Milford chronicle., 1931-07-31
GLENDALE
Scenes OF Long Ago No. 10
Eagle Hotel, Georgetown


building of the new post Office al
that point, removes some of the
buildings whose history is rich in
the doings that happened many
many years ago.
Some of the older ones now living
and they are only few, will re-
member the scenes which happened
around this old hotel during the days
before the Civil War and during the
time when the great conflict between
the North and South was being wag-
ed.
The contests between the Demo-
Gratis and Republican parties which
were held in Sussex county in those
early days, this hotel was the head
quarters of those who espOused the
Democratic cause as the Brick Hotel
situated on another part of the
square was where the Whig and af-
terward the Republican party held
forth.
Old timers who can remember will
bring to their minds the many con-
flicts which were held in those early
days. :
The Democratic party was gener-
ally triumphant in those times and
continued so until the event of the
Civil War; when, by arrests and
other questionable means, caused
the Democratic party to lose power,
but which again became the doml-
nant party later on, and continued
so until the last few years.
1t used to be the custom before
the general election for each party
to corral as many of the doubtful
voters as possible and hide them
away in some remote spot, and try
by keeping them under the influence
of liquor and very little food to hold
them until they could be voted on
election day-as whiskey in those
days was only about forty cents per
gallon it did not cost much to keep
them. 1t was said at one time in
the attic of the Eagle Hotel the
Democrats had as many as twenty
men cOrraled at one time. They call
ed it in those days 'cOO'ping men,"
The trouble came on the day of
election when the corraled men were
brought out to vote, then men of the
opposite party would make rush
for them, and if the party having
them in charge were not well forti-
fled by a strong body guard, they
would lose them even after they had
the expense and trouble of keeping
them until election day, and the Op-
posite party would vote them for
mere pittance.
The Eagle Hotel has had within
its confines some stirring scenes.
Scenes that have stirred mems
very souls. The breaking out of the |
Civil War, conflict which placed |
father against son and brother
against brother, and made of life |,
long friends, the most bitter enc
mics. This old tavern was the head |
quarters of those who sympathized |
with the South, and those who were |
called "eopperheads" and they must |
have been proud of the name as
many filed from a ne wcent the In
dian head which they wore upon
their coat at all times.
An orchestra, composed of James
C. Dunning, Isaac Dunning, Isaac
Tunnel and Molten M. Rench, used
to play on summer evenings from
the porch of this hotel. 1t was good
music they furnished in those days,
and no charge was ever made.
The first proprietor of the old hO-
tel which the writer remembers was
Samuel Jefferson, to be followed la
ter by the two Jones, Philip, Sr., and
Philip, Jr., and still later by Harry
Albertson, and at last a Mr.. Chip
man became the owner, and we be-
lieve it remained so until his death
when Harley Conoway purchased it
of his widow and recently sold it to
the Government for a location for
the new post office soon to be built.
It is said that this old hotel when
at the zenith of it's fame, sold more
spirituous liquor over its bar than
any other two hotels in Sussex
county.
The first bartender the writer re-
members was Lemuel Carey, and he
hailed from Milton. He was a re-
markable man and had the distinc-
ton in his many years experience in
selling liquor of not knowing the
taste of one kind of whiskey, rum or
brandy from another, as he had
never used them in any form-but
was able by the smell to tell each
brand as presented and never made
a mistake.
Alfred Kollack was another of the X
men who nearly all his life sold
liquor principally at the Eagle Ho-
tel and did so, until the coming of
local option, which put all hotels
and saloons out of business as far
as the sale of ardent spirits was con-
,erned
The old inn has been the scene of
many fistic conflicts. In the early :
lays men did not. use pistols and
knives but settled their differences
by the use of the fists. The writer
las seen some fierce battles settled {
n this way.
We will be compelled to close this {
article for the time being. 1t is hard {
o remember so many years back I
md as the writer has no nnteY, he I
nay be somewant wrong about some s
If the dates, and perhaps he is s
wrong about how Harley Conoway {
his title before selling to {
he Government for part of the post !
'ffice site. i
Need of White Caps
Some communities are suffering t
or the need of activities on the part {
If their citizens, who allow such t
hings to exist, which should be t
Ibolished and those who indulge in {