Sunday, April 17, 2022

Time Machine Special Edition: April 17th in Pocomoke City One Hundred Years Ago.

 




 APRIL 17, 1922











                                                     
















(The Worcester Democrat was able to publish on Saturday, its regular publication day, five days after the fire.)

      Picture at upper left: Market Street looking north from Second Street.

      Picture at upper right: Market Street looking south from Front Street.


(Above reads: No one who was not an eye witness can adequately picture the rapidity with which the flames accomplished their destructive and desolating work. When the big clock on the front of the Citizens National Bank struck the noon hour on Easter Monday, everything was peaceful and serene, people were plying their usual vocations, or enjoying their noon-day lunch; the town with its clean streets and its beautiful trees decked in their new spring foliage, never looked prettier. Two hours and a half later, 250 people were homeless, property estimated at $1,500,000 had been destroyed and the scene in ten businesses and residential blocks in the very heart of the city could be compared with exaggeration  to the scenes in the war-devastated region of France and Belgium after the invasion of the German troops. 

The exact origin of the fire is not known. Mr. Davis had been buring trash int he alley that morning and while some hold to the theory that a spark from the burning trash may have caused the conflagration, still this theory has not been definitely established.)



































 Jake Mason photos from the Pocomoke Fire  Company Photo Gallery.

In this picture the view is looking west across Market Street. The building standing at Market and Front Streets is The Empire Theater.













Due to the length of this special edition posting please click on "Older Posts" at below top right to view previous postings.

Saturday, April 16, 2022

A hurricane season prediction

 (Shore Daily News)


Colorado State University is once again predicting another above average hurricane season for the Atlantic Coast.

View news article:

Colorado State University releases 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast - Shore Daily News

(PPE reader comment)

Anonymous Anonymous said...

CSU makes the same prediction every year.


tkforppe says: I prefaced the headline as "A" prediction assuming we might see some others.


Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Weather Channel will also predict an above number of hurricanes and horrendous destruction and loss of life.

Thursday, April 14, 2022

Time Machine Special Edition Preview

April 17th marks the 100th anniversary of the fire that devasted much of Pocomoke City. This Sunday here at the Pocomoke Public Eye we devote a Special Edition to that infamous event.


















                   (The Baltimore American)

To commemorate the Centennial of the great Pocomoke City Fire of 1922, the Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Company will host an Open House and Ceremony on Saturday, April 16.  Fire Companies that helped Pocomoke Firemen battle the blaze have been invited to attend and will be recognized for their assistance in containing and extinguishing the fire.

The Open House, which will feature antique fire equipment and historical materials regarding the fire, will be held at the Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Company, 1410 Market Street, from 1PM to 4PM on Saturday April 16. The recognition ceremony will take place at 3PM.


Attempted child abduction reported

 

Wednesday, 4/13/22




Rocket Lab stocks shoot upward

 

(Shore Daily News)

“The stock price of Rocket Lab USA Inc (NASDAQ: RKLB) increased by 4.73% Wednesday. Investors are responding positively to Rocket Lab breaking ground on the construction of a state-of-the-art rocket production complex where the company’s Neutron launch vehicle will be manufactured.”

View news story:

Rocket Lab stock surges after groundbreaking at Wallops - Shore Daily News


Pocomoke City Police Investigating Shots-fired Incident

 (WBOC)


View news story:

Pocomoke City Police Investigating Shots-fired Incident | Latest News | wboc.com


Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Public Hearing April 19th on proposed Worcester Sports Complex

(WMDT)


“This is an opportunity for county residents to speak in favor of a project that will benefit all Worcester County residents, visitors, and businesses."

View news story:

Public hearing scheduled for sports complex coming to Ocean City - 47abc (wmdt.com)


Tuesday's bill signing in Annapolis

 

WORCESTER AGRITOURISM, VETERANS, AND MORE BILLS SIGNED BY GOVERNOR HOGAN TODAY

One day after the Maryland General Assembly adjournment sine die, Senator Mary Beth Carozza today participated in a bill signing ceremony with Governor Larry Hogan and presiding officers Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne with 79 bills signed into law in the Governor’ State House Reception Room in Annapolis.

 

The Worcester County agritourism bills (Senate Bill 32 sponsored by Carozza and House Bill 12 sponsored by Delegates Hartman and Otto), which passed both chambers unanimously, would add Worcester County to the list of 18 other jurisdictions in which farm structures used for agritourism activities are exempted from certain commercial building requirements.

 

“The Worcester County agritourism legislation allows for a successful tool to give more local farm families the opportunity to offer agritourism activities on their farms,” said Carozza. “It’s a win-win for both the farm families who may need to diversify and pull in additional revenue just to keep the farm and for tourists who will have more options to explore and experience our local farms.”

 

The bill has strong support from the Worcester County Commissioners and its tourism office, Greater Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association, Maryland Tourism Coalition, Maryland Farm Bureau, and Agriculture Grow and Fortify.  

 

In addition to Senate Bill 32, several other bills that Senator Carozza cosponsored or supported were signed into law:

  • House Bill 882, Natural Resources – Pocomoke River Wildland – Alteration of Boundaries: This Maryland Department of Natural Resources bill would add approximately 80 acres of the Pocomoke State Forest as new type Wildlands and would exempt approximately two acres of the Pocomoke State Forest to allow the construction of an elevated walk-way that would connect the Town of Snow Hill directly to the Pocomoke State Park. The trail would create a trail network from Snow Hill to Pocomoke City and has significant social, recreational, and economic benefits.

 

  • Senate Bill 5, General Provisions - Commemorative Days - Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day, sponsored by Senator Obie Patterson and cosponsored by Carozza, designates the fourth Thursday in March as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day. This would make Maryland the ninth state and the District of Columbia to pass a law officially honoring the Tuskegee Airmen, comprised of nearly 1,000 Black pilots who flew during World War II and were supported by more than 15,000 cooks, security personnel, and other staff support. The Tuskegee Airmen are credited with integrating the military as their resolve in World War II included the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941.

 

  • Senate Bill 94, Public Health - Maryland Suicide Fatality Review Committee, sponsored by Senator Addie Eckardt and also cosponsored by Carozza. This bill establishes the Maryland Suicide Fatality Review Committee (State team) to identify and address the factors contributing to suicide deaths and facilitate system changes in the State to prevent suicide deaths.

 

 

Senator Carozza pictured with Delegates Otto and Hartman during Worcester County Agritourism bill signing. 

 

Senator Carozza and Delegate Otto pictured with Department of Natural Resources Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, DNR Legislative Officer Bunky Luffman of Delmar and DNR team.

 

Senator Carozza pictured with Senator Patterson with the Governor’s official resolution commemorating the fourth Thursday in March as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day.


Coming to former Phillips Crab House location..

 (The Dispatch)

"..the operators say they hope to open the all-you-can-eat seafood and prime rib buffet before Memorial Day."

View news article:

04/11/2022 | New Restaurant To Take Over Phillips Crab House Property | News Ocean City MD (mdcoastdispatch.com)


$1.2 billion in state funds for Camden Yards. Did you know?

 

Excerpt from statement by Chairman and CEO of the Baltimore Orioles John Angelos:

View full statement: 

Orioles chairman/CEO John Angelos statement (mlb.com)


Monday, April 11, 2022

History beneath our feet

 (WESR/Shore Daily News)


"The Eastern Shore of Virginia is rich in history. Often times, when we think about history, we think of books, landmarks, old documents or buildings. In actuality, history is all around us including just a few inches beneath the surface of the ground we walk on. This week, in the first of a two part series, Kelley visited with Tom Kellam as he shared his love of metal detecting and some of the interesting pieces of lost history he found."

View the 10-minute video presentation:

SHORE PERSPECTIVES: Tom Kellam reflects on the history beneath our feet - Shore Daily News

Rocket Lab's Groundbreaking at Wallops

 (Shore Daily News picture)





"WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. (WAVY) — Gov. Glenn Youngkin was among those celebrating the groundbreaking of Rocket Lab USA’s first launch site and the manufacturing of its new, reusable rocket, Neutron.

The site will be on Wallops Island near Rocket Lab Launch Complex 2, the company’s launch site for the Electron launch vehicle.

Youngkin delivered remarks during the groundbreaking event Monday at Wallops Island.

The company delivers reliable launch services, spacecraft components, satellites, other spacecraft as well as on-orbit management solutions that make it faster, easier, and more affordable to access space.

The Neutron rocket is expected to be operational in late 2024 and is designed to deliver a 17,600-pound payload to low Earth orbit, and may ultimately support human spaceflight."

View Facebook video:

(3) Facebook Live | Facebook

View news story from Yahoo!Finance

Rocket Lab Breaks Ground on Neutron Production Complex in Wallops, Virginia (yahoo.com)

Pocomoke Fire Centennial Commemoration this Saturday

 

CENTENNIAL OF GREAT POCOMOKE FIRE TO BE COMMEMORATED ON APRIL 16

On Easter Monday, April 16, 1922, a devastating fire destroyed 15 acres in the downtown section of Pocomoke City.  The conflagration left 250 residents homeless, devastated scores of businesses and homes, and resulted in a loss of $25 million in today's dollars.

For three hours Maple, Clarke, Second, and Market Streets were a sea of flames.  High winds then whipped the fire up Front Street where it destroyed numerous homes in the residential section.

During the early stages of the fire, the town's telephone exchange building was in extreme danger.  Yet the phone operators maintained their posts and called for aid from fire companies across the peninsula.  The phone exchange was eventually destroyed, but not before help was on its way.  The Pennsylvania Railroad dispatched special trains to convey fire apparatus and firefighters to Pocomoke City.

Fire companies from Seaford, Laurel, Delmar, Salisbury, Snow Hill, Berlin, Ocean City, Cambridge, Princess Anne and Crisfield answered the call to assist the Pocomoke Fire Company in battling the blaze.  As quoted in The New York Times on Tuesday, April 18, 1922, "but for the splendid teamwork of the fire companies the entire town would have been destroyed."

To commemorate the Centennial of the great Pocomoke City Fire of 1922, the Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Company will host an Open House and Ceremony on Saturday, April 16.  Those Fire Companies listed above have been invited to attend and will be recognized for their assistance in containing and extinguishing the fire.

The Open House, which will feature antique fire equipment and historical materials regarding the fire, will be held at the Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Company, 1410 Market Street, from 1PM to 4PM on Saturday April 16. The recognition ceremony will take place at 3PM.

According to Lt. Chip Choquette, chairperson of the Centennial, Pocomoke City experienced three devastating fires prior to 1922.  The fire of December 1888 led to the establishment of the Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Company.  The fire of April 1922 led to the purchase of more advanced fire fighting equipment and the rebuilding of the town's downtown section with masonry buildings and wider streets to prevent fires of this magnitude from recurring in the future.  These efforts proved beneficial and as a result the town has not sustained a major conflagration in 100 years.    


Senator Mary Beth Carozza's report on final week of legislature

 

2022 Maryland General Assembly Update

Week Thirteen: Final Countdown With Passage of Highway User Funds Bill, Shore Budget Priorities, Governor’s Vetoes and Overrides, and Crisfield High School Visit

 

Annapolis, MD – Today, Monday April 11,  the Maryland General Assembly will adjourn sine die at midnight. During the last full week, marathon and double sessions were the norm in both committee and the Floor sessions during these final days of deliberations. This week’s highlights include passage of legislation returning Highway User Funds to local governments, Shore priorities covered in Capital Budget, the Governor’s vetoes and override votes, and Crisfield High School in Somerset County visiting Annapolis. 

 

Local Transportation Funds and Shore Budget Priorities 

In the last full week, an agreement worked out between the Governor and the legislature to increase transportation funding for local governments was reached which has been a top priority for the Maryland Municipal League and Maryland Association of Counties Organization (MACo). Senator Carozza, who represents 11 municipalities and three counties in District 38, cosponsored Senate Bill 726 sponsored by Senator Cory McCray. District 38 Delegate Carl Anderton, who is the former Mayor of Delmar, is the House sponsor (HB 1187).

 

Under this agreement, the share of the transportation funding for local jurisdictions will increase from 13.5 percent to 15.6%  in FY24, and by FY27, the percentage will increase to 20%. The proposed municipal portion of that Local Share of the Highway User Fund (HUR) is 2.4% in FY 24; 2.7% in FY 25; 3% in FY 27; and 2.4% form FY 28 onwards. Without this proposal, the municipal share would drop from the current level of 2% to 0.4% beginning in FY 24. County governments share is 3.2 % today.  In SB 726, it goes to 4.8% for FY 26-27.

 

“Returning the Highway User Funds back to the local jurisdictions has been a top priority for Governor Hogan and our Shore Delegation, and this is record-level funding for municipalities and long-term certainty for local projects,” said Carozza. “I especially want to thank Delegate Anderton for his leadership, knowledge and persistence on this matter and with this successful outcome.”   

 

The Maryland General Assembly on April 7th passed the Capital budget which includes Shore and District 38 priorities. Local projects included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Capital Budget are $150,000 total for a 10-unit hangar at Crisfield Airport in Somerset County; $200,000 total for the renovation and expansion of Somerset County Courthouse in Princess Anne; $200,000 total for the Delmar Community Center; and $200,000 for safety improvements and renovation of the Ocean Pines Fire Department South Station in Worcester, which is in addition to the $1.35 million included in Governor Hogan’s supplemental budget.

“Funding for these local projects will go a long way in advancing economic development, community, and public safety priorities in District 38,” Senator Carozza said, noting that capital funding is applied specifically towards construction and renovation work throughout the State of Maryland. 

Vetoes and Overrides

As expected, Governor Hogan vetoed several bills including abortion expansion, paid family leave, attorney child interrogations, and new licensed firearm dealers requirements. Senator Carozza supported the Governor’s vetoes which were overridden by the supermajority in both the Senate and House of Delegates.

 

Several local businesses contacted Carozza directly to express their opposition to Senate Bill 275 – Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program and House Bill 1021 Licensed Firearms Dealers Security Requirements. SB 275 mandates that every employer with 15 or more employees (well below the Obama administration standard) must participate in the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program and contribute an indeterminate amount per employee to the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund. In his veto letter on SB 275, Governor Hogan wrote,  “After two years of a devastating global pandemic… a new $1.6 billion dollar regressive statewide payroll tax is the worst thing lawmakers could be imposing on Maryland employers and employees.”

 

In addition to her Senate Floor remarks in support of the Governor’s veto of Senate Bill 275, Carozza also commented on her strong opposition to House Bill 937 – Abortion Care Access Act. She said, “With House Bill 937, Maryland becomes even better known of having the very top most liberal expansive abortion laws in the country. We open up Maryland so all kinds of providers can perform abortions instead of physicians. We have no limits so these providers can perform abortions right up to birth, no parental notification for minors 13 years old and under, no requirement to give basic mental health services information to women who have had an abortion and are showing signs of distress or depression, and not even a requirement that life-saving care would be provided if a baby was born live during a botched abortion. Speaking on behalf of my constituents, we don’t want Maryland to be known for a far-reaching expansive abortion law… and I am not proud of Maryland becoming known as an abortion destination.”

 

Crisfield High School Visit to Annapolis

After a two-year delay due to the pandemic, the 10th-grade students from Crisfield High School with teacher trip coordinator Mr. Randy Laird, Crisfield Teacher of the Year Ms. Vestina Davis, history teachers Ms. Erin Walbert and Mr. Justin Ihnat, and bus driver Mr. Hank Ward made it Annapolis and toured both the oldest-working State House in the country and the Naval Academy. It was my distinct honor to greet the Crisfield High School group with Delegates Charles Otto and Carl Anderton, and to bring the students into the Senate Gallery where I introduced them to my Senate colleagues.  “The students saw us in action in the closing days of the session, and I am glad they made the extra effort to travel to Annapolis this session,” said Carozza.