Time Machine Preview (CORRECTION: Predictions 100 years ago for 2024)

This Sunday here at The Pocomoke Public Eye-

100 years ago..

50 years ago..

PLUS

Predictions for 2024

 that might have been made 100 years ago.

Tidal Health mask requirements

 (WBOC)

SALISBURY, MD - TidalHealth has announced the return of mask requirements at patient bedsides and patient rooms as the US and Delmarva see an uptick in respiratory illnesses.

According to TidalHealth, the rise in respiratory viruses in the community is being monitored on a daily basis and masking rules may change at the hospitals with the infection rates. 

The Hospital says visitors may be asked to wear a mask if accompanying a patient to outpatient services at all TidalHealth locations.

TidalHealth asks anyone with signs or symptoms of an upper respiratory illness refrain from visiting. The latest information on masking practices within TidalHealth facilities can be found at the reception desks and at their website.  Visiting Rules & Hours | TidalHealth

Loss of two Assateague stallions

 (Maryland Coast Dispatch)

ASSATEAGUE ISLAND – Two well-known stallions from Assateague Island’s population of wild horses died this month.

(View news article:)

12/28/2023 | Two Assateague Horses Die Of Natural Causes | News Ocean City MD (mdcoastdispatch.com)

$$$ for Wallops along with ambitious speculation

 (Shore Daily News)

Commercial flights into space are still a ways away from being launched in Virginia. But the industry is weighing the possibilities as operations continue to expand at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island.

(View news story:)

Virginia sends $20 million to space authority to expand launch operations - Shore Daily News

The City of Pocomoke would like to wish everyone a happy & prosperous New Year! 

City Hall will be closed on Monday, January 1, 2024 in observance of New Years Day.

Holiday Trash Route:

Mon 1/1 route picked up on Tues 1/2

 

This Sunday: Back To The Future-

What if on New Year's Eve 1923 someone speculated on what it would be like in one hundred years.. what it would be like in our world of today-

 END-OF-YEAR TIME MACHINE EDITION

Sunday, 12/31/23

 

Snow Hill New Year’s Eve Celebration & Goat Drop

Make plans to get your NYE celebration started early - join us in beautiful Snow Hill for our annual goat drop! This early bird celebration is perfect to get your night started, or for those who want to be snuggled up in bed long before midnight! Our stuffed toy goat for 2023, Polka-Dot, will drop in to signal the beginning of 2024.

✨Festivities start at 5 PM and the official goat drop is at 6 PM on New Years Eve✨

🧸 Sponsored by Snow Hill Toys , this event will take place outside the Old Firehouse on Green St.

🌭 Hot Dogs, Chips and Sodas will be available while supplies last!

🐐 After 6pm, when our new stuffed toy goat “Polka-Dot” drops in to join past years friends “Fluffy” and “Blessing” - explore and enjoy all that Downtown Snow Hill has to offer while celebrating the rest of your New Year’s Eve!

PRINCESS ANNE  MIDNIGHT MUSKRAT DIVE

The holiday season isn’t over until the muskrat drops! We hope you plan to join us in downtown Princess Anne for a New Year’s Eve! We’re throwing the party - so, bring your friends & family! FREE NYE party favors, oyster bar, Smith Island Cake, horse & carriage rides, music & dancing, and a toast at midnight as we welcome 2024!  9PM to Midnight.

Berlin New Year’s Eve Celebrations

Downtown Berlin 14 South Main Street, Berlin, MD, United States

5:00 pm – 6:30pm Kids 10 pm – 12:30am Adults 2 NYE ball drop celebrations! Kids Ball Drop at 6pm on the corner of Pitts and Main Streets. Adult celebration starts at 10pm with DJs Big Al Reno & Schwab on the stage with music and a ball drop at midnight.

Chincoteague- Pony Island Horseshoe Drop & Costume Promenade

The Pony Island Horseshoe Drop is an end of year celebration that culminates in a promenade of crazy costumes just before the countdown to the stroke of midnight. That's when the lighted horseshoe drops just in time to ring in the New Year!
It's not Swarovski Crystal...but it does sparkle!
Wear your favorite costume or just be a spectator.
This year's theme is: Saltwater Cowboy Shenanigans
It's our heritage. We are after all the home of the World-Famous Saltwater Cowboys.
To become totally immersed in the oddest of silly visual spectacles, you should head for the Downtown Waterfront Park around 11:00PM.
Prizes will be awarded in various categories
Bring your camera to capture the spectacle, dress warm, wear a hat and gloves for sure, and comfortable shoes so you can shimmy and dance to the beat, but most importantly; bring family and friends with you to enjoy the grand fun that is all Chincoteague Island!
Time: 11:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Location: Robert Reed Downtown Park Chincoteague Island, VA

OCEAN CITY NEW YEAR'S EVE FIREWORKS

Dorchester Street Beach & Northside Park

Get ready for an awesome New Year's celebration in Ocean City, Maryland! Enjoy dazzling fireworks at two fantastic locations. The main show kicks off downtown on the beach near Dorchester Street at midnight, with music at the Caroline Street Stage starting at 9 p.m. For a more intimate display, head uptown to Northside Park.

And guess what? The Town has your ride covered with free bus service on New Year's Eve! Buses will be running every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. on December 31 and every 15 minutes from 6 p.m. December 31 – 3 a.m. January 1. Plus, after 3:00 a.m., enjoy daily bus service from 6 a.m. until 1 a.m., running every 30 minutes for just $4 'ride-all-day' per person. Let's make it a New Year's to remember!

Salisbury- New Year's Eve SBY

Ring in the new year in Downtown Salisbury with the 10th annual New Year's Eve Ball Drop.

This free event features live music ahead of a ball drop at midnight. The event is Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023, from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Jan. 1. New Year’s Eve SBY Ball Drop is a free, all-ages, family-friendly event. Beer and wine will be available for purchase outside thanks to Mad Hatter Cafe/The Looking Glass. Free parking will be available in the parking garage.

Downtown Salisbury restaurants will be open with great dinner options and live entertainment.

Starlight Anthem, a rock/pop band from the Frederick area, is our headliner and will perform from 11 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Prior to that, Uprizing and bands from AMP Studio will perform for the audience.

Wear your brightest and sparkliest outfits to see if you'll be named Salisbury's Shining Star. We'll also have interactive trivia that you can play from your phone, and you can put your new year's resolution on a luminary bag to kick off the new year. Get your photos taken in the photo booth, too.

Schedule

9-9:45 p.m.: AMP Studio
9:45-10 p.m.: Trivia
10-10:45 p.m.: Uprizing
10:45-11 p.m.: Trivia
11-11:15 p.m.: Salisbury's Shining Star - Audience voting
11:15-11:55 p.m.: Starlight Anthem
11:55-Midnight: Brief remarks, countdown and ball drop
Midnight-12:30 a.m.: Starlight Anthem

 Twas' The Night Before Christmas in Pocomoke City

Twas' the night before Christmas

And throughout Worcester County

Children were snug in their beds

Awaiting Santa's good bounty.

The Eastern Shore hour was late

When all should be sleeping.

But to no one's surprise

Some sure were peeping.

The jolly ol' elf isn't far away

They all knew.

Maybe he's in Accomack, Somerset,

Or Wicomico, too.

They hoped that with decorations

Making everything pretty,

Santa certainly would visit

Pocomoke City!

Then from Second Street Extended

To Stockton Road,

Santa's sleigh was spotted

With all its good load.

And from the river bridges

To the Virginia line,

He made all his stops

Hoping to make everything fine.

All the children were sure

That when they awoke,

They would find good things

Left by Santa in Pocomoke!

Time Machine: Christmas

 

(Note: archived editions of the Worcester Democrat were not available for the last two weeks of December,1923.  Our feature "100 years ago this week in the Pocomoke newspaper" will resume in January.)

Salisbury Daily Times

The Democratic Messenger (Snow Hill)

1912

 Marylander And Herald

(Christmas Across The USA)

Woodland Daily Democrat (Woodland, Ca.)

"Christmas Eve/ Christmas Day 2023- At last.."

When Pocomoke Was Young- A continuing weekly feature.

 

(Chapter flow:)

ITS ORIGIN AND TOWN LIMITS

TOWN LIMITS

GROWTH, CHANGE OF NAME, ETC.

MERCANTILE ASPECT

MANUFACTURING

TRADES ETC.

SHIPPING INTERESTS

EASTERN SHORE STEAMBOAT CO.

SHIP BUILDING ETC.

HOTELS, LIVERY STABLES, ETC.

PHYSICIANS

LAWYERS

POST OFFICE

PRINTING OFFICES

SOCIAL ASPECT, ETC.

MORAL ASPECT

TEMPERANCE CAUSE

SCHOOLS

CHURCHES

Note:  In duplicating this material for publishing on The Pocomoke Public Eye we have made minor adjustments to correct some of the spelling, punctuation, etc. We believe the errors were not in Rev. Murray's original writing but occurred in the process of formatting the material to a digital format for viewing online.

MERCANTILE ASPECT (CONTINUED). 

During John S. Stevenson's mercantile life, there were 
other stores in the place, namely: William R. Truitt, 
Burroughs & Davis, Maddux & Fields, James Stevenson, 
and probably others. Some of them did quite a heavy 
business. They were all good citizens and their trade 
yielded them a fair income. 

There is only one of this number that I shall give an 
extended account of, and this is James Stevenson, and it is 
because of the novelty of his case. 

He commenced to sell goods at an early date, in New 
Town, prior to this, however, he taught school. 

I have heard it said of him that he commenced mer- 
chandising on a capital of eighty dollars. His store, of 
course, was a small affair, but his trade was sufficient to 
give him a comfortable living. He dealt principally in 
sugar, coffee, molasses, pork, liquor, tobacco and a few of 
the coarser dry goods. He was magistrate during a great 
part of his mercantile life. 

He went by the name of little Jimmie, in consequence 
of his being small of stature. 

He sold goods for thirty years, during all that time he 
never visited the city, but purchased his goods by proxy. 
He died 1861, aged sixty-seven years, and his tomb 
stands in the Presbyterian Cemetery, of Pocomoke City. 

In 1840, Grove & Harris bought out the stock in trade- 
of John S. Stevenson, and pursued the mercantile business, 
until 1844, when they retired. 

In 1844, William J. S. Clarke and William H.T.Clarvoe 
united in co-partnership, in the sale of goods, in New 
Town, under the firm of Clarke & Clarvoe, which firm 
continued successfully for eight years, when by mutual, 
consent they dissolved partnership. 

Mr. Clarke, at slight intervals, has conducted a business, 
on a large scale ever since; part of the time by himself 
and the balance of the time with his son, Edward H.- 
Clarke, and his brother John H. Clarke. 

His business career runs nearly thirty-eight years. 

He built the first steamboat, the first Marine railway, 
and the first three masted schooner on the Eastern Shore. 
He has during his time built from forty to fifty vessels. 
During the last sixteen years he has, in common with his. 
brother, run the steam mill business and Marine railway, 
which have done an average business of $40,000 annually. 
He owns ten thousand acres of land, some of it is (?) iia 
fme estates. 

He also owns thirty houses and lots, and amongst 
them is the well known Clarke House, which is one of the 
first Hotels on the Eastern Shore. He is also one of the 
directors and stockholders of the Eastern Shore Steam- 
boat Company. He has been twice married, his first wife 
was Miss Amanda C. Clarvoe, daughter of the well-known 
Dr. John B. H. W. Clarvoe ; his second wife was Miss Eliza- 
beth A. Hargis, daughter of Thomas M. Hargis. He has 
four children, two by each wife. 

It will be no detriment to Mr. Clarke to say that he was 
a poor boy. He was born the twenty-third day of June, 
1823, in Somerset county, near this place. His mother 
died when he was two weeks old; he was then taken and 
raised by Captain Robert W. Swan, whose wife was a 
relative of his mother. 

Captain Swan, being a New Englander and a sea cap- 
tain was well educated: consequently he was well pre- 
pared to give Mr. Clarke a liberal education, for those days, 
which he did. 

Mr. Clarke began his mercantile life with John S.

 
Stevenson, in the fall of 1838, in the fifteenth year of his 

age. He remained with Mr. Stevenson two years. In 

1840, he went to New Orleans at the age of seventeen 

years, and remained there until 1844, when he returned 

again to New Town and commenced to do business for 

himself as before stated. 

In Mr. Clarke's case, we can see what can be done by 
a man of push, who is determined to succeed, for he had 
nothing to commence on but the wide world in which to 
apply his active mind, and this scrap of his life shows how 
well he has played his part. 

There are two features of his character that are 
worthy of notice: 

The first is, that he is an indomitable worker, always 
full of business and always at business. The second is, an 
ardent desire to promote his friends. 

About 1835, Joseph Fisher engaged in the sale of 
goods in New Town, he occupied the old stand of his- 
father-in law, Stephen Redden, for several years and then, 
moved to the city of Baltimore. 

Between 1844 and 1850, there were several other
stores in New Town, such as: William Townsend, Irving 
Merrill, William T. Hearn, Oliver Jones, J. Francis Hen- 
derson and David H. Long, doing business under the 
firm of Henderson and Long, Quinn and Sturgis, Ashcraft 
and Risley; after a while David Long drew out of the 
firm of Henderson and Long, and Henderson took as a 
partner, George W. Hargis, then James Sturgis as a third 
partner. After continuing sometime Henderson bought 
out Hargis and Sturgis and transacted business by himself; 
after continuing by himself for some time, he took as part- 
ners his brother Henry Henderson and Levin Conner. 

During this partnership J. Francis Henderson died, 
then Henry Henderson and Levin Conner conducted the 
business for two years, when Conner sold out to Hender- 
son, then Henry Henderson transacted business in his own 
name for five years or until 1865, when he closed out. 

All the above named stores were first-class stores, and 
the proprietors were all highly reputable men; they have 
all passed away except Henry Henderson and Levin 
Conner, who are still living in this place, and David H.. 
Long, who lives in the City of Baltimore, and is engaged 
in a very extensive wholesale phosphate house, as general 
agent. 

Mr. Long is something over fifty years of age, of 
high moral character, of tried integrity, and has ever been 
found faithful to all trusts committed to his care, and is 
worthy of any position of trust and responsibility which 
may be placed in his hands. 

CONTINUES NEXT SATURDAY HERE AT THE POCOMOKE PUBLIC EYE.

Former Shorebirds manager dies

 

Ryan Minor was manager of the Delmarva Shorebirds from 2010-2012 and 2014-2017.

           (delmarva.now photo)

Earlier this year in Salisbury when the Shorebirds retired Minor's #44.

(View news story:)

Ryan Minor passes away at 49 (mlb.com)

 This Sunday here at The Pocomoke Public Eye-

 

Maryland State Police Increasing Patrols Over Christmas Weekend

(PIKESVILLE, MD) – Maryland State Police beginning Friday are increasing patrols through Christmas weekend as millions of Marylanders are expected to hit the highways.

State troopers from all 23 barracks will focus on impaired, aggressive and distracted driving while conducting saturation patrols on roads with high DUI incidents. Enforcement is bolstered by funds from the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office.

The State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort (SPIDRE) team, a specialized unit of trained troopers who are focused on identifying impaired drivers, will also work this weekend. SPIDRE is funded by a grant from MDOT MVA Highway Safety Office and aims to reduce alcohol-related injuries and fatalities in Maryland.

The initiative includes partnering with allied law enforcement and other state agencies to both enforce the law and offer outreach to the community through social media and electronic billboards.

Time Machine Preview

 This Sunday here at The Pocomoke Public Eye:

Christmas almost here!

PLUS

From 1881, the menu and instructions for preparing an Old-Fashioned Christmas Dinner.

            

     

Holiday traffic report-