TIME MACHINE ... 1916, 1956, 1930, 1914, 1967

　
(Reader-friendly viewing of newspaper archives material)

　
(Prohibition in Worcester County brings very different views.) 
　
 September, 1916
(The Frederick News Post- Frederick, Md.)

WORCESTER COUNTY

Senator Orlando Harrison:

Voting out the legalized saloons of Worcester County has done wonders for the laboring man. More than 90 percent of our men have bought homes and are paying for them weekly. They feed better, dress better and double the percentage in attendance at church. Some improvements can yet be made. It's a hundred to one better without saloons.

Footnote:
Harrison was a former mayor of Berlin and a man of many accomplishments which are detailed at the following web address:

http://www.ocmuseum.org/index.php/site/worc_history_article/senator_harrisons_lifes_history


(An advertisement against prohibition quoted the "Baltimore News" of September, 28,1916, concerning conditions in Worcester County.)


 October, 1916
(The Frederick News Post- Frederick, Md.)

Worcester County is "dry." Someone took the trouble to find out what was coming into the county and, disregarding the other carriers, selected one express company.

During one month the company brought into the county, directed to citizens, 27 barrels of whiskey, costing $9.000. Of this amount, Pocomoke City received 10 barrels, Snow Hill 7, and other towns the rest.

Besides these amounts, the freight trains brought in at least an equal amount, while steamboats from Baltimore are said to have brought in as much again, making a total of nearly $36,000 worth of booze that Worcester county people purchased in one month.

(The anti-prohibition advertisement went on to state:)

The above news items show beyond all doubt...

...that drunkenness actually increases under prohibition rule;

...that Prohibition fosters bootlegging and illegal selling;

...that Prohibition encourages constant evasion of law and order.

Prohibition also deprives the community of its necessary revenues- and the loss of these revenues invariably results in poor roads, neglected schools and increased taxes.


　 April, 1956 (The Salisbury Times)

Two Trotters Die In Track Fire

POCOMOKE CITY, Md.,- April 5. (AP) Two harness horses were killed and a brick building destroyed yesterday by a fire which for a time endangered nearby houses and buildings. 

The horses, Mar-D and Broray, were owned and trained by John Matthews, a name familiar on the eastern harness circuit.

Footnote:
The fire occurred in the early morning hours sometime before dawn. The building was at the end of Dudley Avenue, off of Second Street, not far from the Fairgrounds (no longer used for public events at that time) where the old race track was used for harness horse training. The home I grew up in was closest to that old brick building. I remember being awakened by my parents and leaving our house, seeing the blaze and embers whirling in the night sky, Before being used for harness horse stables the old brick building was an abandoned structure. I seem to recall having heard that it originally may have been a box factory. -tk


　 February, 1930
The 1930 Nash 400 was being advertised as the car with the oil cushioned chasis and superior performance. The dealership nearest Pocomoke City was D.H. Hancock in Stockton.

　
　 May, 1914 (The Denton Journal)

The Republicans will come into full control of the House of Correction this month. There are 26 places, big and little, to be filled by the House of Correction Board. First of these is that of superintendent or warden, now held by William E. Lankford of Worcester County. This is one of the best paid positions in the State, the salary, which is fixed by the Board, being $3,000 a year, with a comfortable residence and subsistence for the warden and family. The assistant superintendent gets $1,200 a year and board for himself, but not for his family. The clerk gets $125 a month and does not live at the institution, while the chief engineer receives $100 a month. The physician, who does not give his full time to the prison, receives $700 a year. Most of the other places pay modest salaries, nevertheless they have been much sought after, particularly by men from the counties.



　 April, 1967 (Time Machine archive)
The Pony Ranch Drive-In on Route 13 south of Pocomoke City was advertising a 39-cent Ranch Burger special that consisted of a double-decker hamburger with cheese, special sauce, lettuce and pickle. The regular price was 60-cents. The Pony Ranch menu also included Subs, Pizza, Chicken In The Basket, Shakes, and Soft Serve Products. 

Footnote: 
The Pony Ranch parking lot spaces had speaker phones so you could just drive up and order from your car; your order would be brought out to you to enjoy in your car or to take with you. The Pony Ranch was operated by L.J. and June McGee. 


　
　 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!