Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1908-08-11
"REMINISCENCES
OF Mr.. HUKILL
letter No. 70.

from Iaylors Bridge 10 Collins Beach
in the forties there was a store and dwell
ing near the bridge on the left going east
hood. Till a few years ago the store was
abandoned and another started little
farther east and near the school house.
The big Rodgers farm was occupied by
a Mr. Lucus. followed by John Riley in
1886. and he was followed by Abraham
Hayden and others. The school house out
at the end OF the lane always reminded
me OF old political times in 1858 and 1860,
when Ephraim Beaston, sewell Briggs,
now Of Middletown, and Harry H. APP
pleton, Of Pencader hundred used to come
down there and make political speeches.
on one occasion Edward Wilmer then Of
Smyrna. afterwards marshal Of the State.
came down there aud made a speech and
told a story which have never forgotten.
1t was about two green country chaps
who went to see the city and the sights
and stopped az hotel. Al supper there
was Goldfish biscuit on the bill OF fare.
One Of the fellows tasted his and broke
out with the exclamation. by gum, Joe,
there's something dead in this biscuit. -
The speaker made the story apply to the
Democratic doctrine
After we leave the school house we
find on the left going down the Isaac
Stats farm now occupied by Harry
Wood, keeper and owned by his mother
The old Listens farm is occupied by VIII
mer c. Stats and owned by David ].
Cummins heirs; the Robert Derickson
farm is owned by Samuel c. Derickson.
This brings us down to Collins Beach,
which has for some time been abandoned
on account Of the tides cutting the shore
away, also the road Of approach and then
from the school house down on the right
we find first the old DtalSyne estate owned
and occupied by Harry Stats, the old
Dr. John property is occupied by Harry
David and the Robert Johnson farm by
Horace David and another farm belong
ing to the BENJAMIN Day-1 estate. AS ]
traverse that road down TO the Collins
Beach 1 am reminded Of an uncommon
affair that occurred there on the beach in
the autumn Of 1S49. The beach at that time
was common property as bathing shore
and was visited every summer by what
was known in those days as bay parties
| on that occasion there happened to meet
there three parties, one from what was
called Tadpole Neck, one from the Alley
west Of Smyrna, and one from Cantwell
Bridge. After they had been In bathing
and we're getting dressed for dinner some
OF the children and servants tarried be-
hing padding in the water and a servant
boy, nearly grown. was amusing himself
by ducking the smaller goys and ducked
one belonging to the Cantwells Bridge
party. Joseph H Enos. now living in
odessa and a son of Thomas T. Enos, an
undertaken and long since dead. The ser.
want boy belonged 20 Alexander Jones OF
the Alley party. The servant boy ducked
the little Enos boy a little too much and
strangled him and got him to crying
which created little commotion among
the women and children and some one re-
ported the matter to Mr.. Enos and he
came running up with one boet oR.and the
other In his hand for a weapon for the
servant He caught him and pounded him
with the boot over the head ana wher
Mr.. Jones discovered what was going or
he ran post haste to defend the boy and
caught hold OF Bnos telling him to stop
that he had given him enough and as h
pulled Enos toward him EnOs came round
with his boot drawn for Jones' BY thi
time the whole three parties had becom'
thoroughly aroused and came running
gathering around Enos and Jones in 1
very excited manner. Word was passeC
10 stand back and shirt collars wen
open and sleeves were rolled up and thing
looked ugly, for those parties were mad
up of big burly farmers who would have
made a bad fight had there been an,
blows struck; but some OF the coole
heads succeeded IN staving of the fgh
and they auieted down, and in few
minutes when they had had time enough
TO cool OF they we're a sorry set Of mel
and all seemed to rejoice in the fact tina
they had escaped what would have beer
a very serious hattie. During the fol
lowing year. 1850. the hotel was built an'
there was no more free bathing at tina
point but the people fell back on tn
Listens farm beach about mile farthe
up shore. west from Collins beach.
Now between the David land on tn
eastern end OF this route as described, an'
Collins land beyond the beach on tn
east. was a scope OF marsh land except fol-
a few acres near the waters edge, form
ing an island whore the hotel was. Acros
this island was a country road whicl
served as an egress and ingress to tn
beach and hotel all OF which has been Gu
away by the tides and causing the aban
donment Of the hotel and beach SOM
years ago. About a half mile in from thu
shore and behind the marsh was IN
great cedar swamp which furnished fenc
rails and posts, saw logs for winter board
ing, flag poles and ships masts and tn
finest shingles that ever went into root
The best single timber was found un
derground when great tree trunks wer
uncovered from two TO three feet In di
ameter which had been there from tim
unknown, perhaps before the food Thi
cedar timber was very valuable for build
ing purposes and was hauled for man
miles away. All of this has now been lai
! waste and Is a prey to the tides.
In my next letter I propose to take u
this subject again. commencing at IN
Collins land on the shore east OF IN
cedar swamp
william Andrew fIukin.