Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-21
The Eastern Shore, Its Big Men
and Modern Progress.
OCEAN CITY As 4 WATERING PLACE
Chincoteague, the Boats, the Drum
mer and the Beach Ponies.
COBB'S ISLAND COIN
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

80 little Known 10 the rest Oh the Union rs
this section Of Maryland and Virginia. Yet
it was settled hundreds of years ago and
it's people have participated In all the
movements which mark the history of the
country-the building up of commonwealth
which wrestled first with the savage and
later with John Bull in the struggle for
independence. 1t has not been wanting
in an honorable, virtuous and sturdy pop
ulation, and while 1t can boast no large
cities it has contributed it's share Of tribute
to cities like Baltimore, Washington, Rich
mond and Philadelphia, and it can boast
of producing sons who have easily won
their way to a national reputation. The
names of James Alfred Pearce, Ephraim K.
Wilson and Philip L. Thomas figure among
the most notable and worthy of the sons of
Maryland. All of these gentlemen went
to the United States Senate. Only few
miles to the southwark in Accomac county,
Va, lies the fourishing town of Onancock,
near which was the home of Henry S.
Wise, one of the remarkable men who had
the nerve to oppose the administration of
Andrew Jackson, great orator before the
people and also in the old hall of the House
of Observation-Disclosures Il supporter of
President Tyler, then the most distinguish
ed figure of the anti-know nothing cam
paign of 1855, which eliminated in his
being governor Of the commonwealth of
Virginia
l recall him as one of the most unique
characters both in public and private life
of this century-tall, gaunt, original, loqua-
c'ous, eloquent and fearless. Going to Bra
iii as the American minister, Thomas N.
Bayly, a neighbor and kinsman, took his
place In the House of Representatives, and
while less eloquent and aggressive than
Wise, he was probably more weighty and
influential. Bayly was the friend of Thorn
as Richie, of President Polk and of nearly
all the eminent Virginians of that day. In
the adjoining county of Northampton-a
small county but one of richer soil and
holdings than Accommodated Abel p Up
shur, one of the strongest writer's on the
side of states rights and notification, but
considering his admitted genius, force and
influence, he has left comparatively few
monuments of the power he exercised
among his contemporaries. His career was
cut short by the bursting of the cannon or
the Princeton which killed two of Mr.. Ty-
lers cabinet. and came near killing others
of equal eminence. If my memory is right.
Luther Martin, who was one of the great
leaders of the federal school and who fig
ured on the Aaron Burr trial, was from
this same section of Maryland
The experience of the earlier days of the
republic proves abundantly, if proof were
needed. that plantation life was no i'm
pediment to the study. thought and mental
development which fitted men for the high
est places. The names l have mentioned
are only portion of those who have borne
well their part in the battle of life coming
1rom a community which for many genera
tons has been more distinctively rural
home-like and homogeneous than almost
any portion of this country
Coming of Railroads.
1t was long time before this section
could boast railroad. Latterly it has
had fair share of steamboat communi-
cation. The stage coach and the "pungy"
or small schooner plying to Baltimore long
served the needs of the people, A few
years ago came the railroad. The eastern
shore railroad built a communication from
Claiborne to Ocean City. The Pennsylva-
MIA railroad and others have run lines
down through Delaware to Chestertown
Centrevflle. Easton, Crisfield and more re-
Gently we have a line known commonly as
the Cape Charles route, which extends
from Wilmington and Philadelphia to Ac-
comac and Northampton down to the -four
1sh1ng town of Cape Charles-not the real
Cape Charles, which is the northern en-
trance of the Chesapeake bay Thanks to
the same Pennsylvania railroad, 1 came
early this morning by boat from Chinco-
league Island to Franklin City and then
took a train to Berlin. Md. and from that
point to this place-so you see the old
eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia
Is now pretty well penetrated by railroads
The towns have a new, fresh appearance
and the residences have put on a good
deal of style. One can get along pretty
well in this country, and If a man should
happen to lose his railroad train l think
he could for little money lay his hands
on buggy, and if the worst came to the
worst he would find that the traditional
hospitality of the eastern shore was not
yet a defunct institution.
L mad the va2uest possible idea of Chin
colleague Island up to two or three years
ago. The fact is that while the island has
been there as long as we have known any,
thing about the waters the oysters and the
hsh, the place had until a few years ago
no note except for Its beach ponies. These
are breed of CRASHED horses much
smaller than the usual size. but tough
hardy, strong and capable of q great deal
OF go. They don't grow up in hot house
or a fine stable, and so, left to scuffie along
as pest they may you have a survival OF
the fittest and valuable ally to man over
the sand and mud which abound on the
island 1 saw yesterday a herd of these
nomads who in day Or so were to be
'penned." branded and reclaimed to civil
cation by Solomon's favorite method They
were feeding on the rich marsh grass. all
unconscious of their glorious destiny Chin
colleague Island is about seven miles long
by one to two miles wide. 1t has easy ac-
cess to the sea, but it's outside neighbor ia
Assatt ague Island; also with good growth
OF sand, trees and mosquitoes, but only q
small population.
ChincOteague's Growth.
Some twenty-five years ago the popula-
ton of Chincoteague Island, 1 believe, was
only four or five hundred. Now there are
1900 people. The city or town has most
of these, and 1t stretches along the beach
for three or four miles, In the rear YOU
have trees. small farms. pools of water,
inlets, mosquitoes and whatnot. The town
pretends to no style, but it has two hotels
and quite a number of nice, modern
houses and pretty shade trees. There is
a wide bay between the island and the
main shore-not very deep-which is one
grand oyster bed, and here, owing to the
vicinity of the sea, you have oysters equal
TO any In the world The nearer the oyster
to the sea the firmer, fatter and better
favored he Is. I fear these oysters go
mainly to Philadelphia, and 1 regret It,
for what Philadelphia man could relish
good oyster like a Baltimore or Washing
ton man? The crabs here are not equal
to those of the Potomac. The waters
abound in fish, especially in the Atlantic
outside Five hundred to thousand
pounds Is no uncommon catch for a sail
boat with only two or three hands The
abundance of the oysters, their superior
flavor and the facility of growing and get
ting them has developed a big industry
and made Chincoteague what 1t Is today.
AS natural result of all this the small
sailboat Is the distinguishing feature of
Chincoteague life. 1t is a pretty sight to
see these boats sailing or lying at anchor,
The other morning I counted near me
while fishing away out in the bay over