News from Waretown, 1866

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New Jersey Courier 3 Jun 1866
We visited Waretown last week in search of new subscribers. Met "Forked River Joseph" on the way, raving like a distracted bedbug, because he had lost a baby's cloak. Found the cloak for him, and restored his peace of mind. Waretown contains a Methodist and Presbyterian Church, two stores, a hotel, post office, two graveyards, in one of which, the "forefathers of the hamlet" sleep, and in the other, their descendants repose. Mr. J. Birdsall is building a nice little sloop, 33 feet keel, 12 feet beam, for carrying marl down from the terminus of the Toms River Railroad, whenever that blessed institution arrives at Toms River village.
Mr. Ezekiel Birdsall has a large schooner, the hull of which is completed but perversely refuses to travel overland to water, and they are digging out a channel so that the water will come to it. Waretown is quite a village. We saw our friend James of blessed rail road memory. His eyes snapped and twinkled with joy, when we informed him that the new time table was to appear in the Courier last week. James felt that his labor had not been in vain and we fully agreed with him, as we looked around upon his well tilled and fruitful garden. Concluded to call on him again in a few days to eat strawberries and cream with him. We were under many obligations to Mr. John Warden, who acted as our guide.
Location: Waretown, Ocean Township, NJ 08758, USA

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