November 6, 1908

“O, who’s been here since I’ve been gone!”[i] After two weeks of unalloyed pleasure in Kent, we are at home again; and in order to continue the thread of our news, when we broke off, it will be necessary for us to relate some things that have happened during our absence. What we consider the most notable event was the anniversary of the birth of Captain Henry Hudson. This gentleman was ninety-one years old on the 25th of last month, and he is as hale and hearty as many men of fifty. He takes plenty of exercise, is of robust form and erect carriage, and will no doubt live to cross the century line. We hope he may.[ii]

Estate office, Union Street, undated, including a a pool hall and real estate office. Capt. Henry Hudson is standing under the Choice of Milton Real Estate Brokers sign, at right.
Businesses along Union Street, undated, including a a pool hall and real estate office. Capt. Henry Hudson is standing under the Choice of Milton Real Estate Brokers sign, at right.

The greatest sight that attracted our attention on our arrival home was the water having leaked out of the upper and lower Lake Fanganzyki. The cause of this can be attributed to the Wagamon Brothers putting a new flume and wings to the wash gates at their flour mill.

The two story porch at the corner building of the Ponder Block, fronting on Front and Federal Streets, has been removed and another, and better one has been built.

Mrs. Carrie Burris has the tenant building she is enlarging, on Chestnut Street, enclosed.

Martin Chandler has put a wire fence around his property on Lavinia Street.

D. M. Conwell has the annex to his dwelling enclosed, on Federal Street.

Jehu Clifton is building a residence on Broad Street, 15ft x 22ft, front building; 15ft x 15ft, back building.

Prof. W. G. Fearing is repainting his home residence on Union Street north.

William Fowler formerly of Milton is about to sell his property in Frederica and will probably remove to his “native hearth”—Milton, the Queen of Sussex.

Mrs. Jane Sharp has had her residence repainted on Federal Street; and Charles Sharp is having his, on the same street, repainted. G. B. Atkins is in charge of the two last-mentioned jobs.

The town supervisor has been busy during the past two weeks: Lavinia Street has been straightened; with a splendid sidewalk on the left hand, as she goes from town. The thing, spoken of some weeks ago, has been laid to drain the water that stands during a rainy spell in the depression at the confluence of Manship Avenue with Chestnut Street.

William Johnson has the foundation laid for a residence on Magnolia Street.

Joseph Walls the butcher has built a house for the manufacture of scrapple and sausage.

Walter and William Crouch have bought a piece of ground on Front Street, opposite the Times office; also the building that was used as a freight house when the steamer was running here. The latter they will remove the piece of ground, and fit it up for the Times office and a shoe and harness shop.

J. Polk Davidson has the second barge he is building at Carey’s Landing framed up.

From the above it will be seen the business is on the boom in Milton, in almost all departments.

J. Handy Prettyman, in his lot on Chestnut Street, has several thousand cabbage plants that look fine. These he will soon relegate to his hot house for the winter, and the early spring will find him ready to realize the adage, “The early bird catches the worm.”

The shirt factory is closed until after the political campaign is over.

The third Annual Convention of the Broadkiln Hundred Sunday School association was held at Beaver Dam M. P. Church on last Tuesday afternoon and evening. A fine program was rendered.

Mrs. William Fosque, who spent the summer at Atlantic City, has returned home.

Mrs. Eli L. Collins has been visiting her children and other friends in Philadelphia.

Mrs. Winfred R. Wright, of Denton, Md., is the guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. N. W. White.

James Waples has raised his dwelling on Front Street near the branch to a height that will defy any ordinary storm tide.

At the Democrat meeting held in School Hall on Thursday evening the 29th ult., J. Ponder Darby of Philadelphia, a former Miltonian, was one of the many speakers. At a similar meeting on Tuesday evening previous, in front of the Ponder House, a bunch of young girls by their actions is said to have made it very annoying to the speaker. We have been handed the names of these misses, who are mostly well-grown school girls, for publication, but w refrain from so doing; and as the political meetings are now over, the like will not occur again soon. These misses are not yet on the down grade, but they are on the borderline, and their parents will do well to establish a protectorate over them.

C. F. Jefferson of near Prime Hook has recently lost two horses, one four years old, the other seventeen. He has our sympathy.

Hallowe’en was celebrated by a masquerade Ball in School Hall. The Ushers Union of the M. E. Church held a social in Masonic Temple, and many mummers were on the streets, in unique and grotesque costumes.

The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was administered at the M. E. Church on Sunday morning and at the M. P. Church on Sunday evening. Revival services commenced at Zion M. E. Church on Sunday evening, and owing to the absence of the Rev. McGilton from Milton, Prod. Horace Hastings, principal of the Public Schools, delivered an address on “Temperance” at the M. E. Church.

A water closet has been introduced at the station of the D. M. & V. R. R. As this is certainly an innovation, we advise all who may see it to speak in the highest praise of it, and the powers that made it possible.

The same old leak caused another cave in, of the sidewalk at the iron bridge on Sunday morning. It was repaired on Monday; but if not done better than heretofore it will cave in again.

Rev. C. H. Atkins preached the sermon preceding the administration of the Eucharist at the M. E. Church on Sunday morning.

Last Sunday night is thought to have been the coldest of the season. There was ice on Monday morning and frozen ground.

Thomas E. Clendaniel died at his home in Slaighter Neck on Sunday of Bright’s Disease, aged 70 years and 7 months. Funeral services were held at Slaughter Neck M. E. Church on Wednesday afternoon by the Rev. Cochran of Lincoln and burial made in the cemetery nearby. S. J. Wilson & Son undertakers.

Fannie Pettyjohn, wife of Arthur Pettyjohn, and daughter of Thomas […] died near Milton on Sunday evening of typhoid pneumonia, aged 44 years, 9 months and 19 days. Funeral at Beaver Dam M. P. Church on Thursday afternoon by the Rev. Thomas of Georgetown, and sepulture made in the adjoining cemetery by S. J. Wilson & Son.

There were 740 persons registered on the five registration days in Broadkiln Hundred. Seven of these were eliminated from the list by the Court of Appeals., leaving 733 legal voters in the First Election District of the Tenth Representative District of this county. A fairer election day never dawned, than last Tuesday; and a slower set of election officers never encumbered a polling place that these who geld the Broadkiln election. It was 9 o’clock when the polls opened and with all the disadvantages that were encountered, all that presented themselves were enabled to cast their votes, before the polls were closed. 694 votes were cast. The results are not known to us at this time. There was the usual crowd of heterogeneous humanity that is always so much in evidence on Election Day, but is seldom seen in town ant any other time. The dispositions of the people and the weather appeared to harmonize. There was no fussing nor fighting ever disagreeable understanding of any kind up to the writing of this letter. All honor to Milton, and Broadkiln Hundred.

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[i] Probably a reference to an English folk song, The Frog In The Well, of which many versions have been sung and recorded.

[ii] In actuality, Capt. Hudson (1816 – 1912) died a little short of the century mark. His death was the result the inability to recover from a fall.