Home Town Diamonds

The lines run from Florida to New York and from New York to Charlotte.  I have become accustom to crossing these tracks everyday on my way into town.  The rural countryside of Lucama where I live is not even a half of a mile from the railroad tracks.  My family and I are so use to the constant train whistles that we do not even seem to hear them anymore.  As a child I remember riding with my father and sitting stopped in front of the crossing arms while waiting for the never ending freight cars to pass by.  My creative father would always entertain me by asking if I could guess how many cars would accompany the train engine.  I have probably counted thousands of train cars from that same spot over the years as I sometimes still play my father’s game while waiting for the train to pass. Until recently though, I never knew the unique history that surrounds our local railway.

Excitement on the tracks

Lucama, like many small towns was built around the railroad.  The railroads provided transportation and opportunity to Americans by industrializing the movement of both people and commodities.  In the 1900’s it was common to find town life was centered around incoming and outgoing trains.  In 1904, a veteran engineer “Louis Waxsmith” piloted the swank Atlantic Coast Line Champion.  Waxsmith had left nearby Wilson about 25 minutes late and continued to travel southbound toward Lucama, only 10 miles away.  As he approached the quarter-mile post the locomotives headlight beam passed over the depot and Waxsmith spotted a freight train sitting on the main line.  Frantically, he pulled the brakes, but it was too late. The engine collided with the wooden caboose and the locomotives boiler exploded.  The explosion sent flames blazing over both trains and the depot.  Many of both train’s cars were destroyed, including the Champions mail and baggage car.  Miraculously, no lives were lost and no one was injured.  The town put out the fires and began to clean up the mess that the accident left.

Some 6 months later, Mr. Bran Adams “A Lucama resident” was walking on his daily commute to work when he noticed a glimmering stone lying embedded between the tracks.  Being a novice rock collector, Mr. Adams was captivated by its sparkle and plucked the stone from its bed between the tracks.  He noticed that this stone was different than his usual pickings from around the tracks.  There was a charcoal residue on the rock’s surface that made him recall the train crash which occurred near that same location.  In fact, it was the same area where the mail and baggage car had burned.  Unknowingly what he had found, he placed the stone in his pocket and proceeded to work.  The next day, Bran showed his newly acquired stone to his pastor and confidant, the Reverend Robert Frost.  Reverend Frost suspected that Adams had found a diamond, but was uncertain.  He then volunteered to carry the stone to be inspected by a jeweler in nearby Wilson.  The Reverend’s predictions were correct, the jeweler confirmed the stone was indeed a diamond and even offered to buy it for $400. The next day, Bran Adams skipped work and began to comb the tracks where he found the diamond.  In just a few hours he had found several more diamonds.  The ecstatic Mr. Adams could not contain himself and had to share his exciting discovery.  The news spread faster than the flames from the train wreck.  In only a few hours, the entire town was searching the tracks in hopes to find more diamonds.  The following day, it was reported that five more diamonds had been uncovered. One of the diamonds was a whopping three and a half carats! It wasn’t long that the news spread, and people from both Wilson and Rocky Mount joined local residents in searching the tracks.  Tempers flew high as locals felt that they were being encroached on by out of town competition.  Local newspapers reported that town residents were filling wagons with dirt from the tracks to carry back to the privacy of their back yards.

The chaos continued in town until the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad ordered that all excavating around the tracks must stop.  The railway was becoming a safety hazard as a result of the holes that were dug to look for diamonds.  Several tons of dirt and rock had to be hauled in to recondition the rail beds so train routes could continue.  There were a total of nine reported diamonds found in the area surrounding Lucama’s depot.  Some people say that there were several more cashes of diamonds found in resident backyards.  The true amount found remains a mystery.  However, the story heard around town to this very day says that Lucamans began wearing diamonds that neighbors knew they did not inherit and definitely could not afford.  I was recently told by a long time Lucama native that he believed all the diamonds were never found.  That may just be a local legend, but the next time I drive over the train crossing I might just stop and look to see if a glimmering rock catches my eye.

~ J. Alex Lewis  

     

Tumbling DOW Dropping Beneath 12,000

Today, Friday June 10^th the DOW dropped beneath 12,000 and unless it somehow regains miraculously the market will be heading toward its 6^th straight weekly loss.  As a reminder, the last time the market had this many repetitive down weeks was May, 2001 when the dot-com bubble POPPED.  The recent downfall can be blamed on numerous things including weak economic news and low job-reports. Be that as it may, I am predicting things will get worse before they get better.  You may be asking yourself… “Who is this guy to say that market will continue to decline?”  I am no financial profit, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist or a statistician to know that our economy is weakening.  I am sure that pretty soon we will hear President Obama exclaim “We inherited this,” as it has become his preamble to every policy proposal and economic statement.  Truthfully, we can blame our economy’s current  state on many different entities. BUT, pointing fingers doesn’t fix anything.  The 20% market gains we have seen within the past year have fallen some 5% since June began. Investors and advisers alike are becoming leery as past downfalls are not forgotten. 

Just as today’s stock market needs a boost, so does our economy.  Where do we find solutions in a time of fear and frustration?  I believe that job creation and retention lies at the root of the problem and is key to its solution.  Current policies like the North American Free Trade Agreement have only hurt our job market. Cheaper labor is constantly sought after to reduce overhead expenses and to maximize profits.  However, the consequences for those earnings are Americans without jobs. The unemployed who once spent their hard earned dollars in local businesses are unable to continue spending and as a result we are seeing more and more closed doors.  This trend spreads widely across the country and its effects are daunting.

Until we see legislative changes that give incentive to companies who provide American’s with jobs the trend will continue.  Our country needs more loyalty; I remember when MADE IN AMERICA once meant something.  Today the few domestic products we have are overlooked for the cheaper option made on foreign soil.  Even what consumers believe to be American made goods often consist of foreign made parts.  When will our government learn that there is a direct correlation between sending jobs overseas and stability in our economy?  For any market to thrive there has to be a source of income.   We must bring back jobs to America, it is pivotal to ensure stability for our country. Only then will we see a rising DOW and break the cycle of market downfalls. 

~ J. Alex Lewis

www.jameyalexlewis.com 

Salty Air & Sandy Beaches

Sunset over the sound at Emerald Isle

As the temperature rises, so does the desire for beach goers to find salt air.  A coastal experience can be the perfect remedy for a long work week.  In fact it can be the perfect remedy for almost anything.  As a youngster I spent many summers on the North Carolina coast at Surf City.  A small vacation home provided serenity for my family and for me the perfect childhood ambiance.  I can recall learning to swim in the salty water clinging to Levi “my Dad’s loyal Golden Retriever”.  My first strides in the water mocked the infamous doggy paddle strokes that Levi made, but eventually enabled me to reach the deeper water where my older cousins would swim.  My Dad often took responsibility for my aquatic abilities, but truthfully man’s best friend was my first real instructor.

The white sands of the coastline were always my playground.   A shovel and bucket could entertain me for hours.  Whether I was digging a hole to bury my pirate treasure “that usually consisted of sea shells and shark teeth” or building a castle fit for a king, the sand provided a wonderland for my imagination.  I love watching children today as they experience the sights, sounds, and taste of the sandy shoreline.  During a recent beach trip I watched a young girl darting back and forth from the wet sand to her mother in effort to escape the rolling waves.  Her success was short lived when she tripped and was hit by the foam of an incoming wave.  Tears quickly turned to laughter as she felt the cool water and wet sand beneath her.  The rest of her day was spent lounging at the water’s edge and occasionally daring to venture past the waves, only to be called back by her concerned mother.

Now that I am “all grown up”, I still have a deep love for the Carolina coast.  The land where our family beach home once stood, now houses a two story hotel.  Like many families our home lost the fight to nature and was turned to splinters by hurricane Floyd.  Although my family never bought another beach house, we make it a point to vacation one week at of every year in the salty air.  We often joke that we have stayed in almost every rental property in Emerald Isle and Atlantic beach.  However one week a year usually isn’t enough for me.  Luckily my great-uncle owns a house at Atlantic beach and is gracious enough to let me visit throughout the year.  So during the summer if I disappear on a Friday, my family and friends know to look no farther than the Carolina coast.   I’ll be feeding my childhood addiction to the salty air and sandy beaches.      

~ J. Alex Lewis

www.jameyalexlewis.com 

The Duck Hunter

 Duck hunting in the snow.

In the early morning hours, he rises from his sleep.
To feed his souls addiction, that only calls this time each year.
Ice, wind, and water... Most would shudder at the thought.
The cold morning air around him,  would have most men distraught.
Surrounded by others like him, companions considered true.
Fixated upon the sky, in the early morning dew.
The whistling sound of wings, that echoes through the trees.
The burning smell of powder, that is carried through the breeze.
This morning brought a limit, but that's not what matters most.
It's the memories made and time with friends that he will forever hold close.

-J. Alex Lewis

Deep Fried Dove Hunting

A southern heritage that dates back generations in the Carolina's and is enjoyed by sportsman alike across the country is dove hunting.  I can recall my first hunting trip walking attentively at my dad’s heels carrying my prized possession, a Red Rider bb gun. That day I miraculously harvested some 9 or 10 birds.  Only when I grew older did I realize that it was not my bb’s that brought down the birds, but my father’s Remington 1100. I attribute that trip to be one of the dawning events that sparked my love for hunting and the outdoors.

             Since that day I have spent almost every Labor Day weekend with family and friends gathered in the dove field.  It is a euphoric experience, enabling the innate desire to hunt and provide for oneself.  Both time and money are invested to insure both success and bragging rights.  The season’s approach can easily be determined by the swarm of hunters at their favorite hunting store and an absence of shotgun shells that once covered the shelves there.

The Mourning Dove is the most prevalent game bird in the United States with upwards of 70 million birds harvested per year.  Every season sportsmen take to the field to hunt this game bird whose total population (in the U.S.) was recently estimated to be about 350 million.  This game bird is in no short supply as females reproduce between 2 and 5 times per year, rearing on average 2 to 3 birds each incubation period.

            Those that fear the Mourning Dove’s population is declining due to being over-hunted are sadly mistaken.  The data proves that the dove population remains stable and that hunters are a necessity to maintain a balanced population.  Although some still disregard and slight the data, the facts only further promote hunting this game bird.

            Aside from time spent in the field, my favorite part about dove hunting is preparing the fowl for the dinner table.  Over the years I have tasted many dishes prepared using dove, but one of my all time favorites is “Grandma’s Deep Fried Doves”.  In the south we fry everything from chicken to Twinkies, so naturally we do the same with dove.  This recipe is a great way to enjoy your harvest with family and friends while telling stories about your adventures in the field. (Recipe is included at the bottom)

            The next time ‘Dove Season’ opens in your area, grab grandpa’s old shotgun and take a child hunting.  Not only can you bring home an incredible meal, but you will have done your part in securing great memories and passing this great tradition to the next generation.

Grandma’s Deep Fried Doves    …………………………………………

8 whole doves 1 quart buttermilk 3 c. flour 1 Tbsp. salt 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper Vegetable shortening (amount will depend on size of skillet) Soak the doves in buttermilk overnight. In a shallow dish combine the flour, salt and pepper. In a large skillet melt the shortening until it is hot and oil reaches halfway up the sides of the skillet. (Be careful not to let the oil climb above 350 degrees. Above 350 degrees vegetable shortening begins to break down and can alter the taste of your food.) Remove the doves from the buttermilk and drain slightly. Place the doves one at a time into the flour mixture and thoroughly coat. Remove the dove from the flour and place directly into the oil. Fry a maximum of four at a time and flip half way through cooking time. Continue to fry until doves are cooked through and crust is lightly brown. Remember that these are whole doves and you will need to watch out for bones while eating. ~  J. Alex Lewis www.jameyalexlewis.com