Pocomoketoberfest in the beautiful waterfront Cypress Park!

The Pocomoketoberfest was held on Saturday.  In spite of the heat and humidity, vendors and               
visitors were having a great time.  Local wineries and breweries showed off some of their finest products and answered questions from  visitors.

Sparking bottles of wine from St. Michael's Winery.

                                                                   Layton's Choice!

Ready to sample?




Artists came to downtown Pocomoke on Friday and Saturday,  painting  "Plein Air" on Market Street and in the park.  By 3:30  on Saturday afternoon, the freshly painted canvases were on display.  Standing in the shade of the buildings, I watched one lady work, as she was taking some artistic license in painting some very familiar downtown businesses.    As she worked, the familiar fragrance of oil paints and solvents assaulted my senses, making me want to join her in the colorful quest of putting art on canvas.

-

 Artist Kathy Gibson painted a scene of Bill Hudson's office and The Pincushion.

Complete with tartan kilt, Gus the Troubador from Accomack VA, sang ballads in a comical brogue voice.  Very entertaining songs were perfect for the beer and wine fest!  

Creative displays of handmade crafts were juried. 

  For the juried show, Amused Studios won 1st place in Fine Art for the ceramic art "Telluric", Guy Shover 2nd for his bronze and wood snail. in Crafts, Linda Muir won 1st place for her crab goblets, and Marilyn Deihle won 2nd for her Baby Circles Afghan.  In jewelry, Mona Margarita won 1st for her "Epic Fairy Wing" and Dana Smith 2nd for her "Take Me to Your Leader."

Winners of the Scarecrow contest will be announced on Monday.

Pocomoke City Councilman Clarke, Mayor Bruce Morrison & Councilwoman Tracey Cottman

, enjoying the Pocomoketoberfest.

TIME MACHINE ... 1968, 1922, 1977, 1939, 1953, 1902

"Friendliest Town On The Eastern Shore."  Our tradition runs deep.  Excerpt from a letter to the editor from a visitor to Newtown, (former name of Pocomoke City) published in the Baltimore Sun, April 28,1847.

This place (Newtown) is a pretty snug little village, containing about 500 clever and hospitable inhabitants; is has good wide streets, quite clear of that "eye sore," known mostly over the Peninsula by the name of "deep sand"; the houses, though built of frame, are generally built substantially and with some discretion and taste; there are two neat, new, and quite handsome frame churches in it; as for the merchants of the place, suffice it to state that they are very clever and hospitable.  F. Mezick, Esq., the landlord with whom I stopped, and his very obliging and jolly assistant, are richly deserving of a passing notice, for the good treatment and the extension of the many civilities to "the stranger."

(Reader-friendly viewing of news archive/historical archive material)

May, 1968
The Capital (Annapolis, Md.)

Teachers Threaten

PRINCESS ANNE-  The Somerset County Teachers Association says 85% of the county teachers and school administrators have agreed to sign letters threatening to resign if their salary demands are not met. Jack C. Morgan, association president, said he had received about 155 signed letters and expects more by tonight, when he plans to present them to the county school board.  There are about 180 teachers and 25 administrators in the county. The teachers want a salary package which would give starting teachers $6,000 a year and provide a $300 salary increase for each year of experience up to a maximum of $8,700 after 10 years.

April, 1922
The Washington Times (Washington, D.C.)

RICH MAN ACCUSED OF ABANDONING BABY BUYS FREEDOM

Girl Jointly Accused Also Released From Prison by Virginia Authorities.

FINDER TO KEEP INFANT 

NORFOLK, Va., April 29.-  William E. Thursby, wealthy yachtman, and a young woman posing as his daughter, both of whom were arrested a week ago on a charge of abandoning a baby, placing it in a basket and hanging it to a gate post, have been released from the Accomac county jail through the payment of $800 and the deeding of a half-interest in a costly home to the child.

The money has been paid to J. A. Brasure, who conducts a general merchandising store in Chlncoteague, Va., and on whose gate post the baby was hung.

Lived in a "Pretty House."

Thursby and the woman have been occupying a luxuriously furnished home on Assateague Island. Other inhabitants of the island called it the "Pretty House." Thursby and the woman have spent the best part of a year cruising up and down the Atlantic coast. They always returned to the "Pretty House."

The night of December 7, J. A. Brasure and his wife heard the cries of a baby. While his wlfe held a lamp at the front door, Brasure explored the yard. He found a basket hanging on his gate post. 

In the basket was a baby, just a few days old. It was wrapped in costly garments. There was money and a warm bottle of milk in the basket. The baby was taken in by Brasure. The next morning he reported the case to the county authorities. He also assumed the role of detective.

Causes Couple's Arrest.

Ten days ago he caused the arrest of Thursby and the woman. He said he was unable to secure sufficient evidence sooner to cause the arrest. He accused Thursby and his woman companion of leaving the baby on his gate post. Both denied the charge. The woman said she was Thursby's daughter and she threatened to "make it hot" for Brasure for subjecting her to arrest.

Thursby and the woman were placed in jail in Accomac. They had money enough to secure their release on bail, but the authorities decided they could not go on their own bond. They were told they would have to secure some person who owned real estate In Virginia.

The prisoners made no further effort to secure bail. They lingered in jail several days.

By some unexplained method, Thursby and Brasure reached an agreement whereby neither the man nor woman would he prosecuted for abandoning the baby, although such an offense is criminal in Virginia.

The authorities agreed to the compromise.

Thursby agreed to pay and has paid Brasure the money, which Is to be used, according to the agreement, for the support of the baby; a half interest in the "pretty house" at Assateague was deeded over to the baby until such time as it is competent to handle its own affairs.

Case May Be Reopened.

Despite the agreement between Thursby and Brrasure, the authorities may be called to terms for permitting Thursby and the woman to go free without answering to the laws of the State for abandoning an infant. Had the child died of exposure before it was found, those guilty of abandoning it could have been held on a murder charge.

The Accomac county authorities offer no explanation for the release of Thursby and the woman, excepting the compromise reached with Brasure. The case has attracted unusual interest on the eastern shore of Virginia and elsewhere since the facts were published.

Thursby claims his home is in Flushing, N. Y. He is said to be very wealthy. The identity of the woman Is a secret.

April, 1977
The Daily Times (Salisbury)

(Excerpts)

Deal Island Observing Week Of Rediscovery

DEAL ISLAND-  This Sunday, designated as Joshua Thomas Day, launches Deal Island Rediscovery Week.

But the big day will be next Saturday when an all-day program will be highlighted by a talk by newly named Puliter Prize winner William W. Warner of Washington.

Each day will have a different designation and special mail cachets will be sold at 50-cents apiece and there will also be a special postal cancellation.

Monday, (is) Heritage On Display Day; Tuesday, Flag Day, when new American and state flags will be dedicated at the Deal Island school; Wednesday, Oral History Day; Thursday, Skipjack Day; and Friday. Family Heritage Day.

Footnote: Mr. Warren's Pulitzer writiing prize was for his book "Beautiful Swimmers, Watermen, Crabs and the Chesapeake Bay."  Rediscovery Week was sponsored by the Deal Island Regional Bicentennial Committee, with college student Craig E. Webster as its executive director.

May, 1939
The Cumberland News (Cumberland, Md.)

Heating Asphalt Starts Fire At Snow Hill

Snow Hill, Md., May, 18 (AP)-  An attempt to heat asphalt with a blow torch today caused a $16,000 fire which destroyed a tank truck and the State Roads Commission warehouse.

L. H. Steuart, commission secretary, said employees told him Luther Jones, driver of the truck, was attempting to heat the asphalt so it would flow from the truck and the warehouse was soon enveloped in flames. 

February, 1953 (Time Machine archive)

The Elks Club of Pocomoke City was sponsoring a big stage show at the Marva Theater featuring The Barter Players of Virginia in 'The Virginian.'  "Don't Miss This Fine Entertainment By This Well Known Group Of Professional Players.  No Expense Spared In Settings, Costumes, Lights And Music."  Ticket price was $1.80 for general admission and $2.40 for reserved seats.  Tickets in advance were available at Marva Soda Parlor, Ward's Barber Shop, Pocomoke City Pharmacy, and C.W. Renninger Esso Servicenter.

August, 1902
The Times (Washington, D.C.)

(Conclusion of Tangier Island article from last week)

Sunday, however, is the great day of the week. Not by any means a day given to mirth or sport, for the boats are all anchored and all of the islanders are at home for the purpose of attending church, and there is service of some kind for nearly every hour of the day, from 9 in the morning until twilight. The one street at this time presents a busy appearance for on account of its long, narrow character it seems literally crowded from the time of the tolling of the church bell until the service has commenced. All of the services seem to be well attended and young and old are very constant in attendance upon church.

The final service of the day closes a little after sunset, and at its close the young men take the young women of their choice and promenade the narrow street, the only boulevard of the town. There is noted an absence of the noise and gayety that might be expected from so many young people. As they walk along some of them hum selections from the gospel hymns or converse in a quiet manner. Occasionally some young fellow without a partner stops a promenadlng couple with the inqiuiry, "Who's best?" and if the young lady desires a change of partners she accepts the arm of the newcomer and leaves number one disconsolate, but such affairs are few and far between, and love seems to run as smoothly as it might be expected in Arcadia.

The promenade lasts but a little time and at an early hour the street is deserted, for the men are obliged to be on the crabbing grounds at an early hoar the next morning. The day of the week has passed and life until the next Saturday afternoon will be filled with the exciting struggle of dipping a livelihood from the sea.


Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers.. such as a big snow storm, a favorite school teacher, a local happening, something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about?  It can be just a line or two, or more if you wish. Send to tkforppe@yahoo.com and watch for it on a future TIME MACHINE posting!


"Somewhere over
the rainbow
Bluebirds fly..."

Flying on for JMMB

Keeping an EYE on some good news hiding behind the headlines...

Mother Nature's good news..


A HARVEST MOON!  


The night of September 8-9 will have a 

beautiful bright full-looking moon, as seen

from around the globe. So will the night of

September 9-10.


The Harvest Moon is known for ushering

in a procession of moonlit nights. 

Here's more..

http://earthsky.org/space/harvest-moon-2

TIME MACHINE ... This Sunday's Preview

1968.. Somerset County teachers push for $6,000 a year starting salary; 1922.. A surprising development in abandoned baby case in Accomac; 1977.. A special week celebrates Deal Island; 1939.. A blow torch and asphalt create a big problem in Snow Hill; 1953.. Pocomoke Elks bringing big stage show to the Marva Theater; And the concluding portion of a 1902 article about Tangier Island.

Although you may not find all of these items in a history book, they are a part of our local history and you can read more about it this Sunday right here at The Pocomoke Public Eye! 


Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers.. such as a big snow storm, a favorite school teacher, a local happening, something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about?  It can be just a line or two, or more if you wish. Send to tkforppe@yahoo.com and watch for it on a future TIME MACHINE posting!

2014 Christmas Production: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

OPEN AUDITION DATES: September 6 10 AM - 2 PM Check in 9:30 AM 

September 9 7:30 PM - 9 PM Check in 7 PM 

*English accents required.* 

WHERE: Mar-Va Theater, 103 Market Street Pocomoke, MD 21851 

What Do I Need to Do to Audition? 
- Bring A Theatrical Resume 
- If you have no experience, an application will be available at the audition. We encourage anyone interested to audition. This is not a professional production. - Bring a recent, non-returnable photo 
- Be prepared to do a cold reading from the show 
- Wear comfortable clothing that allows for ease of movement 

Regarding questions, please call:
 Kathryn Redden, Producer - 443.614.0830 

Rehearsal Schedule: To Be Determined 

Performance Schedule: 
December 5 at 8 PM 
December 6, 12, 13 at 7:30 PM 
Decemeber 7 & 14 at 2 PM Weekday Matinees: 
December 3 & 10 at 10 AM

Keeping an EYE on some good news hiding behind the headlines...

(Excerpts: WBOC.com)

Shorebirds' Season Closes On High Note

Salisbury, MD - The Delmarva Shorebirds finished the 2014 season with a 5-3 victory over the Hickory Crawdads on Labor Day Monday. Meanwhile, Chance Sisco clinched the league batting title with a franchise-record .340 average, the first ever Shorebird to win the batting crown.

The Shorebirds finished the 2014 season with a 66-73 record, the most wins since 2009. Delmarva saw several franchise records set, including seven midseason All-Star selections. Drew Dosch passed his manager Ryan Minor for the most hits by a Shorebird in a single season with 157 base hits.

Full story here...
http://www.wboc.com/story/26421148/shorebirds-season-closes-on-high-note

More Photos from the Car Show

 Travelers on Rt 13 were attracted to the show.

 Blue 1954 Plymouth Savoy owned by John & Peggy Hess of Shelltown Md & the yellow 1955 Chevy Bel Air is owned by Albert Banks of Pocomoke City MD

TIME MACHINE ... 1922, 1961, 1996, 1908, 1942, 1902

"Friendliest Town On The Eastern Shore."  Our tradition runs deep.  Excerpt from a letter to the editor from a visitor to Newtown, (former name of Pocomoke City) published in the Baltimore Sun, April 28,1847.

This place (Newtown) is a pretty snug little village, containing about 500 clever and hospitable inhabitants; is has good wide streets, quite clear of that "eye sore," known mostly over the Peninsula by the name of "deep sand"; the houses, though built of frame, are generally built substantially and with some discretion and taste; there are two neat, new, and quite handsome frame churches in it; as for the merchants of the place, suffice it to state that they are very clever and hospitable.  F. Mezick, Esq., the landlord with whom I stopped, and his very obliging and jolly assistant, are richly deserving of a passing notice, for the good treatment and the extension of the many civilities to "the stranger."


(Reader-friendly viewing of news archive/historical archive material)


April, 1922
The Washington Times (Washington, D.C.)

BABY ABANDONED, RICH MAN IS JAILED

Girl Who Claims to Be Daughter Also Arrested in Desertion of Infant.

NORFOLK, Va., April 22.-  Snatched from a luxuriously furnished home on an island and lodged in cells in the jail at Accomac. Va., small town on the Eastern Shore of Virginia- that is the unusual.. (print illegible)..which William E. Thursby and a pretty woman find themselves. They are accused of abandoning a baby.

Claims to Be Daughter.

Thursby is a wealthy man. He owns a yacht and a magnificent home on Assateague Island. The furnishings in the home alone are said to have cost a good sized fortune.

The young woman says she is Thursby's daughter. The authorities say otherwise.

On the night of December 7 a baby was found in a basket hanging to the gate post at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Brasure. The baby was dressed in costly garments. There was some money in the basket in which the little bit of humanity was tucked. There was a bottle of warm milk In the basket. There was a note there, too, in which it was stated that the baby would be properly provided for if the finder would take care of it.

The authorities of Accomac county and in fact the entire Eastern Shore were aroused by the "baby case" as It was called. The baby could not have been abandoned by residents of Accomac it was said.

An investigation was begun and it was learned, according to the police, that the baby came from the luxurious home maintained by Thursby.

Says It is All a Mistake.

The police found also that Thursby and the young woman had been cruising around Assateague and Chesapeake bay for almost a year. The people at Assateague, a few fishermen and their women folks, had noticed the young woman and the man. They said the woman frequently made trips on the yacht and then the pair would return to the beautiful home on the island.

When the baby was found on the gate post and the people of Assateague heard about it, they said it came from the pretty house on the island. The police arrested Thursby and the woman several days ago. They are still in jail.

The woman says the authorities have made a horrible mistake. The man denies any connection with the baby. He says his home is in Flushing, N. Y. The authorities say they have enough evidence to present to the grand Jury for indictment. The case will not be heard before June.

FOOTNOTE:  Next week an update to this article regarding a surprising development.

October, 1961
The Daily Mail (Hagerstown, Md.)

(Excerpts)

Mother Of Two Named Mayor Of Pocomoke City On Shore

POCOMOKE CITY, Md. (AP)-  Selection of Mrs. Evelyn C. Parsons as the new mayor surprised just about everybody in this lower Eastern Shore city.

It also surprised Mrs. Parsons.

She was sworn in Tuesday to succeed former Mayor Leroy Conant who resigned last summer.  The 36-year-old mother of two children and widow of a former mayor had been questioned about the job before her selection.

"But it was still a big surprise when they telephoned my the other night," she went on.

"When they said 'You're the new Mayor of Pocomoke.' I hesitated a second or two, then I just accepted it." she said.

Mrs. Parsons is attractive at 115 pounds with blue eyes and short brown hair. Her late husband, Dr. Fred Parsons, served as mayor from 1958 until his death in 1960.

She is Pocomoke City's first woman mayor.  She was chosen by the City Council to serve for seven more months in the unexpired term of Conant.  

Mrs. Parsons is a graduate of Radford College and she taught several subjects in schools in three states.  Her children are Patty, 7, and Ann, 11.

Footnote: Five months later Mayor Parsons spearheaded a drive by the mayors of Pocomoke City, Salisbury, Snow Hill, and Princess Anne to provide food, clothing, and furniture to Chincoteague in the aftermath of the historic storm of March, 1962.  She was quoted in the Salisbury Daily Times as saying, "In Pocomoke items were coming in so fast they had to use vacant buildings for storage.  It's the most wonderful response I ever saw in my life. It shows what you can do when everyone pulls together." 

September, 1996
(The New York Times)

Spiro T. Agnew, Ex-Vice President, Dies at 77

Spiro T. Agnew, who was forced to resign as the 39th Vice-President of the United States in 1973 when he pleaded no contest to a charge of income tax invasion, died yesterday in Berlin, Md.  He was 77 years-old. 

John Ulrich, the owner of the Ulrich Funeral Home in Berlin, Md., said Mr. Agnew died at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin.  A spokeswoman for Atlantic General Hospital would provide no details about his death.

Mr. Agnew, a Greek immigrant's son whose rise to high office seemed to be a reaffirmation of the American dream, was nearly unknown outside his native state of Maryland when Richard M. Nixon chose him as a running-mate in 1968.  And Mr. Agnew might have been as little remembered as most Vice-Presidents without the notoriety of his enforced departure.

Mr. Agnew's political experience, before he won the Vice Presidency, included three years as an appointed member of the local zoning appeals board in Baltimore County, four years as Executive, the equivalent of mayor of that suburban county, and less than two years as Governor of Maryland.

Footnote:  Agnew maintained a residence in Ocean City.

June, 1908
(Peninsula Enterprise- Accomac Court House)

Quite a lot of excitement was caused in our town Monday by the appearance of a strange and mysterious machine on Main St.  Some of the old heads got together and after a lengthy discussion voted it was the long awaited road machine.  A general holiday was at once proclaimed, everyone stopped work and celebrated the event in royal style. Engineer West is to be congratulated on the good work he did, working the street and putting it in such good order as it was never put before.

January, 1942 (Time Machine archive)
(The Salisbury Times)

WORCESTER TO HAVE BLACKOUT TEST JAN. 14

Practice To Be Held In All Sections Of County

(Excerpts)

Snow Hill, Jan. 8- Darkness will envelope 16 towns and villages throughout Worcester County next Wednesday night, during a one-half hour practice blackout, sponsored by the Worcester County Council of Defense.

The county-wide test, largest in scope yet attempted in Maryland, will be held between the hours of 10p.m. and 12 midnight.

Initial steps for the practice blackout were taken today when Sheriff J. William Hall, County Chief of Public Safety and Police, began the task of deputizing each of the 56 air raid wardens.

Fire sirens and steam whistles in all county towns and villages will be the signal for the blackout.

Maryland State Troopers are expected to assist in the test. Troopers will be stationed at all highways entering Worcester County and will halt all incoming traffic. County roads bordering Delaware, Wicomico county, Somerset county and the Eastern Shore of Virginia will be patrolled.

Worcester County towns and villages that have completed plans for the simultaneous blackout next Wednesday night are Bishopville, Showell, Friendship, Berlin, St. Martins, Whaleyville, Taylorsville, Ocean City, Newark, Public Landing, Snow Hill, Girdletree, Stockton, Goodwill and Pocomoke City.  

Final instructions to the public of Worcester County on what to do will be given by qualified civilian air raid wardens at seven county meetings to be held tomorrow night at eight o'clock.

August, 1902
The Times (Washington, D.C.)

(Continuation of Tangier Island article from last week)

The prevalence of the sunbonnet is one of the marked features of outdoor life in Tangier, and the sunbonnets can be seen in almost any direction. Sometimes the wearer may be seen punting a boat across the fields, for in that flat country the tiny canals are completely hidden at a short distance by the long marsh grass; at other times the sunbonnets sprinkle the one street of the island, and especially is this true at the hours when purchases are needed for the family table, or when the daily mail arrives from Crisfield, an event of moment, for there is no daily train to furnish excitement for this quiet spot.

At 5 o'clock on Saturday afternoons the sunbonnets vanish as if by magic, and the girls and the matrons who are now seen on the street are usually bareheaded, or wearing becoming hats, the aprons have been put aside for the day, and perhaps you may meet on the street some very handsome women tastefully gowned, whom you have seen at an earlier hour of the day going to the store or the post office barefooted and wearing a generous sized sunbonnet, for the women do not seem to think it strange to go barefooted during the working hours of the day if they are so inclined.

(Conclusion of this article next Sunday)


Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers.. such as a big snow storm, a favorite school teacher, a local happening, something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about?  It can be just a line or two, or more if you wish. Send to tkforppe@yahoo.com and watch for it on a future TIME MACHINE posting!


"Somewhere over
the rainbow
Bluebirds fly..."

Flying on for JMMB

Successful Car Show Saturday in Pocomoke City

The American Truck Historical Society , Delmarva Chapter  hosted a car show Saturday in front of Ace Hardware.  The beautifully restored cars, trucks and tractors were visible from US Rt 13 and attracted quite a few visitors.  Bill Harris and Ace Hardware sponsored the show.

Buck Burton supplied this list of winning entries

Top 15 Show Winners:

1962 Ford 861 Powermaster--Larry Fykes

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air--Virginia East

1967 Chevrole Chevelle--Ronnie Durham

1966 Dodge Dart--Bill Brown

1970 Plymouth Road Runner--Sammy Marshall

1957 Chevrolet Pickup--Bobby Ayres

1972 Chevrolet 4x4 Pickup--Dean Stutsman

1949 Chevrolet Pickup--Buck Burton

1950 Ford 2-door Sedan--Everett Nock

1923 Ford T-Bucket--Debbie & Steve Lawrence

1954 Buick Century--Don Rising

1972 Chevrolet Chevelle Super Sport--Mike Justice

1967 Ford Fairlane 500--Scott Tatterson

1955 Allis-Chalmers WD45--Dan Redden

1968 Ford Mustang--Mike Ford

 1954 Buick Century owned by Don Rising of Salisbury MD

 Farmall H owned by ThomasFoltz

 1962 Ford Tractor owned by Larry Fykes, Pocomoke City MD

 1935 Pontiac street rod, owned by Bill Tull of Pocomoke City, MD

              1964 GMC 1500 Firetruck owned by Jesse Walton, Millsboro DE

                                          Chevy Pickup owned by Robert Mills Pocomoke City MD

111.1 million

A Comment Deserving of a Post

hmm? just received this in the comment section of the PPE Blog

yeah that's funny alright. The PPE has always been oddly 100% behind the PCPD yet the PCPD has oddly been trying to find anything and everything that they possibly can to make the owner of the PPE look like some deranged career criminal.

I am along time LEO and I can see that most of this is rejected city cops think that they are superior to easternshore people when one stands up to them they are labeled "dumb ol' easternshore rednecks" they hate that there are life long "rednecks" like Tom that will speak his mind and know that he has that right. I've said enough but just to add one thing that Tom and myself absolutely are 100% aware of is that for any reason, of no concern to any LEO is that the fines that were issued to Tom are a violation of his rights and perjury X3 by Officer Morgan. Why? Because no LEO can tell anyone what they can do to their own legally registered and properly insured motor vehicle on private property especially the vehicle owners property in the State of Md.

People; there was not a moving traffic violation committed here, how could it be?   

I still would like to know who approved the Obama patch

Before

NOW

TIME MACHINE ... This Sunday's Preview

1922.. Two arrested at their luxury home but mystery remains in abandoned baby case on lower Eastern Shore; 1961.. Widow of former mayor is new Pocomoke City mayor; 1996.. Former U.S. Vice President dies in Berlin; 1908.. "Road machine" makes appearance in Accomac; 1942.. War jitters- Worcester County communities prepare for blackout test; And more from a 1902 article about Tangier Island.

Although you may not find all of these items in a history book, they are a part of our local history and you can read more about it this Sunday right here at The Pocomoke Public Eye!  


Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers.. such as a big snow storm, a favorite school teacher, a local happening, something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about?  It can be just a line or two, or more if you wish. Send to  tkforppe@yahoo.com and watch for it on a future TIME MACHINE posting!

Keeping an EYE on some good news hiding behind the headlines...

Boston Marathon Bombing Survivor Marries

Nurse Who Brought Him Back To Health.

Here's the link..

(copy and paste address to your web browser)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/27/boston-victim-marries-nurse_n_5718501.html?1409144598&utm_hp_ref=good-news

AUGUST, 2014 TRIVIA

Kudos to Edward for setting the record straight about the trivia posting below.  See his comment.  Thanks Edward!


Check this month's calendar and you'll find that you've never experienced an August like this before. Neither did your parents, grandparents, or great grandparents.

This month we have:

Five Fridays

Five Saturdays

Five Sundays

So enjoy the rest of this historical August and the fifth Friday, fifth Saturday, and fifth Sunday coming up this week.

It happens once every 823 years!

(I suppose someone with LOTS of time on their hands came up with this.)

TIME MACHINE ... 1884, 1969, 1998, 1919, 1994, 1902

"Friendliest Town On The Eastern Shore."  Our tradition runs deep.  Excerpt from a letter to the editor from a visitor to Newtown, (former name of Pocomoke City) published in the Baltimore Sun, April 28,1847.

This place (Newtown) is a pretty snug little village, containing about 500 clever and hospitable inhabitants; is has good wide streets, quite clear of that "eye sore," known mostly over the Peninsula by the name of "deep sand"; the houses, though built of frame, are generally built substantially and with some discretion and taste; there are two neat, new, and quite handsome frame churches in it; as for the merchants of the place, suffice it to state that they are very clever and hospitable.  F. Mezick, Esq., the landlord with whom I stopped, and his very obliging and jolly assistant, are richly deserving of a passing notice, for the good treatment and the extension of the many civilities to "the stranger."


(Reader Friendly Viewing Of News Archive/Historical Archive Material)

April, 1884
The Family Herald And Weekly Star (Montreal, Wisconsin)

(Note: The article placed Pungoteague Creek in Maryland, not Virginia. I have omitted a portion of the article that detailed, quite graphically, how it was attempted to kill the whale. - tk)

CAPTURING A WHALE

(Excerpts)

An Exciting Experience In a Creek on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

The oystermen and other denizens of the eastern shore of Maryland have been greatly exercised recently over the capture of an enormous whale which stranded a few days ago on a sandbar in Pungoteague Creek. This is the second whale which made a mistake and got into the Chesapeake Bay during the last six months.

Charlie Scott, a young man of Pungoteague, was out in his canoe last Saturday, and was startled when he nearly backed his boat up on top of the monster as he lay quietly on the sand in about four feet of water.

The stir made by the boat aroused the whale, and he began lashing the water with his big tail and spurted water from his blow-holes about thirty feet in the air. Young Scott very fortunately got his canoe out of the way before the whale smashed it, as he could have easily done with one blow of his powerful tail.

Scott rowed back to Pungoteague, told his friends, and an expedition was at once fitted out to go and capture the whale. They took a large boat, and their weapons consisted of an old musket, three axes, a hatchet, three saws, and four sailors' knives. 

When they reached the whale he was lying still, having, no doubt, exhausted himself in his frantic efforts to get clear of the sandbar. Scott, a very bold but imprudent whaler, rowed right up to it and struck it with his oar on the blow-holes. This woke the whale, and he opened his enormous jaws, very nearly engulfing the rash fisherman, who dropped on his back in the bottom of his boat...

(the expedition attempted to kill the whale by various methods)

The tide having risen by this time, the whale made a desperate, dying effort and succeeded in getting off the bar, carrying with him the stakes and ropes with which the fishermen had hoped to hold him. 

Away he plunged and soon disappeared, much to the disappointment of the fishermen. They got a sailboat, however, and cruised around the next two days in the hope of finding him, knowing that he could not live with all the injuries he had sustained. The carcace of the dead monster was discovered in a creek, some distance from where it was first seen. 

He weighed thirty-five tons, and was forty-eight feet long, six feet, eleven inches high, and five feet wide. His tail was nine and one-half feet long. His mouth held more water than the tender of a camel-back engine. About eight barrels of oil were obtained from the blubber.

Footnote:  The Denton Journal reported in December, 1891: "A whale recently stranded on the beach of Worcester County, measured 26 1/2 feet in length, 4 feet across the mouth, 18 feet girth."

June, 1969
The Daily Times (Salisbury)

(Excerpt)

'Baby Beltway' Project To Start

SNOW HILL-  The start of construction of the long-delayed Pocomoke City "Baby Beltway" was promised by County Roads Engineer, Victor Smullen, as a group of Pocomoke City businessmen met with the County Commissioners, to say they have finally secured the last signature on deeds for rights-of-way for the by-pass.

The by-pass is in the southwest part of the city, and is designed to relieve heavy truck and industrial traffic in that part of Pocomoke.

August, 1998
The Sunday Capital (Annapolis)

(Excerpts)

On September 22 the inaugural season of the Maryland Fall Baseball League will begin, with games continuing until Nov. 1. The league is designed like baseball's other winter instructional leagues, and offers organizations and prospects some additional opportunities for development.

The league will feature some of the best class A prospects in professional baseball, and will include representatives from all 28 major league teams.

The four teams in the league will be Bowie, Frederick, Delmarva (Salisbury) and Wilmington (Del.). 

The Orioles.... will probably be most interested in the play of catcher Jason Werth, the team's first round pick (21st overall) in the 1997 draft. Through August 9, Werth was batting .266 at class A Delmarva, with 18 doubles, six homers, and 44 RBIs in 338 at-bats. The organization is grooming him to become the catcher of the future. 

Footnote:  The Salisbury team in the fall league was known as the Delmarva Rockfish.  After the 1998 season the league relocated to the warmer clime of California but didn't find success there. Prior to his major league debut in 2002, Jason Werth was traded by the Orioles organization to the Toronto Blue Jays.  After playing in the majors with the Toronto team he went on to play with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and (currently) with the Washington Nationals as an outfielder. 

June, 1919
(Cumberland Evening Times- Cumberland, Md.)

DISCHARGED SOLDIERS IN FIREMEN'S PARADE

(Excerpts)

Salisbury, Md., June, 13-  The biggest parade ever seen in Salisbury was that of the Maryland State Firemen and returned soldiers of the Twenty-Ninth and Seventy-Ninth Divisions here yesterday afternoon.  Business was practically suspended and thousands of visitors from all over the peninsula came in automobiles and by train. More people were in Salisbury than ever before in its history.  Lieut. Col. Amos W. W. Woodcock, United States Army, was marshal of the parade....  

It is estimated that the visitors numbered 20,000.  Several of the visiting companies made fine displays of decorated apparatus.

The prizes were each $50 in cash given by the Salisbury Fire Department.  

Last night there was a ball in honor of the fire ladies, and today all the visiting delegates, firemen, with wives and sweethearts, boarded a special train and automobiles for a day's outing at Ocean City, where they enjoyed bathing and had a big seafood dinner.

Before the (business) meeting adjourned a committee was appointed by the association to take up the work of selecting a fitting monument to be erected at Annapolis in memory of those members of the association who lost their lives in the world war.

Footnote:  Nominations for officers included L.I. Williams of Pocomoke City for President of the state fireman's association.

May, 1994 (Time Machine archive)
The Capital (Annapolis, Md.)

Pet cougar escapes from owner

POCOMOKE CITY — A pet cougar continued to roam free after escaping from its owner last week, officials said. The 3-year-old male cougar was raised as a pet and has been de-clawed, officials said. It escaped from its pen Thursday night while a handler was feeding it, said its owner, Mark S. Frostrom Jr.

TIME MACHINE ... August, 1902
The Times (Washington, D.C.)

(Continuation of Tangier Island article from last week)

The whole island is Methodist in religious belief, and a very enthusiastic and prosperous Methodist Church is located on the island. This church is one of the first objects that is noticed upon nearing the island, as its tall spire is readily seen above the tops of the other buildings and the small trees which grow on the island. This church is the finest and most ambitious building on the island, and next to this the parsonage is probably the best building. Religion has secured a strong footing here, and the people are almost universally members of the church.

Outside of the church, there is little in the way of entertainment, for the islanders, and consequently the church is the leader in society as well as in morals. The Fourth of July is quietly side tracked into a festival for church purposes, and the sisters of the church furnish the dinner, of which all the islanders are expected to partake, at a reasonable expenditure. Other sisters preside at booths covered with the sails from the vessels at anchor during that day, and from these booths dispense lemonade, candy, and cakes, all for the benefit of the treasury of the church.

The women of Tangier are a hardy class, and not at all wanting in good looks, and greet the stranger upon the street in as cordial a manner as if it could not happen that any but gentlemen and gentlewomen would ever visit Tangier, and the formality of an introduction is waived. This kindly custom of speaking to strangers is also notlceable among the children, and Tangier is famous for the quantity of children that may be seen on the streets, or playing at the waters edge at almost any reasonable hour.

(More of this article next Sunday)


Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers.. such as a big snow storm, a favorite school teacher, a local happening, something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about?  It can be just a line or two, or more if you wish. Send to tkforppe@yahoo.com and watch for it on a future TIME MACHINE posting!


"Somewhere over
the rainbow
Bluebirds fly..."

Flying on for JMMB

TIME MACHINE ... This Sunday's Preview.

1884.. An enormous whale is captured in Pungoteague Creek; 1969.. Construction of Pocomoke City's baby beltway to get underway; 1998.. Eastern Shore fans look for debut of new Maryland Fall pro-baseball league; 1919.. 20,000 see firemen's parade in Salisbury; 1994.. Pocomoke residents on the lookout for an escaped pet cougar; and more from a 1902 article about Tangier Island. 

Although you may not find all of these items in a history book, they are a part of our local history and you can read more about it this Sunday right here at The Pocomoke Public Eye! 


Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers.. such as a big snow storm, a favorite school teacher, a local happening, something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about?  It can be just a line or two, or more if you wish. Send to tkforppe@yahoo.com and watch for it on a future TIME MACHINE posting!

Keeping an EYE on some good news hiding behind the headlines...

An 800-pound sea turtle caught in fishing 

gear off the coast in the Atlantic was freed

by a team of rescuers.

See video at link below:


(copy and paste address to your browser)
http://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news/808/Entangled-800-Pound-Sea-Turtle-Rescued-By-U-S-Coast-Guard-VIDEO-