Delaware, U.S., Marriage Records, 1750-1954
Past In Review from 05-16-2002
50 years ago
May 15, 1952
Tanker Blows Up Near Summit Bridge
Vessel With 600,000 Gals. Gas Aboard Collides With Other Freighter
Explosion Halts Traffic
The motor tanker F.L. Hayes, carrying more than 600,000 gallons of high octane gasoline, exploded and caught fire in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal early today after it was reported to have collided with another ship near Summit Bridge.
Six injured crewmembers, including the tanker’s captain, were rescued and taken to the Delaware Hospital, Wilmington. Four other members of the crew still were missing at 5:15 a.m.
The tanker captain, Roger Sears of New York, said the explosion occurred after his craft was struck by the freighter Barbara Lykes. The latter ship apparently was not damaged.
Bigger Explosion Feared
Only part of the tanker’s cargo went up in the initial blast, which occurred a few minutes after midnight. Two other explosions followed within an hour. As the flames raging through the vessel threatened to set off another explosion, which police said carried the danger of death over a radius of half a mile, all traffic across the Summit Bridge was halted.
Cars were blocked from roads in the vicinity for a distance of one mile. However, state police reported Summit Bridge was opened to traffic at 4:45 a.m. Police said the boat was still burning, but that the fire had subsided somewhat.
The collision and explosion occurred at a point about a quarter of a mile east of Summit Bridge. Immediately after the blast, C.B. Brown, superintendent of construction at Summit Bridge, notified state police, and fire companies were rushed to the scene from Delaware City and New Castle.
75 years ago
May 19, 1927
The New C. & D. Canal Was Opened on Saturday
Representatives of the Army and Navy, yachtsmen, business and commercial men, statesmen and citizens of prominence to the number of close to 1500 took part on Saturday in the formal opening of the reconstructed Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Built more than a century ago as a private enterprise as a toll canal with three locks, the rebuilt waterway is now a sea-level canal with nothing to obstruct the free passage of vessels from the Delaware River to the Chesapeake Bay. The locks are gone, the pumping station at Chesapeake City, Md. is now a memory and five massive vertical life bridges span the waterway.
President Suits Bridge
Promptly at 11:30 o’clock President Coolidge pressed a button in the temporary White House in Washington, which inaugurated the ceremonies incident to the formal opening of the canal. The pressure on the button set the wheels in motion that raised the vertical lift bridge at Reedy Point and also released a furled flag which surmounts one of the towers of the bridge and allowed hundreds of printed greetings from the President to flutter down on the large throng gathered at that point to attend the ceremonies.
Due to the storm and lateness of the hour of the returning dotilla that paraded through the waterway, a last minute change in the program translated the exercises from the platform erected at Reedy Point to the second deck of the City of Chester, the vessel carrying the guests of the Atlantic Deeper Waterways Association.
Hundreds Are Present
The formal opening was attended with pomp and color despite the unfavorable weather conditions which prevailed. Hundreds of residents of Delaware and Maryland lined the vantage points along the course of the canal and cheered the vessels as they slowly steamed through from Reedy Point to Chesapeake City, Md. Many homes along the canal were profusely decorated with flags and bunting and hundreds of automobiles lining the highways tooted their horns and sirens as the occupants standing along the canal banks undaunted by the rain cheered and waved their handkerchiefs or small American flags.
MANY VISITORS DURING THE WEEK
THOSE WHO HAVE ENTERTIANED AND WERE VISITORS
IN THE MIDDLETOWN VICINITY
Mrs. Eunice Wilson was a visitor in Philadelphia for several days this week.
Mrs. George Pinder and daughter, Miss Marian, spent Monday in Philadelphia.
Judge E.R. Cochran, of Wilmington, was a caller in town one day recently.
Mrs. William Dugan and son, Mr. Herbert Dugan, were Sunday visitors in Smyrna.
Miss Ella Staats has returned to town after spending a week with friends in Maryland.
Mr. Charles Wooleyhan spent Sunday with his brother, John Wooleyhan, near Warwick.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hardcastle, of Rodney, Pa., were in town one day this week calling on friends.
Dr. Robert A. Comegys and son William, of Philadelphia, Pa., were weekend guests of Mrs. W.A. Comegys.
Mr. and Mrs. James R. Hill visited Mr. Charles Sweetman Sunday, who is in the Chester hospital quite ill.
Miss Emily Crossland, of Claymont, spent the week-end with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. George Richards.
Mr. Arthur Boyles spent from Saturday until Tuesday with Mr. and Mrs. Francis D. Pinder, in New York City.
95 Years Ago
May 18, 1907
Local News
ODESSA
Miss Harriet B. George is spending sometime with friends at Little Creek.
Miss Elizabeth Vinyard, of Middletown, visited her many friends here last week.
Mr. John Eiser, of Philadelphia, spent Sunday last at the home of Jacob Muehlberger.
Mrs. W.V. Woods spent one day this week in Philadelphia, the guest of friends.
Miss Gurtha E. VanZant spent Saturday and Sunday last with friends at McDonough.
Miss Jeannette Watkins is spending this week in Philadelphia, the guest of relatives.
Harry Rose and family, of Delaware City, spent Sunday last at the home of his sister, Miss M. Rose.
Mrs. E.S. Stevens, of McDonough, spent one day of this week at the home of Mrs. O.C. Stevens.
Mr. Harry Ward, of Chester, was the guest of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ward, on Sunday last.
Mrs. William Gremminger left this week for New Jersey, where she will spend sometime with friends.
The Epworth League of the M.E. Church organized a Calendar Club on Tuesday night of this week.
Rev. D.J. Givan, wife and son spent Wednesday of this week at Port Penn, the guest of her mother, Mrs. Eaton.
Dr. Albert Davis and sister, Miss Beatrice, of Camden, N.J., were entertained at the home of the Misses Townsend on Sunday last.
