Milford chronicle., 1917-08-17
BOWERS.

Big Thursday of this year has come
and gone so far as this resort is
concerned and it was quite an event
full day. The crowd was immense but
there never was a more orderly and
peaceable gathering assembled at
this place.
A conservative estimate of the mum
Der of persons have after taking all
the data obtamable was approximate
ly twelve thousand persons-and was
believed to be the largest gathering
that ever met at this resort in any
one day. There were eleven ,hun-
dred and ten automobiles by actual
count that entered the line of the
/ town; all sizes and kinds from the
small runabout with an average of
three persons to the large auto
/ truck with an average of thirty per-
sons. Then in addition to the ma
/ chimes there was five hundred and
over of teams with a good average
and then those that came on the
steam boat, the numerous motor
boats, and sailing craft for the oc-
cassion made the number as estima-
ted altogether plausible. Great prep
aration had been made for the occas-
| ion by the hotels and boarding
houses and different vendors to care
for the people and they did their
part Admirable. Thus the greatest
day in point of numbers in the his
tory of the resort has past and gone.
Big Saturday as it is usually call
ed especially by the colored pOpula-
tion. was celebrated on Saturday
last and a big day at the resort it
was. Not since the year 1886, when
the riot occurred between the whites
and blacks, have such a large assem-
| bly, of cOlOred people met here.
Since that year up until this year
two-hundred and fifty or three hun
/ dred colored people was considered
an average number for them on any
one occasion; but Saturday last was
an exception when the crowd would
have exceeded more than a thousand
persons. Had il not have been for
the tragedy which was committed
back on the marsh land in a seclud-
ed spot surrounded by water and
bushes there would not have been ev-
en- a disturbance among them-such
was the disposition or at least seem
ed to be of the large crowd to have
jolly good time and enjoy the oc-
casiOn
But it remained for the crap
shooters and booze handlers to SER
iOusly interrupt their days pleasure.
Back in a secluded spot where they
were having their orgies an alterca-
tion arose between Oliver Walters of
| Dover and Walter Benson, of FELTON,,
when Waters shot Benson to death,
he dying almost instantly Waters
was arrested by our officers and con-
fined in the lookup until the Sheriff
could be notified and come and take
him to Jail. Benson was taken from
where he was killed to the barn at
the hotel and his father notified. He
sent the undertaken from FELTON, for
his body. The Coroner so happened
to be at the resort when the killing
occurred and he ordered the body to
be taken to his fathers where he
would hold an inquest later. Thus
the day had rather a serious ending
where it might have been one of
pleasure and enjoyment had it not
been for a few very desperate law
breakers.
Tuesday of this week was a very
gala day for US, it being the day set
for the annual picnic occasion for |
several Sunday schools. There were |
three schools from FELTON,, one from |
Frederick and one from Houston, and |
young America was in it's glory
During last week, and especially on .
big Thursday" W. S. Davidson en-
tertained a number Of his friends |
from Philadelphia, the following COM
posing the party: DR.. S. C. Mere
dith, John Clikket, William Bar, Jas.
Carman and Albert Davis. While
the host opened his hospitable home
for his guests, it was they who furn-
ished the entertainment. Dr.. Mere
iith having been raised in Milford \
Neck and being a vocalist of some
note, was able to entertain in this
way in a manner beftting a profess
sional, and he was assisted by Mr..
Carman, an accomplished tenor solo
st.
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles jackson and
James Jackson, of Milton, spent the
past week as the guests of Mr.. and
Mrs. G. W. Spayd. On their return
home, Mr.. Spayd accompanied them
n order to visit the Zoar Campmeet-
ng, while it was in progress.
Rev. J. Willis Minner of South Am
BOY, ~ j., was a guest this week of
lis brother, Alex Minner. =
Miss Mabel Jackson of Milton is
he guest at present of Miss Clara
Spayd.
Mrs. Blanche E. Hubbard, Mrs.
n
on Dine were entertained by friends
n Smyrna on Sunday last.
Mrs. W. S. Davidson is entertain
ng her sister during the week, Mrs.
} Reynolds Salevan of near Milford.
Mr.. and Mrs. Olan Benson and /
amily of Milford, are recuperating at