Milford chronicle., 1929-06-21
TWO PICTURES
OF GUMBORO

Just a few years ago Gumboro,
Sussex county, was better known
and referred to as "Gumboro
Swamp" The building of perman-
ent highways, modern school build
ings and better churches, in the past
fifteen years, has changed the habits
of the people and the methods of
doing business. The moral stand
ard of the entire district has been
raised, and the people who now dom
mate Gumboro are respected and re-
sponsible parts Of the county citi-
zenship. The following letter came
to the editor of the Chronicle last
week, which very largely depicts
the past of Gumboro district, and
for that matter, many other sections
of both Kent and Sussex counties,
as we'll as in the adjoining counties
of the State of Maryland. The letter
is signed by Mr.. ]. E. Wootten, now
in the three-score and ten part of
his life, and there are many other
persons much younger who can re-
call from their memory similar con-
ditions. The letter we print prac-
tically as written, with no import
ant changes in it's phrasing, and it
is as follows:
Gumboro, Del, June II, '29.
1 was born in Gumboro town De-
cember 10th, 1858, and when 1 was
boy, whiskey, rum and brandy was
sold in the stores of the town, and
fights, brawls were common. 1 saw
fights with chunks, bricks and
even pistols-in one instance an ear
was bit off, and nose chewed.
Them were the good old times"
often referred to by some people.
Since then law and order has pre-
vailed and improvements have chan
ged the looks of the town and coun-
try about it.
A handsome new school building
houses the children, who are dressed
and look attractive as in other
towns! The school is conducted
nine months each year, and the
homes are better, as they have to
be to keep the boys and girls inter-
ested.
A new and modern church with a
parsonage affords religious oppor-
tunity' for worship.
The town and country about it
sobered UP and now the people are
steady workers, producing crops
ranging from corn and potatoes to
Strawberries in large quantities.
The timber and charcoal business
has passed as the main industry,
and now all kinds of vegetables and
fruits are produced.
Chickens and eggs are large fac
tors in the income of the people,
and they are producing these in lar
ger quantities each year, and at the
same time growing very much of
the feed required for their poultry.
There are a few who yet find
something to drink, which befuddles
their brains and wastes their money,
but they are only very small per-
centage of the total population, and
it is probably just as well for them
to drink the stuff and kill themselves
off out of the way.
Gumboro has a strawberry market
where the growers take their berries
and sell them to the highest bidder,
and it is growing in Importance
each season.
Great changes have been made in
the world by the autos, telegraph,
radio and flying, since 1 was boy.
There is no place in this world for
drunks and befuddled minds, as well
as old and worn-out people.
An old-age pension should be
provided to provide for those who
have nothing but the Almshouse as
a source for support. 1t would be
less expensive to pay the old-age
pension, than to keep up the aims
houses.
We old folks here believe that it
is high time to give the farmers of
this section relief, as well as the
great farming interests of the far
western country.
Pass President Hoover's Farm Re-
lief Bill and make us all happy,
and loving one another.
Mr.. Wootten closes his letter by
stating that he has been during his
a farmer, mail carrier, oper-
ator of saw mill, gunner and faith
er of seven children, and fine wife
with whom have passed forty-three
years of happiness.
His letter is interesting for sew
eral reasons. He states correctly
he conditions that prevailed fifty
)r more years ago, and contrasts
hat period with the present.
He has grown old and away from
he producing class; so that he
lgain presents a condition worthy of
hought, as to the problem of pro-
riding pensions for those too old to
arn for themselves comfort.