Smyrna times., 1898-08-17
BIG CROWDS AT WOODLAND BEACH.
List Week a Notable One at This Favor.
ite Resort on the Delaware
BaY.

Woodland Beach is always favorite |
resort, but last week it over-reached its |
popularity of the season IN having |
large crowds in attendance. This was |
due to the setting apart of two distinct !
days-"Farmer's Day and "ColOred |
Day."
The former was given last Wednes- |
day. Early in the morning team after |
team was seen gong through Smyrna,
some having come a distance of fiftee u
or twenty miles. Not only was the
western Deestrict" we'll represented.
but many from the eastern shore of
Maryland took the day off for sport at
the bayside. For a time they went
through town in droves, and they went
in almost every kind of team imagina-
BILE. The weather was very threaten
ing in the morning and in the afternoon
a storm came up and drenched every
thing. The stable at Woodland could
not begin to accommodate the vast
number of teams, and many enjoyed
an unwelcOme shower bath. MANY
coming through town that evening had
not dry stitch of clothing on them,
and some were spattered with mud
from head to foot. The greatest OBJ
stacle in coming home was the condi-
ton of the marsh road. The soaking
rain had made it very mirey. One of
the teams coming away was overturned
on the marsh and the occupants had to
go back and remain over night.
The conduct, with but one or two
exceptions was fairly good, especially
so considering the crowds which were
present. On Wednesday afternoon,
says the Wilmington EUery EUeninq,
fight occurred near Woodland Beach
between four soldiers from Delaware
City or that vicinity and several par
ties residing near Hartley Station. Two
soldiers attempted to fight with man
named Andrew Parker, when the lat
ter promptly knocked one of them
down and blackened the eve of the
other. The four soldiers then caught
hold of Parker and attempted to choke
him, when another man, whose name
| could not be learned, walked into the
crowd with knife and demanded fair
play and slashed the clothing of one
the soldiers. Parker freed himself and
at once renewed the attack aud hit one
of the men on the nose, and while the
man who was struck was falling back
ward Parker planted another blow
| which took him clear off his feet. Be-
fore the fight was ended the four sol
diers were pretty badly disfigured.
The left jaw of one man was swollen
to twice its normal size, the eve of
another was closed; another had cash
over his left eye, and the nose of the
fourth was badly swollen and his coat
was a mass of blood.
The attendance upon this farmers
Day Carnival is variOusly estimated at
between 5000 and 10000 people. One
man took the trouble to count the
number of teams present; after he had
reached 600 he grew tired and stopped.
| The excursion boats brought quite
number to the Beach that day.
The postponed Sunday School ses-
sion of the "Western Deestrict'' was
further postponed because of the bad
weather.
CoLORED DAY.
There is a day set apart every wear
by the management know as ''Colored
Day." This event is looked forward
to with considerable pleasure by the
colored people, as time when they can
roam around undisturbed. They 90
there in their best Sunday-go-to-
meeting clothes and have q general
good frollc. They were seen going
through town ON Saturday morning in
large numbers and we hear the atfen-
dance was very large. The worst fea-
ture about the colored excursionists is.
that they can rarely have day of this
kind without ending it with some dis
graceful proceedings-a free for all
fight. Such was the case Saturday
when George Luff, crazed with drink.
got into quarrel with George Warren
IA year old lad, the former shooting
the latter with revolver, the bull ct
entering his breast and coming nearly
through his back DIR. Dwight dressed
the wound. Whiskey and beer flowed
freely among the ebony-hued descend
ants of Ham, despite the fact that the
bar was closed. But speak -easies were
IN full blast, and from all accounts they
got as much fun out of the day as they
wanted. A young, would be negro
bully, from Dutch Neck, named Geo.
Jones, who is known to our police, got
into a fight and beloved for help be-
fore he got through with it.