davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
TRUCK DRIVERS
BURN TO DEATH
Two Seaford Men Imprisoned
in Blazing Cab Near New
burgh, New York
COLLIDES WITH TREE

William B. Holt, "A, and Leon
Willis, 19, both Of Seaford, Del,
were burned to death rear New
burgh, n. Y, early Sunday when
their cantaloupe-laden true k
caught afire after crashing into a
tree. The truck snapped off 10
concrete posts along the highway
before hitting the tree. Police be-
lieve Holt, who was driving, fell
asleep. The accident occurred
about APO a. m. The truck left
Seaford at 6 o'clock Saturday
night for Albany, n y A pass
ing motorist endeavored futiely to
drag the men from the cab of the
blazing truck, and eventually
hacksaws were needed to free the
charred bodies from the wreckage
Linden z. Marvel, of Seaford, also
driving a truckload of cantaloupes
to Albany, identified Holt through
an operators license. Both men
were burned beyond recognition.
r. Glen Mears of Seaford, owner
of the truck, reached Newburgh
Sunday afternoon and took charge
of the bodies. Holt was a son of
Mr.. and Mrs. Matthew Holt of the
Seaford-Laurel Highway. He is
survived, in addition to his par
ents, by wife and two small chill
dren. Willis is survived by his
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. George Will
lis of Seaford. The truck started
a zig gag course while descending
a hill south of Newburgh. Holt
was driving, police said, his body
being found behind the wheel.
Mr.. Mears said Willis was to drive
the truck as far as New York
with Holt driving from there to AL
bany. Marvil reached the scene of
the tragedy short time after the
fire had been extinguished. Recog-
nizing the truck, he stopped and
assisted in establishing identifca-
tions Later he notified Mr.. .Mears
and the families of the victims.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
BRIDGE REPAIRS, BLACKBIRD
New Surfaces to Be Laid on Those
on the Road to MiddletoWn

The State Highway Department
will open bids at 2 o'clock, August
25, for the laying of new surfaces
on bridges on the road from Black
bird to Middletown, reconstruction
of Cherry Lane, and construction
OF two new timber bridges in Kent
County. The Cherry Lane improve
ment specifications call for a con
crete roadway from River Road,
below New Castle, into the new
plant of the Atlas Powder Com
pany near Pigeon Point Bridges
to be surfaced on the road from
Blackbird to Middletown are those
which were damaged two years
ago in the flood in that section.
The two new timber bridges to be
constructed in Kent County are
over Sewen Branch and Fischer
Branch.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
DEATH RECORD OF WEEK
William b. Megear, Native Smyr-
nian, Died at Home in Wilmington

William b. Megear, native Smyr-
nian, who later became a resident
of Wilmington, prominent as presi-
dent of the Wilmington Chamber of
Commerce and a former director of
the Wilmington Department of
Public Safety, died at II o'clock
Tuesday night in his apartment at
Denbigh Hall, Fourteenth and
Broom Streets. Death was attrib-
uted to a heart condition. He was
73 years old Mr.. Megear, who
had been in failing health for many
month, had been confined to his
bed for the past ten days. He was
manager of the transfer depart
ment of the Corporation Trust
Company of Wilmington. He had
been connected with that company
for the past ten years. Mr. Me
gear was born in Smyrna July %,
1864, a son of Thomas B. and
Sarah E. (BelD Megear He learn
ed the grocery business with his
father becoming a member OF the
firm of T B. Megear and Son.
Later he formed partnership
with Hervey F. Hall in the general
store firm of Hall & Megear After
this firm dissolved he went to Will
mington and for a number of
years conducted wholesale groc-
cry business at Fifth and French
Streets, retiring il 1925. Mr.. Me
gear was an ardent Democrat, and
in 1908 was defeated for the office
of state insurance commissioner,
although he ran far ahead of his
ticket. During one session he was
clerk of the lower house of the Del
aware Legislature. In 1915 Mr..
CONTINUED on Page TlveJ
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
ROTARY CLUBS
WEEKLY MEET
DIR. Joseph Dunner of Wash
ington, ID. c., Gave Fine
Address Last Thursday
NEIGHBOR ROTARIANS

/ At the regular meeting of the
Smyrna Rotary Club on Thursday
evening, July 29th, visitors OF
neighboring Rotary Clubs were
present from Chestertown and Do
yer. The guest speaker of the ev-
ening was DR.. Joseph Dunner of
Washington, D. c. DR. Dunner
took for his subject There is no
difference between Facistism and
Bolshevism. In Germany the gov
ernment regulates the imports and
exports. There are two divisions
in the imports, the vital, those nee
essary for armament, and the non
vital, those necessary for life. DR..
Dunner pointed out the futility of
a planned economy as carried on
in some countries. In Germany the
workers have very little if any
freedom, being regulated entirely
by the government. In the present
day Germany the freedom OF
speech is prohibited. Censorship
of the press, of assemblies of races
and classes are characteristic of
the German and Russian Govern
ments. On the other hand DIR.
Dunner pointed out that democracy
is essential to a free life. The
American Declaration of Independ-
ence is as far ahead of some count
ries today as it was $50 years ago.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
DOVER "LATEX'
FACTORY READY
Plant East of Dover to En-
ploy Two Hundred and
Fifty Men and Women
FINE LABOR PROSPECT

British-American Export & Mfg.
Co., a Delaware Corporation form
ed by certain New York tate man
ufacturers for the purpose of
building a plant in Dover and man
ufacturing what is reputed to be
'Iatex," a rubber composition pro-
duct, has completed its Dover unit
which is said to have cost upwards
of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars,
will likely start operations some
time this week. The company will
manufacture rubber products, sofe
rubber products like rubber sheet
ing, gloves, baby pants and such
things, not hard rubber products,
not "Bakalite" as the community
was lead to believe was the firms
products name, so it is said. When
employees begin ringing the time
clock which it is understood will
be ONE time this week, about one
hundred and sixty girls and fifty
men and boys will be employed.
The firm it is said will operate
three eight-hour shifts. The girls
wages will likely be about three
dollars a day, with lay off on Fri
day, while the boys and mems
wages will range from that figure
to the higher paid salary employ
ees who have been brought from
Rochester. Eighteen or twenty
families have already arrived in
Dover which is causing quite a
boom in house and apartment de-
mand, but no raising of rents has
appeared and it is understood the
housing question is being satisfac-
torily answered Many of the EN-
ployees will be local and it is un-
derstood that those employed from
the county can be taught the work
in a few days. The plant is locat-
ed east of Dover's town limits, just
east of the Citys Light and Water
Plant on nine acres of land pur-
chased from the life tenant D. NJ.
Wilson and the remainder men, NJ.
Hayes Wilson, Ralph Wilson and
Richard Wilson at the reputed fig
ure of nine thousand dollars. The
buildings and plant are of modern
one-story, fre-proof construction,
lighted, ventilated and
air-conditioned. The property IS
fenced with modern climb-proof
wire fence and access to the
grounds is carefully guarded by a
watch box or sentry box or Office
near the gate. It is said that an
additiona unit of the plant will be
constructed in the near future and
that eventually from eight hundred
to a thousand men and women will
be employed.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
MISS MILDRED HORSEY WEEDS
Popular Smyrna Teacher Marries
Edward @. Harrington, Clayton


Miss Mildred Horsey, popular
Smyrna school teacher, daughter
of Mr.. and Mrs. Charles L. Horsey
of Laurel, and Mr.. Edgar C. Har-
rington, Clayton, son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Shelby W. Harrington of near
Smyrna, were married Monday af-
ternoon in Christ Methodist Pro-
testant Church, Laurel. The bride
wore a gown of white chiffon with
a tulle veil and carried a bouquet
of white roses and baby'sbreath.
Mrs. Fred Lamb (nee Miss Thelma
Rogers, also a Smyrna School
teacher) now of Rehoboth Beach,
was matron of honor. She wore
white lace and carried pink roses
and baby's-breath. The brides
maids were Mrs. Harold Keller,
Miss Jane Cooper of Laurel, Mrs.
Francis Gebhart of Smyrna, and
Miss Marian Humphreys of Snow
Hill, Md They were dressed in
white lace and carried pink roses
and baby's-breath. jeanne Horsey,
cousin of the bride, was flower girl.
Miss Margaret Lee Nelson of Girls
field, Md, sang 20 Promise Me"
and Il Love You Truly" She was
accompanied by Mrs. John Stall
ings of Laurel. Mr.. Fred Lamb of
Rehoboth was best man and the
ushers were Mr.. Harold Keller,
Mr.. John Stallings, and Mr.. John
Roscoe Elliott of Laurel, and Mr..
Howell Sevil Of Clayton. The
brides mother wore blue lace with
a corsage of pink rosebuds. The
bridegroom's mother wore dusty
(Continued on Page Fve)
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
KENT FARMERS
TREAT WHEAT
Crop Now Nearly Threshed
the Seed Selecting For
Planting is Started
TREATING FOR SMUT

With the threshing Of the 1897
wheat crop completed in Kent
county, farmers should turn their
attention to the selection of clean
seed for the production Of next
years wheat crop, and the treat
ment of the seed for the preven-
ton and control of sinking smut.
If any of the dust materials are
used, seed wheat may be treated
Immediately after it has been
threshed, and then stored in sacks
until planting time this fall One
of the reasons for treating seed
wheat early is to avoid the rush of
this work later on when farmers
are busy preparing their wheat
ground For the past several
years information on this subject
of smut control in wheat has been
sent each summer to farmers in
Kent county from the Office of
County Agent Russell E. Wilson,
adm a survey is made each fall re-
garding the amount of wheat
which has been treated and the
acreage planted. These timely no
tees were prepared by DR.. j. F.
Adams, former plant pathologist
for the State Board of Agriculture
and the University of Delaware.
and contained reports on the smut
situation in general throughout the
county and state, also recommend
ations for the use of dust materials
in the treatment of seed. When
this project was first started, and
for a number of years afterward,
field meetings and treatment dem
onstrations were held on different
farms in the state under the direc-
tion of the plant pathologist and
county agents. AS more farmers
each year began the practice of
treating their wheat, these field
Continued on Page TwoD
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
LIGHTNING STUNS FARMER
Harry Collins of Near FederaIs-
burg Knocked Unconscious in Field

burg Knocked Unconscious in Field
Standing at his pasture fence in
the early morning Saturday and
calling the cows for their morning
feeding, Harry Collins, farmer of
the Williamsburg district, near
fredericksburg, Md, was stunned by
lightning. He was knocked uncon-
scious, although no storm was ap-
parent at the moment Mr.. Col
lins was alone at the time but his
wife, who had heard him calling
and then noted the silence follow
ing the lightning flash, looked out
an upper window and saw him ly-
ing, as she thought, dead. She call
ed their son, Gilbert Collins, who
lives nearby. He arrived in time
to chase off an angry bull which
frightened by the crash, was about
to attack Mr.. Collins as he lay
helpless on the ground. Mr. Col
lins regained consciousness but suf-
fered extreme pain in both arms
the muscles of which were affected
by the electricity.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
CALL PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR
Rev. Samuel j. Thackaberry of
RidgefieId Park, n. J., Coming

RIdgehelG Park, n. j., Coming
The Rev. Samuel ]. Thackaberry
of Ridgefield Park, N. j., who was
here Sunday to fill the pulpit of the
First Presbyterian Church of
Smyrna, his second visit, announc-
ed to the officials of the church he
would accept the call to Smyrna
and will take hold September 1.
The new pastor is a young man
who has been in the ministry for
about three years. He graduated
from Princeton Theological Sem
mary and is well known by the
Rev. James r. Galley, former
pastor of the Smyrna Presbyterian
Church who left here last April to
accept a call to the Presbyterian
Church at Bristol, Pa. Since then
the Smyrna church has been with
out pastor and has been hearing
supplies sent by the Presbytery.
The members of the Smyrna
church are happy to be fixed again
with a pastor. A congregational
meeting will be held Tuesday even
ing of next week to confirm the
call Rev. Mr.. Thackaberry is an
evangelist and has been in the
mission work IN New Mexico. He
is married and he and his wife will
occupy the Manse on west Com
merce street opposite the church.
The manse will be renovated and
put in readiness for their occu-
pancy.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
CELEBRATES HIS BIRTHDAY
Joseph L. Lavender of Philadelphia
Formerly of Smyrna, SO Years Old

Joseph L. Lavender of Philadelphia
Formerly of Smyrna, SO Years Old
Joseph L. Cavender, native
Smyrnian, who has built up big
realestate brokerage business in
Upper Darby, suburb Of Philadel-
phia, celebrated on July IA his 88th
birthday. Last week, accompanied
by Herbert Mills, a neighbor and
friend, he visited Smyrna and re-
ceived the glad hand Of his old
Smyrna friends His boyhood
friends however, are few in num-
ber Probably the only one now
living is Former Postmaster Thorn
as Jefferson. Mr.. Cavender noted
with interest that Mr. a. Homer
Smith Of Philadelphia had bought
from the John H. Hoffecker estate
the old Hoffecker residence and
noted with pride his father at one
time owned the place and occupied
il for a period of about twenty
years. His father bought it from
Benson and Cats. The building
he said was built in 1778 with
brick that was brought over from
England in a sailing vessel. He
it as one of the old sub
residences of Smyrna and
with pleasure his boy
hood days spent there. He is glad
to note Mr.. Smith bought it and
that it will be improved and pre-
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
NEW HIGHWAY
AT WILMINGTON
Governor PrintZ Road, North
east Bypass, to Holly
Oak Nearly Done
4O-FOOT WIDE CONCRETE

Laying of the new 4O-foot wide
concrete roadway of the Heald
Street Cutoff, Wilmington, an i'm
portant link in the Governor Printz
Highway bypass, through north
east Wilmington, has been com
pleted. Setting of concrete curb
ing and sidewalks is now under
way. The new section of the
Printz Highway viii be open for
use in about two weeks, E. E.
Downing, division engineer for the
State Highway Department for
New Castle County, said Monday.
The laying of the concrete in the
section from Holly Oak to Clay
mont is well underway but the
new part will not be open to traffic
for several weeks Dropping one
"A" out of Christiana since the
Legislature changed the name of
the river to Christina is costing
the State Highway Department
about S100 All signs over bridg-
es spanning the Christina have to
be changed New signs will be
hung up in and near Wilmington
within few days. Test pilings
for the new grade-crossing elimin-
alton bridge on South Market
Street causeway will be driven
this week. The new bypass around
the bridge construction will be
completed before the middle of the
month.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
SOIL EROSION
CONTROL AREA
Will Be Demonstrated Near
ChriStiana For Middle At
lantic States
WILL BE MODEL OF KIND

New Castle County in Delaware
has been chosen as the site for a
new soil erosion control demon
stration area on which farmers of
the Middle-Atlantic States will
son have an opportunity to study
and observe, at first hand, scien-
tiflc soil-conservation methods, H.
H. Bennett, Chief of the Soil Con-
servation Service announced in
Washington recently. The new
project, located just a few miles
south of the Pennsylvania state
line, and bounded on the west by
the Maryland line, includes approx
imately $4,000 acres of agricultur-
al land in the Christiana Creek
watershed in New Castle County.
Delaware. The Conservation
Service, in cooperation with the
farmers in the demonstration area,
will stage strip cropping, countour
cultivation, crop rotations, seeding
and planting pastures, woodland
improvement and management
demonstrations to show measures
which are suited to the land in the
projects and which may be adapt
ed to farmlands of a similar ma
ture. The service is also expecting
to construct terraces, diversion
bitches, reservoirs and other me
chanical devices as a part of the
demonstration in sustained land
use. AS the first step in setting
up the demonstration, the Soil
Conservation Service will enter
into five-year agreements with CO
operating farmers. The Service
vii agree to supply all the tech
nical planning and assistance nee
essary to establish each farm as
separate erosion control unit and
will also furnish a land use plan
for the period Of the agreement
while providing a share of the nee
essary labor and materials. In re-
turn, cooperating farmers will be
expected to furnish a share of the
labor, materials, and equipment,
and to follow the land use plan
during the five-year period. Soil
erosion is prevalent in the area,
with sheet erosion and outlying es-
pecially noticeable on slopes ada
cent to natural waterways. Al
though some fields have been aban-
doned because Of heavy soil losses,
the seriousness of the erosion prob
lem IS not generally recognized,
Bennett said. Forests originally
covered the entire watershed of
Christiana creek, but were remov-
ed to make room for cultivated
fields. AT the present time more
than 80 per cent of the land in the
area has been cleared for cultiva-
ton. General agriculture, with
corn. wheat, and hay, the principal
crops, is now the prevailing type of
farming. Agricultural practices in
the area are typical of these in a
large region in Delaware, Pennsyl-
vania, and Maryland, according to
Bennett. The new area was Sc
Iected in cooperation with the Del
aware State Soil Conservation Ad-
visory Committee, the State Agri-
cultural Experiment Station, and
Extension Service. It is the first
project to be established in the
state and brings the total number
of Service demonstrations to ia
in Al states.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
NAMED TO HEALTH BOARD
DR.. John F. Mcguire Appointed by
Governor McMullen Last Week

Governor McMuiien Last Week
Gov Richard G. McMullen last
week announced the appointment
of DR.. John F. Mcguire as a mem
ber of the State Board of Health
to succeed DR.. ]. Paul Wintrup,
whose term expired Dr. Mcguire
has been practicing dentistry in
Wilmington for the last five years.
He is a graduate of the Whining
ton High School in the class of
1928. He was graduated from the
University of Maryland and took
post graduate work at Northwest
ern University. The new board
resides at 2303 Foster
Place with his mother, Mrs. Char
les F. Mcguire His father, who
was connected with the DUPONT
Company for 35 years, died a few
years ago Mr. Mcguire is mem
ber of the University Club and the
Monarch Club.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
DOING HINDERs TRAFFIC
- Point Bridge Closed For
our Hours Last Saturda,

fomt Bridge Closed For
our Hours Last SATURDAY
dredge Pennsylvania, Of the
49, ican Dredging COMPANY
- ed : ! the area under and slipbtiv
J" he west of the Reedv @ S'ig gn;I. nsIy
oee over the Chesaneata o,ns ond
- .Eare Canal Saturday. During 9-,u
g 'n'' Interval the bridge was Iai.eg raisag
,,,..a = sO0ut four hours. Traeic 60 =
as s,'as south of the Reedv Point -
eI'dse on the Delaware 9y CITY, Folnt pant
| tsn1 .a'' highway were forced 'yorSp' y Sp
Dur ssar via St. Georges and . po,+ oet
s,sas 5ua Advance notice had bear - :
saSss 8 q but motorists who aqu apnrooe1s oeen
a ts.t " e bridge were informed re6'4sen, tseno
.aa,l soaut noon, the maiorjtv pv up p uRtll 1td
's'Slists sssap5.t.s who were using t6e q roae 9ne
s,''s s1u'sd but there was c,Ipily cnpsiGa-.d de-
s'unDIing to,'s over the aDsenca oolsldefa5le e. @
-' signs farther up the rosd y oe-
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
COLCHESTER FERRY SOON
Company Negotiating For New
Boat on Baltimore Route

The Tolchester Lines, Inc, is ne
gotiating for the purchase of a
ferry boat which is expected to be
placed on the Observation-Disclosures
route before the close of the excur-
sion season. The company contem-
plates using the pier at Bay Shore
Park the Western Shore terminus
of the old Rock Hall ferry as a
part of its service.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
FIRE NEAR CRYSTAL BEACH
Trailer of M. G. Taylor
Destroyed With $1,000 Loss

Fire Of undetermined origin de-
stroyed the trailer of M. G.. Taylor
at Crystal Beach Manor, Md, early
Friday morning with an estimated
loss of about $1,000. According to
Mr.. Taylor, he was awakened by
the cracking of flames and was
Just able to escape from the trail
er' which he purchased about a
week ago. The Volunteer Hose
Company of Middletown responded
70 the call but was unable to save
the trailer.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
1886 Pleasure Cars in Delaware

The State Automobile Depart
ment announces that up to August
1 there had been registered this
year 1856 pleasure cars as COM
pared to 47,162 in 1886, and that
commercial cars, trucks, ETC., reg
istered up to August 1 totaled g.
7s7 as compared with $500 for the
same period of 1886.
Smyrna times., 1937-08-05
'"oH OF THE NAzaRENr

asunces :, s.I,i rarl'ins, Pastor, An
Me N.ae services For the Week
=, the rr'9ne Rev ( Z, Church Of smyr-
rie.' ,i0 0nces that the f6Klns; foIInn,;,p pastor
eorner 81 r1 NEG in the church.
ss!tsssts, s!s 4. 4 rla3o Union and Frazier ia,
81: sundav Seek Se Of August the
800 Alonza Boyle, supeyiHt.a;.Ill d g:a1 =; m,
fct, Has God Z io;45 a. M,
- service saI j Church 4lss 2" Evangei- gtd-
at 7:sO ! i ~ P. M; Thurs
y 1t at Ia ;, m'' prayer meeting
W! fing. = m, Missionary