Kent County News from Chestertown, Maryland • Page 31

CHESTERTOWN At their Oct. 26 meeting, the commissioners voted on four mandatory closed session statements covering three closed sessions. Personnel items were: staff vacancies in Parks Recreation Dept. and Office of Emergency Services; consideration of individuals for appointment to fill vacancies on the Kent County Public Library board of Personnel confidentiality was the reason. Tom Yeager, the attorney, presented a closed session statement consult with The topic was of Law Regulating and Policy Concerning Denied Access Sewer Lines.

Legal Advice concerning contractual disclosure regarding sewer allocation and extension of sewer Yeager gave the reason for the closed-door session as Yeager also brought for the approval a closing statement to discuss Advice from County Attorney regarding interpretation of contract and option agreement for sale of Lot in Worton Business Park, including evaluation of whether or not contingencies are or can be met, and consideration of request from prospective purchaser of lots in Worton Business The reason was Client The commissioners also approved a second closed session statement which was prepared by County Administrator Susie Hayman. It covered the same closed session as but cited only for a business or industrial organization to locate with topics identified as request for county concessions related to location of solar energy business at Worton Industrial Reason given was of By JACK SHAUM Special from the Bay Times It was 50 years ago this week that the last link with the colorful steamboating era on the Chester River was broken for good. On Oct. 23, 1960, the barge B.S. Ford which had operated on the river for decades as the steamer of the same name, was wrecked and sunk on a lonely stretch of river in Dorchester County.

Built in 1877 for the Baltimore-Chester River run, the Ford as both a steamboat and a barge, proved to be one of the longest-lived vessels on the bay. It was the last tangible connection to the Chester River Steamboat Company, which existed from 1867 to 1905. Named for Budd Sterling Ford, a state senator from Queen County and president of the company, the B.S. Ford was launched in 1877 at the Wilmington, Del. shipyard of Harlan and Hollingsworth Corporation.

It was an iron-hull sidewheel passenger and freight steamer that made daylight runs between Baltimore and Chestertown, with stops along the way at Kent Island, Rock Hall, Queenstown, Wharf (now Camp Pecometh), Bogles Wharf, Point, Wharf, Quaker Neck, and Centreville. Its namesake, unfortunately, lost his life just two years after the vessel entered service, in a drowning accident at Ocean City. It was the first new vessel built for the Chester River Steamboat Company, which had earlier operated older steamers acquired from other companies. Her schedule called for departure from Baltimore at 7 a.m. for Chestertown with stops at the various landings along the way.

At Chestertown, it connected with the smaller steamer Corsica which continued upriver to Crumpton. The Ford spent the night at Chestertown and then headed back to Baltimore the next morning. On the run from Baltimore, it carried passengers and manufactured goods from the city. On the run from Chestertown there would be passengers and local produce and seafood bound for the city. Peaches were a huge commodity until a blight early in the 20th century wiped out the local peach trees.

It was not uncommon for baskets of peaches to be piled all the way to the overhead on the freight deck. On May 4, 1884, while laying over for the night in Chestertown, the B.S. Ford burned at its dock. It was rebuilt and modified by enclosing its main deck forward to carry additional freight. As railroads made inroads on the Eastern Shore, the Pennsylvania Railroad created a number of subsidiaries and bought up many of the steamboat lines.

The Chester River Steamboat Company was absorbed into the Maryland, Delaware and Virginia Railway in January 1905. The railroad continued to use the Ford on the Chester until 1924 when the operation was discontinued due to inroads made by trucks and powerboats. By then, the other steamers of the old company had long since been disposed of. The old steamer was sold in 1929 to Capt. George F.

Curlett, a mariner who was born in Queen County close to Wharf, where he became enamored of the Ford at an early age and vowed one day to own it. Curlett converted the vessel to a diesel-powered freighter that could operate to all parts of the bay. However, it was rammed and sunk in Hampton Roads, Va. by the large passenger steamer District of Columbia in the early 1930s. Curlett raised the Ford and decided to convert it into a barge, removing its engine and all of its superstructure, except for the pilothouse, which was placed at the extreme stern.

It was towed between Baltimore and New Bern, N.C., primarily hauling lumber via the Intracoastal Waterway. The Ford according to the late bay historian Robert Burgess, was one of the largest barges on the route, and could carry 250,000 feet of lumber on deck and in its hold. Although most of the other barges in the Curlett fleet had been scrapped or abandoned by the late 1950s the Ford continued in operation until Oct. 23, 1960, when it ran aground off the mouth of the Honga River near Island and sank while carrying a cargo of grain. Some of its bones undoubtedly still lurk in the shallows today.

We turn clocks back one hour on Nov. 7, reverting to standard time until next spring. Perhaps the most noticeable thing about this change is darkness falling earlier in the evening. Indeed, sunset on Nov. 6 will be about 6 p.m., while on the 7th it will occur at 5 p.m.

(Eastern Standard Time)! Though Mars and Mercury might be seen in the southwest evening sky this month, both present a real challenge because they are so low to the horizon. One will need a really clear view right down to the horizon, clear nights, and probably a pair of binoculars to confirm them. Maybe the best time to look for them together is on Nov. 20, 30 minutes after sunset. They will be only 4 or 5 degrees above the southwest horizon though; Mercury lowest and Mars just above and to its right.

Two other planets pop into view in the east sky before dawn. Venus, which has been so bright in the southwest evening sky after sunset since August, passed between us and the sun in its orbit at the end of October and is now rising in the southeast sky. Through November it will increase in altitude each day and pass out of and above morning twilight. At magnitude it will be easy to spot. Saturn also climbs out of morning twilight this month.

It will be as high as 30 degrees above the horizon by the end of the month. Though higher than Venus it will not be as bright. Saturn will be at which is brighter than most of the brightest stars, and will lie among the stars of the constellation Virgo. Jupiter continues to be the dominant planet. It will be easily spotted in the southern sky as soon as darkness falls, and will not set until very early in the morning.

Jupiter has not faded much since it was at its closest to us in some time at the end of September, so visual and telescopic views will be great. Jupiter is still at magnitude, though it will drop to by December 1st. Uranus can still be found just above Jupiter with binoculars just a few degrees up and left of the bigger planet. We might be able to spot a decently bright comet this month; Comet which passes through our sky in the southeast, between the brightest star in our sky, Sirius in Canis Major, and Procyon, eighth brightest star in Canis Minor. It actually tracks through a relatively dim region of stars comprising the constellation Monoceros, the unicorn.

These stars will not be high enough to be seen until after 8 p.m. so look for the comet after this. Binoculars will help a lot comet light can be subtle but once spotted we should be able to see it without the binoculars. A really dark, clear night with no moon will help a lot too, so the best part of the month to look would be Nov. 1 to 12; and then Nov.

25 to 30, and on to Dec. 8. Give it a try! Kent County News Thursday, October 28, 2010 A31 410-778-1049 ualitycare. ommunitycaring. Aconversationwith Dr.MaryLynnMcPherson Thursday, November 11 Free the Dr.

McPherson, nationally- known pain consultant will discuss end-of-life pain management. This informing and entertaining presentation is not to be missed! Conference Center Chester River Hospital 6:00 pm Please call 410-778-1049 for more info about this free event. Refreshments will be served. www.chesterriverhealth.org Wine Tasting at Riverview Liquors November 1st thru 5th 9am to 5pm Each day we will select a chosen wine for the tasting. Come out to sample delicious wine from our grand selection 7501 Church Hill Rd.

Chestertown 410-778-8180 Gentle Foot Care 932 Washington Ave. (located in Mall with Austin Carpet) Chestertown 410-810-3133 Dr. Thomas Velotti Podiatrist Last link to Chester River steamers sank 50 years ago This early 20th-century postcard image shows the B.S. Fordleaving the company dock in Chestertown. Budd Sterling Ford was the owner and founder of the Chester River Steamboat Company and the B.

S. namesake. Soon time to revert to standard time BY ENNIS ERRMANN KYWATCH Commissioners hold closed sessions.