mr. Carey was also largely interested in the cattle business and irrigation projects of Wyoming with his brothers, former United States Senator Joseph M. Carey and Dr. John F. Carey, both of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Besides his brothers, two sisters, who made their home with him, survive. Interment was made at Milton on Thursday.