Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-05-21
Written for tile HERALD.
SOUTH JERSEY NorEs.


tic Ocean and Delaware Bay, at az
elevation Of 1lO feet, above the level
OF the sea, is withal u pleasant and
healthful settlement.
Founded about twenty-five years
ago by Charles K Lands, it now riv-
ais many towns Of more ancient pre-
tensions. Its history is short but quite
singular No place Of its size has, to
my knowledge, ever been established
with such strict laws against immoral
ity in any form, The prefix, "semi,
does not occur in their charter. They
believe in having the whole or none
1t is a settlement of Prohibitionists.
Not like some of our Vermont PIohi.
bitionists, who never take anything
! except when they so fishing and when
they don't. But, in fact, this is the
only place ever had the good fortune
to drift into where | felt as if there
would be any difficulty in getting ga
dhrop for medicinal purposes. Vine
land has during its entire existence
had actual us well as legal prohibi
ten. Allow me to clip the following
from the Union Signal as an example
of what prohibition does for town
neutrality-suspicious. Including the
whole district Ct about 20 square miles,
$4,000; police expenses $75; pauper
expenses 800; total $40. Yonkers,
N. Y.-population less than $4,000;
police expenses $41,S00; paurer ex-
penses $4,000; total 3j3,80o. Making
allowance for the difference in uopu
laton it takes 80 times rs much to
govern Yonkers as it does to govern
| Vineland."
The history Of Viaeland has all the
essential qualities of good drama.
The underlying current is one Of peace
and rest. Like some of our western
towns it rose to its zenith in o day.
The people are exceedingly social,
kind, gooI, and l.5tle old fashioned.
The clock in the stoeple stopped tel
years ago AZ IL quarter before seven.
and everything seems to be waiting for
it to so Gu. Everything save the
punctuai round Of the seasons, which
brincsa climate so warm in winter
that most OF the time the plownau
can pursue his pillow; a spring fragrant
with b'ossoming orchards; summer
of cool sea 5reezes, aud an autumn OF
delicious fruits. To the noYthernar
the place las a romantic appearance,
and he can easily imagine himself in
the tropical or oriental world. Ia the
oak and pine woods coils the grape
vine swing,
I"Lithe and long rs the serpeat train,
! Sprlnging ANA ciinging from tree 70
tree.
And the grape arbors. All, what
tales the grape arborS could tell from
the time the little buds unfold in the
fascinating screen until the ripe, rich
grape yields its forbidden juiaa.
There is tragedy connected with its
history, too? Tragedy IT'S sad ana fatal
us ever fell to she lot Of Il proud, emf
nent man, or 1t high born, arrogant
woman. Mr. Lands, the founder oil
the place, married q niece Of General
Meade, Of Gettysburg fame. lie
brought her here from the brilliant
society of Washington, aul iJ soon be.
came evident that She did not feel a.
home. In the midst Of uolLies al
home the editor Of the then leading
newspaper of Vineland EXAGGERATED
and made public petty, private affairs.
at last, exasperated by ono thiug and
another, Mr.. L tudis left his house one
morning, and going to the Office OF the
editor few hasty words We're ex.
changed between them-there was a
scufIling sound in the oflice-then the
sharp crack of revolver broke the
stiffness of the quiet morning. Long
months of terrible suspense rolled by
ere death let fall the curtain on that
play of tragedy. Then came the trial
Of bIr. Lands for the murder of the
editor, the long pleadings Of learned
counsel, and finally the verdict-not
guilty. But that sacred family circle
had been broken-that path which
had come up through the sinuosities
of years divided-and one turned TO
the east and the other to the west. 4
little later we find Mrs. Lands
married to u French Count in Paris;
again we see her Il widow on this con.
tinent; next she is living close by the
| prison in which her third hush and is
serving his term for polygamy; and
now, no longer able to care for herself
the kind Sisters of Charity have pro
vided for her. Another gracious act
OF that compassionate Sisterlood. The
effect Of this tragedy was, of course,
deeply felt by the settlement at. the
time, but now let US turn our atten-
ton to the plpaSanter theme of its
present condition.
For agricultural purposes this sec
ton is practically worthless; corn fod,
der is the only thing they attempt to
raise in the way of feed or grain.
Stock raising is out of the question.
for there is not an acre of grazing land.
BY means Of irrigation and M abund-
ance of fertilizer, grass is made to grow
in some sections, but ia the end il is
no ,,Ia,,,ar t,o, IN kuy b,io1 bn,, :,