November 4, 1910

The reader of last week did not see but a small letter from us. The fact is we went away on a visit and did not return in time to collect but little of publishable literature. But we see on our arrival back that “Jonny” Ingram had done more in that week to straighten the south part of federal Street than Town Council die all last year toward that intended event. But “Jonny,” be it said, had a better chance to do this than had Town Council. Mr. Ingram’s dwelling stood in the sidewalk. It had been builded a long time before many of the buildings on Federal Street; and there was not room enough for a comfortable porch in front without infringing on the sidewalk. But in the way the building stood the bay window commanded a view all the way down Federal Street. The writer is thus particular in describing the building, as it was the first house he and his always lamented wife and family lived in for six years, thirty years ago. Mr. Ingram is making an up to date building from this. “Jonny” should certainly be excused for a little justifiable pride in his old age, as he has always been ä hale fellow well met “until as some days of late. The moving back of this building, while it gives to Mr. Ingram and family more cozy quarters, certainly makes a pretty appearance on Federal Street.

H. K. Wagamon expects this week to commence the repair of the property lately purchased on Federal Street. John Barr of Georgetown will do the work. The whole building will be raised two feet, and any other repairs will be made that developments may require.

Last week Supervisor Mustard did considerable work on North Union Street, excavating, stoning, etc.

On Tuesday the 25th Captain Henry Hudson celebrated the anniversary of his birthday. Captain Hudson is yet erect and vigorous; gets up early, and walks all day; goes to bed at 7 o’clock, drinks cold water, coffee and a little spirits, and as we remarked a year ago writing on this subject, he bids fair to cross the century line.[i]

“Rally Day” was nothing ostentatious at the M. E. Church on Sunday 23rd.  Twenty-five dollars was raised and the Rev. Lusk left town again on the following Tuesday.

Isaac Bailey, who has been confined to his home for many weeks, appears to improve but slowly, better one day and out the next is about the sum of it.

P. Causey Lofland has divided the farm he recently purchased of Rufus Ellingsworth, one half mile west of town on the Ellendale Road, and is building a brick house on the north side of the road. Frederick Johnson, the present tenant, will occupy the new house and Charles Wilson will move into the old one at the New Year.

The ladies of the M. P. Church held their annual “Halloween Social’” in Masonic Temple on Monday evening the […]. As usual an admission fee of ten cents was charged, the ticket being redeemable at any of the booths or refreshment stands. This makes the admission free.

Frederick Pepper has bought a building lot south of town of A. H. Lofland and is building a brick building thereon. He expects to complete the house by the beginning of the New Year, and to remove therein. His present town residence he has rented to James A. Clendaniel.

Mrs. Ella Bryan represented the W. C. T. U. at the State Convention held in Wilmington last week. Mrs. William Mason and Miss Ana Davidson were the Milton delegates. They all arrived home in a good state of preservation.

On last Tuesday Mrs. W. J. Fearing, by making a false step, fell and was rendered insensible by the impact. She was taken up unconscious, but beyond a knot as large as a hen’s egg on her head no other injury is apparent. She was so far convalesced on the following Tuesday as to make her anticipated visit to Philadelphia. On the same day Prof. Fearing, while wheeling a barrow down the street, scared an automobile and the vehicle collapsed. A little later in the day another shared the same fate and had to be towed in for repairs. And also the same day George Short of Overbook broke his car near William Mason’s farm and it remained hors de combat until the next afternoon. Thus the reader will observe we have plenty of motor cars around. Some think they are a nuisance; others think otherwise.

Prof. W. H. Fearing is repainting the interior of S. J. Wilson’s residence on Mill Street.

“Old Glory” that floats daily from the flag pole in the yard of the public school building is getting in a dilapidated condition. It is now split nearly in twain. A new one is needed.

Henry Atkins is making alterations to his property on Walnut Street.

Leon Black is repairing the property lately purchased on Chestnut Street and will paint it.

John C. Hazzard is doing carpentry around his buildings on Federal Street.

Henry Atkins, millwright, has commenced to build another mill on the site of the one destroyed last spring. Captain Thomas Chase is the owner and the property is near Milton, and nearer Reynold’s Church.

The dispatches from Naples, Italy, under date of October 25[ii], fill all minds with horror, and the natural inquiry goes forth: Why does God allow such devastation and suffering to his human kind and county? It is said the earthquake that occurred at Lisbon, Spain[iii] in 1756, and the subsequent raising of the Tagus River in which 66,000 persons lost their lives, made of the poet Goethe an infidel. For, he argued, if there were a benevolent and beneficent God, he would not, he could not allow such tremendous disaster to occur to his children. And does it not almost cause the rest of us to think likewise? Or are these disasters which have so frequently followed each other of late, in Italy, judgments against the Papal State, the Vatican and the Holy See for its persecutions of the ancient Christian and medieval Protestants?[iv] Who shall say: “God moves in mysterious way, His wonders to perform.”

Dr. Yokam has returned to Milton and will renew his business of peddling medicine.

There are now 738 voters registered in this district. The largest registration we have ever had.

The steam launch Avarilla owned by the Rev. C. A. Behringer of Swedesboro, N. J., was taken to her future home last week.

Harry Owens, agent at the Milton station, is building a brick building on the farm he recently bought of the heirs of the late Abel Pettyjohn.

A new roof has been put on the south side of the M. E. Church, in north Milton.

Rev. […] preached at the church of St. John Baptist on Sunday morning.

Ice one quarter inch thick on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and frost galore.

John T. Roach died at his home near town on Sunday of Bright’s Disease, aged 57 years, 8 months and 12 days. Funeral services were held at Zion Church on Tuesday afternoon by the Rev. Frank A. Holland, and burial made in the adjacent cemetery by S. J. Wilson & Son.

Sarah E., wife of the Rev. D. J. Blackston, died on Thursday morning of tuberculosis, aged 48 years. Funeral services were held at the M. E. Church at 8 o’clock on Friday evening, and on Saturday morning the remains were transmitted to Clayton where interment was made in Mount Friends Cemetery. Rev. M. P. Jackson of Georgetown performed the funeral services and J. R. Atkins cared for the remains.

The 2nd Quarterly Conference of the M. P. Church will be held on Monday November 7th.

The first political meeting of the campaign was held in School Hall on Saturday evening. R. C. White, Democratic candidate for Representative in Congress, and Frank M. jones were the speakers. The colored Republicans will hold a meeting this Tuesday evening at which three noted divines are booked to speak. It is expected that Dr. C. R. Layton of Georgetown will address the Milton people on Wednesday evening.

Firemen Band of this town left on Monday morning for Selbyville where the will play at several political meetings, returning to this town on Wednesday.

In conformity with an order of the General Council, Jr. O. U. A. M., requiring the last Sunday in October to be observed as Memorial Day, Enterprise Council No. 16 of Milton met in its lode room on Sunday afternoon and performed the necessary services for its lamented dead. Addresses were delivered by the Rec. Frank Holland, Prof. W. G. Fearing and others.

The S. T. T. & S. D. Co. has been appointed administrator of the estate of J. T. Roach, deceased.

Hankin Bros. Clothers attended the funeral of their mother at Wilmington on Sunday.

Hallowe’en was an evening of mummers, merriment and grotesque attires and appearances. The chief feature was a parade of Indians in Red Man’s costume, and on the war path, with tomahawk, tom toms and sparkling regalia. All enjoyed themselves; all went home happy; and all were happy the next morning.

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[i] Capt. Hudson died two years later at the age of 96.

[ii] On October 24, 1910, three concurrent events in and around the city of Naples: a bad storm, the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, and a storm surge caused 189 deaths on the islands of Ischia and Procida, to the west of Naples, and precipitated landsides around Naples that killed more. The economic damage was huge.

[iii] Lisbon is in Portugal; the devastating earthquake (an estimated 8.5 – 9.0 on the Richter scale) and three tsunamis killed anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 people.

[iv] In the 19th and much of the 20th centuries, anti-Catholic bias ran deep among the Protestants of the U. S.