Thursday, June 4, 1959

• Fred D. Gidden, 13, became the city’s first drowning victim of the summer. The fatality occurred Wednesday afternoon around 4:30 when the youngster dove into Johnson’s Pond at the end of Booth Street. The city had ordered the pond closed through June, because of chemicals that had been place in the water to kill weeds growing on the bottom.
• Five local fortune tellers have filed for new licenses, even under Wicomico County’s new more-strict ordinance that governs the businesses. The license fee increased from $300 to a new permit charge of $1,000. Among the new rules: Fortune tellers are only allowed a small sign in front of their businesses. The five who have filed: Madam Anne on Delmar Road, Madame Cecelia on Delmar Road, Sister Teresa on Delmar Road, Madam Hubbard on Delmar Road and Madam Stanley of Postal Route 3.
• At the Colonial Store on Salisbury Boulevard, ground beef ideal for cookouts was on sale for 39 cents per pound.
• The Salisbury Chamber of Commerce reported that building construction was down in the first five months of 1959. Building permits showed just over $496,000 in new construction in the city limits, and $1.24 million in the county. That compares to $622,000 in city construction for the same period in 1958, and $1.31 million for the county.
• At the Wicomico Hotel in Downtown Salisbury, the Friday night “all you can eat” Dutch Treat Picnic was priced at $1.95 per person.
• Two people were admitted to Peninsula General Hospital following lawnmower accidents. Clifford Twilley of Quantico Road had a piece of wire removed from deep within his ankle after a mower propelled it into his body; Carroll Leach of Carolyn Avenue was treated for a badly cut hand.