Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-12-20
TANCIER READY
TO WAGE WAR
WITH WINTER


Island, Va, and Smith Island, Md,
are getting ready to do annual battle
with Old Man Winter. What he has
in store for them, not even the Wealth
er Bureau can predict. But if, as
happened in 1886, he goes on RAM
page, chokes the blue-green Chesa-
peake with ice and cuts off the is
landers from the mainland, he'll find
the Tangerians and the Smithmen
well prepared for him, armed with a
new weapon against isolation - the
telephone.
For years the islanders, nestled in
a corner of lower Chesapeake Bay,
some 10 to IL miles off the eastern
shores of Maryland and Virginia,
have engaged in a never-ending
struggle with the elements. In fair
weather months, the several miles of
water separating them from Girls
field, Md, the nearest point on the
Bay coast, have served as valuable
ally in the islanders determination
to prevent destruction, by the march
of progress taking place in the out
side world, of the privacy and indie
pendence they value so highly. But
with the advent Of winter these
waters often become jammed with
ice, ice which locked in the mail boats
and other craft constituting the life
line of communication and food be-
tween the islands and Crisfield. Then
it was that Tangier and Smith liter
ally became "lost islands,"
AS long as the bay remained open,
they could hope for a living from
the earnings of the oyster fleet and
grabbing. Ring the islands with ice,
however, and the people Of Tangier
and Smith were left to their own re-
sources.
Also vivid in the minds of the is
landers were the memories of the
grave emergencies which had arisen
in the past because of their inability
to summon aid in time of sress. One
drama after another unfolded and
each one strikingly emphasized the
need for assistance in time of crisis.
Serious illnesses requiring hospitali-
cation resulted in story-book rescues
by pilots flying planes from the main
land. Milk for babies, food, medi-
cines and other vital necessities were
transported under hazardous condi-
tions. AS result, the two Chesa-
peake Bay islands were headline
news during winter months. Mercy
flights and thrilling tricks to provide
supplies made good material for read
ing.
But it happened too often for the
people of Tangier and Smith. It was
the realization that no longer could
they rely so COMPLETELY upon boat
communication or the uncertainty of
aid by air that brought about the
first step in a movement which unit
matefy will link these "lost islands"
with the world across the waters
more tightly than was ever dream
ed by their inhabitants. In the lat
ter part of 1889 the residents of Tan
gier and Smith turned to the fastest
and most dependable means of COM
known to modern science
the telephone. With it they expect
to beat Old Man Winter or at least
fight him on even terms.
It all started when the Chesapeake
and Potomac Telephone Companies of
Maryland and Virginia installed por-
table radiotelephone equipment on the
islands and at Crisfield for the trans
of urgent messages. At that
time the equipment was to be used
only in cases of emergency and could
not be utilized for everyday, CONNER
cial service. Despite this restriction,
however, a large number of calls
was sent out that served as irrefut-
able evidence of the pressing need
for telephone service and gave i'm
petus to a plan for even better IA
cilities to the islands.
Although the portable radiotele-
phone equipment installed last year
was entirely satisfactory in emergen-
cies, the islanders were still left to
rely upon boats for normal COM
munication with the mainland. Why,
it was asked, couldn't commercial
circuits be provided, making it pos
sible for, say, a Tangier or Smith
storekeeper to order supplies when
he anticipated a shortage? Once a.
gain, as in 1889, the c. and P. had
the answers radiotelephone sys-
TEN designed for everyday use to the
mainland and for connection of the