Ventnor news., June 23, 1923, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Rutgers University Libraries

                
f f.-' _ „
S FEATURES
siiSfe
VENTNOR. NEWS
pa®
SPORTS
THEATRES
MUSIC
v;
Amusement Publishino Co., of Atlantic City
isB§0 Copyright, 1923—All Rights Reserved
VENTNOR, ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., SATURDAY, JUNE. 23, 1923 Two Cents per Copy
Vol. 17 No.. 8
Dog Racing
Latest Sport
New Atlantic Park Track
Promises to Make Sport a Big
| Drawing Card for Visitors
Interested in Clean Com
petition of Canines
By H. C. Test
—
What is the secret of the tre
mendous popularity of dog racing,
now sweeping the country as the
latest and finest of outdoor
sports? Why do prominent folk
in the hotel colony and wealthy
cottagers of Ventnor and Atlan
tic City predict with apparent
confidence that the new sport
about to be taken up by the
Atlantic County Kennel Club on
a fine track on the Boulevard at
Pennsylvania Avenue, Atlantic
City, will bring thousands of new
and high-class visitors to this sec
tion for enjoyment of the speed
contests between blooded grey
hounds?
Personally, I have never wit
nessed a dog race. When the
subject of a dog-racing track first
was mentioned to me I gathered
a sort of idea that the officials of
the Kennel Club were trying out
something that would need a lot
of press-agenting to make it pop
ular here at the shore.
I have learned different. From
the initial announcement in the
papers that Atlantic City was to
have a real and high-class dog
track, I have met literal scores of
enthusiasts at the game. In my
travels around the hotels I have
found men and women who are
known as followers of golf and
horse shows and tennis and other
high-class pastimes of modern
life who agree entirely in their
opinions to effect that dog racing
is one of the cleanest sports and
one of the big drawing cards for
every resort or other city where
it has been taken up in serious
manner.
For a time I wondered why, as
the saying is, this should be thus.
I realized that everybody loves a
dog fight—that two little curs
scrapping in the street can draw
a bigger crowd than William Jen
nings Bryan making a speech on
Prohibition or the Darwinian
theory. And, remembering the
earnestness with which any,
every, and all real dogs enter
into the spirit of anything they
undertake, it seemed to me that
racing dogs which have gained so
many friends and so much fame,
must have spirit something of the
same.
m A
-■ &&*?.. i
&
Ifevv.
r or once l was rignt. roias
who have seen dog racing in Flor
ida, in California and in other
sections of these United States
where it has been tried tell me
that the canine aristocrats of
speed are exponents of real rac
ing enthusiasm outmatching even
that of the excited spectators.
That, according to these dog
race fans, is the one big reason
why dog racing must remain as
a clean sport. There is no choice
of holding back a real racing
greyhound as intent on winning
as is his owner and as much ex
cited over getting in ahead at the
finish as his most earnest ad
mirers.
So much for that. And as a
loyal booster for Atlantic City
and our own resort as well as
the whole of Absecon Island, I
am willing to express my cheer
ful admiration for anything, in
*or out of the sports line, which
will bring people of class and
wealth here by thousands as I
believe dog racing will. I can
remember when the annual At
lantic City Horse Show was one
of the big events of the year, and
when the very class of people
(Continued on Page 8)
Lions To Gather Tuesday
For International Convention
Thousands of Delegates From United States and Canada
to Attend Sessions in Lions Den on Steel Pier.
Atlantic City and Ventnor Lions Hosts of Occasion
More than a score special trains have started or will
start today and tomorrow to bear to Atlantic City the
thousands of Lions coming for the great Convention of
Lions International which opens on Tuesday next and
continues through Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Business meetings to consider the welfare of the Lions
of the entire United States and to plan for still greater
Lion work of improvement during the coming year; a
fine program of almost constant entertainment features
to spread the glories of Atlantic City as place of real
resort pleasure and a general extension of Lion hospital
ity by both the Lions of Atlantic City and Ventnor and
of New Jersey are among the functions already ar
ranged for the visitors.
City, of which some of the most
prominent citizens of Ventnor
are officials and members, are the
real hosts of the coming big oc
casion which marks the first gath
ering of Lions International in
the East. For weeks past the
Atlantic City Lions have been
busy with preparations for the
meeting which is bringing to At
lantic City thousands of high of
ficials and leading citizens of the
great Middle West and western
states, many of whom have never
before visited the great resorts of
Absecon Island.
President Herbert W. Hemp
hill and President-Elect Albert T.
Bell, of the Lions Club of Atlan
tic City, will be among the busi
est men of the Lions Interna
tional gathering, Mr. Bell being
the official chairman of the en
tire Convention Committee roster
of those who will care for the
Lion delegates. As Vice-Chair
man in charge of the business of
the Convention Director Julian
A. Hillman will care for the gen
eral arrangements while Director
David Allman, M.D., now First
Vice-President-Elect, will act as
Vice-Chairman in charge of en
tertainment. The following have
been named to head the various
committees:
On Business—Wallace D. An
drews, Boy Scouts; Director
George A. Gumphert, Registra
tion and Information; John P.
Giberson, Meetings; Mrs. Her
bert W. Hemphill, Women’s Com
mittee; Sidney B. Strouse, Re
ceptions; Bennett Cramer, Dec
orations; Lionel Scheuer> Pub
licity.
On Entertainment—Joseph M.
Fitzpatrick, Evening Reception,
Steel Pier; Max Schulman,
Steeplechase Pier Party; Her
bert W. Hemphill, Other Clubs;
Warner Lindsay, Life Guards
Drill; James Pittinos, Yachting
Party; Dennis A. Gormley, Surf
Bathing Party, Harry Woods, of
Philadelphia, Lion Tamers and
Tail Twisters Night.
One of the most important
events of the big convention ses
sions to be held on the Steel Pier
will be a patriotic address by Col.
Alvin Owsley, National Com
mander of the American Legion,
who is to bring to Lions Interna
tional the message asking them to
enlist in the movement for real
Americanism being fathered by
the Legion. Other speakers of
note from both the United States
and Provinces of Canada will ad
dress the public and business
! meetings.
Although yet additions are to :
be made, the program of enter
tainment already outlined for the j
visiting Lions will take the Lions
and their ladies through a series 1
of affairs which will keep them I
busy through both day and eve- !
ning from beginning to end of
the convention. After register
ing on the Steel Pier on Tues
day, the Lions will be invited to
attend the formal opening of the
International Lions Den on the
Steel Pier where tea and dancing
will be the attractions for the
afternoon. In the evening there
will be a reception on the Steel
Pier with addresses by big He
Lions of the organization to be
followed by dancing. At this
affair members of other service
organizations of Atlantic City
will be special guests.
On Wednesday afternoon a j
fleet of Inlet Yachts will be!
turned over to the Lions and in ,
the evening a Steeplechase Party ;
will take place on the big board- i
HERBERT W. HEMPHILL
President Lions Club of Atlantic City
walk pier which is known all over
the world. Thursday’s business
sessions will be followed by a
Bathing Party with Lion William
H. Cuthbert, City Director of
Public Safety as host, and a Life
Guards’ Drill in the surf off South
Carolina Avenue.
One of the real Lion events of
the entertainment program will
be the Lion Tamers and Tail
Twisters Night in the Lions Den
on the Steel Pier, which takes
place on Thursday evening. Lion
Tamers and Tail Twisters from
practically every Lions Club of
America will put on “stunts” of
special nature and there will be
trophies awarded for those who
make the greatest impression by
their work. Many of the Lions
Clubs coming from western points
are bringing entire companies of
entertainers especially for the
Lion Tamers Convention.
Throughout the convention
week there will be chair rides,
motor trips to Linwood and
Northfield Golf Clubs with inci
dental golf, and dinner and othei
parties for officers and special
groups of notables attending the
meeting.
The Lions International is the
youngest of the “Service Clubs”
of the country, and it is its pride
that it is made up of the younger
business and professional men in
each community. It was organ
ized only six years ago, and its
growth has been phenomenal. It
specializes in service to the com
munity, and the teaching of
Americanism, especially to youth.
There are now 700 Lions Clubs
scattered all over the United
States and Canada, and a total
membership of 35,000. The In
ternational officers are: Ed. S.
Vaught, Oklahoma fjity, Okla
homa, President; John S. Noel,
Grand Rapids, Michigan, First
Vice-President; W. G. Higgins,
San Antonio, Texas, Second Vice
President; Ray E. Bigelow, Se
attle, Washington, Third Vice
President; Melvin Jones, Chicago,
Illinois, Secretary General.
1
A
THE FIRST SNOWFALL, by EDWARD W. REDFIELD
One of the beautiful works of modern painters and sculptors on
view in tbe Art Exhibition under auspices of the Fellowship of the
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and being held on Young’s
Million Dcllar Pier. The Art Exhibition is in connection with the
wcndcrful Heme and City Beautiful Exh.bit which formally opened on
the pier yesterdey. This Art Exhibition is one of the finest ever held
and places Atlantic City among the art centres of the country. The
Exhibition will continue throughout the season during the progress of
the Exhibit of the Home and City Beautiful Association of which A.
Conrad Ekholm is General Manager.
L
THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
Dedicated yesterday as cne of the principal features of the Home
and City Beautiful Association on Young’s Million Dollar Pier which
was formally opened yesterday with officials and notables present.
. : .— . .... ...—.. ■ ae.~i -——...... ...
Laddermen Bought
City’s First Truck
Volunteer Company Faced Ridi
cule, But Forced Purchase of
Modern Aerial Ladder
Apparatus
By Carl M. Voelker
Extolled in poetry and prose,
praised by politicians and public,
yes, even depicted as “Our
Heroes” in 15,000 feet of film, the
volunteer fireman has ever been
given high place in human esti
mation. Yet the inevitable para
dox has always been presented by
the cartoonist, the town jokester,
the professional fire fighter and
the creator of funny film features.
Depended upon when the mid
night alarm rouses him from his
slumbers to save life and property
the volunteer fireman is, neverthe
less, invariably made the subject
of banter and even ridicule. Im
bued with the desire to render a
public service the real fire fighter,
however, rarely resents the jibes
of the unthinking, but continues
to acquit himself creditably when
the emergency arises.
Virtually since its incorpora
tion has Ventnor had its volun
teers. For many years only one
company existed. The pioneer
organization did not specialize.
Its members were hosemen or lad
dermen, as the occasion demanded.
They rendered efficient service.
As the city grew and the number
of larger buildings increased the
need of additional facilities was
recognized, but the city was not
financially fixed to acquire more
apparatus.
In order that the fire fighting
forces might assume the more
pretentious proportions of a fire
department, the organization of
another company was conceived.
Heretofore the head of the force
was restricted to the title of fore
man. With two companies co
operating the general head had
the right to assume the title of
‘chief of the fire department.”
On April 7, 1910, a charter was
granted by the Secretary of State
to the Ventnor Truck Co., No. 1,
and the department was born.
Since that time another company
was organized by the Chemical
Co., and only existed a few years.
The pioneer organization is offi
cially known as Ventnor City Fire
Co., No. 1, being popularly al
luded to as the “engine company.”
It is about the Truck Co. that
I would tell you today. Ten
names appear on the original
charter. Only four of the organ
izers are now on the roster of the
company, which claims a member
ship of 32. The charter members
included Silvanus Price, Frank
Stiegler, Allyn Bell, Allen B.
Endicctt, Jr., Franz T. Voelker,
Anthony M. Ruffu, Jr., George T.
Powell, Eugene Schmoll, Harry
w msion ana myselt.
Organized to do duty as ladder
men, these volunteers needed that
kind of equipment in order to
iuncticn. The city was not ready
then to purchase a truck. An ap
peal was made through the col
umns of the Ventnor News for
popular subscriptions to raise a
fund to buy a hook and ladder
apparatus. The necessary money ^
was soon subscribed and a village -flf
truck equipped with two 30-ft. *
ladders and several scaling lad
ders were acquired. Much inno
:ent fun was had at the expense
of the ladder men because of the J
rather diminutive apparatus. But §
time and again the ladders proved f
the salvation of the volunteers.
When in 1911 the marine villa at
Oxford Avenue and the Thorough- |§
fare, then owned by Armand T.
Nichcls, now Deputy Mayor of
Atlantic City, was threatened
with destruction, the ladders were
{Continued on Page 8) '
—.-*-Hu—