The tomato market during the past week has been away above the normal. Prices have been so outlandish extravagant that some of the factories refused to buy above their contract price. This competition makes it good for the growers, and four canneries calculated to make competition. Fifteen cents a basket was considered a good price when the contracts were made; but now the ruling price, or has been, from 25 cents up to 45 cents. No one blames a man to get all he can for his produce. But, on the other hand, what is a man worth who has no word of honor, and is forced to do everything he does under the terror of the law? They make more or, rather, they get more, and what good does it do them? Bah! “I’d rather be a dog and bay at the moon”[i] than to be such—not a man—but a thing as he. The high prices have brought this vegetable from the factories to the surrounding towns, and they have sold their goods there. But if there is anything ominous in the portentousness of the outlook there will be a day of retribution farther on.
Religious services were held at the Goodwin Company Works on Sunday evening under the auspices of the Epworth League of the M. E. Church. There was a good attendance, and a good time. Many of the women were seriously impressed, and after the services at the works attended the church. Like all other miscellaneous crowds, there is something good in the worst of them; and there is something bad in the best of them, and we’ll let them enjoy themselves.
Dr. Leonard says, “I have no faith in impromptu canning factory meetings. What I appreciate most is something good to eat.”
Rev. Williams. of Federalsburg, preached at the M. E. Church on Sunday, and the Rev. McCready gave his congregation at the M. P. Church, a sermon something about a “Dead Christ,” which ought to be appreciated.
J. B. Welch attended the meeting of the Executive Board of the Sussex County Sunday School Association last week. The meeting was held at Greenwood. Besides other routing work, it was arranged to hold the County Sunday School Convention at Georgetown on October the 21st and 22nd, in the M. E. Church of that town.
Edward Bacon and wife have removed from Laurel to this town, and occupy the property of the heirs of the late Joseph E. Lank, on Atlantic Street. Mrs. Bacon will supervise one of the departments of the Milton Public Schools.
Mr. John Jones, of Baltimore, has removed with his family to this town and occupies the property of Dr. J. A. Hopkins and Son, on Chestnut Street, above Hazzard Avenue.
George H. Waples, of the new firm of Kinny & Waples, successors to S. L. Wilson and Son, hardware merchants, removed from Darby, Pa., and his goods arrived in Milton on Saturday.
Steven Palmer is building a new porch for William Martin near Coolspring. People seem to admire Mr. Palmer’s designs, more particularly on porches, He is an architect of note and many years’ experience.
A Baltimore man at work in one of the canneries was arrested on Friday for the larceny of a watch and chain from the shoe shop of John Crouch. The man was confined in the lockup for a time on Friday night, but subsequently released on the recognizance of a gentleman until Saturday morning. The former prisoner has not, yet, showed up.
On Sunday evening there were three churches for white people open in the town, and a young gentleman told the writer on Monday morning, that he counted seventy-two young men on the street on that evening, who ought to have been in church. “Why is this thus?”[ii] Are the times more demoralizing; is religion on the wane; or what is the matter those on whom the future of good government must depend.
Jesse Walls died at his home near Redden, on Saturday, of consumption, aged 57 years and 6 days. Funeral services were held at Reynolds M. P. Church on Tuesday morning, by the Rev. Kattell, and burial made in the cemetery nearby, by S. J. Wilson & Son.
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[i] Paraphrase of a line in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Act 4, Scene 2:
“I had rather be a dog and bay the moon
Than such a Roman.”
[ii] Quote could be attributed to the American humorist writer Charles Farrar Browne (1834 – 1867), from Moses, the Sassy. Browne’s pen name was Artemus Ward. The full text of this short work can be read at http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/2268/