Milford chronicle., 1915-07-02
PROSPEROUS SUSSEX COUNTY,

The following article was written hv q
gentleman visitor to Sussex County last
week, after attending the annual meet.
ing of the directors of the Annie Fan,
Company, at Bridgeville, SusseT Conntv -
II Is well worth reading and remember
ing. 1t follows:
rev Delawareans know that Delaware
contains railroad shipping station from
which are shipped more strawberries than
from any other such station-one that is
not at a railroad junction in the United
states. Such a claim is made for Bridge
vile, II miles south of Wilmington.
Brldgeville IS touched BY but one railroad
the Delaware division of the Pennsvlva-
MIA. Selbyville, 19 miles south of George.
town, on the Delaware, MARYLAND & Vir-
ginia Railroad, long has tried to wrest
the distinction from Bridgeville, it is said.
but has failed. Bridgeville's high-water
mark in one day is 73 carloads. and
Selbyville's is 66. Bridgeville's heaviest
season totalled AIS carloads. Its shin
ments during the season Just closed were
oS7 carloads, which were slightly in ex-
cess of the shipments in 1914. The prices
during the 1915 season averaged seven
cents quart per carload. These berries
were shipped to New England and Cana
dian markets. Bridgeville also is noted
Tor the shipment of peaches, having taken
the lead from Middletown and Wyoming,
which for many years were shipping
points.
Raspberries and blackberries now are
being shipped from Bridgeville to Phila-
delphia, New York and Boston, and such
shipments will continue till the middle
of July. These berries generally are
plentiful in this neighborhood. but this
year the strawberry aphis and worms are
reducing the crop
The shipment of early apples will be-
gin next week and will continue month.
They will be shipped to the New England
States and Canada, and refrigerator cars
will be provided for their transportation.
The crop hereabouts is nearly as large as
in 1914.
Next cantaloupes, peaches, pears and
tomatoes will be marketed. The acreage
of cantaloupes and tomatoes is large, but
the returns will be small, because worms |
are cutting the vines. For Keiffer pears
80 to 40 per cent of a crop is predicted,
damage being caused by blight, but
there will be a dandy crop of peaches, ,"
an enthusiastic citizen says. Bridgeville |
figures on receiving SIPS per basket for
peaches The crop of timothy hay will |
be short, owing to dry weather. Wheat |
will be poor in consequence of dry weather |
last September and snow in April. The |
yield of feed corn will be fair.
H P. Cannon & Son, Incorporated, |
have canned large quantities of asparagus
and peas this season. I'VE will get 81
more for our asparagus than the Califor-
MA people" Henry P. Cannon says.
The firm has put up 500, 900 caus of peas,
md another crop is starting For peas
he growers received SIS to S95 per acre.
Next the cannery will handle tomatoes,
,ears, Boston marrow squashes and sweet
potatoes Excepting tomatoes the pro-
poets are good. In a heavy season the
employs 800 persons.
The Layton & Owens Manufacturing
o. is kept busy all the year producing
baskets and crates for the home
larket, and the Bridgeville Milling Co. i
reduces -four and feed for local use.
he Bridgeville Ice Co. has plant with ,
n output of 20 tons of ice daily and !
forage capacity of 5, 900 tons. :
Numerous fine residences testify to
prosperity. There is one
ank, a branch of the Baltimore Trust !
o. The town contains two department :
ores and has several smaller mercantile
ouses. Bridgewlle has been dry" over h
} years, and Henry P. Cannon attributes =
lie towns prosperity largely to that fact. 4
Had there been liquor saloon here, " a
II. Cannon says, this seasons berries 4
ould not have been picked" There y
IS not been business failure in Bridge c
lie during the last 80 years, although
W merchants have withdrawn. &