Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-04
THE EASTERN SHORE
cARDs OUT FOR THE MARRIAGE
OF A MINISTER.
Proposed New Brfdgc-would Give
Facilities 20 a Rich Scction-The
Dog-Tax-How II Works-Tcllfng
Figures.


ONANCOCK, VA. February s.-(Spe-
cial.)--Cards are out announcing the APP
preaching marriage of Miss Edith Old
ham, the beautiful and accomplished
daughter OF Montcalm Oldham, Esq.
Clerk OF Accomac County Court, TO the
Rev. Byron Clark. pastor Of the Presby-
terrain church at Mount Washington,
near Baltimore. The ceremony will take
place Wednesday afternoon, February
18th, in Mackenzie Presbyterian church. at
Accomac Courthouse Mr.. Clark Is
native OF North Carolina. and is
graduate OF Davidson College. In that
State. and OF Princeton University. For
three and half years he was pastor OF
the Presbyterian churches at Onancock
and Accomac Courthouse. having re-
signed this charge last october TO accept
q call to Mount Washington, Md.
A NEW BRIDGE.
A movement is on foot TO build bridge
across Occahannock creek. in the south
ern part Of Accomac. in order 10 give
the people living in the Neck between
Occahannock and Craddock creeks.
more direct route TO the line Of the New
York. Philadelphia and Norfolk railroad.
Owing TO the winding course OF the
creek these people have to so from five
to twelve miles TO reach the railroad,
while in a direct line the distance Is
much shorter. The bridge is to be Dullt
by popular subscription, and new road
IS TO be opened, running through Belle
Haven and striking the railroad about
half n mile east OF that village. where
the railroad company will probably es-
tablish a new station for the benefit OF
the people in Occahannock Neck. This
neck is one of the most productive ag-
ricultural regions of the Eastern Shore,
and is famed for its superior sweet pota-
toes. while the adjacent creeks pro-
duce the largest and best oysters on the
bayside. Hitherto. this neck has relied
almost exclusively on the Eastern Shore
steamers TO take its products to market.
Rut as the steamers make only two
trims a week TO Baltimore. the farmers
and oystermen of that locality feel the
need of a daily lire and a larger market
for their products. The railroad officials
have visited the neck and are said to be
ready TO give substantial encouragement
to the scheme which will open up this
favored section TO their line. 1t is not
improbable that branch roads VIII be
built from the main line at no distant
day into this and other isolated necks
of the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
THE DOG TAX.
Some mention was recently made In
this correspondence concerning the oppo-
si,icn OF certain persons TO the dog tax
now in force in this county and OF the
probability OF its being made an issue
in the approaching election for members
a1xr 1E
30 cents on males and 81 on females,
and the money thus raised is appro-
priated for the Improvement Of the pub
lie highways of the county. Your cor
respondent has just secured authentic
figures i'm relation 10 the dog tax in Ac-
comac. and when these facts are made
known TO the people II Is very evident
tina. they will not send to the General
Assembly any man who is pledged TO the
repeal of this tax. The amount OF money
spent on the roads of Accomac every
year is about $4,000. The County Urea
surss's books show that the negroes
nav only 1928 Of this amount pro-
perty tax. but they pay more than SLIGO
as q dog tax. In other words, of the
81 800 collected as a dog tax In this
county. the negroes pay nearly one half.
To repeal this tax would simply neces-
state a higher tax rate on the property
OF the white people, or an abandon
ment of the excellent system Of road i'm
nrovernent now in vogue here. II the
money is TO be raised. il is only ques-
tIon as to whether 1t shall be raised
from such property as is owned almost
exclusively by the white people, or be
levied such way as TO reach the negroes
ne well as the whites. Aside from any
other consideration. the foregoing figures
constitute an argumentum ad honinem.
that will not only silence the few oppo-
nents of the dog-tax law, but will arouse
the tax-payers of the county TO the i'm
portance Of returning TO the General
Assembly men who will see TO il that
the law remains on the statute books Of
The State.
THE STORM.
The heavy northeasterly rainstorm that
has been prevailing here for the
mast three days has carried away all
The snow and broken up the ice In all
tho estuarles. Yesterday the rainfall
was so heavy that all the lowlying places
were flooded, whole fields being under
water and presenting the appearance OF
lakes. All the streams were swollen, but
an tt,s part of the world the streams
rarely overflow their banks and DO any
damage by washing the land.