1888 RAILROAD CONDUCTORS EXCERSION

HISTORY OF REHOBOTH BEACH

1888 RAILROAD EXCURSION BRINGS 4000 VISITORS

Never, since Rehoboth Beach became a resort and watering place has there

been so many on the beach and board walk as there was today, Thursday, August 26,

1888.

The occasion was the annual excursion of the Railroad Conductors Association and the

weather was perfect, sun shine, cool southeast breeze and the mosquito's were “over

yonder a right smart”. Bathing was superb.

The first train in from Philadelphia of eleven cars in charge of Conductor George

Messick, once with Junction & Breakwater, then with the Pennsylvania PW &B branch, and

his engineer, N. Dennon, arrived the each at 11 a.m

.

Right behind them, Conductor John Flemming, arriving from Delmar, with sixteen cars packed comfortably.

The first section of the Wilmington train under Conductor William T. Johnson,

landed a better dressed crowd abut noon.

Conductor, Colonel John T. Layfield , brought the second section of Wilmington

in time for dinner. A characteristic of the colonels bunch was their sediments of eating

and put a large demand on the well filled larders of the hotels and restaurants. They

were hungry.

A third section from Wilmington, Conductor C. F. Shriver, arrived at 2 pm with

eight cars loaded.

By 2 pm, the immense crowd had spread over the beaches, filled the hotels and

restaurants. There is a horse or team, mule teams, tied to every tree, even a Sussex

county Ox team. Streets are full of all manner of vehicle, a four- in- hand Gumborough

Chariot to a farmers drag harrow.

The crowd is orderly, no one appears to be drunk, People are here for pleasure.

Seems as though all of Sussex is here, there must be 4000 people.

.

The cheap railroad excursions are popular with Delaware residents and well

patronized as today proved.

Abstract: Wilmington Morning News, Friday , July 27, 1888, a special

correspondence to the Morning News.