Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-04-22
THE EASTERN SHORE.
ihe Crops O session Of Removins the County,
Seat, &c.


Seat, &c.
lCorrespondence ofthe Richmond Dispatch
0NANcocK, April 20, 1885.
The weather has been so cool over
here that everything is far behind.
Farmers say that they have never seen
such late spring or so little progress
made in farming operations for the time
Of the year. The grass in the yards is
almost as dead as in mid-winter, and
deciduous trees have hardly begun to
bud. Irish potatoes and peas, though
planted some weeks ago, have not yet
come up, and ii is feared that they have
been so damaged by the long cold
weather as to make full crop i'm
possible. When it is recollected that
the value of these crops depends
very largely on their early delivery in
market. it will appear how serious a
matter this is to the farmers of this
section. the staple products Of which
are potatoes and early vegetables. The
sweet-potato beds destroyed by the
cold have been generally replenished
with seed obtained from northern mar
kets. but no plants have yet been set
out.
With a good season from this time
on our people will make faircrop, but
it is next to impossible for them to
make up for the heavy shortage result
ing from last years unexampled
drought.
The approaching spring election is
beginning TO excite considerable inter-
est here, owing mainly TO the fact that
the people will then be permitted to
vote ON the question of changing the
location of the county-seat from Drum
mondtown to more central point on
the line Of, the recently-completed New
York, Philadelphia and Norfolk rail-
road. Drummondtown has been the
county-seat Of Accomack from early
colonial days, and was the scene Of
the finest forensic efforts of Henry A.
Wise, Thomas II. Bayly, Abel p. Up
shur. and other Eastern-Shore worthless.
II is, however. about two miles distant
from the railroad and seven or eight
miles below the centre Of the county.
AS the old courthouse is to be replaced
by handsome and commodious brick
structure, costing about a25, 000, many
people think it ought to stand on the
railroad and near the centre Of the
county. The contest promises to be a
heated one, and not few are of the
opinion that the advocates for change
Of location will be successful. There
are good reasons, however, for believ-
ing that the county-seat will be allowed
to remain where it has always been.
As yet little or no interest is mani
tested in the minor local Offices to be
filed in May, and the party will decide
next Monday whether nominations are
to be made OF whether candidates are to
be allowed to engage in free fight.
The latter course will probably be
adopted.
Tie new railroad down the Eastern
Shore is rapidly increasing its freight
and passenger traffic. More than iif-
teen hundred passengers went over the
line during four days Of last week, aud
the shipments Of freight over the road
have increased beyond the most san
gaine expectations Of the projectors Of
the enterprise. II win require, accord
ing to present estimates, three large
floats to transport the freight-csrs
across the bay between Cape Charles
City and Norfolk.
A venerable Baptist preacher was
mistaken for President Arthur on the
day that the latter left Old Point and
went through this county to his home,
in New York, and the man who made
the mistake is fighting mad with him.
self and those who told the joke on him.
A colored man named Al. Belote dis
appeared from his home, near Wacha-
preague, . week ago, and has not been
seen since. II is supposed he went
down to the beach to catch clans, and
was swept out TO sea and drowned.
KALLIAs.