Middletown transcript., 1869-08-21
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

PING.-Being out on fnrlough, on Wednesday, by
way of brief respite from business, we dropped
down the Delaware Rail Road, as far as Town
send, and at the invitation of Mr.. Samuel Town
send, embraced the opportunity of viewing his
line orchards, and also the process of picking,
cullng, and shipping peaches. Mr.. Townsend
has two orchards, comprising 20, 600 trees of ev-
cry variety grown by the horticulturists of this
state. His trees are large vigorous, and as full
as they can hold, and are bent down to the earth
with the weight of their luscious fruit. Among
other varieties he has about l, 100 trees of Rves
Favorite, ten years old, which will give him over
1000 baskets. From many of the larger trees he
expects to pick from twelve to fifteen baskets per
tree and the fruit is large, perfect, and of exqu
site fiavor. This is a somewhat rare variety,
which brings an extra price in the New York
market. Mr.. Townsend has 80 hands at work,
picking, cullng, and packing. Pickers and cul-
lers get 81 so per day, boarding themselves.
From Mr.. Samuel Townsends, we rode over TO
Mr.. John Townsend's, whose farm is contiguous
He has an orchard of 10, 900 trees in full bearing
end employs 26 hands in picking, culling and
packing. In addition to the other varieties Mr..
Townsend has 200 trees of the variety known as
the Mountain Rose, very rich, jnicy, and beau
tifully colored peach, sweet enough to dispense
with sugar. when eaten as dessert. This va
riety is highly esteemed, and brought so cents
per basket more than his Troth's EARLY.
From the orchards we went to the culing and
packing house. This is most conveniently locat-
ed at the station, Immediately alongside of the
Rail Road. All the fruit is brought to this house
from the orchards, Here it is culed, and put in
to crates and baskets, and thence transferred to
the cars, not over six feet distant. These conve-
niences and facilities for shipping we have seen
no where equaled The house is of open slat-
work on the sides, admitting the air freely with
projecting roof or caves, just sufficiently high to
admit loaded wagon beneath 1t is ll2 feet
long by lG feet wide, and is occupied by the Mes
srs Townsend in common. We were also shown,
at the packing house, model peach-wagon which
we must not omit to mention, Tho top of the wag-
on is not more than four feet high, the body is set
upon half springs, the wheels are low and of
broad tread, The advantages are, that it can be
driven anywhere through the orchard under the
limbs, and boys can load or unload it with ease
We wonder that there are not more of these con-
venent little wagons in use. They can be made
to carry as many peaches as any other wagon,
cost less, and can be driven anywhere about the
orchard 1t belongs to Mr. Samuel Townsend
who seems to have studied convenience and econ
omy in all his operations. He is also devoting
attention to the culture of pears, grapes straw
berries, &c. We saw some very large and fine
Bartlet's Duchess, and other varieties, now rea-
dy for market. But apples Mr. Townsend has
made speciality, His tiourishing orchard is
filled with rare and choice fruit, and he manu-
factures large quantity of cider.
Mr.. VIM. Z. Riley, adjoining Mr.. John Town
send, also has very fine peach orchard. We
saw some very fine fruit at the depot, which he
was shipping on Wednesday. The soil in the
neighborhood appears to be highly adapted to
fruit of all kinds, and its culture there is doubt
less destined to be much extended. The Siberian
Crab and the Fig tree also flourish there. Mr..
John Townsend has a Crab-Apple tree which is
curiosity. 1t forms perfect pyramid of apples,
and is a wonder to look upon
Mr.. r. A. Cochran, Jr. has a hourishing or
chard of II 900 trees, loaded down with the ve-
ry finest fruit Some have supposed that he has
shipped the largest and most perfect peaches that
have been sent to market from this State the pre-
sent season. fany other fruit has equalled it,
it is that of Mr.. Charles p Cochran, which is
said to be exceedingly fine. Mr.. r. A. Cochran,
Jr. has shipped peaches so large that 50 of them
filled basket. Mainly throgh his cxertions a
switch has been built this season. at Ginn's cross
ing, and fine Peach House erected. The switch
Is HOO feet long, and cost, land and ALL Sl4O0.
Six of our orchardists ship at that point, and it
is found to be great convenience 10 the neigh
borhood, and relieves, to II considerable extent,
the pressure upon the Middletown Station, their
former place of shipment.
AccIDENT.-As the A. NJ. passenger train was
leaving Townsend station, on Monday, q man
who had been employed there as a peach picker
attempted to get upon the front platform of the
rear car, when missing his hold he fell beneath
the truck was struck and partly knocked out of
the way but owing to a ''mantrap'' in the way
of n small platform could not escape nor could
any one drag him out, and the rear truck passed
over his thigh, Both feet were badly mangled
his thigh sustained q compound fracture besides
numerous puncture wounds supposed to haye been
caused by bolt ends of the brakes, and several
severe bruises upon the body. 1t was marvellous
how he escaped instant death. He was kindly
Inv no eli pf tbn MI nr Do
skillfnlly set the broken limbs and dressed his
many wounds. Mr. Il. Q. Sewell, Superntend-
ent of the Del. r. r. as soon as apprized of the
occurrence telegraphed to have the unfortunate
man properly cared for at the expense of the Rail
Road company until he could be removed, but
the agent of the co. deemed it best and he was re-
moved on Monday, p. NJ. to Wilmington by the
company and was sent to the almhouse, where
his limbs were subsequently amputatcd.
Sr. AUGUSTINE BRIDGE-This structure, which
spans the ST. Augustine creek, near its confluence
with the Delaware river, short distance below
Port Penn, approaches completion. All the piles
have been driven; only about Ga feet remain to
be finished, and the railing will be finished this
week. If the lumber were at hand two men
could complete the work in ten days, and open
the structure to travel. Mr.. Epoch Harrison of
Kent county, Md. is the contractors he saws the
lumber at his mill in Kent, and sends it through
the canal and down the river from Delaware Ci-
ty. The bridge is 1890 feet in length and l6
feet in width, and when completed will cost the
county $4,000. Mr.. Harrison has also contrac-
ted to put down 200 piles at $l2 each, at the
mouth of the creek, to protect the bridge from de-
struction by ice or by the surf of the river This
work remains to be accomplished. 1t should be
done before winter sets in, or the bridge may be
swept away by floating ice the current there is
very powerful.
SUIcIDE.-An inquest was held on Monday
last upon the body of ]. Lewis, of Backbird Del.
who committed suicide by cutting his throat with
a razor From the evidence the jury ascertained
that he had been suffering from an attack of dli-
rum treneas, induced by excessive drinking, and
on Monday A. NJ about OF clock requested his
wife to lay down and get some rest as he felt bet
ter. She had been asleep and awoke about 4
o'clock and at once discovered his absence Dres-
sing hastily she attempted to go down stairs, but
found the door of her room fastened, After some
time she succeeded in getting down, Finding all
the doors fastened) when entering the kitchen
she discovered him lying upon his side upon the
floor, his razor near him, and his throat cut to
the spinal column. OF course life was extinct
verdict was rendered in accordance with the