The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-12-27

JURY, oL SATURDAY HlolIlhS, ieHueieu 'oi
dict for the plaintiff for $1,000, being one
half of amount claimed.
The Court on Saturday morning devoted
an hour to the trial of case wherein John
T. West, administrator of James Murdick
was plaintiff, and James Fl. Smith defend
ant, being suit for services for work done
to some houses in Wilmington. The case
was tried before jury, who rendered a
verdict for plaintiff for s309.51, the amount
claimed. Groome for plaintiff; II. McCul-
Tough for defendant.
Decrease Of the Dncks.-The present
season thus far has not been remarkably
successful for the duckers, many Of whom
make the better part of their living by
shooting ducks on the Susquehanna flats.
1t is disputed question among sportsmen
whether the sink boat cunning on the flats
is not gradually driving the ducks away
from their accustomed feeding grounds, to
seek more secure locations. The sink-boX
men contend that of the millions Of ducks
which visit the Chesapeake and its tIibu-
taries in their migratory excursion, the
few hundreds or thousands which are kill
ed on the flats are not missed, and that the
loss by the guns of the sportsmen is
many times made up by the natural in
crease of the birds in their northern breed
ing grounds.
On the other hand, those opposed to the
sink-box shooting, contend that any wild
animal which is persistently disturbed and
killed on its feeding grounds, will most
assuredly desert their old haunts and seek
other quarters where they will be less ex-
posed to danger and steady annoyance;
and, although the actual killing Of the
birds may not be sufficient to diminish
their numbers, the constant warfare kept
up on them will tend to induce them to
seek new and safer routes and resting
places in their periodical pilgrimages north
and south. The theory of the latter party
seems the more plausible, and the fact OF
the gradual diminution of the ducks goes
very far toward substantiating it.
The arrangement, entered into by the
Havre de Grace duckers to shoot every
other day, and which has been embodied
into law regulating the duck shooting Oh
the flats, is intended as protection, which
by giving the birds short respite from
danger, it is hoped they will be encouraged
to continue to visit their favorite feeding
grounds in the same countless myriads as
in former years. But the complaints that
they leave the flats and take up their course
for regions further south after much
shorter sojourn than formerly, seems to
indicate that these old haunts on the Sus-
quehanna flats are getting too warm for
the canvas back. In respect to three days
shooting and four days respite, Seth
Green, who is a standard authority on all
subjects connected with sporting, suggests
that the three days shooting should be con-
secutive, in place of alternate, leaving the
birds four days of quiet in which to feed
and recover from the fright of being shot
at whenever they attempt to alght. This
plan seems to be an improvement on the
one adopted by our duckers. The proba-
bility is, if the ducking business is pur-
sued in its present mode for few years
more, that the game killed will not justify
the outfit necessary to engage in the bust
ness successfully. If the cunning days
were reduced to two in the week aid those
two succeeding days, considerable protec-
ton would be afforded the ducks, while
under the present law, there is next thing
to no protection.
We would like to hear the opinion of
those who have had opportunities of OBJ
serving the ducks, and can speak with
authority, supported by experience.
A Curious Law Suit.-Two mill owners
on the Wissahickon creek above Chestnut
Hill, engaged in a curious law suit, which
was decided last week at Norristown.-
The mills are three quarters of a mile
apart, and the stream between them has
not much fall. In 1928 the owner of the
upper mill brought suit against the owner
of the lower mill for having backed the
water up into the race course Of the upper
mill. Under decree Of the Court, the
sheriff put up four permanent marks to
establish the lawful surface of the water.
At two places holes were drilled in fixed
rocks, marble stone was set in the tail
race of the upper dam and properly marked,
and a pin was driven into buttonwood
tree just thirty-one inches above the sur
face at the breast of the dam. The mills
have changed owners since that time, but
recently the race of the upper mill has
been overlooked by back water, and the
owner brought suit for damages. Careful
surveys were made, and the water was
found to be four inches above the marks in
the fixed rocks and on the marble slab but
exactly thirty-o ono inches from the plug
that had been driven into the buttonwood
tree forty eight years ago. The question
for the jury to decide was whether the
upper mill and rocks sunk four inches, or
whether the base of the buttonwood tree
had been lifted that much. Notwithstand-
ing ingenious arguments to show that trees
only expanded in size and sent out new
growth from the extremities of branches,
the jury, composed of farmers or those
bred in the country, decided that the
buttonwood tree had been elongated, by
giving verdict for the plaintiff for $3.50
| Counsel for the defence will file reasons
for new tral.-Orford Press.
Lecture.-Rer. Thomas l.. Poulson will
lecture for the Ladies' Mite Society, at
North East II. Il. Church, on Tuesday.
December Goth, at y o'clock p. N. Sub
| ject-" Odds and Ends of European Trav-
ell Price 80 cents for adults; Is cents
| for children.
Report Of Union School No. 4.
During the month of November the fol-
lowing pupils were present daily; Emma
Steel, Lucy Steel, Annie Matthias, Lucy
Matthias, Susan Matthias, Robert Matthias
Ebbie Alden, Harry Alden, Elijah Alden,
Freddie Strahorn. Alice Alexander, Bessie