Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1919-03-22
A FORMER: RESIDENT

Visited Middletown After Being
Absent For IS Years
THINGS LOOKED DIFFERENT
The writer of the Stas article, which
We pub ish below, tried hard to shield
his identity but Ned Jones and the
writer picked him at once. We used to
go to St. Joseph's Church when it was
built and we recognized the '.Altar
Boy" of that time as the person who
visited MiddletowE. One Sunday even
ing when Father Archembough was
here Bishop Alfred A. Curtis, of saint
ly memory came to pay his first Off
cial visit and administer Confirmati
Well sir, the good old father cot his
alter boy into a surplice and cassock.
He was then about, Is, had neat
mustache and wore his hair parted in
the middle. The way two young wo-
men friends Jolliei our young ''curate"
after the services was genuinely in
teresting. The same fellow is new
county official in Wilmington, it is
understood. Does he remember it?
The other day in Middletown the reg
ulars who were on the platform were
surprised to see former resident of
old St. Georges Hundrel in their midst
once more. To the new arrival things
looked somewhat familiar except that
Charlie johnson was not there to take
the passengers to Odessa in his hack
drawn by splendid span of horses, on
the names of whose harness were those
little jingle bells. Do you remember
those bells, how they would ring as he
left the postoffice with the mail for the
Russian named town Odessa?
Many years ago Odessa was mighty
busy little town. Farmers for many
miles around used to haul their wheat
and corn there and load it on vessels
before the Delaware railroad came by
Middletown and took the trade.
Then again about thirty five years ago
Victor Lord conceived an idea of manu-
featuring phosphate there and the first
year he made thirty tons. Men mixed
the South Carolina rock and sulphuric
acid with hoes just as bed of mortar
is mixed. George w. Polk joined in the
enterprise and the business grew and
grew until the Lotd and Polk Chemical
Co. made 81, 600 tons of fertilizer year.
All the best and high standard grades
and twenty or thirty teams hauled the
bagged material to the cars here while
George Janvier and frank Iucher look
ed after the shipping by barges and
schooners at Odessa. But Lord and
Polk are dead, the factory Is Thing OF
the past and even the big acid chamber
with los tons OF lead is seen no more.
AsI stood on the Middl town plat
form was reminded of "Jim" Shannon,
r.. W. Black and Garrett Ellis who Ior
many years were employed in the sta
ton. As the street was crossed a
change Was noticed at once for Julian
tuard, who was not born when l knew
lddletown years ago, has the Office OF
John W. Jolls. In that office had the
pleasure many time of talking over
the first telephone line in Delaware.
AS | went towards Main street no.
ticed the familiar store OF FOard and
Comegys. thought Of boyhood days
and wondered t Mr.. Foard remembered
the day he rode his pony up i.he steps Of
the National Hotel, and right up to the
bar where he got drink. The drink
affected The pony more than it did Mr..
Foard because the pony caused consider
able trouble before it was induced to 60
down the steps.
As | looked to the west there was
such difference. In my day rs far as
YOU could see on both sides of the road
was the land of the late Governor John
P, Cochran. Every foot of land was a
peach orchard and what picture it was
to see the Governors accomplished and
winsome daughters ride their horses
along the road while the perfume of
of Delaware Peaches.
Along Main street was reminded of
Thomas Massey, the jeweler. Daniel L.
Robert A. Cochran, grandfather of
=. Ne
ton. The butcher shop of George Echen-
hofer is q thing of the past. Tie famed
Hip Hou se is the pretty home of the
Metten family, one of whom, William
F. Metlen, is. a successful Wilmington
business man, being business manager
of the Every Evening.
The Town Hall and Opera House
where so many delightful entertain
ments were held, where the Masons held
their meetings, the Catholics attended
mass and business men made big money
But the hall, dedicated on July I, 1868,
was destroyed by fire some months ago.
A few laws ago the cornerstone was un-
earthed and in the box was found silver,
gold and copper coins of the year of the
building Of the hall; copies Of The
Middletown Transcript, the Delaware
Weekly Republican, the Washington
Intelligencer, list of the stockholders
of the Town Hall Company, his 'ory of
the building. and several presents given
bv other Masonic lodges, members of
which were present at the ceremonies.
There goes w. B. Biggs, when l see
him always think how funny it came
about that "Bill" was appointed tax
collector. The late Serick F. Shall
cross, Levy Court Commissioner, got on
the train one morning for Wilmington
and who dropped into the seat with him
but the late Governor Benjamin Biggs.
.'Good morning 'Benni..'" said Mr..
Shallcross, ''How are you -
GOOD morning, Serrick, am telling
fina," returned the Governor.
They chatted about several things anc
finally Mr.. Shalcross said he was wor
ried. That was the day the Levy Court
would elect the tax collectors. AL
Stevens and John G. Armstrong close
friends. were the applicants. 1t puzzled
Mr.. Shallcross how to decide betWeeI