The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-09-18
LETTER FROM LINWOOD, Pa.
LINwooD, Delaware county, Pa,

LINwooD, Delaware county, Pa,
September 9th, 1915.
In my last letter concluded by saying
that fishing is great pastime and source
! of living on the waters of the Delaware
l will now endeavor to take up where
left off and proceed.
The modes of catching fish on the Della
ware are different from the way fish are
caught on the Susquehanna, in that they
are caught here altogether with hooks,
whilst there they are caught in nets
Common fishing hooks are used, and it is
no uncommon sight to see man setting
his hooks, which are suspended to what is
known as the "trot line," and which in
many instances is over mile long. The
line is so heavily loaded that it Immediately
sinks to the bottom. Each hook is care
fully baited with a composition of flour
and cheese. This l am told makes the
few days, and scarcely hook but what
has fulfilled the desired purpose by snag-
ging either 4 cat or eel, both of which are
readily sold in the market at neat figure.
This may seem but small, poor way to
obtain livelihood and yet there are many
who follow it and become in moderate Cir
cumstances at it.
Grabbing is also business with some,
but the taking of fish with hook and line
from row boat, and grabbing together,
forms the very pleasant pastime for those
who enjoy that kind of sport. Parties
from the city may be often seen vending
their way to the water with fishing and
grabbing tackle. Not only men and boys
but ladies of culture and refinement par
ticipate in the sport of angling.
1t would be doing the sports on the
waters of the Delaware injustice to drop
the subject here, and we will 60 little
farther. The greatest pleasure land in
deed some city men have passion for it)
is that of shooting reed bird and rail.
These birds are very numerous among the
reeds with which the shores are lined in
many places. They (the reed brds) fly
evening. The mode of taking them is to
get in small boat and row into the reeds.
While one does the propelling, which must
be done very noiselessly, the other does
the shooting, and when a flock arises a
good marksman on the wing will drop
quite a number. The men who push the
boat, or, as they are called here, pushers,
get from four to five dollars day, and are
consequently doing good business. The
law of the State in regard to shooting
these birds prohibits shooting till Septem-
Der 1st, and now is the sportsman's glory
here.
One popularity about this section of
Pennsylvania, is that there is ridge or
elevated mound like strip, which common
ces near Wilmington and runs to Phila-
delphia, about the same distance from the
river-the distance varying somewhat, from
three-quarters to mile. On this ridge,
from one city to the other, are fine villas
or country seats, which present quite an
elegant appearance; partly owing to their
elevation and partly to their architectural
beauty and style. The biologists account
for this elevation by telling us that very
many years ago this ridge was at the edge
of the water, and that all the lowland has
been formed since by the washing up of
the dirt and sand, and the receding of the
water. This is quite a reasonable view in
our judgment; for upon comparison of the
soil to any depth in the flats, Tor next to
the river with that of the ridge, there is a
very material difference; that of the ridge
being what is known as the red soil and
very rocky, while the soil of the flats is a
dark loan or alluvial soil, very productive,
with hardly stone to be found in it.
Claymont, small town through which
runs the P, w. & B. railroad, and at
which place there is quite prominent
station, is situated two miles ,oest, or rather
southwest from Linwood. Quite number
of the prominent men of Delaware county
live here, and although the town is small,
it is very clean and neat There are several
extensive saw mills near the place which
do moderate business.
The next place worth note north of
Linwood is Thurlow. This is the junction
of the Philadelphia & Reading railroad, or
where it intersects the P, w. & B. road.
Quite an extensive railroad business is
done here, being superintendent by one of
Cecil county's noble sons in the person of
Mr.. ]. II. Rowland. Thurlow contains
about four or five hundred inhabitants, and
the houses are very prettily built of brick
and are nearly all alike, none being very
large, but all reasonably commodious, COM
Portable and new.
One word more and we conclude.
think without any exceptions the mosqui-
toes of Delaware county have the keenest
bills of any on the face of the globe
They bite when you work or when you are
idle all the same. Indeed, if you stop
work and fight them they will vancouver
to have it their own way and sting harder.
Even in the stiffness of night it is no
unusual occurrence to be awakened by the
musical buzz of a singing, biting mosquito.
My next will be trip to Chester and
Lamokin, both by land and water, and
what heard and saw.
Very truly, ELECTRICAL.