E

lfather, D.M. Bernard. This purchase brought their land holdings to Approxi- F'mately 625 acres.

A mixed farming operation is carried on with 75 acres of potatoes, 230 pores of barley and oats, wheat and com, the balance in hay and pasture. They have a herd of about 120 head of Holstein cattle, as well as 80 hogs. The Holstein females are all registered, with a milking herd of 30 to 35. bross sales on a farm of this type and size should range between 50,000 and E5.80.000, depending on market prices. The value of machinery and equipment

ecessary to operate it would exceed $60,000. This is a great contrast of arming on Prince Edward Island 50 years ago, when $5000. would probably {buy all the machinery necessary.

Compiled by Douglas Profitt

THE DROWNING ACCIDENT ii

i For any community to lose six of its citizens in one fell swoop would indeed be a catastrophe, but six open graves in the Freetown Methodist lI'Cemetery, in the latter part of June 1883, awaiting the bodies ofsix bright young people, who had been drowned in the waters of Richmond Bay, proved that a catastrophe had indeed happened to the community of Freetown.

In keeping with a prearranged plan, about twenty-five young people 'of the Freetown Methodist Church met on the 28th of June 1883, with the idea of proceeding to Schurman’s Shore on Richmond Bay, just north of New Annan for a picnic. They were a happy, lively bunch, and as they 'ourneyed to their destination, they sang and shouted to one another, and when they saw anyone along the road or in the fields they urged them to 'oin the fun. ? After their arrival they had their meal and then proceeded to explore the beach. Two boys and six girls found a row boat tied up on the shore, F0 the eight got into it, and as they had no oars, the boys took turns giving the boat a push and then jumping in again. They drifted farther from the bore than they realized, and when one of the boysjumped out, it is thought hat he may have landed in a hole which had been dug in search of mussel mud. The occupants of the boat, knowing nothing of the ways of verloaded row boats, panicked, with the result that the boat overturned d all were in the water. For a time some clung to the upturned boat, but y the time help arrived, all but two, Randolph Arbing and Emma Reeves. ad slipped to a watery grave. Rescue work was carried out by Patrick

rennan and James Whelan. After saving the two, they succeeded also in ringing the six bodies to shore.

Those drowned were Annie Reeves (23), Edmund Reeves (17, daughter

d son of Charles Reeves, Lower Freetown) Mary Arbing (37, sister oi

andolph Arbing), Mary Jane Drummond (16, sister of Samuel Drummond).

argaret Ellen George (20, daughter of James George and sister of Mrs.

35