Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-04-12

specially shy. The shad that have al
ready been caught in the Pocomoke are
very fine and old fishermen think they
will be plentiful on the next full moon
if the weather is warmer.
| The condition of Mr.. Zadok p.
Wharton, who has been sick for sew.
eral weeks, became so serious last week
that Professor Wilson, of jefferson Med
ical College. was sent for by Drs. Dick
erson and Straughn. He said that every
thing possible had been done for Mr.
Wharton. and that his condition was
not hopeful. Several changes for the
better have occurred this week.
One of the acts of the recent session
of the Legislature was the granting of
a charter tn several gentlemen of Berlin
and Snow Hill for an electric railway
from Ocean City to Pocomoke City. A
great many persons believe such an Ell
terprise can be made TO pay if it is prop.
erly managed. We are not informed
when the owners of the franchise will
commence operations.
-Adjutant Kemp and his Salvation
Army Brigade will be at Girdletrce until
Sunday night when he will close the
meetings. He was ready 10 leave a
week ago, but by special Invitation re.
manned over a week. The Brigade will
20 to Box Iron on Tuesday where il will
remain about ten days. The people of
that section know the Adjutant and the
good work he has accomplished in this
section. SO no introduction is necessary
Governor and Mrs. John Walter
Smith gave a musicale and card party
at the Government House Monday even.
ing. Those in attendance: Mrs NJ T.
Hargis, Snow Hill; Miss Lucie LETTERS,
Mrs. Hutchins, Mrs. Harris. Miss Har.
ris. Mr.. and Mrs. Daniel r. Randall,
MIR and Mrs Shcllman b. Brown, Com.
mander and Mrs. +. Lloyd. Jr., Mr..
and Mrs. Dielman. Miss Mickie, Char
lottesville, Va; Miss Upshur. Baltimore;
Mis- Handy. Miss Dryden, Miss Mary
Maguder. Miss Bratten, Secretary of
State Wilfred Bateman and Mr.. Samuel
Dennis.
William r. johnson. who completed
his three years service in the Philip.
pines. as Sargent of Company H.. U. $.
Signal Corps. received an honorable dis
charge recently and was home this week
on visit to his parents Mr. and Mrs.
Richard NJ. johnson. of this town. He
is glad of his experience in our foreign
possessions. but says he has enough, and
will not return. though offered IA posi-
ton at salary of $500 year in the
Islands. He is an experienced telegraph
operator and has accepted a position as
such in Pittsburg, Pa, for which place
he left this week We wish him success.
A meeting of the stockholders of
the Equitable Fire Insurance Company
has been called for Monday next. and
the purpose is to consider and determine
the question of selling out The com
pany was organized three years ago and
has done good business. II has al
ways paid its losses promptly. and there
has been no trouble in adjusting any of
its business transactions. An applica
tion for the purchase If the business by
another company has been made and
the directors feel that il will be we'll tn
lay this proposition before the stock
holders for their consideration and de.
termination, and this will be done ut
the meeting next Monday. As before
stated all losses have been promptly
paid. and il is not necessary To say all
policy holders are perfectly safe what
ever action may be- taken by the stack
holders.
Quite a number of sturgeon are now
caught every year at Ocean City and it
is IA very profitable business whenever
the fishermen meet with success Not
long ago il was great industry of Del
aware bay but Of late has run down to
almost nothing. The mouth Of Mahon s
River. seven miles east of Dover. was
for years the centre of operations. and
hundreds of men and boats were en-.
ploycd i'll catching the giant fish Last
year there were few surgeons found in
the Delaware. and many of the owners
of the big Is dipped them al iinan-
cial loss. An effort was made in the
Legislature for protective legislation.
but this failed of passage. Shad fisher.
men contributed To the destruction of
the fish by killing all of the young stur
geon caught in their nets But five
boats will start out for sturgeon fishing
when the season opens one week from
next Sunday, and all these boats are
owned by one man.
Mr. James Bravard Dirickspn who
died ON Thursday of last week at his
home farm IN Sincpuxrnt Bay was
abont 81 years Of age and Il bachelor.
lie was "A cultured man. having grad.
udtcd at Trinity College, when young
man. after which he returned home and
resumed the life of farmer He in
herited large landed estate and al the
time of his death was possessed of several