Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-06-07

historians to make a written record
Of prominent events that have occur
red during his or her lifetime. This
prevents the high spots in ones life
from vanishing into oblivion. Such a
record should also include happenings
in ones own town and vicinity.
My recollections of Pocomoke go
back to the time when it was a small
village-almost "little world within
itself" Its residents were an aggre-
cation of quiet and contented folks
who were apparently satisfied with
their surroundings and only desired
to pursue the "even tenor of their
way" as their ancestors had done.
They followed the primitive mode of
living of the past years. Most of the
clothing was made in the homes, al
though tailoring and dressmaking
were among the successful pursuits.
There were several skilled shoe and
boot makers in the town, and theirs
was lucrative enterprise, as were al
so blacksmithing and carriage and
harness making. Apartment houses
were unknown, each family occupying
single dwelling.
Traffic by water craft was heavy
on the Pocomoke River. At any time
of the year could be seen a river craft
of some description: canoe, pungy,
sloop, bugeye, batteau, yawl boat and
schooner could be seen either tied up
at the wharf or moving up and down
the river. Shad and other fish were
abundant in the spring, and fishermen
could be seen engaged in shad fish
ing. Winter Quarter Landing on the
river side of the Hearne estate was
a popular rendezvous for the fisher
men. They kept their seines, when
not in use, suspended on supports
near the shore or bank of the river.
It was frequent sight to see many
fishermen in pairs, vending their way
from Winter Quarters to their homes
or to the business part of the town,
with long paddle between two men
and resting on their shoulders, from
which would be suspended the shad
tied in pairs, and to show the print
tive custom of the times, as a sub
stitute for ordinary strings of hemp
or cotton, the material used for string
ing the fish would be the leaves of the
yucca plant, shredded in proper man.
ner for use.
Schooners were numerous and piled
regularly between this town and Bal
timore and other water ports, and as
stated in former article, transported
passengers as well as feight. The
principal articles shipped to other
places were lumber, the three grains
wheat, corn and oats, oak slaves,
cypress shingles, bolts for coopers'
ware, gum hub blocks, dried fruits,
feathers, rags and other commodities.
On return trips would be brought sug-
ar, molasses, flour and groceries, dry
goods and various kinds of merchan-
disc. When steamboat traffic was es
tablished in the early sixties, more
rapid transportation was affected.
During the summer months, steam
boat excursions became a popular
form of recreation and fortunate it
was for the young folks of the town
when Sunday School would charter
the steamboat on this route for an
excursion from Snow Hill to the
| 0f kh4 o,,L
turn. On such an occasion, the ex-
cursionists would board the steamer
about one p. M. on it's arrival at the
wharf. After discharging it's freight,
the steamer would proceed to Snow
Hill, where about an hour would be
spent by the excursionists in taking
in the sights of that interesting old
county seat. The joyful crowd would
then board the steamer, which would
proceed down the river to it's mouth
at Williams Point, and on the return
at late hour, the excursionists would
disembark at Newtown near midnight
and proceed to their respective homes.
\ In my boyhood, there was in our
town a flourishing organization call
ed "The Good Templars." About the
time this order was organized, we re-
member the fact that it marked the
beginning Tin this section of the coun-
try of the agitation of the prohibi-
ton question, which finally resulted
in the enactment into law of the 18th
Amendment to the U. S. Constitution.
Well, to make long story short, on
one occasion the Good Templars
Lodge sponsored steamboat excur-
sion to the mouth of the river. Altho'
only in my middle teens I was select
ed on that occasion as a member of
a choir to furnish the music on the
said excursion. I recall that we sang