TIME MACHINE ... Circumstances Resulted In A Momentous Occurrence In Pocomoke City.

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December, 1883

(The New York Times)


BLOWN THROUGH A ROOF
WHAT A KEG OF DEMOCRATIC POWDER DID

Correspondence Of The Baltimore American.
　
Pocomoke City, Md., Nov. 30.- Five years ago Mr. F. H. Dryden placed a keg of powder in the attic of an old building, formerly occupied by the Pocomoke Phosphate Company, and gave the boys of the town notice that they might have it to fire a salute when the Democrats elected a President. The building, which has been vacant for some time, was recently rented to William. H. Tatum. All day yesterday he was busy preparing it for occupation, intending to move into it tomorrow. He decided to place shelves around the lower room. The lumber for that purpose was in the attic. Elmo Tatum, aged 15 years, and Thomas Milburn, aged 16, were sent up there to bring the boards down. The boys had made two or three trips to the attic and had taken down most of the shelves. They could not see the remainder because of the darkness. Young Tatum therefore lighted a match. He soon saw the boards, and seeing the floor strewn with paper, thought it best to throw the match into an uncovered keg standing near. He did so. The keg proved to be a keg of powder. Instantly there was a tremendous explosion. Young Tatum was blown through the roof and took an aerial flight into the adjoining lot. He landed without breaking any bones, but his whole body was seared and scorched. His clothes began to blaze. He shrieked loudly for help. Several people ran up, grabbed him and doused him in a barrel of water. Dr. Coston then took him in charge and dressed his wounds. His recovery is doubtful. Young Milburn fared less seriously. He was on the steps at the time of the blow up. He jumped through an opening and escaped with a few burns and bruises. The doctor has him now in hand for repairs. He will pull through. The building is pretty well wrecked. The roof of the rear portion was blown off, the rear end was stripped of weather boarding, the window glass and sash shattered, and what was left standing of the back building is so twisted and distorted that it will have to come down. The fire caused by the explosion was soon put out and did no damage.

　　
January, 1967

(Washington Afro American)

Ashe makes it official, he's in Salisbury meet.

SALISBURY, Md.- America's number one tennis ace, Arthur Ashe of Richmond, Va., has confirmed his entry in the United States Indoor Tennis Championships to be played here February 12-19.

Ashe ranks among the world's top ten players, holding the position of number 6.

If he had not spent last summer in Army training, he might have earned a much higher position. He made an early onslaught of the Australian tournaments, collecting 4 out of 6 state titles, with victories of the entire Australian Davis Cup team.

Besides his four Australian titles, Ashe was victorious at Puerto Rico, Phoenix, Dallas, and Southern California, having 8 wins in 20 tournaments.

He had 3 victories over Australia's Roy Emerson at Brisbane, Adelaide, and Berkely.

In announcing receipt of Ashe's formal entry, Bill Riordan general chairman of the championships, also added the name of Gene Scott, St. James, New York.

Ranked number 16 in the United States, Scott scored an overwhelming upset over Manuel Santana at Salisbury last year.

Footnote: The United States Indoor Tennis Championships were played at the original Wicomico Youth And Civic Center from 1964 through 1972.  Tennis chairman Bill Riordan was a Salisbury businessman (The Fashion Shop) and managed the early career of Jimmy Connors.　



September, 1895

(The Denton Journal)

Princess Anne is enjoying the greatest business boom it has had in a quarter of a century.　

　
January, 1902

(Englewood Times- Englewood, Mich.)
　
The Baptist ministers of Accomac, Va., ten or twelve strong, have taken a most unique action, which has caused no little excitement in the religious world. At a recent session they conferred the degree of doctor of divinity upon one of their number, and have come out strongly for the doctrine that they have as much right to do so as the institutions of learning. They hold, furthermore, that every minister of good standing should have a degree conferred upon him by his fellows.

　　
(In simpler times?)
February, 1938


(Uniontown Morning Herald- Uniontown, Pa.)

LETTER TRAVELS MANY MILES TO NEARBY VILLAGE

SNOW HILL, MD., Jan 31. (AP)- For only three-cents, a letter travels 130 miles en route from Snow Hill to Girdletree- just seven miles away.

Here's how it works:

A Girdletree letter mailed here goes by a bus star mail route to Stockton- passing through Girdletree without a stop.
Another bus takes it from Stockton to Pocomoke City to meet a northbound train.

Train mail clerks unlock the pouch, sort the mail and toss the Girdletree letter into another pouch, which is tossed off the train to be picked up by a southbound train.

The pouch returns to Pocomoke City by train and another bus takes it to Stockton.
　
Another bus picks it up there and takes it four miles to Girdletree.

 　
　

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