July 3, 1903

Dr. Koch
Dr. Koch

It is said Prof. Robert Koch[i], of Germany, is experimenting to bring to perfection a germicide for the tuberculosis bacilli. Should this eminent professor succeed in his experiments and investigations, he will have done more for the world, in general, and suffering humanity in particular, than any other man since the day of Jenner. Statistics prove that one-fourth of the total mortality of the human race is due to consumption[ii]; or, as, what is classed in that disease. The eyes of Europe, together with the “Little Americas” are now viewing the German Laboratory with as much interest as Herschell[iii] overturned his telescope toward Uranus. That the success of this investigation, or research if you please, of Prof. Koch will be successful, there is no doubt; it only remains for him to develop it.

“Westward the star of Empire taken its way,
When Bishop Berkley wrote was true,
And had the Bishop lived until this day
Would added that that star keeps fixed to human view.”[iv]

There is no end to investigation and research–a few years ago there was no “Wizard of Menlo Park”—today the world is filled with phones and sounds to which the mocking bird is but a poor portrayal. Our every invention is but a part of the Divine Idea that shall illumine this globe and bring from a chaos to which is has been confined, for the development of man, the grand possibilities of yoking the mortal with the immortal, “Believest thou this?” “Thou shalt see greater things than these.”

Prof. Robert Koch in his experiments is but making another link in the development of the grand plan, that shall make us all live—forever.

The subject that has most agitated the minds of the people of this community during the past week, is the lynching and burning of the Negro White, in New Castle county[v]. While none doubt that the villain deserved death, opinion differs as to the mode of its execution. Some think the mob did right, but the conservative and law-loving people deprecate the affair as a subversion of law, and an inauguration of anarchy. Law is the fundamental principle upon which government is founded, and if law be destroyed by an infuriated populace, who then can feel safe. There are many circumstances that would appear to favor a summary and quick execution of a wretch guilty of so heinous a crime as was White. He gave his victim no warning and showed her no mercy, then should he have had any mercy shown him? But we have a law, and that law is supposed to be paramount in the land; and to this tribunal of justice all civic and criminal actions must, or should, come for adjudication. If the law be ignored and lawlessness take the place of law, what will be the final result? A reign of terror equal to that of the French Revolution. The people of Milton are a law respecting people, and their diversion in this can is a mutt}.-r or opinion, made so by the atrociousness of the crime. But however heinous the crime charged against the brute, the law should have had in course and should have been respected.

The school election on Saturday passed off quietly, notwithstanding there was supposed to be too much ado about the result. There were 102 votes cast, and the “Citizen’s Ticket” was defeated by a majority of 47 votes. Messrs. George H. Davidson, John Lewis and N. Wallace White, were chosen commissioners to serve for three years, vice James C. Palmer, R. C. Beardsley and Frank Carey, time expired. The election of this committee insures a change in the school system of Milford [sic]; it also demonstrates the fact that it is useless for persons, or their representatives, lo try to carry their point by […], vilifying and blackguarding other, for it is almost sure to recoil upon their own heads. The Board met on Monday for organization, and elected Josiah Culver president, E. W. Warren secretary, and Clarence Lank treasurer.

The canneries are getting in cans for the coming season’s pack. There have been but few or no contracts made with growers, and the packers will buy at the market price, and on the principal of the “the highest bidder the buyer.” Messrs. Merritt & Son will run the cannery at the station, and Messrs. Anderson & Co. will operate the one on the river.

Mrs. Emma Johnson has remove d from her late residence on Federal Street to the property recently purchased on the corner of Federal Street and Manship Avenue.

Mr. Hartman of Baltimore, one of the firm of the “big store,” will remove into the property vacated by Mrs. Johnson.

Clement Hart, employed as a ship carpenter in Wilmington, is now paying a visit to his family.

The 200th anniversary of the birth of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was observed at the M. P. Church on Sunday.

Bishop Coleman preached at the P. E. Church on Sunday, both morning and evening, as at St. George’s Chapel in the afternoon.

Captain Henry Hudson is suffering with a carbuncle on his head.

The first of a series of lawn parties or socials was held in the park adjoin the M. E. Church on Saturday evening, It is understood these socials will be continued during the summer on Saturday evening under the auspices of the Epworth League.

L. B. Chandler has been making improvements to the lawn in front of his residence on Union Street. A concrete wall and front steps of the same material are a part of the work.

Thomas Spencer, tenant on the farm of William Chandler, commenced the shipment of blackberries last week. He has a patch of several acres; most of which is within town limits. The vines are loaded with fruit, but it is ripening slow.

David Simpler is building a dwelling near town.

John Bell, colored, is making an addition to his property at Stevensonville.

George Carpenter has about completed the carpenter work on his new building on Chestnut Street. He now has a tasty and cozy residence.

A. W. Manship has returned from a business trip to Philadelphia.

It is the intention to begin “twilight services” at the M. E. Church on next Sunday evening at 6 o’clock sharp.

The camp ground at Lavinia’s has been cleaned ready for this camp, which will begin August 1st.

The Juvenile Missionary Society will hold its regular monthly meeting next Sunday afternoon at the M. E. Church.

Prof. Fearing has completed the papering of Dr. R. T. Wilson’s house.

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[i] Robert Heinrich Herman Koch (1843 – 1910), celebrated German physician, pioneering microbiologist and winner of the 1905 Nobel Prize in medicine, isolated the causative agent of tuberculosis (known until the 20th century as consumption) but never developed a treatment. The Milford Chronicle, in the Milton News column, reported a death from consumption at least once every few weeks, from which we can infer that a significant percentage of the local population was infected by or had been exposed to the disease. Given the small population of Milton and the surrounding area, this mortality rate was cause for great concern.

[ii] In his famous lecture of March 24, 1882, Koch stated that one in seven deaths were caused by tuberculosis, and for people in their prime productive years, one in three

[iii] Sir Frederick William Herschel (1738-1822) was born in Hanover, Germany and became well known as both a musician and as an astronomer. He moved to England in 1757 and, with his sister Caroline, constructed telescopes to survey the night sky. He is credited with the discovery of Uranus.

[iv] Excerpt from the poem Verses on the Prospect of Planting Arts and Learning in America, George Berkeley (1685 – 1753), an Anglo-Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called “immaterialism”

[v] The lynching of George White in June of 1903, an African American arrested for having allegedly robbed, raped and murdered Helen Bishop, a white woman, was particularly horrific; a mob of several thousand people overran police and broke into the jail in which he was held, dragged him out, beat a “confession” out of him, then tied him to a stake and burned him alive.