In all the tumult of a savage easterly gale accompanied by lashing rain, the 10th annual fishing derby came to a close on Saturday, with contestants fishing, or certainly attempting to fish up to the final hour.

 

With a week more to go it looks as if history will be made in this year’s fishing derby, History which may see a woman take the grand prize for non-residents, for one thing, and a general increase in the sizes of prize-winning fish for another.

 

This week’s sensation, up to Wednesday night, was the landing of the 45 pound 9 ounce striper by Louise deSomov of Hampton Bays, Long Island, which not only gained for her the lead among women striper fishers, but put her out in the lead among all of the non-resident class.

 

All Oak Bluffs roads lead to the lobster hatchery; according to the signs, the first state lobster hatchery ever to be instituted, and this is the truth. Much as been written about this novel hatchery in consequence of which there are many visitors, all of them welcome.

 

From the outside the Harbor View Hotel looked pretty much the way it always does. The lawns were freshly mowed, the stems and blossoms in the neat flower borders waved gaily in a stiff September breeze, and the sun was strong on the blues of the water around Starbuck’s Neck, on one of those recent, ideal days of early fall. However, something was definitely missing, one noticed almost Immediately. It was the porch sitters. They were all gone, and the porch furniture was pulled in. The Harbor View had closed for the win­ter.

 

Gifford’s Store, as most persons of mature age would call it, still stands on the West Tisbury-Edgartown road, which highway developed from the ancient Mill Path, whereby Edgartown settlers walked or rode to the mill on the Mill River, to have their corn ground.

 

The Up-Island towns of Chilmark and Gay Head are now on the dial telephone system, dating from yesterday morning at 7, when the switchers were thrown and the other necessary equipment was put into service at the Chilmark central station. Present at this semi-formal ceremony were Harold R. Morris, local superintendent, telephone company officials from the mainland and a few guests who had risen early in order to witness the procedure.

 

The opening of the new Dukes County Savings Bank last Friday proved to be an event on a national scale. From all the country over came letters and telegrams of congratulation and encouragement extended by other mutual savings banks, and the new banking house opposite the courthouse was abloom with no fewer than twenty-seven baskets or sprays of flowers, all gorgeous.

 

On Sunday afternoon, a meeting was held in Gay Head of former directors and members of the old Gay Head Improvement Association. This organization was incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in February of 1914, and for a number of years was active in promoting community welfare in Gay Head.

 

With a virtually unanimous vote by the Martha’s Vineyard Chapter, D.A.R., to make the D.A.R. historical building opposite the courthouse at Edgartown available as a home for the Dukes County Savings Bank, the question of a location for the bank seemed fairly well settled this week. The choice must be approved by the incorporators of the new bank at the formal organization meeting to be held early in January.