The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-08-28


As "a lander Editor Sees Us.
In the Camden Daily Courier of Monday
we find a spicy letter anent Woodstown
and its institutions, from which we extract
as follows:
Persons who have not visited this quiet
Quaker town for several years would hardly
know the place now. improvements are
rapidly going forward and have been ever
since the Swedesboro railroad was extended
through to Salem, Beautiful frame cot
tages can now be found on many new
streets recently opened and even the cen
TIRE of the town is gradually undergoing a
transformation. and the improvements are
mainly of a substantial kind. =
Comparatively few people until a year
ago ever heard tell of Woodstown. Then
the brutal murder of Ella Watson, on the
outskirts. made the place famous. There
is one thing certain. Woodstown will
never be a summer resort-itss too hot.
Situated directly in the heart of Salem
county, it lies in a hollow, every road to
the town being down hill. There was not
a breath of air here to-day aud the peo-
pie just laid indoors and sweltered. Not
because they wanted to. but because they
could not help it. Late in the afternoon
Nbat hNhttElAIttt " 1ftANNt VII ohAiit ~ alSt
by a terrific thunder storm. the severest of
the season. The thunder had that kissing.
cracking sound that makes one creep.
and the rain fell in sheets. some thought
it was a cloud burst, while others i'll
clined to the opinion that one of those
things that eX-tish warden Joe Ore calls
''sis-a-loncs' and '~'toe-ran-does" had
struck the town. Fortunately it was
neither, and the only damage was from
water.
Woodstown is getting to be quite q
business place, being, as it is, the second
town of Importance in Salem county. 1t
is surrounded by miles upon miles of tile
most fertile farming lands of the state,
whose owners are nearly all well-to-do. 1t
is a great melon district, and fine horses
are innumerable. The melons are so big
and fat and sweet that it makes one 5
mouth water to look at them. Citrons.
six of which fill a barrel, are plentiful.
These are picked half green and shipped
down east. There are two canning facto-
ries in town, both of which
operation this week. One of these, owned
by Dickinson & Lippincott. has the reputa-
tion of putting up the best brand OF toma-
toes in the market. Tomatoes are plenti-
full this year. and a good season is prom
lf%l w FDCL-L AA4aA ehLtl AhA AAAAF
The second iron bridge ever constructed
in Salem county is now being placed over
the mill pond at Woodstown by the Pat
erson Bridge Company. To erect this all
the water had to be drawn off the pond.
This was done last Monday, but the resi-
dents are not through telling of the event
yet. for it was made notable by the num-
Der of fish caught. | was RECALLED with
fish stories all day yesterday, but the
best part of it was they were all true.
Pike twenty-four inches long and weigh
ing three pounds, were plentiful, and II
man named Nixon had a row boat
full. Fish has been served up in every
style and the intellectual improvement of
some of the p~artakers was noticeable yes
terday at the centennial exercises held by
Friends, al account of which l give below.
The pond where these mammoth fish We're
caught was also the home of the famous
Woodstown pond lilies, but the crop this
year is spoiled. 1t is to be hoped, how
ever, that the roots will live and spring up
again next year, If these should die
Woodstown would lose one of its chief at
fractions to strangers.
Like every other town in the country
Woodstown is now excited over the post
master question. OF course, the office is
occupied by am offensive partisan, who
must be removed. Then, as usual. there
are two Democrats willing to take his
place. Both are working actively for the
prize. The candidates are John Wallace,
who is a son of ex-Judge Wallace and a
part owner of one OF the canning facto-
ries. and a young son OF Samuel French,
proprietor of WoodstOwn's only hotel.
Young French Is being pushed forward by
his father. who has considerable in ~iiuence,
but the best people in the town are said to
be solid against his appointment. Among
these are the temperance people. Mr..
Wallace is, on the contrary, backed by
the best people. and Senator Mcpherson,
it is reported, is for him. The Ia tier ought
to settle it. and probably will.
There is one thing | nearly forgot.
Woodstown has a police force. The name
of the force is Duffy, and by its broad
speech it is plain to see that il was imported
from County Glare. Ireland. The force is
a model one, and does not initiate Camdens
for it never gets drunk or clubs ~defenceless
prisoners. The force, however, is a
necessity. especially on Saturday nights,
when Bushtown and another eolored settle
ment near by empty their population into
the town. Some OF the colored people and
farm hands get full of bad whisky and
then there is rouble.
WAS amused Saturday night by over
hearing a conversation. While sitting ON
a step near midnight the police force in all
its entirety, and wearing a big silver star
ON its breast passed by, nonchalantiy hand
ling a club. When the force was a few
PAGES away it was hailed by several colored
youths who inquired il the gang had gone
home. ''Part of it has but part oft won't
90 until morning. replied the force IN its
richest b-ogue. Then followed an animal
ed conversation in which Duffy explained
that one of their companions was i'll the
lookup.
The cause ofttearrest wa explained man
other conversation that took place between
the force and a citizen. The citizen had
heard the previous conversation and inquir-
ed who was arrested and what for, | for
got the name Of the offender, but | distinctly
remember what caused his arrest. In
Duffy's own Language she was eursin' a
blue streak. so he was. from the bridge to
the other end of the town. went 70 take
him and some friends interfered, when
drew my revolver, and said I'd shoot Then
they scattered, and | took my man. Happy
Woodstown. ifyon only had Sneh = force
in Camden.