This Week in Ocean County, 1922! (May & June Part 1)

Welcome back to another era in the Toms River area's past, one century ago this week!

Let your mind wander as you consider life around May & June 1922, courtesy the New Jersey Courier weekly newspaper and Ocean County Library archives, and peppered with items of maritime interest (around a 25 minute read).

BREVITIES AND EDITORIALS

(written by NJ Courier editor, William H. Fischer, as he sat at his desk above Main Street near Washington Street; it was much like a collection of online social media updates seen today)

May.
Flowers.
Forest fires.
More rain needed.
May day was a beauty.
Dry and dusty weather.
Purple wisteria blooms.
Lilacs show regal purple.
Frost have been frequent.
Street sprinkler out this week.
Tulip and daffodils still stay with us.
Swallows and martins have come back.
Wild beach plum bushes are white with bloom.
The sound of the lawnmower is heard once more.
Purple violets border the roads through the woods.
A dance will be given by Toms River Fire Company No. 2, at the new Novins garage on Water Street on Friday, May 19.
Growers are giving cranberry bogs a little rest period, drawing the water off for awhile, and will flood them again before the vines start to bud.
Cephas Johnson has bought the “old Potter house” at the corner of Irons Road and Lakehurst Road, and will tear it down for the timber and bricks in it. With its fireplace and brickpanes, there are enough bricks to build several frame houses these days.
The sisters who have charge of the “fresh air home” out Pleasant Plains way, make frequent visits there these spring days, getting things ready for the sick children and their mothers, when the hot days come.
Mr. Christansen, an employee at the Naval Air Station, has moved from Beachwood into the Alsheimer building apartments. The other apartment is also rented to an officer at the Air station.
Saunders Levy is building a bungalow on the Cornelius Johnson farm at Pleasant Plains. He will subdivide the 80 odd acres in this farm, and make chicken farms of it.
Yesterday afternoon a demonstration in planting sweet potatoes, cabbages and similar plants by machine was given at the farm of Borman and Schimel, Laurelton, under direction of County Agent Waite.
Maples are almost full leaved; oaks are commencing to show leaf and blossom; swamp maples are aflame with red seedvanes; sassafras shows its yellow bloom; elms look like dainty lace against the sky.
John P. Kirk has started a boatshop on the Hensler property above the Main street bridge. Mr. Kirk is an old time yacht builder, known all along the coast.
Campbell's circus, which was in winter quarters at Bamber the past winter, showed here on Tuesday. A very creditable little show was the general verdict.
A good many seem to be gathering dandelions.
Moonlit evenings.
Blossom time is about gone.
Lillies of the valley are in bloom.
Warm days bring up the garden truck and potatoes.
In spite of the reports that the strawberries were all killed, one sees many beds white with bloom.
The Ocean County Feed Company has been building a large feed store on the north side of West Water street, on the lot they bought recently. The building is one story high, 30x86 feet on the ground plan, and will hold several hundred tons of feed.
The playground apparatus, bought by the Home and School Association, has been set up at the school grounds. It includes swings, ladders, seesaws, and similar play things.
At a sale of boats for storage at the Irons boat storage yards, by Hadley Woolley last Saturday, the old time yacht Spider was bought by Win Snyder and Vern Sutton. They plan rigging her up in racing trim again this summer, to see if she has kept her swiftness. Ed. E. Snyder bought a sneak-box at the same sale.
Charles L. Barney is building himself a home and chicken plant on Stanton avenue, near Quail Run in Berkeley.
Edward J. Kelly is planning to build himself a home on South Main street, near the Pennsylvania railroad station, this summer.
Catbirds, kingbirds and thrashers came from the south last week end.
Butterflies are frequently seen, also moths and millers.
A large number of Toms River people motored to Lakewood last Friday and Saturday to see Sheldon Lewis and Virginia Pearson in vaudeville at the Strand theatre.
Joseph Roy, captain of the rumrunning schooner Pocomoke, seized in Atlantic City last summer, has just been released after being in jail eight months for smuggling liquor. Part of this liquor was buried at Barnegat and spent the fall and winter in Toms River jail.
Roses in bloom.
May is slipping by.
Daisies dot the fields.
Wildcherries are in bloom.
The white oaks are in bloom.
The laurel is bursting its pink buds.
Gasoline has jumped to 29 cents a gallon retail.
Large spikes of white flowers decorate the horse chestnuts now.
Whippoorwill's shoes, or lady slipper, or moccasin flower, whichever you like to call it, are blooming in the oakwoods.
Automobile drivers say that there should be a traffic post at the corner of Washington street and Hooper avenue, where a number of accidents have happened. The danger is greater now that through traffic is to be diverted from Main street that way.
A restaurant is being built opposite the Central Railroad Station and next to Max Leet's store.
Traveling about the county there are two things that hit the observer between the eyes in every section—new chicken houses, and aerials for radio receivers.
Roses blooming.
New moon today.
Field daisies abound.
Most trees in full leaf.
A little rain on Sunday.
School will close June 16.
June comes next Thursday.
Building mechanics are on the rush.
Heavy showers last Friday morning.
When we get Main Street paved—oh boy!
Pleasure boats are coming back into favor.
Housewives struggle with spring cleaning.
Business competition grows keener in this old town.
Now and then an early magnolia bud—fragrant as ever.
Bluefish, weakfish, kingfish, croakers have been caught in the bay.
The playground apparatus has been working overtime at the schoolground. Children have been swinging as early as 7.00 A.M. And late as 9.00 P.M.
Tulip polars are covered with their green and yellow flowers.
The ayringa bushes are starry white with blossoms.
County Agent E.H. Waite yesterday moved from the Court House to the Traco Theatre building. The office he has had at the Court House will be used by Prosecutor W.H. Jayne.
Capt. Ben Asay says he celebrated his 65th birthday on Saturday last, but he promises never to do it again.
A fourteen-passenger airplane is now making trips between Atlantic City and New York, and people in the shore towns watch her go by.
A.H. Willard. M.D., has bought twenty-two acres of the old Rayner place, on the old Freehold road, and has engaged P.P. Elkinton to prepare plans for a home, to cost about $6000 [$105,825 in 2022 dollars]. Dr. Willard also has visions of a private hospital at Toms River in the future.
Fire Company No. 2 had a fine dance at the Novins hall on Friday evening of last week, with a large gathering of young people, all of whom seemed to enjoy the evening. The dance was held in the large new feed storage house that the Novins boys had just completed, and it was prettily decorated for the occasion. One of the most active figures at the dance was the president of the company, Joseph Novins, whose untimely death a few days later had caused a pall of sadness to settle over the whole community.
Two flying machines were here on Monday and Tuesday afternoons, making the Capt. Caleb Grant field, on the Cedar Grove road their flying field, and taking up passengers at $3.50 a ride. They did quite a business both afternoons. They called themselves “The Aerial Hobos,” and said they had taken up passengers in every state in the Union. They come here from Philadelphia. One machine was piloted by Robert Jefferson, of Philadelphia, and one by Merrill Riddick, son of Congressman Riddick, of Montana. Bill Jefferson, Bob's brother, was the ground man. They said they would come back again.
Judge Berry has had his big yacht brought here from New York, and it is anchored off the Doan property.
Capt. Lambert, of the Lambert boat line, is tuning up the engines in Ariella and Dorianna, in preparation for the summer season.
Jack Costa snapped some bird's eye views of Toms River village this week while in the air, and they gave us an altogether different idea of how our town looks.
Louis Davis, of the American Market, has moved his family here from Sunapee, N.H., to the house he recently bought on Messenger Street, formerly the Roy Tilton house. Mr. Davis is very proud of her family, which consists of himself, wife and eleven children.
Snyder & Sutton have started work on the bungalow of the first poultry farm, to be built for the Toms River Poultry Development Co., south of the P.R.R. on the Dover road. The location is a beautiful one, commanding the best view of Toms River village to be found anywhere.
During the easterly weather last week dwellers on the beach gathered up great quantities of driftwood and also fruit and vegetable in eatable state.
An 11-year-old boy was found in the woods near Cassville last week, and proved to be the son of Fred Spring, of Rahway. It was said by his brother, who came after him, that the boy had run away from home thirty times.

AND “GAS” GOES UP
The cost of gasoline has been rising for several weeks past, till now it is 26 cents a gallon wholesale [$4.59 in 2022 dollars]. Ordinarily when gas goes up the explanation from the refiners and distributors is that there is not enough gasoline to meet the demand. This time the assertion is made that there are larger stocks stored than ever before, and that the production is in excess of the demand. The United States Senate has designated a committee to investigate why gas should enhance in value under those circumstances...

TOO MANY WOODS FIRES
There are altogether too many woods fires.
Most of them start from criminal carelessness or criminal ignorance.
When your carelessness or your ignorance lend you to destroy many thousands of dollars worth of other folks' property, it is rightly characterized as criminal.
In the old days, every forest fire was charged up to the nearest railroad, but railroads are no longer the chief offenders. There are three other fire-starters that apparently line up even with the railroad. They are: The newcomer in the country who starts burning off grass or brush on a windy day; the careless auto camper, who starts a fire to cook his dinner along the road in the edge of a wood or field; the cigarette smoker who flings the burning paper tip out into leaves, brush or grass.
Thousands of dollars worth of damage in the past few weeks have been caused by these four offenders, and of the four, only one, the railroad, ever pays for the loss caused by its acts. The brush burner is generally too poor, and the camper or cigarette thrower are both unknown in most instances.
Bad as the fires have been, they would have been worse were it not for the organized fire warden system, with deputy wardens in every locality, with power to call on men to fight fire and pay them for their services.

NATURE SPOILS A THEORY
Nature thinks nothing of spoiling a perfectly good theory that man may make for himself and hug to himself in glee.
For the past two years the lighthouse authorities in Washington have again and again stated that nothing could be done to save Barnegat Light “because inlets on the Jersey coast work to the south,” and therefore Barnegat Lighthouse was, in their opinion and by their theory, doomed.
It availed nothing to show them that Atlantic City and Ocean City are both building up by their inlets working to the north.
Now the newest of all inlets on the coast, the Little Egg Harbor Inlet, below Beach Haven, not only broke through several miles north of the other inlet, but is continually working to the north. The government last winter had to move the coast guard station from its clutches, and it is still cutting to the north.
Nature thinks nothing of spoiling our pet theories and then laughing at us.

THE AGE OF MACHINERY
To the New Jersey Courier:
A short time ago, while walking through our park I asked a friend if he had noticed the scarcity of sparrows during the last few years. He was much amazed to find that I was right, but when I told him that the automobile was the cause he thought I was a fit candidate for that institution for the sequestration of the mentally deficient. The fact is, as I have observed, that the auto spreads so much oil and grease around that the birds get it on their feet and feathers and transfer some of it to the eggs, which then refuse to hatch. This fact was first learned by reading  that crude oil put on perches of henhouses would kill the lice. It did, and also the germs in perfectly fertile eggs.
New Jersey may have more than their share of sparrows, as The Courier recently intimated, but in Philadelphia they are certainly much fewer than they were a few years ago. Now that machines are so numerous on the farms, care must be taken in the disposition of waste oil and grease. What effect refuse oil from ships is going to have on aquatic fowls remains to be learned, but I fear it will not be good. When oil is struck in Ocean County, keep the chickens away.
H.I.P.
Germantown, Pa.

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HEADLINE NEWS

HEAD OF TOMS RIVER FIRE CO. NO. 2 DIES AS RESULT OF MYSTERIOUS FIRE
KEROSENE SOAKED, HANKINS HOUSE BURNED TO GROUND
The home of James Hankins, on upper Main Street, or Lakewood road, was burned to the ground late on Saturday night, May 20, the fire being without doubt set with malicious intent, but what was worse than the loss of the house was the fact that the fire was directly or indirectly the cause of the death of Joseph Novins, a young business man of Toms River, and president of Fire Company No. 2. Young Novins was found unconscious on the ground after he had been in the burning house, and died on Tuesday, at Kimball Hospital, Lakewood, without having regained consciousness.
The illness and death of Mr. Novins accentuated the rumors about the fire, and have resulted in an inquiry being made by Prosecutor Jayne in an effort to learn who set fire to the house. The fire was discovered by a driver of a passing automobile, who stopped at the home of T.L. Corwell, across the way and told him. The two started to the burned house and found the door locked. John Page, another neighbor, going out to care for some small chicks, also saw the fire and reached there just after them.
They broke the door in, went up stairs and found there was no one in the house and very little furniture. The fire was burning merrily upstairs and the smell of kerosene was everywhere. In fact those who were in the burning building, including the firemen who soon arrived, said that there was kerosene on the floor, on the stairs, and on the walls. There was no water in the neighborhood, and all the firemen and neighbors could do was to watch the house burn down, from the roof to the ground, and, as there was no wind, it was about an hour doing so.
The fire was discovered shortly after 11 P.M.
The house and land are in the name of Mrs. James Hankins. The house was insured for $1500 [$26,456 in 2022 dollars] and the furniture for $500 [$8,818.78 in 2022 dollars], in the P.L. Grover Agency. About three weeks before the fire, marital troubles between husband and wife resulted in the wife packing up her goods and moving to Bradley Beach, leaving but a few pieces of furniture in the house. James Hankins continued to make his home there. The quarrel between the two was over another woman. Harry Hankins, a son of James Hankins, with his wife and child, went to Bradley Beach with Mrs. Hankins.
James Hankins for some time has been driving a taxicab, and was at the Main Street stand at the time the fire alarm was given. He says that while he had been sleeping in the house he had no fire there. The house was two-story and attic, and was built a few years ago to take the place of another that had burned down.
Joseph Novins, whose death resulted from the fire, was the son of Mr. Hyman Novoselsky, who lives on the north side of town. When Joe and his brothers started the Ocean County Feed Company, finding the name Novoselsky long and cumbersome, they shortened it to Novins. Deceased was one of six brothers, the others being Abram, Benjamin, Robert and Louis, the sixth brother, Samuel, being killed in action on September 27, 1918, in France.
He was keen and energetic in business matters, pleasant and affable and was well liked in town. He was one of the organizers of the Fire Company No. 2, and its president. The physicians say that he had serious kidney trouble, and hard work he had been doing, the excitement of the firemens' ball on Friday night, the rush to the fire, and the work he did there, with the possibility that he may have fallen a considerable distance, resulted in the breaking down of the power of the kidneys to rid his body of poison, and that he died of acute uraemic poison.
Novins was one of the first firemen at the fire, and was upstairs in the stifling smoke, going up a second time with a fire extinguisher. Some thought he fell from a porch roof, others that he fell from a ladder, but no one has been found who saw him fall. He was taken to the hospital shortly after the fire, and physicians from New York were called in, but he died on Tuesday. Funeral services were held in the Jewish Synagogue, in Lakewood Wednesday afternoon, and burial made in the Jewish Cemetery there. The members of Fire Company No. 2 went in a body, and almost every taxi on the jitney stand was sent voluntarily by its owner in the funeral, showing in what esteem he was held. He was 24 years old.

MUST ACT TO SAVE LONG BEACH FROM TIDE EROSION
With the tides of Barnegat eating away at the north end of Long Beach, the ocean currents cutting in here and there along the beach front, and the new inlet below Beach Haven widening its channel every day, property owners on Long Beach feel that some definite and concerted action must be taken to preserve that island from this continuous whittling away by the tides. To that end a meeting has been called to discuss the situation...

NAVY TO GET BIG ZEP, TO BE “MADE IN GERMANY”
In addition to the huge airship that is now being assembled at the huge hangar, in the Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, from materials fabricated at League Island Navy Yard, Philadelphia, in the past two years, it is understood that the Navy is to have another big Zeppelin, to take the place of the ZR-2, which was bought from England, but which collapsed in a trial flight, just before an American crew were to leave England with it for Lakehurst last August. The new No. 2, if she is to bear that name, is to be “made in Germany,” from the original Zeppelin plans...
The Navy Department expects to determine decisively through experiments with the ZR-1, now building at Lakehurst, whether rigid airships are practical, either for war or commercial purposes...

GYPSIES CAUSE TROUBLE
A hurry-up call for aid against a band of thieving gypsies reached the county seat from Tuckerton yesterday and aid was sent down. $20 had been taken from Ephraim Berry [$352 in 2022 dollars], an aged Tuckertonian. Brought to Toms River before Justice King, the Gypsies refunded the money and paid the costs and left via the Bay Bridge. There were two cars in the band and they said they were from Massachusetts.

CONKLIN'S BOAT STUCK ON WAYS
Warren Conklin started on Saturday last to launch his big power boat that he has been two years in building, on the sandspit in the river; but the boat stuck on her ways, and is still on the sandspit. The craft is the only boat of size built at Toms River in the past six or seven years. It has a 60 foot keel and 18 foot beam, 72 feet over all, and was modeled and built by Conklin himself, from white oak timbers and cedar planking, cut in nearby swamps. The timbers are on the old-fashioned order, natural growth knees, cut from crooked material. Twin engines of twenty horsepower are to drive her. She will carry fifty or more people, and has a cabin and pilot house. She was built for passenger carrying. Conklin talks of running her between Bay Head and Atlantic City, stopping at way ports.

BIG BEACH HAVEN PICNIC ON OCEAN COUNTY DAY, JULY 15
The Ocean County Society of Philadelphia have another big stunt that they expect to pull off Saturday, July 15, when they propose an Ocean County Day, in the form of a beach picnic, at Beach Haven. The Society, according to the plans as outlined by its president, Lafayette Taylor, of Philadelphia, will run a special train from that city, with a big band, in approved excursion and picnic style. All their friends in the county are expected to motor to the beach to meet them and shake hands, and have an old home day reception and renewal of friendships. The matter will be taken up by a joint committee from the Ocean County Society of Philadelphia, and one from Long Beach Board of Trade, so one of the biggest days in the history of the county may be confidently looked forward to.
The Society now has about 650 members, though it was only organized last winter. A week or so ago it gave a theatre party in Philadelphia, at which some 300 attended. They will guarantee 300 on the special train next July, and hope to bring twice that number. It is quite likely that Ocean County Day will be made an annual affair each summer, meeting at various resorts on the shore.

HEAVY TRUCK CRUSHES LIFE FROM SEVEN-YEAR-OLD BOY
Point Pleasant, May 24—Howard Morton, 7-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Morton of Bay and Trenton avenues, here, died last evening in the Ann May hospital at Spring Lake from injuries sustained when he was run down by a 5-ton truck of the Harrison Construction company of Passaic, which is working on the bridge over the Manasquan river here. It was said young Morton, with other children was playing in the street at Bay and Arnold avenues, when the truck knocked him down. At the hospital this morning it was stated his leg was broken, he had sustained many lacerations and suffered from loss of blood. 

BOOZE PEDDLER FINED $500
Tom Donofrio of Egg Harbor City, who has been supplying certain resorts and individuals in the lower part of the county with hooch, was caught last Saturday by Constable Edward Kelley of Toms River, and on Wednesday pleaded guilty. He was fined $500 [$8,818 in 2022 dollars], and told a second offence would mean a jail sentence. He traveled in a motor truck, distributing his stuff.

TO BUILD LACEY ROAD
Joseph Parker, of Forked River, has been selected to build Lacey road for the Board of Freeholders and Lacey Township. The township has appropriated $500 [$8,818 in 2022 dollars] and the county $1500 [$26,456 in 2022 dollars]. Mr. Parker figures that this may build four miles of road, as there is good gravel most of the way right along the line of the road.
The Lacey road was named after General Lacey, an officer in the Revolutionary War, who after that war came from Pennsylvania to this part of New Jersey, and built the iron furnace, or forge, at Lacey. The road runs in a straight line from the Lacey Forge to the landing on Forked River, whence the iron was shipped by water after being manufactured. As in all old forges of South Jersey, bog iron was smelted with charcoal fires, and the huge forests of pinewood furnished the charcoal. The South Jersey pines in the primeval forests were not the scrubby weaklings of today, but were from one to two feet in diameter at the butt, and appropriately tall. After the forges shut down from lack of iron ore, Lacey road was used to cart charcoal and cordwood to the landing to ship to New York in schooners.

MILES OF COUNTRY BURNT OVER BY MANY FIERCE FOREST FIRES
WOODS FIRE SWEEP WIDE TRACTS AND THREATEN HOMES
Woods fires have continued to do great damage, sweeping wide tracts and threatening homes in various parts of the county.
Last week the worst fire in this county this spring was on the county line between Monmouth and Ocean, threatening at various times Greenville, Herbertsville and Laurelton. Houses and barns in all these sections were saved only by the hardest kind of fighting.
The Lakewood, Point Pleasant and Naval Air Station firemen joined with the firewardens under District Warden Joseph E. Abbott of Toms River, and the men from all the countryside, to save the threatened villages...
Last Friday afternoon, April 28, Toms River had a fire scare again, when brush and grass in the meadow between Lakehurst road and the Central Railroad got on fire and threatened the Toms River Electric Co., the Ocean County Gas Co. plants, and the American Supply lumber yards. It was conquered with no loss to speak of.
Saturday and Sunday a fire raged to the south of Whitings, and on Sunday one in Jackson township at Webbsville.
Tuesday a fire was alleged to have been started at Pinewald by the C.R.R. midday freight, and with a strong southwest wind back of it, rushed toward Bayville. It swept almost the whole of the rear of Bayville on the western edge, and must have burned a number of homes, but for the firefighters...
During the fire at Bayville Tuesday, two deer were trapped by the flames, and did not seem to know how to get out. Some of the fire fighters broke through a weak spot in the fire and drove them out safely.
Two bad fires burned from Friday till Monday in Burlington and Ocean counties. Both started in Burlington County, one at Hedger House, and spread to Woodmansie an then across the Plains to Cedar Bridge; the other began west of Four Mile, and burned from Ong's Hat to Lower Mill and Brown's Mill Junction. 20,000 acres were swept by these fires and 500 men were out fighting them.
The report in last week's Courier that the shed, used as a railroad station at Ortley, had been burned, was a mistake. The shed still stands. Ortley Inn and two houses was the loss at that place.

LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP MUST FIGHT SEA'S ENCROACHMENT
Long Beach Township is being seriously affected by the encroachment of the sea. The inlet that opened south of Beach Haven in the big storm on February 4, 1920, is continually moving northward, and in short time has swallowed up fifty acres of valuable beachland. Just now the inlet, which last year carried deep water, is full of sand bars, and seems to be a seething turmoil of sand and water. Some of the old-time beach and baymen think that this may possibly mean that the inlet will close itself, provided the right conditions happen along, as it did years ago, when there was a big inlet at practically the same spot. Others think they see the inlet widening till much more valuable land is lost.
A meeting was held on Saturday evening last, at Beach Haven, attended by representatives from all the boroughs on Long Beach, who came together at the request of the Long Beach Township Committee. This committee wanted the aid of the other municipalities in enlisting the interest of the county, the state and the federal authorities to help stop the erosion. The matter was talked over from every angle, and seeing the unlikeliness of getting any aid within a reasonable time from other governmental sources, it is likely that the Township Commitee will do as Barnegat City Borough did, issue bonds and build its own bulkheads. A meeting of the next Township Committee will be held next Saturday night at which this matter will be taken up by them.

TOMS RIVER CLASS OF '22, NUMBERS 22
The Class of 1922, Toms River High School, which is preparing to graduate in June, numbers twenty-two, or thirteen girls and nine boys. This will be one of the largest classes ever to be graduated from the local school...

BOATBUILDER PEARCE SICK
S. Bartley Pearce, of Brielle, better known as Bart Pierce, the boatbuilder, was taken ill last week while walking along Main Street, Asbury Park, with his wife, and was removed to the hospital. It was called acute indigestion, complicated with a heart attack. Pearce built and run the famous succession of “Dixies,” the motor boats which for a long time held the international records.

HALF OF SURF CITY GOES TO BOROUGH FOR TAXES
The Borough of Surf City has about completed the formula of taking title to nearly half the lots in that borough for unpaid taxes. The borough has in fact foreclosed a tax title against the former owners of these lots, through its counsel, Judge Maja Leon Berry, in the Chancery Court. The taxes due on these lots aggregated $20,168.45 [$355,722.24 in 2022 dollars], and the proceedings go back to 1904, when the lots in question were sold for taxes and bid in by the borough. The lots are part of the former Culver and Wright holdings, though both Culver and Wright have been dead for a long time...
The failure of these defendants to meet the amount of taxes due on April 24th last, the date set by the Chancery Court, results in George C. Low, the Master in Chancery, giving to the borough title to the land, so that they can dispose of it in fee simple. This large amount of land on which the taxes were held back has long been a drawback that has prevented the growth of Surf City, in spite of the economical government and careful administration of borough affairs, it has enjoyed, largely through the efforts of the late Thomas Callahan and his family of boys, and of William H. Donahue, son-in-law of Mr. Callahan, and the few all the year round residents in the borough.
Now that the Borough is in the position to dispose of these lots by selling them to people who will build homes on them and pay taxes, there is no reason why Surf City should not take its place along with the most progressive summer resorts on Long Beach.

APPLEBY ASKS FEDERAL AID TO PRESERVE JERSEY BEACHES
Washington, D.C., April 23.—Congressman T. Frank Appleby yesterday introduced a bill providing federal aid in the construction of sea walls, bulkheads, jetties and other appropriate devices necessary and proper to protect the island waterways, navigable rivers and waterways of the coast of the State of New Jersey from Sandy Hook to Cape May from destruction by encroachment of the Atlantic Ocean...
Mr. Appleby further stated that the gradual encroachment of the surf along the Atlantic coast had destroyed property of immense value; has caused buildings of all classes to be removed; closed many highways; has cut new channels where the land between the ocean bays is narrow, and millions could have been saved had there been organized work in the last fifty years by the state and national governments.

OCEAN COUNTY BOYS' RADIO CLUB IS FIRST IN UNITED STATES
The following story and illustrations are from the February issue of “New Jersey Agriculture,” a state publication.
To give every farmer in Ocean County a chance to hear good music, good lectures, first hand results of athletic sports, and, most important of all, market reports in plenty of time to do him some good. This is an ideal toward which the Ocean County Wireless Club, an organization of 56 members, representing 11 communities, is working at a 56 boy-power rate of speed.
We have heard of poultry clubs, calf clubs, garden clubs, gunning clubs—the United States is full of them—but it remained for Ocean County to establish the first Boys' and Girls' Agricultural Wireless Club of the country...

ASK $198,000 FOR DOVER'S NEW SCHOOL [$3.5 MILLION IN 2022 DOLLARS]
$198,000 is the amount the Dover Township School Board think is needed to build and equip a modern school at Toms River. A special school meeting has been called for Tuesday, May 16, at 4.00 P.M., to vote for or against a bond issue of $198,000, and for or against building a new school house on the hill east of the present school house—a 16-room building and large assembly hall...
The plans call for a new building on the crest of the school house hill, facing to the west, or Hyers street. Wings will run back on Sheriff street and School street ends, and between these wings will be built an auditorium, with a stage, and capable of seating about 650 pupils. The building is to be two stories high with a basement beneath it. There will be fourteen new grade rooms in this building, also a lunchroom for serving hot lunches to the children from out of town, a library, rest rooms for the teachers, etc. It is to be of fire-proof construction, as planned, and of course rules of the State Department as to space, ventilation, size of corridors and stairways, etc.

FRIEND P. KELLY HAS LEFT US
Dr. W.H. Ballou, Editor of the Science News Service, New York, writes:
“Another devotee of the art of angling striped bass, the pioneer of Barnegat Bay, one might say, has gone on his long vacation. I shall remember him as friend P. Kelly, because he was a friend to almost every angler who either went to Forked River or resided there, friend of the baymen and friends of the townspeople. He has passed on to complete the triumvirate of former great anglers of the Bay, Byron E. Eno and John B. Frazer, always together between fishing hours, grouped on the veranda of either the Riverside House or its Casino, telling laughable stories and experiences. Somewhere, like the Indians' 'happy hunting grounds,' there must be in the Great Beyond, a gathering place of anglers, and let us home that the triumvirate has already convened and reminisced on old times.
“Friend Kelly's daily habits were known to all. He went out on the bay mornings to reach the bass trolling grounds on the falling tide. Whether he returned with bass or not, he always had good-sized weakfish in his bag. In fact, he often had better luck capturing big weaks while trolling for bass, than many anglers who still fished for weaks only. He invariably returned to the wharf early in the afternoon, being the first arrival usually. His habit was fixed. Leaving his boat, he took a chair on the Casino veranda and sat there until dinner time, watching the arrival of anglers from the bay, noting their bags, and conversing with them on the day's experiences. He constantly asked and answered the sole two queries at Forked River, 'How many did you get?' and 'How much did they weigh?' When I answered how many and how much, he had only one reply: 'Fish must have been thick, if you got any!' Hundreds, perhaps thousands of men and women, anglers and summer guests knew friend Kelly during the past thirty-five years and no one who knew him will ever forget him, while many with myself, will mourn sincerely his passing.”

ROBBERY AT FORKED RIVER
The barber shop and cigar store of Oscar Wilbert, at Forked River, was robbed of about $45 in cash from the till [$793 in 2022 dollars], while he was absent from town, sometime between 1 P.M. Sunday and 5:30 on Tuesday. The thieves, presumably local talent, knowing he was away, entered through a cellar window. Other valuables were untouched.

WHAT CAUSED “THE PLAINS?”
That South Jersey mystery, “The Plains,” are to be investigated by two distinct scientific parties, to discover, if possible, their cause. The Plains lie partly in Ocean and partly in Burlington County, west of Barnegat and Manahawkin, and north of Tuckerton. They are on the height of land between the streams that flow south and west into the Mullica River system, via the Oswego and Wading River, and those that flow direct into the coast bays. For spaces of several miles on the two Plains, the Greater and the Lesser or the Big and Little Plains, there are no trees as high as a man's head. Instead the trees and shrubbery seem to be the same as that just below the snow line on a mountain—pine trees, laurel, etc., stunted, gnarled and creeping along the ground, showing that they are of great age in spite of their stunted size.
The State Department of Conservation and Development are making an investigation to see if they can find out the cause of this peculiar condition which was found by the first white men who crossed that part of the state more than 200 years ago, and which is still unchanged. The Agricultural Department at Washington also promises an investigation by a group of scientists. It is even alleged that some insects and animals found on the Plains are not found in the adjoining and surrounding territory. One of the old stories of a hundred years ago is that prairie chickens, afterward found by new settlers in all the Middle West, were so numerous on the Plains that parties used to drive up there in the fall and fill their wagon bodies with them, clubbing them to death.

FISHHAWKS MOVED YOUNG FROM PATH OF THE FLAMES
During the woods fires at Bayville recently a fishhawk's nest, containing young birds, was in the path of the flame. The fire did not burn up to the tree it was in, being stopped by a road, but the nest seemed to be in danger. Township Fire Warden J. Reed Tilton, of Toms River, saw the birds take their young in their claws, when the danger was at its worst, and fly away with them. Next morning, after the fire was over, Division Warden Joseph E. Abbott, of Toms River, and Township Warden Harry Allen, of Bayville, were going over the lines of the fire, and they saw the two fishhawks bringing the young back to the nest. Each made two trips with one bird in its claws. Where the birds secreted their young ones for safety neither of the parties saw. On the other hand, on Wardell's Neck, during the big fire in Brick Township, Division Warden Abbott saw another fishhawk stick by her nest and burn up with her eggs.

TO PAVE WASHINGTON ST. WITH ASPHALT FROM CURB TO CURB
The Board of Freeholders at their meeting on Tuesday of this week, May 2, adopted the plans for the improved concrete roadways through the villages of Toms River, Barnegat and Tuckerton...
On Friday of last week, April 26, the Freeholders awarded the contract for the mile of Route No. 4 in Point Pleasant Beach Borough to C.H. Earle of Hackensack, who already has the contract for the four mile stretch between Laurelton and Lakewood...

NEW LIFE-BOAT FOR BARNEGAT COAST GUARD STATION CREW
Through the efforts of Congressman Appleby and Senator Hagaman, who called his attention to the situation at Barnegat Inlet, a new life-boat is to be given the Coast Guard Station at Barnegat City. Keeper Raymond Palmer and crew have been using an ordinary life-boat, and have had to go out often every day, in the fishing season.

GEORGIA TO TRY OUT OCEAN COUNTY SWEETS
J.C. Stickney, Secretary of Barrow County Chamber of Commerce, Winder, Ga., has requested the Ocean County Board of Agriculture to supply some certified sweet potato plants of Big Stem Jersey, Jersey Yellow, Porto Rico, Nancy Hall, Triumph and Jersey Reds. These plants are to be in comparison with Georgia seed. County Agent E.H. Waite is now growing these plants and expects to ship them about the 20th of May.

TOWNSHIP MOVES TO WIDEN THE “HOLE IN THE WALL”
Dover Township Committee, at its meeting on Friday last, May 19, voted in favor of widening the “hole in the wall,” where Hyers Street opens from Washington Street. This is a dangerous corner, and one that should be widened. When Main Street is torn up this summer, as was shown by last summer's happenings, traffic will crowd through this narrow place, and it will be a marvel if accidents do not occur. The Committee last Friday instructed their solicitor, Judge W. H. Jeffrey, to proceed in opening this street end...

CONSUL VANSANT EXPECTED HOME IN AUGUST FROM SCOTIA
U.S. Consul Howard D. VanSant, of Dunfermline, Scotland, who has not been home in this country since 1912, is now planning to cross the ocean and see his old friends and relatives and clean up some business matters this summer. He is expected to arrive early in August, accompanied by his daughter, Miss Gretchen, now a girl of 13 years. He will sail from England on July 23.

JUSTICE KALISCH'S WARNING
Justice Kalisch, who sits in Ocean, Monmouth and Burlington counties, in his charge last week to the Burlington County Grand Jury, called their attention to carnival gambling games. The Mt. Holly Herald tells of this charge as follows:
“When Justice Kalisch delivered his charge to the grand jury at the opening of the April term of court on Tuesday morning he threw a broadside at the general plan of conducting summer carnivals, festivals and various outdoor attractions, and if the admonition he laid down is followed, and there is reason to believe that it will be, games of chance and other forms of gambling will be brought to a standstill in Burlington County. He said that games of chance are violations of the law and they must be stopped, no matter what the object, whether for religious purposes or for something else, worthy or otherwise. He further said that persons participating in such games are guilty of a misdemeanor and if the grand jury is called on to consider matters of this kind they should be handled in a strong manner, with idea of having the law respected and the practice broken up. It sounded as though this charge were intended to be a warning for the guidance of amusement purveyors in this county during the coming open-air season.”

BEACHWOOD'S NEW MAYOR
At the organization of the new Borough Commission in Beachwood Borough, E.D. Collins was chosen Director of Public Safety and Public Affairs, which carries with it the title of Mayor; George F. Middleton was made Director of Revenues and Finances; John J. Nolze is Director of Streets, Public Improvement, Parks and Public Property. W.H. Jeffrey resigned as borough solicitor, but was unanimously re-elected.

PERSONAL MENTION WITH LOCAL FLAVOR
FORMER BARNEGAT CONDUCTOR RETIRES FROM CENTRAL R.R.
Charles A. Wyatt, a conductor, whose face is familiar to every one who has traveled to any extent on the C.R.R. Of New Jersey, retired the last day of April, after a continuous service with the railroad for fifty-five years [since 1867]. Mr. Wyatt has given splendid service, but he is now 74 years old, and has decided that it is time to quit. For thirty-nine years Mr. Wyatt had been going through Lakewood, at first, on the run from New York to Barnegat, and latterly to Atlantic City. In the entire time his trains had never killed but one person, and that was Mrs. E.N. Hair, whose death occurred on the River Avenue crossing, Lakewood, some weeks ago. It was indeed unfortunate, and Mr. Wyatt was visibly affected by the accident. Mr. Wyatt is at present time living in Atlantic City, but upon his retirement he will move his family to Barnegat. He has always liked Ocean County, and has a great desire to be near the bay. The Central is losing a good man with the passing of Mr. Wyatt. He was always kind and obliging and was one of the most efficient conductors on the road. His long service is a silent reminder of his efficiency.—Lakewood Citizen.

RADIO WAVES FROM TOMS RIVER
Leo Powers, of Toms River, is constructing a crystal receiving set. His aerial is up and he expects to be in working trim in the near future.
In the near future it will be possible to talk back and forth between your home and any ship at sea by radio.
For the past year radio-telephone experiments have been going on between the Deal Beach Radio Station (2 x —) and the S.S. America (K D O W), plying across the ocean. These experiments were conducted by engineers of the American Telegraph and Telephone Co. and the Radio Corporation, to perfect a method whereby passengers on ships would be in touch with their friends, relatives or business associates anywhere on land provided they have the convenience of the ordinary telephone.
Why not be absolutely up to the instant and be married in an airship that is equipped with a radio transmitting set.

PERSONAL
A.L. Wardell, our Assessor elect, has moved his family from the farm at Cedar Grove, which he sold recently, and is living in Mrs. Frances Falkenburgh's house on Washington street.
Keeper Lewis E. Mitchell of Island Beach Coastguard station was in town Wednesday. Capt. Mitchell has the experience of being Keeper at six stations on this coast at various times, something that few Keepers can say. He has been stationed at Barnegat, Forked River, Loveladies, Cedar Creek, Island Beach and Shark River, beside being on duty in New York and Philadelphia harbors during the war.
Sheldon Lewis and Virginia Pearson appear tonight and tomorrow night at the Strand Theatre in Lakewood. Toms River is almost home for Mr. Lewis as three of his brothers, Samuel, Saunders and Henry Levy, live here. He and his wife, Virginia Pearson, are just now in vaudeville with their own company.
Alfred R. Scott of Rockville Center, Long Island, spent the week end at his Pine Beach poultry farm, with his son Harold...
William L. Liming spent the week end at his home in Pine Beach, being now connected with the office of Collector of Internal Revenues in Camden, having begun his duties on May 1. He is at present stationed in Trenton district, and is finding his work very interesting. Mr. Liming has been with the Pennsylvania railroad since 1900, beginning at South Amboy, and has since filled the following positions in that railroad's service: clerk in terminal, shipping, round house foreman, and master mechanic's offices, and was then station agent at Pine Beach from September, 1910, till the present time. In all he was with the railroad 22 years. He has also been postmaster at Pine Beach, treasurer and district clerk of the Berkeley Township Board of Education for the past six years.
Former Senator and former Sheriff C. Asa Francis, of Long Branch, stopped at Toms River on Friday last to say “Howdydo” to old-time friends, while on a motor trip to Atlantic City.
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Grover have moved to Beachwood for the summer, occupying the Widmaier house. [This house had just finished construction for Mrs. Widmaier, who lived next door, and rented it out. In later years her daughter, husband and family would establish their home there for many decades, eventually passing to their daughter, Carolyn Campbell. It still stands at 325 Ship Avenue.]

FISH AND GAME
Menhaden, or mossbunkers, are reported in the bay and as being caught in nets, along with weakfish.
Croakers are reported in vast schools off Atlantic and Cape May County coasts, and taken in big hauls by the fish pounds.
The fires of the past few weeks have, it is said, killed off a great deal of game, and not only game, but also vermin that feed on game. Rabbits and birds lost their lives when bewildered by the fires. So did foxes and other animals that prey on game. Many deer coverts were burned over by the big fires south of Whitings.
Party boatmen are overhauling and rigging up for the summer traffic. Rigging up today is not what it used to be. In the old days it meant getting new cordage to replace the old, liming the canvas, or perhaps at rare interviews new deck. Now it means getting a machinist to use his stillson on the kicker. Gas is more costly than wind, but it is more reliable, and that is what the city fishermen demand these days. They come and go by auto and want to make the fishing grounds without a moment's delay, while as soon as they are tired of fishing they want to go ashore on their way home. They have lost entirely the big end of the old-time fishing trip, the restfulness of a day on old Barnegat.
Al Boshier, of Waretown, made a fine haul in his nets one night last week, as the story filters through to Toms River—four barrels of weakfish, that brought him in $60 a barrel [$1,058 in 2022 dollars] in the New York markets.
Time to bob for eels, which are seeking fresh water and going up stream. When we were boys the favorite spot for this sport was the Central Railroad bridge, just west of the Toms River depot, and the hour was just after dusk.
Warden J.H. Evernham, of Bayville, with Wardens Charles C. Morton and Zeb Mathis, of Burlington County, on Sunday, rounded up seven Italians, who were prowling about the woods armed, and hunting for game. They were taken to Chatsworth, where a justice fined them. All paid but one, who had not the money, and he was passed on to Mt. Holly jail. The men were all from Philadelphia, employed on a cranberry bog below Chatsworth.
Al Boshier, of Waretown, shipped nine barrels of bluefish one day last week. The blues were in the bay in large numbers, running about two pounds or so in weight, and were caught in nets. A few were caught by trolling with small squids. This is the first year in some time that there has been any May blue-fishing worth reporting.
Long Beach fishermen, who fish off shore, have been catching mackerel in good quantities.

RECENT DEATHS
Commander William C. de Hart
Commander William Chetwood de Hart, aged 81, son of a Mexican war veteran and grandson of an officer in the Revolution, who was a resident of Toms River in the late 70's and early 80's, died May 23, at his home, at 1081 East Jersey Street, Elizabeth, N.J. At the age of 18 Commander de Hart ran away from Williams College to go to sea. His first vessel was a clipper, the Sweepstakes. In the Civil War he entered the revenue service, which became later the United States Coast Guard Service. He retired fifteen years ago. He leaves two daughters, Miss Mary de Hart, of Elizabeth, and Mrs. Ann Middleton, of Concord, N.H., and a son, George C. de Hart, of Elizabeth.
Captain de Hart, as he then ranked, and as he was always called at Toms River, came to Toms River in 1876, as Inspector of the Life Saving Service on the New Jersey coast, and commander of the revenue cutter Alert. The Alert was a fair-sized sloop, and Captain de Hart lived in the house now occupied by Bernard Hainer, tying the cutter up to the dock in Robbins Cove alongside his home. Later the Alert was lengthened out and sent south, and the de Hart family moved to the Hobbs house, recently bought by Samuel Kaufman, on Hooper Avenue, living there for a number of years. One son of Captain de Hart, William, named after his father, was drowned from the deck of the Alert. Another son, Harry, came back to Toms River a few years ago and spent the last few months of his life here, dying from heart trouble while occupying the Brackenridge home on Magnolia Avenue. Commander de Hart was buried yesterday, in Elizabeth.

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TOWN LIFE

BARNEGAT
It looks as if our lighthouse is doomed. With all the promises and encouraging stories about appropriations, we have not as yet seen anything materialise in that line, and from what we hear it does not look as if we would. Assemblyman Parker has been an earnest worker for this cause, getting the high officials here, taking them over to the lighthouse and co-operating in every way and trying to get the officials in favor of it. Senator Frelinghuysen and Congressman Appleby have been indefatigable workers for this cause, and after a long, earnest hard struggle to get a bill looked on as being favorable, a certain high-up Washington puts a damper on it and leaves the case about where it was a year or more ago, so if the old beacon falls it will not be the fault of our representatives, as there are others who have to say what shall be done about it. It looks as though they want it to go; if they did not they could easily save it...
Campbell's Circus, on Monday night, was very good and was largely attended.

BARNEGAT CITY (today Barnegat Light Borough)
A.R. Myers is bringing in fair catches from his pounds.
E.E. Johnson, Fred Peterson and Tom Hansen are very busy each day the sea permits unloading and lightering [transporting] scow loads of lumber from the stranded schooner Wooten, which grounded off North Beach Station some time ago.
The Bell brothers, of Westfield, are here for a few days to get into shape again their bungalow that was partly undermined by the January northeaster. They have set up a radio-telephone receiving apparatus and a number of people have enjoyed concerts, music and speaking sent out by the Newark station.

BAY HEAD
The Bay Head Property Owners' Association recently gave Bay Head Fire Company $100 as a reward for their prompt action in stopping a brush and grass fire in the north end of the borough, which threatened much valuable property. Several owners of buildings that had been threatened sent separate sums of money to help the Fire Company secure more apparatus.

BEACH HAVEN
Saturday evening, at 8 o'clock, at the council chamber, there will be a conference of men interested in Long Beach on what to do to save the various parts of the island that are being cut away by the sea. The question has become a serious one in many parts of Long Beach.
Beach Haven expects to have electric lights by August 1. The contract has been awarded by Borough Council to Pangborn & Co., of Philadelphia, to install an up-to-date electric light equipment, the cost to be $36,500 in round figures [$643,700 in 2022 dollars]. Fuel oil burning engines will be used to develop power for the dynamos. The borough will light the streets, and will also sell light and power to the general public. This will scrap the acetylene gas plant that has been in use here for a long time. It is generally conceded that electric lights and power are part of the equipment for every up and moving community, and Beach Haven includes itself in that class.
R.F. Engle is getting the Engleside ready for the opening in about a month from now.
The Baldwin is being redecorated and will be opened for the summer in June. The Ocean House is also expected to open soon.
John W. Cranmer has given the Hotel Acme a coat of paint, and is fixing up for the summer.
The old Hotel de Crab, claimed to be the oldest house at this resort and long a summer home and business place of Capt. “Tilt” Fox, is being remodeled and a new porch built into it.
Moses Cranmer is having a very find home build for himself on the Dock Road, and it will probably be completed for the summer's use.
Quite a number of new houses are being built here and everybody is busy getting  work done for the opening of the summer. Carpenters, painters, masons and plumbers, etc., all on the jump. Fishermen are overhauling their boats and fishing parties, also.
We are glad to see William Harvey's smiling face again, after spending the winter in his home at Columbus. Mr. Harvey has opened his garage and will handle Gulf gasoline this season as well as Standard.
Mr. Engle has greatly improved the appearance of the Engleside by having the fence removed along Amber Street and Atlantic Avenue. A force is at work clearing the house and papering and painting is being done in anticipation of a busy season.
Mr. Aaron's clerk is here opening up the drug store and getting stock in shape for the summer. Mr. Aaron will come later.
With several new cottages going up, the hotels and boarding houses being renovated and cottages cleaned and put in readiness for their owners, the borough is a busy place these days. If warm weather continues the season will open early and prospects are for a prosperous summer.
Mr. Sawyer, who conducts the photograph studio on the boardwalk every summer, is advertising the place for sale.
Capt. Manas Kelly, of Bonds Coast Guard Station, has been transferred to the Terrace Station, and Captain Rogers, of the Terrace Station, has been sent down to Bonds.
Several of the icemen who have regular routes through the mainland towns and up the beach have commenced business, coming here every morning for ice.

BEACHWOOD
The election for three Commissioners takes place on Tuesday next, May 9. There are three names on the ticket: Charles Haring, one of the present Commission; E.D. Collins, who has been a cottager here and active in the Yacht Club and other matters, and George F. Middleton. Mr. Middleton, like the other two candidates, has been active in summer life here and interested in civic affairs. In addition John Nolze will run on stickers.
Mayor Senior and family have been at their summer home here.
Mrs. Wanda Lohr has opened her summer home here and is enjoying life in the Beachwood pines.
Every week end sees a greater number of summer people down to look things over and plan for the summer. Beachwood is expecting the coming summer to surpass all previous years in the number of people and the brilliance of social events.
Many of our summer folks were down for the week end and remained over to vote on Tuesday.
The fire on Sunday was near enough for comfort, too near in fact, as some kept wondering if the wind might not shift and bring it back on Beachwood. The Beachwood fire department were out with their apparatus.
George Arway, who has the concessions at the club house and bathing beach, has arrived for the summer, to get ready for business.
Three new men were elected on the Beachwood Commission, at the election on Tuesday, George F. Middleton, E.D. Collins and John J. Nolze.
What was formerly the Scoble house, on the Boulevard, will be known as the Jack o' Lantern, and will be opened soon as a stopping place for motor parties.
Every visitor at Beachwood, from the time he first came here, feels that there is about Beachwood something different from the usual run of summer resorts. This difference is perhaps intangible, and perhaps it cannot be explained, or described, but it certainly can be felt. The oldtimers in Beachwood, who were here from the beginning, and have seen its growth and development, will tell you that Beachwood was the favorite child of the late B.C. Mayo, that upon it he lavished his love and his attention, and that he planned it with care, and saw that his plans were just as carefully carried out, giving it personal planning and attention beyond any of his other varied resort promotions. Following the creation of the Borough, the first Commission was composed of men of broad outlook, capable of visualizing the Beachwood of the future as Mr. Mayo had dreamed it, and with the painstaking care to bring it about.
Mayor Senior, Mr. Haring, Mr. Price and later on Mr. Nickerson gave a great deal of time and close attention to the affairs of the Borough, which needed this attention the more in the early days, and it was a new venture and was practically a summer colony only. Through their efforts in aiding the natural charm of the place, and in careful administration of borough affairs, the borough has grown, the Commission have taken over the clubhouse and other valuable properties on the Point and have graveled miles of streets, in addition to making it possible to have a community life in summer such as can be found in few resorts.
The recent election has resulted in an entirely new Commission, who will now assume the responsibilities and duties laid down by the former members. Every love of Beachwood is wishing the new Commission the best possible results, and none will be more pleased than the retiring Mayor and Commission if the new officials succeed even better than the outgoing ones did. It is recognized by all, both by those going out and those coming in, and by the real friends of Beachwood, that there is nothing to be gained by petty bickerings over small matters, and that little jealousies and personalities must be submerged in the great desire for the advancement of the Borough, if the Beachwood of the future is to be the fulfillment of the dream of the broadminded founder and those who followed in his footsteps.

CEDAR GROVE
The building boom seems to have hit Cedar Grove and vicinity about as much as anywhere. With the houses built in the past year and those going up now, we are growing finely. The road from Hooper Avenue toward the church seems to be especially favorable with new houses.

FORKED RIVER
Many of our boys seem to feel the call to the baseball field on Sunday afternoons. We don't blame them for loving the sport, and we would help them along with it on any other day. But boys, and young men! Can you not understand the Sabbath desecration is against the Divine Law as well as against the laws of our commonwealth? We cannot think you desire to become anarchists and thus destroy the virtues of our Christian land. You boys who have good homes and Christian parents should hold yourselves above such degrading pursuits. We are sincerely hoping you will think better of these things. Let your civic pride lend you to purify rather than degrade your community. Plan evenings and play Saturdays, but don't—please do not take God's day, too.
One of our oldest summer residents, P. Kelly, who had the cottage next the Riverside House, on the River Road, and had been coming here for thirty-three years, died May 3, aged 76 years. He was engaged in the wholesale fish and oyster business, in New York City. He leaves a widow and one daughter, Miss Katherine Kelly. He was a noted striped bass angler, one of the most persistent and successful on Barnegat Bay. The body was sent to New York for burial last Friday. He will be greatly missed in Forked River, where he was highly respected.
Watson Penn and party recently caught a flour barrel full of flounders. Watson also caught five kingfish with hook and line on Saturday.
Capt. Fred L. Brouwer and son Frank have gone to Bell Harbor, L.I., to bring down their new forty-foot cruiser, the Ethel.
Auto traffic is heavy, particularly so on Sundays.
Wallace Parker last week went to the Highlands to help Wood Patten bring a yacht in Barnegat Inlet.
Amos Lewis and son are building two sinkboxes to be placed on George J. Gould's Clam Island property for gunning purposes.
The Riverside House opens for the season on Saturday of this week. It has a record of more than thirty years under the management of the Eno family, a record unsurpassed probably by any other summer hotel in the county except the Engleside, at Beach Haven.
Miss Dorothy Penn, daughter of Mrs. Mamie Penn, of the Riverside, has sailed for a summer in Europe on the steamer La France, with Mr. and Mrs. Arthur V. Wilcox and family, who have been summer guests at the Riverside for a long time. They are expected back in October.
Capt. A.C. Wilbert, Jr., arrived here the middle of the week from a winter in Florida, going both ways in his power yacht on the inside passage. He looks as if he had enjoyed it.
A State Highway truck went through here painting white and blue bands on the 'phone poles to designate a north and south route.
Randolph Phillips says the deer are destroying the crops on his land along the Lacey road.
Capt. Joe Smires has put a new Palmer engine in Capt. E.L. Holmes's boat.
Peach growers here think the crop was killed by the frosts.
Wilbert's marine railway is busy overhauling boats for the summer.
Memorial Day will be old home day at Good Luck burying grounds, as usual. The ladies of Forked River and Lanoka will serve dinner; proceeds to keep the cemetery in good shape.

ISLAND HEIGHTS
Howard Siddons has bought the Gus Pyott cottage, on the Camp Walk.
Mrs. J. Harris is at her store on Central Avenue after a winter spent in Lakewood.
Messrs. McFarland and DeRuche were week-end visitors at Stokes' boatyard.
Mrs. Abby Ayres has bought the Mainwaring house next to the Perrine's, on the water front.
Ed Dilley spent the week end on his boat, the Kit-n-Kat.
Mrs. Abbey Ayers is having a cement block wall put in front of her property on Oak Avenue.
Mr. Barnes, of Overbrook, Pa., has started his now summer home on the corner of Central and Summit Avenues.
Capt. John Page has certainly made a fine job of Charles Peck's house, at Ocean and Jayne's Avenue.
A row boat was found at bay front; owner can get same by applying to Henry Campbell.
Messrs. McFarland and De Rouch are having a self-bailing cockpit put in their cruiser Jeanette at Stokes boatyard.
Frank Hoover had the misfortune last Friday night to break his wrist while cranking a friend's auto.

LAKEHURST
Several of our people are having electric pumping outfits, bath room fixtures and septic tanks installed.
Funeral services for Richard B. Ford, for many years a resident of Lakehurst, and a veteran of the Civil War, who died May 4, at Lakewood, after an illness, of seventeen weeks, were held Sunday. Mr. Ford was 78 years of age and was born at Pemberton, in 1844. After service in the Civil War he was for thirty-eight years in the employ of the Central Railroad, living at Lakehurst. He lived with his only sister, Mrs. Thos. Truex, of Lakewood, during the past three years. Mr. Ford was a member of Pemberton Lodge No. 49, I.O.O.F. Internment was made at Lakehurst.
The guard house at the entrance of the proving grounds was burned to the ground last week. The Naval Air fire apparatus responded, but could not save the building. This was the sleeping quarters for the guards who kept the outer entrance.
Since the closing of the Pine Tree Inn we note very few strangers on our streets.
No more movies for Lakehurst until further notice. The movies have not been a paying proposition.

LAVALLETTE
We are glad there is an excursion train on Sunday morning. It brings lots of people to the shore to spend the day.
There are more new houses going up for the summer. It looks as if the town is growing with the streets lighted with electric lights.
We are in need of a good rain to keep the grass fires from burning up the whole beach, from Seaside Park to Bay Head.
There was a fire on Sunday afternoon which looked as if it was going to destroy some cottages; with hard work the buildings were saved.
There was another fire shortly after, but was put out very quickly before any damage was done.
It would be a good thing if all the men of the borough would have a meeting and organize a good fire company as it is needed very badly. Let's all get together and have a real fire company.
Charles Hankins has three more new boats to build. He is a hustler in his business.
All who are thinking of handing their houses wired for lights would be wise to have the work done right away.
There are several more new houses started this week. Lavallette is going to be a shore town, and with good wide streets, makes this a good place to spend your vacation in the summer.
The Yacht Club has had their dock put in good shape for the summer.
There has been several beach parties so far this season. There should be someone as a chaperon with them.
Mr. Strickland lost a very fine horse last week.

MONEY ISLAND
The hole on the Bluff left by the fire looks sad and forlorn.
The new bungalow of the Thompson family is now completed.
Indications point to the coming season being one of the best in the history of the island.
All the visitors to the scene of the recent fire gave expressions of delight at the indescribable marine view from the hills of the island. Many travelers have stated that it is not surpassed in any respect by any other spot in the nation.

OCEAN GATE
Charles Guttentagg [founder of the development of Ocean Gate] was down Sunday looking over his new river-front home, which is near completion. When completed this will be one of the finest up-to-date homes in this town, with all the latest improvements.
The Fire Company was called out last Sunday afternoon to a wood's fire between Anglesea and Narragansett Avenues.
At the meeting of the Fire Company on Monday evening the Chief was directed to have a signal chart made so that when the fire bell is sounded firemen will know in which direction the fire is. Also the first fireman at the Fire House will stay at Fire House to notify members in which direction the fire is.
Frank Biernbaum has started work on his new bungalow on Angelsea Avenue.
Miss Martha Barger has gone to Philadelphia for several days visiting friends.
The Dorsett Laundry Co., of Toms River, have started to make their collections and deliveries of laundry here. They collect on Monday and deliver on Saturday all through the summer months. This is the first time has in this town.
H.D. Black has started ice deliveries three days a week now; later on they will deliver every day.
We hear that one of our young ladies is going to give swimming lessons this season and says that she expects to hold swimming tournaments several times during the summer months and will issue challenges to the different resorts. This young lady we may mention is herself one of the popular swimmers, who has carried off high honors in several matches in Philadelphia.
Council meeting in the fire house on Saturday evening last.
Reports say that R. Moldovsky has traded his house on Long Branch Avenue, west of Ocean Gate Avenue, to E. Shagen, of Philadelphia, for the corner stores at the railroad and will make several improvements to the look of this place.
Raymond C. Keisel wishes to thank all his patrons for their past patronage and is now prepared to serve them again with good pure milk, both at Ocean Gate and Pine Beach—adv.
The Ocean Gate Yacht Club will hold a dance on Saturday evening, May 27, with a four-piece orchestra on hand to supply the music.
Raymond Keisel is building a large garage on Ocean Gate Avenue.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Holt have left for Barnegat, where they will take charge of the branch of the Palm House Bakery for the summer months.
We hear the Sweet Shop, under the direction of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bertsch, will open around May 27. Mr. and Mrs. Bertsch will arrive here around May 22, after having spent the winter months with Mrs. Bertsch's parents, in Knoxville, Tenn.
Contractor Vogler is busy this week on an addition to the shop of D.L. Jones, on Ocean Gate Avenue.
Several members of the Ocean Gate A.A. [Athletic Association] spent Sunday here. They played their first game in Philadelphia on Saturday last and won from the Kaywood Club, of Philadelphia, by the score of 6 to 1. Season opens here June 4, with the American Railway Express team, from Philadelphia.
Work on the new club house has been temporarily suspended on account of contractors being unable to get some grades of lumber.
Mr. and Mrs. A.S. Webster, of Camden, spent a few days at the Swiss cottage this past week.

PINE BEACH
Mrs. E.P. Smith has sold her store to Mr. and Mrs. Halligan, who have taken possession. Mrs. Smith is now spending a few days with friends in Philadelphia.
Nothing done about the docks yet and it is already May.
After all these years of progress here why has the railroad put us so far back that our freight and express packages have to be addressed to Island Heights Station, which is so much further away. If the railroad was logical, the point on the main road, which is Pine Beach, would be the main station, and not the one on an out-of-the-way spur. During the summer it takes a large force of men to man the tower, attend to the bridge and also the station at Island Heights. Sometimes the spur train goes over or back with a single passenger, for the full crew on the train to look after. Even the children here have remarked on the waste entailed on running this spur. Pine Beach Station is on the main line and costs very little to run, yet we are now back to where we were in 1909, thirteen years ago. The pioneers here have vivid memories of goods going over to Island Heights, and the great furore made over giving people back their own household necessities. At the time it was a nightmare, for if the spirit moved the people over there to give you your things you got them, but if they did not care to be annoyed you waited until they were ready. Some men went over with row boats and carried heavy building material back in rowboats, which nearly capsized with the weight. Today we hear so much of efficiency and economy. Wasn't that efficient? To take goods across the river, about a mile out of their way, deprive the owner of the use of the goods... And after all these years we are back to having our goods marked “Via Island Heights.” This entails more handling, more bookkeeping, more delay, and is unfair to Pine Beach people. Very fortunately the automobile and the automobile truck are making people independent of the railroads, both for passengers and freight traffic.

SEASIDE HEIGHTS
The stores and dance hall which are being erected by Steidle & Freeman, on the ocean front, near the carousel are progressing, and no doubt will draw the crowd from near by towns this summer.
The movies at the Colonial Theatre as well patronized by our folks, being under the management of F.F. Beseigle. Music was furnished by Miss Lena Endres.
Charles Kropf, of Philadelphia, is stopping at his cottage and getting his boat in commission for the summer.
A number of new houses are going up in the borough.
Dr. Lord, of Mt. Holly, who was owner of the Ortley Inn, which burned to the ground recently, was a Sunday visitor.

SEASIDE PARK
Mrs. D. Parker and little Selena Gilison moved to Tuckerton last week and will occupy their home this summer, Mr. Parker being stationed in Coast Guard Station 109.
Our children made quite a showing in attending the circus held in Toms River on Tuesday.
Uncle Sam is giving many of the Coast Guard Stations a coat of paint this spring, the white buildings showing up from a distance.
Francis Sprague is building a restaurant on Fifth Avenue, and will serve lunches, etc., at all hours, which will be very convenient to the people coming in for the day.
E.W. Esham, of Mt. Holly, has been awarded the contract to build a summer home at Seaside Park for Henry B. Coles, of Moorestown, whose house on the beach was destroyed by fire on Easter Sunday. Mr. Coles has bought the Joseph T. Richards house that adjoins the Coles house and was partly burned during that destructive fire, and it is this property that Mr. Esham is to work on. It is expected that the house will be ready for Mr. Coles' occupancy close to July 1.
Miss Helen Stoup has charge of the railroad station during the absence of Agent Lippincott.
Mr. and Mrs. Hass are here and will soon open the Kittatinny Hotel.
F.W. Greger has about completed his new meat market building in Lavallette and will open the business at the beginning of the season. This will enable him to handle his extensive trade in that town much more conveniently.
Alfred Mathis has his real estate office open in the new Mathis Building, on Fifth Avenue. The post office and grocery business will be moved there from the Thompson Building about June 1.
The borough is considering a bond issue of $70,000 [$1.23 million in 2022 dollars] to replace the wooden mains of the water system with iron mains, and also build a new water tower.

STAFFORDVILLE
Arnold, a little boy, of Barnegat, walked from the home of his parents to this village, where for a few days he stopped with Mr. A. Krajicek. He was barefooted and alone.
Jacob Pear, whose home is at Poplar Neck, near here, left his home on foot, the 5th day of last July. He went west through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California, his westernmost point being Los Angeles, Cal. After a few days there he returned home, arriving a few weeks ago. Can his pedestrian's experience be duplicated?

WEST CREEK
Everybody busy and prospects bright for a successful season in the oyster trade. Some of our shippers, who have oysters planted in Barnegat Bay, predict good trade in their line of work, should their stock continue to progress as at present.
Several of our oyster planters are busy on their Cedar Creek beds, bringing loads of the larger seed down here and replanting in the beds here.
Warren P. Hayes is now employed in a railway terminal in New York City as postal clerk, and J.W. Tierney, who has resigned his position in the Coast Guard Service, has recently been appointed to a like position.

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April 1922
March 1922 Part II
March 1922 Part I
February 17th, 1922
February 10th, 1922
February 3rd, 1922
January 27th, 1922
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