The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-10-04
TO GLOUCESTER
Poplar ana Pine Wood a Great Revenue
Jones, Lee and Ball Discuss Politics.

Behind pair OF thoroughbred horses
The Free Lance preventative, in COM
pany with u s. Marshal M Treat, started
from West P0iut Monday so attend
Gloucester court. All along tho route
We mot OK carts ard mnle seams loaded
with pine and poplar wood and rail-
road nes The poplar wood industry is
very large. This year the buyers are
having So per cord over the rail Of the
vessel. and 50 % delivered at the land
tngs It has brought a great deal q
money ca the counties. Pine wood sells
a. from g. IS to So 90 per cord az the
landings This wood brings 90 90 TO
s. per cord IN New York
Farm land is cheap, but where a
farm is heavily wooded the timber will
sell for three times as much as the
land A marked instance was two
farms Of about 25O acres side by side
One had heavy timber, the other but
httle The owner of the timbered farm
has refused s. GOO for the timber alone,
while the other farm could not be sold
for over $4,000 All along the route
were evidences Of the late drought, but
net withstanding 10 there will be half a
crop IT corn made When we arrived
az Gloucester we found d large crowd
Qathered--ahOut an equal number OF
whites and colOred Outside OF the
court house, Enclosure large number Of
oolored people, men aud women, under
cents were selling pies, cakes, fried
chickens, oysters and fish 10 reminded
Us Of the outside Of county fair, or
circus of years ago We were attracted
/ 90 al hafFtfr
sold Il Is called the jumping mnllet.
IL ia fatter aud of better flavor than
the mackerel They are generally
caught at night. and lights are used by
fishermen 20 attract them. Instances
have been known when the fishermen
went cut ia boats - catch them and q
school was struck that they jumped into
the boat In such numbers that they filled
II and the boat was sunk by their
weight.
Tne politicians were out la full force
The speakers If che day were Hon "
4 Jones ana r. T. Lee, Jr, for the
Democrats, and Capt Thomas Ball Tor
the Republicans Judge Taylor she Re.
publican chairman. made an effort TO
have q Joint discussion but this could
not be effected Separate meetings
were held The Democratic speakers
/ occupied the porch Of the hotel IN front
If which was large number OF voters
while the laTges porch was filled with
ladies' Maj1r r s TaliAferro intro
duced Mr. Lee and the county chair
man Capt. ] n rabb, introduced Mr.
Jones The speeches made By each
were practically the same heretofore
published by Tue Free Lance.
Captain Ball spoke two hours % the
Republicans from the porch within
( the courthouse grounds.
While the audiences nc both meet
ings listened attentivelY there Is the
same lack Of enthusiasm noted IN other
parts Of the district The people are
thinking more OF th-ir private business
than Of politics
The oyster interest Of Gloucester is
a very important factor The largest
planters are A. Hiram. w. W. Al
mond 4 A Coleman and +. Van
Name. There are thr0e oyster rocks on
the nver .Bell, Psget and Pig A ma.
j0rity Of the oysters planted, however
are brought from James River. Oyster
are higher this year. The seed oysters
shat cost she planters ten cents per
6uahel TWO years ago are now worth
twenty. and with the freight costs
thirty cents when thrown overheard
into the beds From she five oyster
packing establishments IN West Point
+ over 300 coo bushels II oyster shells have
been sold 20 oystermen along the river
/ this year as from one % two aud one
/ half cents per bushei. These shells art
taken TO tue mouth Of the river and
thrown overheard in piles. and stakes
set 10 designate the owner when spawn
/ ing time comes for The oyster the spawn
| comes Ia contact with the rough shells
aud makes a strike " We were shown
O she'll which had six oysters on "
/ These shells are culled efter two years
/ and those heviDg oysters are brought
up the river and planted IN the beds
/ We were told that this would be an i'm
portant factor ia the future supply Of
/ oysters
After a pleasant day, meeting old
friends, we left Gloucester and spent
the night the guest of Mr.. and Mrs
Treat at their hospitable home in West
Point.