Ventnor news., March 29, 1922, Image 1

About Ventnor news. (Ventnor City, N.J.) 1907-1926

Image provided by: Rutgers University Libraries

                
First Vamp to
Swim to Fire
Herb Test Claims Title to Record As
,v Crawl Stroke Fireman In First
Days of Ventnor Department
Something About Early Days
By H. C. Test
I raised a laugh among Captain
David Stuart and the fire laddies
in the City Hall Fire Station the
other day. I told them a little
story about myself, when I was
a not extremely honored member
of the Ventnor Hook and Ladder
Company back some years ago,
when that organization was first
started.^ I might add that it was
the first time I have ever told the ;
tale.
And I still claim the record of
being the only fireman who ever
used the crawl stroke in answer to
a fire alarm; first vamp to swim
to a fire.
It happened like this: When
the Ventnor Truck Company was
formed, back there in 1910, I felt
the first urge of my rather event
ful life toward becoming a fire
man. Everybody appeared to be
agreeable so I joined the force.
j? or a long time aiterwara there
was no alarm when I was at home
in the big boathouse on Ventnor
Heights, which then stood on the
corner of the upper canal and
the Thoroughfare To be honest
about the matter I am under the
impression that I had about for
gotten that I was a real fireman.
- But it came at,last—came when
I was wrapped deeply in the cloak
of Morpheus, dreaming perhaps
of finding a purse full of money
with no identification card within.
When finally I awoke I was fully
twenty minutes late and getting
later every moment.
. And came the grand idea. It
would take a long while to don
clothes and chase myself clear up
to the bridge and to the fire house.
And I heard the apparatus com
ing. So me into a bathing suit
and across the Thoroughfare I
went.
„ It was not until I was over;
that it struck me how I would look :
as a one-piece bathing suit fire- i
man. I ducked, went back to
the other side and lied out of it
,the next day.
That's the tale that got a laugh
when I told it in the fire house.
I think some of those younger
firemen took a slant at my at
tenuated form and imagined that
it would be worth the price of
‘ admission just to see me togged
out in a bathing suit with boots
and helmet, working as a fireman.
They were great old days. And
it is my private opinion that the
property owners of Ventnor and
the citizens generally should fully
realize just how much toward the
progress of Ventnor has been
• done by the men who formed the
first fire companies and who still
are hard workers and big factors
, in its development as they are in
other lines of city progress.
In those early days it was Rob
ert W. Bartlett and present Chief
of Police Fringe, and William
Kuhl, and Ben Comly, and Steel
man Royal, and William Albert
son, and Frank Steigler that I
remember best. Of course, there
were a lot of others, but I can’t
just remember who they were.
The Ventnor Fire Company
started some 15 years ago, hous
ing its apparatus in September, of
1917, in the original fire house
and City Hall. William Kuhl
was the first chief, and I think
that Ben Comly was the first
President and Steelman Royal the
first Secretary.
More Water for
Ventnor City
Officials Back Swiegart of Water
Committee In Plans To Sink New
Well, Build Reservoir and Im»
prove System Generally
Plans and specifications for
proposed additions and improve
ments to the water system will be
submitted to Common Council on
April 11 by Chairman Sweigart of
the Water Committee.
Announcement of his intention
was made to his colleagues on
Monday evening several hours
after he had been in conference
at the municipal water plant on
Cornwall Avenue with City Engi
neer E. D. Rightmire and G. A.
Glick, well-known Philadelphia
architect who specializes on such
work.
With the completion of the
plans as outlined by the engineer
and architect Ventnor City will
have one of the most modern
pumping stations in the country,
with a maximum capacity of ten
million gallons.
Included among the installa
tions are a three million gallon
pump and a new air compressor
with a capacity of 3,000 cubic
feet per minute. A new boiler
house is also contemplated.
In order to meet the growing
needs of the city it has also been
fund necessary to provide for the
construction of a concrete reser
voir capable of storing 500,000
gallons of water, and also m'ake
provision for the driving of an
additional well. The newest drill
ing will be at a point quite re
moved from the present wells, it
having been determined that the
water strata,'which is 832 feet
below sea level, had a uniform
with at the pumping station prop
erty of at least 35 feet.
Request has been made by Mr.
Sweigart'that City Solicitor West
cott and City Engineer Rightmire
ascertain the riparian line of the
city property at the water works,
it being his plan to bulkhead and
fill the area thus available in
order to provide the water plant
with much needed land.
Train On May Day Morning
Something of a gala occasion is
to be made of the running of the
first train from the new Chelsea
station at Winchester and Boston
Avenues on the morning of May
1st. Announcement from the
Pennsylvania Railroad offices is to
effect that officials and invited
guests will be among the pas
sengers on the initial train which
will leave at 7.38 daylight saving
time carrying its first load of
Ventnor and Chelsea commuters.
For the opening weeks there
will be a return train leaving
Market street at 4.48 P. M. day
light saving time, and a special
train down on Saturday leaving
at 12.40 P. M. daylight saving
time. With the summer schedule
which goes into effect on June
18th additional trains will be
placed in service.
The Pennsylvania is particu
larly interested in securing the
patronage of the motor owning
commuters of Ventnor and with
this object in view is laying out a
big motor driveway and parking
place 700 feet long, and 40. feet
wide with entrances at Boston,
Providence and Hartford Ave
nues. Providence Avenue is to
be opened for this service.
Susquehanna — The Quality
Coal. Phone 9. Barton Coal Co
—Advertisement. *
My Trip Abroad
by Charlie Chaplin
Second Installment on Page 10
[Ventnor Rating
At High Mark
High wa'ter mark was reached
in Ventnor City’s financial rating
when on Monday evening Common
Council awarded to the Security
Trust Co., of Camden, $45,000
worth of 6 per cent. Water Bonds
on its bid of $48,285. Proposals
were submitted by three other
bidders.
The Ventnor City National
Bank submitted a bid of $48,999.99
for the entire offering of $48,000
worth, while E. G. Mooney, Vent
nor resident, offered $49,444 for
the entire block.
The B. J. Van Ingan Co., of
New York, submitted a bid for
$47,000 worth at $48,677. In each
case accrued interest was included
in the bid.
The bonds are a part of an issue
of $100,000 authorized several
years ago, and will bear date of
September 1, 1919, being of $1,000
denomination, maturing at the
rate of $3,000 each year beginning
in 1944 and until 1959. The pro
ceeds will be applied to the pro
posed addition to the water plant.
Moving of buildings over city
streets will not be legal until per
mission has been granted by
Council and then only if the roof
of the structure conforme to the
fire code, the provisions of Ordi
nance No. 2 passed on final read
ing making it mandatory that be
fore any building may be moved
the roof must be recovered with a
fire-proof material of approved
type.
Big Card Party for Boys Band
Women Heads of Ventnor School, Church and Civic Organ*
izations to Make Affair Social and Financial Success.
Will Ask Everybody to Contribute to Band Project
A great card function of one
hundred tables, staged in the
City Hall of Ventnor on Wed
nesday, April 19th, is planned
to give the Boys’ Band of the
Ventnor Public School the big
financial boost which will assure j
the lads of the instruction need- j
; ed to make them a powerful I
’ musical feature, both at home and
abroad. With Mrs. Walter A.
! Rulon, President of the Women’s
| Association of the Community
! Church, heading the Committee of
I Arrangements, assisted by Mrs.
j Charles Boone Hobart, President
of the Parent-Teachers’ Associa
tion, and Miss Anna Williams,
President of the Ventnor Board
of Education, assisting, the affair
promises to be both a fine social
and financial success.
Mayor Amor W. Brehman, one
of the earliest and strongest sup
porters of the Ventnor Boys’
Band, has made it possible to se
cure the big chamber in the City
Hall, and promised to pay the
fee demanded for its use, under
city edict. Young misses of the
Domestic Science Department of
this school will make and vend
fine candies to assist -in meeting
the expense necessary for equip
ment and prices, and it is ex
pected and well assured that
everybody in Ventnpr will pur
chase tickets to help the cause
along.
Full details of the exact hour
of play and the list of prizes to be
contributed for the games will be
published in the Ventnor News
next week.
Through Mayor Amor W.
Brehman, Charles C. Beyer be
comes a contributor to the Band
Fund of the Ventnor News this
week. Mr. Beyer presents his
check for $25, which with a con
tribution from Mr. Fred Sauter,
Philadelphia jeweler, takes the
Fund over the top of the first
$100.
Members of the Parent-Teach
ers’ Association and other women
interested in the Ventnor Band
and school are preparing to make
a campaign for small contribu
tions from those who can give
small sums, which amount to
$101.00 in the aggregate.
Following are the sume re
ceived to date:
Charles C. Beyer.$25.00
Albert C. Sauter. 1.00
Councilman H. W. Corkran 15.00
Mayor Amor W. Brehman.. 25.00
Mr. and Mrs. George Bell
Wilson . .. 10.00
Ventnor News. 25.00
Trade Board
Host to Ladies
Looked forward to with great
expectation, the annual Ladies’
Night affair of the Board, of
Trade is now a matter of history.
Every one of the three hundred
guests in attendance voted the af
fair to have been the “best ever,”
and President Thomas G. Sheen
was congratulated on every hand
for the able manner in which he
directed the program.
Edward J. Cattell, city statis
tician of Philadelphia, reputed to
be the ablest after-dinner speaker
in the country, by his master
ly presentation of optimistic
thoughts, convinced his hearers
that all that has ever been said
about him is true to the fullest
extent. Waxing witty at times,
Mr. Cattell’s oratory made an
an appeal that met with a hearty
response.
Mayor Brehman able responded
..to the request that he offer the
surprise of the evening, when he
presented a gold medal to Miss
Paula DeCardo, daughter of Mr.
tsnd. JJrs. Paul DeCardo, as a
mark of appreciation of the
Board of Trade for her clever
terpsichorean inter pretations.
Her parents won -merited appro
bation, after having entertained
with the latest dance steps.
Music lovers were enraptured
by the masterful rendition of sev
eral piano solos by Mrs. Alice
Warren Sachse.
Continued on page 3
Ventnor To Be
Clean City
Council Decrees General Gathering
and Collection of Debris On
Vacant Lots.Other Import*
> ant Measures Advanced
The last week in April will
probably be “Clean-Up Week” in
Ventnor in view of the action
taken by Council on Monday
evening when the City Clerk was
directed to notify all owners of
vacant lots certified to him by
Inspector Phillips that the same
are amenable to the provisions of
an ordinance passed last year.
Chairman Brooks of the Sani
tary Committee offered the motion
and explained that an inspection
is being made throughout the city
under his direction and that many
lots have been found which pre
sent an unsightly as well as un
sanitary condition. The city ordi
nance cordinates with an act of
the Legislature which gives
governing bodies of cities au
thority to compel property owners
to keep their holdings in present
able shape.
ouiicitui eatcuu wui pic*
pare a legal notice to be served
upon the taxpayer, the time limit
set under the action of Council
being May 1st.
Mr. Sweigart requested the city
solocitor to prepare and present
to the committee on ordinances a
measure designed to regulate the
construction of buildings along
designated lines. An enabling
act was passed by them which
became effective last week. This
action is taken to preclude the pos
sibility of encroachment by struc
tures erected nearer the front
property line than an established
line beyond which none may be
erected.
Ordinance No. 1, known as
the appropriation measure, was
passed on final reading. Mr.
Sweigart questioned the item of
$4,000 from water permits as em
bodied in the list of resources,
stating that during the past year
over $12,000 had been collected
from that source. The ordinance
will be published in detail in the
lt'gtu Luiuimi ui cue vcnuiui news.
Edwin D. Rowland, secretary of
the Board of Trade, was elected to
fill the vacancy created by the
resignation of Joseph H. Paist as
city comptroller. He will serve
until a successor shall have been
elected at the November election.
Mr. Paist’s resignation will be
come effective on April 15.
After a letter requesting relief
had been received from John G.
Gibson, local plumbing contractor,
Council authorized the Water and
Sewer Committee to make street
openings and install piping on
Ventnor avenue, under the proviso
that the contractor pay all ex
pense involved. Mr. • Gibson
claimed that he had endeavored
for many months to secure the
substitution of a 1*4 -inch water
pipe connection to replace a
%-inch line leading to the newly
erected property of Dr. A. D.
Cuskaden, at 5902 Ventnor Ave
nue. It appears that the com
mittee was powerless to sanction
the opening of Ventnor Avenue
without authority from Council.
Chairman Scull, of the Board
walk and Beach Park Committee,
reported that progress is being
made in the work of placing stone
in the various jetties along the
beach.
Deliveries at any time desired
daily and this insures Ventnor
householders the best service for
all kinds of sea foods, if orders
are given to the CHELSEA FISH
MARKET, 2707 Atlantic Avenue.
Phones—Bell 2180 and 2181.—
Advertisement.
All the News
At a Glance
Summary of Interesting Events In
City, State and Country
By Bessie Marshall Walker
If money makes the mare go,
Mr. Scoby’s should be a winner.
P. E. Scobey, of San Antonio,
Texas, takes over the trusteeship
for a third of the world’s gold
supply—three billions of dollars’
worth. |s
The Allies expect to halt Ger
man inflation by curtailing the ac- ■
tivities of the too prolific money
printing presses.
Wrangel Island, a hundred ‘
miles off the coast of Siberia, and
four hundred west of Bering
Strait, has been claimed by right
of exnloratinn for t.bp "RritisL K.r
Stefansson. The matter has been
secret since last September.
Nikolai Lenin has a difficult
necessity — reconciling his com
munist principles with capital
istic efficiency.
The President is more inter
ested in provision for sick and
wounded veterans than in a bonus
bill that ignores taxation neces
sary for the collection of the
funds.
Recognition of President Obre
gon’s Government in Mexico looks
near at hand. The United States
expects to maintain a sizable
force back of the Mexican line
and depend on outposts rather
than spread a thousand men over
1500 miles as heretofore.
Spirits are very welcome at
banquets these days, but at most
of them Dr. Peebles, as a com- *
petitor, would not be in .the run
ning.
The United States is to have
a voice in the Reparations Com
mission, incident to our claim of
$241,000,000 for the Army on the
Rhine. There is nothing am
biguous about Hughes’ notes es
tablishing that claim to the allies.
Henry Ford is announcing a.
five day week and a minimum ,U
wage of $6. When is the dear
public to benefit by a cheaper
car?
un tne eve of civil war, Great
Britain summons Collins and ’S
Craig to Downing Street." Was ’f
it last week that we remarked
a growth of favor for the treaty?
There has just been a lull before '
the storm. Collins is still hopeful,
however.
The French Chamber has opened
an attack on M. Briand, protest
ing against France’s loss of pres
tige and the fact that she was
barred from conferences between
Great Britain and the United
States at Washington.
Inspite of Mr. Borah, the Sen
; ate has ratified the Four-Power
: Treaty. But because a declatory
statement, which interprets the
Four-Power Treaty as not having
jurisdiction over questions that,
under international law, “be ex
clusively in the jurisdiction of
the respective powers”—was not
ratified at the same time, it looks
as if the opposition will open up
the whole question again.
Mr. Lloyd George is standing
firm on the inclusion of Russia
and Germany in the Geneva Con
ference.
Six hundred thousand miners,
both bituminous and anthracite
coal workers, are called out ■
April 1st. An agreement ter
minates March 31, 1922, and un
less some new arrangement is
made in the meantime, the walk
out will take place. The operators
refuse to meet the United Mine
Workers’ officials. The anthra
cite miners demand a 20 per cent.
Continued, on page 3