January 21, 1910

Whenever a business as well as a person is stimulated above the normal there must of necessity be a corresponding reaction. If the reader has any doubt of this he has only to contrast the present condition of business with that of a few weeks ago. Sometime before Christmas, and particularly the week preceding, Christmas Day, the mercantile business had an extraordinary boom, the merchants were bust, one of them cashed as must as $167.00 the day previous to Christmas Day, and presumably many of them did equally as well. And now the reaction has occurred. The previous cause explaining the present effect. A priori and a posteriori – so much for the trade situation. The mechanical stagnation can be attributed to the cold weather, and atmospheric pressure.

A long while ago a publisher wrote, “It is only necessary to put the word “Heaven” into the title of a book to insure its sale,” and in these days it is only necessary to advertise for the benefit of the church to make the bazaar, the party, or the what not a success. Now we have no intention of paraphrasing the celebrated cry, uttered during the French Revolution, by Madame Roland; but it is of that brilliant “tag party” at Mrs. Carrie Johnson’s on Wednesday evening. A lady said to the writer last week, “we are going to have a tag party at Mrs. Carrie Johnson’s on Wednesday evening. (That announcement was made, but our communication of last week was a little too previous for it.) “What is it for?” we inquired.—“The benefit of the church.”—“What is a tag party?” we invited.—“I don’t know.” And this lady was one of the Official Board. Now we don’t mean “one of the Official Board of the Church but one of the Official Board of that tag party. Well it came off on Wednesday evening, as per schedule, and it was a grand affair. Being under the auspices of the elite of the church, it was attended by the elite of the town. There were present old and young, the widower and the widow, the gay girl, the sedate maiden and the man of sparkling wit, all commingling together in one grand harmonious whole. So pleased are the ladies with their success of that “tag party” that a series of them will be held during the winter; perhaps […]—monthly at private residences. Now if the reader wants to find out more about the minutiae of the “tag party” in general he’ll have to find out by someone else.

There is to be another printing establishment and newspaper started in Milton. The promoters of the enterprise are A. H. Manship and son E. P. Manship. They are both Miltonians, although the son has been for several years a resident of Philadelphia and engaged in the printing business. The plant is expected to be ready for business sometime in February; and will be conducted in the lower room of Odd Fellows Hall, corner of Chestnut and Atlantic Streets. The elder Mr. Manship has canvassed around amongst the merchants and other, and has been promised a share of their advertising patronage. “Competition is the life of business” and with energy, and push, intermingled with a little common sense, this adventure can be made to go.

J. Leon Black, assistant trust officer of the Milton S. S. T. T. & D. Co., has been appointed by Governor Pennewill a Notary Public for the State of Delaware with full power of doing any kind of business that belongs to a notary in general.

The side walk of the man who knows it all has been in a miserable condition during the recent rain and thaw; the result of too much knowledge.

John P. Holland of Milford was a Milton visitor on Thursday.

Brandywine Shoal Lighthouse in 1897
Brandywine Shoal Lighthouse in 1897 (source: Wikipedia, public domain in U. S.)

The Lighthouse Department has appointed Thomas W. M. Megee assistant keeper of Brandywine Lighthouse in Delaware Bay.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at its session in Wilmington appointed Justice-of-the-Peace E. L. Collins an officer for Milton.

Elliott & Son of Maryland have put a machine for the manufacture of Cement blocks for S. J. Wilson & Son’s building into the old building of Curtis C. Reed’s, back of Harry Robinson’s pool room.

Robert Burton of Lewes visited Milton Council No, […], O. U. A. M., on a Wednesday evening, and sustained the following officers: Councilor, J. F. Outten; vice councilor, F.F. Walls; recording secretary, J. C. Palmer; financial secretary, W. W. Reed; treasurer, C. H. Davidson; examiner, S. J. Wilson.

A new innovation in the Milling business, hereabout has made its debut in H. K. Wagamon’s corn and flour mill. It is a self-feeding corn sheller. It doesn’t bake the Johnny Cake, but it shells and bags the corn.

The reopening of Reynolds Church was held on Sunday. There were three services during the day and evening.

Mrs. Comfort Paynter, who was operated on for cancer last week at the Delaware Hospital, Wilmington, is said to be improving.

Charles Morris will go to Jefferson Hospital, Philadelphia, on Thursday; and it is thought one of his feet will have to be amputated.

The drama “Valley Farm” was rendered on Saturday evening at School Hall by the Dagsboro Dramatic Club, to a fair and appreciative audience.

Captain William Abdill of National Park, N. J., is the guest of Captain George Hunter and family.

On account of one of its cars becoming derailed, the M. D. & V. train was three hours late at Milton on Saturday afternoon.

The health of the community is remarkable at this season. There are but few cases of sickness in town, and these are confined to the aged; and they are all improving. The mortality list since the first of December has also been remarkable. We have had no death to publish for some time from this town or hundred, when often there are two or three weekly. And judging from the reports this is also the case throughout the county. And this is another blessing we may chronicle.

The Workman & Co. canning factory, implements, etc., also, over 10,000 cases of canned tomatoes is advertises to be sold at Bankrupt Sale on Wednesday, February 2, by Alfred F. Polk, Trustee.

Last week the skating was fine on the lake, and participated in by many of the young of both sexes. At night a fire was build upon the ice, for light and also for the watchers to stand and warm themselves by. Those who were skating, sliding of gunning needed no fire, the exercise was enough. Bu alas this sport is now ended. The last few days have melted the ice, and the skating is now dangerous, and in some places a sport of the past.

John Robinson went down the river on Monday and caught about seven bushels of perch, the result of the breaking up of the freeze.

Isaac W. Nailor put his gang of carpenters at work again, on last Wednesday. The glass has now arrived for the front of J. L. Black’s storehouse and with reasonable good weather Mr. Nailor will soon have this building completed.

Captain Miers J. Darby died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. H. W. Carson, No. 1121 Erie Avenue, Philadelphia, on Saturday of general debility, aged 84 years, 1 month. The remains were brought to Milton by the noon train of Wednesday and conveyed to the home of his niece, Mrs. J. R. Black, where funeral services were held, by the Rev. A. C. McGilton, after which the remains were deposited in the M. E. Cemetery with Masonic and Odd Fellows honors, both of which organizations attended the funeral. S, J. Wilson & Son were the funeral directors.

Alfred Stockley, a former resident of Milton, died in Brooklyn, N. Y. on Saturday.  The remains were brought to Georgetown on Tuesday and burial made on Wednesday morning.