Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-08
ON NEVILLE ISLAND.
Some Facts of Interest About ALE.
gheny County's Garden.
LIGHT CROPS REPORTED THIS YEAR
The Island Will Soon Be Connected With
the Main Land,
BY BRIDGE AND ELECTRIC RAILROAD
OFFICE OF PITTsBURG DISPATCH.
SATURDAY. September 9, lo9O.


SATURDAY. September 6, 1890
The market reporter of THE DISPATCH
was permitted to take tour of Neville
Island this week in company with one OF
the native gardeners. In the tour he learned
number of interesting facts which were
entirely new to him, and doubtless will be
to the majority of DISPATCH readers. The
upper end of this historic island is about
six miles below the city. Its length is
about six miles and width about one
halt mile. There are close to 1,OO0 acres
under cultivation as market gardens. The
biggest floods have not overfowed more
than one-fourth of the island. On the north
side, where the homes of the gardeners are
located, the ground stands high above the
highest water mark In order to cover this
north side of the island the water must Teacn
the second-story of the Diamond market build
ing
There are now on the island over 60 garden
farms ranging from 25 to 60 acres each. Inc
population is close to 800. all of whom obtain
their subsistence from gardening.
In the olden time the island was famous for
its melons. which were pushed to our city on
canoes. Those days have passed away, and
now asparagus, tomatoes and early corn are tEe
principal crops.
1t is within bounds to say that no other Sec
tion of the country of equal extent yields as
much garden stuff for our markets as Neville
Island. Every evening 1atboat is pushed
along the northern shore and gathers up the
product of the various gardens, and when filled
is towed by steamer to the Allegheny wharf
at the foot of Fifth street, which is reached
about midnight. There wagons are in readl-
ness to haul the stuff to the Diamond markets.
The
Cost of Transportation
to market, including hauling, is at this time OF
the year Sc per bushel In the early spring the
cost is l2c, owing to light shipments. In the
height of the season the steamer tows as many
as three loaded flatboats. or an amount equal
to 600 bushels or more. Monday and Friday
evenings are the big days for shipments, put
there is not an evening of the week at TINS
season of the year. when the wharf OF the
island is not lined with baskets OF tomatoes.
roasting ears and pumpkins waiting the arrival
of the flatboat. On the return trips the nat
boats are commonly loaded with manure for
the enrichng of the island gardens. One
of the gardeners reported that : he used
from 400 TO 500 wagon loads OF manure
annually on less than 80 acres at a cost of $500
to S400. The chief profit to the gardener is Ill
early stuff. Asparagus beds are measured by
the acre, and the first fruits of this crop pay
very handsome dividends. The first roasting
ears and tomatoes also yield handsome returns,
as Pittsburg is proverbially ready to catch on
at high prices to home-raised vegetables which
put in an early appearance. This season mas
been exceptional in the small amount OF gar
den products. The early spring was too wet,
and this being followed by very dry, hot
weather the soil became baked and the yield
has been much below the average season.
The tomato crop, which is one of the main
stays of the island, is not above one-half its
average this season.
Big Rise I'm Prices.
The cool nights of late have prevented
tomatoes from ripeniDg and prices have doubled
up in the past ten days. A gardener who found
it hard to get rid of his tomatoes at 75c a
bushel two weeks ago. reported to-day that he
had now very few to sell. but could easily get
81 so bushel.
There is no waste land on Neville Island.
Scarcely foot that is not arabic. In the olden
time, when it was owned by the Nevilles and
Craigs. it was covered with very heavy timber,
and the pioneers furnished the steamboats,
with the fuel which propelled them up and
down the Ohio A part of the log cabin which
General Neville built on the upper end of the
island, is now the kitchen of the Bragdon family,
who for more than half century have been
gardeners there.
Among the names which have been prom
inent for well on to a century are the Hamil-
tons, Coles and Chaplins Mrs. Bragdon, who
spent her honeymoon on the island over a half
century ago. is still an occupant of the old man.
sion where John Neville dwelt a half century
who is connected by marriage with the Craigs,
who in the early times. were connected with
the Nevilles There are two churches on the
island, Presbyterian and Methodist. Preach
ers from the main land supply the pulpits twice
a month. The island has no store no black
smith shop, no physician or professional gentle
man of any kind, When horse is to be shod
the blacksmith must be taken from the main
land or the horse taken over In fat This diff
Guilty is expected soon to be overcome, as the
bridge connecting the island with the southern
shore will be completed before winter.
A New Thoroughfare.
The present road is on the north side in
front Of gardeners houses, extending the en-
tire length. This is frequently encroached on
by the river. A new avenue will soon be opened
up in the center of the island the entire length,
on which an electric railroad will be built con-
Meeting with the new bridge. Gardeners re-
port that freight cars will be attached, which in
the near future will render them Independent
of the river for transportation of stuff.
The writer will ever cherish pleasant men,
ories of his trip over Neville Island as well as
of the hearty hospitality of the gardeners
there. A summer hotel on the upper end has
been frequently talked of, and certainly no
point in this neighborhood furnishes better IA
cilities for pleasant summer outing.