This Week in Ocean County, 1921! (October 21st)

10/22/2021

BREVITIES AND EDITORIALS

(often 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)

Autumn River (c) Sabina

Autumn leaves.
Moon is on the wane.
Wild fowl season is on.
Ten days left in October.
Chrysanthemum time now.
It was a glorious full moon.
Elections two weeks from Tuesday next.
Most of the cranberries are harvested.
Did you see the eclipse Sunday evening?
Sewer coming up Main Street business block.
Republican dinner at the Ocean House.
This is one year when the Kiefer pear is scarce.
One of the dryest summers on record from the middle of May to the middle of October.
Remington & Vosbury are at work drawing a building line for the business part of town.
Take a tramp or a ride through the woods and fields and see the bright colors these autumn days.
Fire Company will have a big mardi gras and costume parade on Hallowe'en, as they have for two years past.
Home grown apples are sold from $1.50 to $2 per basket. While not at all plentiful, apples were of fine size and condition this year, being but few on the ordinary tree.
The library has a nice new lot of books, some on the pay shelf and others on the free shelf. The boys and girls were specially remembered in buying books this time.
Toms River High School went to Point Pleasant on Saturday last and weer beaten at football by the high school there, score 20-0. The boys put up a game play, but were not in it with their opponents.
Toms River Yacht Club will hold a Hallowe'en affair on Friday evening, October 28. The committee is arranging the program is Frank Buchanan, John Hensler and Dr. Loveman, which is a guaranty that something novel will be staged.
The firemen are looking forward to the big Hallowe'en parade.
A big gathering of poultrymen at the court house on Wednesday night.
Sunrise tomorrow, 6:15; sunset, 5:10. 10 hours and 12 minutes of sunlight.
Main street business men are up against it till the street can be cleared.
Yesterday morning for awhile the wind blew a gale out of the west, and it was followed by showers.
Charles R. Applegate is building a house on Thomas Street, in the rear of his Dayton Avenue home.
We must depend on California and Florida for fruit this fall and winter, as few housewives have any canned this summer.
J.P. Evernham last Friday started to excavate the site of the store he will build on Main Street on the Sheriff Frank Aumack front.
James Hurley is rather proud of the fact that he picked two quarts of strawberries last week, and revelled in a strawberry shortcake supper.
M.L. Cranmer had his Chevrolet showroom opened in the Veeder Building, in charge of his son, Adolphus, who reports the sale of [series] 490 Chevrolets to Albert G. Johnson and C. Ellenberger.
Several people of late have captured specimens of that curious insect, the praying mantis, a native of the West Indies. It has been found several times on cranberry bogs. In some respects it resembles the katydid, but in others is very unlike that insect.
Professor Hervey, of the Poultry Department of the State College, at New Brunswick, addressed the Ocean County Poultry Association, at the court house on Wednesday evening upon poultry breeding. This association is having monthly lectures on poultry raising by the best experts of the country. These lectures are attended by hard-headed, practical poultrymen, who come to get the latest discoveries in the poultry game.
Gas and kerosene are both up for the winter.
Pupils of the high school gave a dance at the Ocean House last Saturday evening.
Sugar can now be bought at one-fifth its price two years or so ago. This week local stores advertise five pounds for 27 cents, and not long ago the profiteers were gouging us at 28 cents for a pound [approximately during the First World War].
Farmers mostly cut their stalks early, and are now husking out the corn; sweet potatoes have been dug and pumpkins harvested. There's not much left on the ground or in it. Cranberries are mostly picked.
Samuel Kaufman has bought the Hobbs house property on Hooper avenue from the Hurry estate. There is a large house and a considerable tract of land. He is planning to remodel the Hobbs house into a three-family apartment, make another house out of the barn and perhaps build several bungalows on the Hooper Avenue front. His present idea is to make the rest of the big lot into chicken farm, as there are six or seven acre there.
The frost last week blackened sweet potato vines and on Saturday many people harvested their crop. The potatoes are fine this year.
The Double Trouble Company finished picking their bogs on Monday. They had upwards of 12,000 bushels. Italian scoopers did the work.
The Toms River Yacht Club holds a special meeting tonight.
The sewer contractor blocked off Main street Tuesday, from Washington to Water streets.

YES, HE GOT HIS COW
Last week County Agent E.H. Waite bought from John A. Maguire, of the Bay-lea farm, a young cow that was delivered to Mr. Borgi, the one-legged man, told of in last week's Courier, who was unfortunate enough to lose his cow. Mr. Borgi wishes to thank all who helped so generously. It came as a complete surprise to him, but now that he has had the cow a week he says, “Oh, but you ought to see my babies now that they are getting plenty of milk.”
It seemed as if quite a number wanted a hand in buying this cow. Maguire, the seller, threw off $25 on the price of his cow, selling it for $50. Oscar Hodgkinson, of Cedar Grove, will send over a lot of fodder for the cow. Those who gave money suggested that if there was a balance, it be used for feed for the cow. There is a balance and it will be so used...

HEADLINE NEWS

HALLOWE'EN PARADE TO BE GIVEN BY FIRE COMPANY
For the third time the Toms River Fire Company is planning a Hallowe'en parade for Monday, October 31, in the evening. As in the past two years, it now looks as if, with favorable weather, all roads would lead to Toms River that night. There will be music, it is expected, by the Boy Scout Band, of Paterson. Lots of red fire will illumine the parade, as Hallowe'en this year comes in the dark of the moon.
The business men of the town have arranged for a score or more of prizes which will be given to the best costumed couple, best group (four or more), best costumed lady, man, boy and girl, under 16 years; best comedy couple, best comedy group (four or more), best comedy lady, man, boy and girl, under 16; most original fancy costume, most original comedy costume, most original comedy costume and most original costumed group. Entries are made with Sid Harris, at his cigar store.
Following the parade will come a dance at the Boy Scout Hall, when three prizes will be given away—$20, $10 and $5 [$306, $153 and $76 in 2021 dollars].

PICK TOMS RIVER BOY TO REBUILD WAR-TORN FRANCE
Announcement was made in the New York papers of Monday that Henry C. Irons, of the firm of Todd and Irons, builders of many huge structures in that city, had been asked to come to France by the French Government, and take entire charge of rebuilding the war-swept portion of northeastern France. The New York papers stated that Mr. Irons admitted he had been asked to go to France on this rebuilding work and was considering the matter.
Henry C. Irons, while now living in Plainfield, and doing business in New York, is a Toms River boy. He is the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William G. Irons, and a brother to Miss Kate Irons, of Main Street and Seward Avenue. As a lad he worked his way through Princeton college, and studied law in New York city. With another friend he formed the firm Todd and Irons, and in the nineties [1890s] plunged into the real estate game in New York City with nothing but their brains and their nerve as capital. He is now rated a millionaire [$1 million in 1921 makes about $15 million in 2021 dollars, for reference].
Both New York and Philadelphia papers, and, in fact, papers all over the country, take it as a signal honor to this country that France should send over here for the man to boss this big job. They also see a big export trade in building materials as the result of such a choice. And if the country at large is honored, then Toms River surely is, to have one of its boys thus chosen.

JACK FROST HAS COLORED SWAMPS AND UPLAND, TOO
Old Jack Frost the past week got out his paint brushes and colors, and spread color around with a lavish hand. The high lights were put in the swamps, where maple and bilsted [American sweetgum] and sumac are aflame with yellow, orange and red. On the uplands the oaks are turning, and some of them rival the swamp maples for bright red tints. The upland sumac are a wine red, and the sassafras are gold, and orange, tipped with flame red.
Some of the trees will not be so handsome this year as on other occasions. The foliage this summer was nipped by the frosts that came after its unusually early start, and was also hindered by the droughts of June and early July. So that the leaves on many trees are not many nor so perfect as in the average year. The very dry fall also caused the leaves to drop from the trees before they had a chance to color up. But nevertheless he is hard to suit who cannot find color enough in the Jersey woods just now to feast his soul upon.

GAME WARDENS ARE ACTIVE
Game Wardens are active and it hardly pays to take a chance breaking game laws, and then paying a big fine. Warden J.H. Evernham, of Toms River, had six men fined $20 each [$306 in 2021 dollars] the past week for running counter to the laws. Up at Point Pleasant four men were netting striped bass, and it cost them $20 each. They were Harry, Elmer and Stephen Ortley and Harry Letts. Out on Good Luck meadows last Sunday night, J.E. Hannaway, of Long Branch, accompanied by an Italian named Steruko, was shooting at ducks. They were also fined $20 each.

FUND FOR OLD GRAVEYARD
An unnamed correspondent sends the Courier a dollar bill [$15 in 2021 dollars] as the start of a fund for keeping the old Methodist Graveyard, at Washington Street and Hooper Avenue in better shape. The writer says that there are many who have loved ones buried there who might be willing to give a little something each year to keep this “God's Acre” free from weeds and looking nicely. The matter is well worth consideration. The dollar is a start.

PERSONAL
R.J. Bump, of Binghamton, N.Y., owner of the Bump Building, at Main and Washington Streets, has been spending a few days at Silverton gunning for wild fowl. Mr. Bump could see possibilities in Toms River real estate when the residents here could not, and probably would not unload for less than three or four times what he put in property here.
Mrs. George Alsheimer and Mrs. Harold Murphy walked from Toms River to Lakehurst one day this week. They have several longer hikes in prospect.

FISH AND GAME
The wild fowl season opened on Monday morning, with scores of gunners on the points and islands of the bays. Scores more in the upper bay were out after crow chickens, while others haunted the tide ponds and swamp holes on the beaches and meadows for black ducks.
During the week prior to the opening of the gunning season there were large flocks of duck arriving in both upper and lower bay waters. Geese also arrived and are still arriving, with the ducks, in goodly numbers. The crow ducks were at their usual feeding places in Applegate's Cove, Kettle Creek, etc. The other ducks were largely black ducks, which were raised about the bays this summer, widgeon, broadbills and rednecks.
In the lower bay the geese and ducks were well out in the water and very few were killed. Black duck suffered a heavy casualty list, chiefly among this year's birds, it is said. For, while the gunners have a saying, “as wary as a black duck,” still the young birds, that had never been shot at before, and weer used to seeing men around all the time, were ready victims to the gunners.
The crow ducks were mostly got in the good old way of chasing them up into the coves' heads with rowboats, and shooting them when, unable to retreat any further, because driven up to the land, the ducks rose to fly over the boats.
Reports say that for a week or two past there had been a slaughter of black ducks at night, or in the early evening dusk in some places along the upper bay. Game wardens were pretty busy up that way, at any rate.
Game wardens have their eyes on some folks who have been shooting quail since early October. They say they know their men, and may make arrests any time.
Fishing is about over for the season. There were fewer fishing parties out this week and, there are more fish caught any December or January night in Joe Grover's store, at Toms River, or any afternoon in the winter, in Conrad's store, at Barnegat, than all that were landed this week end on the Jersey coast [the writer is joking about the “fish tales” that abound among gathered men in the town general stores mid-winter evenings].
Anglers say that the striped bass are about the inlets seeking fresh water for the winter. Seabass are still found, and also flounders. It is now about time for the winter flounder to come in the inlets, replacing the summer flounders that have been very plentiful since early spring this year.
The winter fish are appearing on the coast, and tomcods, ling and whiting can b e looked for any time. Some fishermen say they have caught tomcod.
Gus Meisselbach, of Newark, has been fishing New Inlet for striped bass and channel bass both, and with his friends has made a number of fine catches, says the Newark Sunday Call. This paper also tells of a visit paid to Forked River last week of a party of ten Prudential Insurance Co. employees, who motored down in two cars, leaving Newark at 3 A.M. They went out with Capt. Adam Hebeler, after first getting breakfast, and caught two big weakfish, some flounders, blackfish, seabass and several baskets of crabs before starting back to Newark.
Baymen say there is much feed for the wild fowl in the bays this fall, and they should fatten up at once after their flight.
When a Central Railroad train reached Elizabethport from the shore one day last week, a cock pheasant was found wedged in the cowcatcher.
The new Bradley Beach fishing club proposes to make itself popular with its members. It announces that it will have as star attraction a clubhouse on the shore of Barnegat Bay, somewhere close to fishing grounds, and another at New Inlet.
Buck deer have their horns full sized now, though partly in velvet. They will be hard and bony in a short time, with cool weather.
Reports from back in the pines say that there are some folks who are enjoying fresh killed “pork” that once wore horns. Game Warden Charlie Morton, of Mt. Holly, will know all about that “pork” if the killers are not careful. He has a way of learning things that the piners do not like.

RECENT DEATHS
Mrs. John C. Post, Sr.
Mrs. Mary Post, widow of the late John C. Post, Sr., of this place, died suddenly on Monday night, from heart trouble, aged 82 years. She had been in good health and spirits up to within a short time of her death. She leaves two sons, John C. Post and Elbert T. Post; three grandchildren, Walter Davis, and the Misses Hazel and Helen Post also one great granddaughter. Her maiden name was Pendleton. She was a sister to Mrs. Henrietta Thatcher, of Water Street. She came here with her husband and family about thirty years ago. Mr. Post, Sr., was a Grand Army veteran [a Union soldier in the Civil War] and also a veteran New York fireman, and moved here on retiring from the department, buying a small farm on the north side of town. He died some years ago. Mrs. Post was remarkable for her cheery disposition and high spirits, always trying to make other folks happy, and she had a host of friends... Burial at Riverside Cemetery.

TOWN LIFE

BARNEGAT
How blessed we are who live at the seaside where fish, oysters, clams, ducks and other bay foods are right at our door. At least that is what our city friends think; but the city friends need only step out to a market and get these things just when they want them, while we, who live at the edge of the bay are fortunate to be able to get them at any price. Gunning season is here now, and many sportsmen are here also. Some of our baymen complain that private parties are buying all the islands and meadow points where the best shooting is. These islands and points have been here many years, and so have some of our baymen, but they failed to see that the steady march of advancement was steadily encroaching on their privileges. They have enjoyed these bay privileges all these years without molestation, or cost to themselves. If these islands and points are so valuable, why not get together and buy some of them? Then on the other hand, where do they make the most money—out of the sharpshooters, or by gunning for themselves? Many days they cannot get a feather and if they do they cannot sell the same. But when they gun for the stranger they are sure of their pay. So, if they owned the islands where would they be any better off, as the owners usually hire some one to take them out, and very few of them object to others gunning from their meadows when they are not there.
The railroads are waking up to the fact that they must cut rates, especially on freights, as vast amounts of freight carried by truck is making inroads in their profits. Most all roads are dependent on their freight traffic for their main revenue, and with their large expenses, cannot let this trade slip away from them. How this railroad problem will pan out is hard to tell, as the roads say they cannot reduce rates without a cut in wages, and the employees say they cannot live if their wages are cut, and the public cannot live with such high freight rates. So what will be the outcome; we can only wait to see. Railroads are very expensive affairs to operate, taking the first cost and the daily expenses. For instance, suppose we want to go to Waretown, a distance of three miles. We go to the depot, and there is a building that cost several thousand dollars with an agent at a good salary. He will sell us a ticket at 15 cents. You go out and there stands an engine and three cars, the cost of which may be $50,000; then there is an engineer, fireman, conductor and two brakemen to help you on your way. You run over three miles of track that cost several thousand dollars per mile, and at the end of your trip you find another depot for you to get off at. And you may be the only passenger on the train—all for fifteen cents.
The jitney has no depot, no agents, no tracks to keep up, but ask the jitneyman to take you to Waretown for fifteen cents. But the roads get some of it back when they have a circus train or a special that must get there in a certain time—there is no fifteen-cent rate then.

BEACH HAVEN
Mr. and Mrs. Guhle, of Tuckerton, have moved here and are living on Second Street.
Gunners were busy from Monday all this week.
Mr. Dougherty is building a new and large bungalow.
It is stated that during January and February the railroad bridge over the bay from Manahawkin to Long Beach is to be repaired, the draw particularly. Passengers and freight will use the state bridge and travel by autoes while the railroad bridge is closed, the report goes.

BEACHWOOD
Mr. and Mrs. G. Siffert came down for the week end with Mr. R. Swanson and Miss K. Thomas, of New York. [Mrs. Siffert was the heiress of the Thomas English Muffin “fortune,” and a popular old Beachwood story is that she would wash her money and dry it out on the clothesline at their home on the southwest corner of Compass and Harpoon, which still stands today.]
Mr. and Mrs. N.T. Pulsifer have closed their house. [Their house later was donated by Mr. Pulsifer to become what is today the Beachwood Library, still housed in the original bungalow on Beachwood Boulevard.]

CEDAR GROVE
Woodie Applegate has moved from the Cattus farm to the Wm. Miller house on Vaughn avenue. A family from Staten Island has moved in his place.
The people of Cedar Grove are justly proud of their new hall, and wish to express their gratitude to all who in any way helped by giving money or labor. Special thanks are due to Mr. Freeman of Island Heights, Rev. Ira Hicks and Mr. Dave Marion for their liberal contributions.

CEDAR RUN [section of Stafford Township]
All the sportsmen at the Hub went duck shooting on Monday. Gunning stories are now all the go. We are looking, however, for the game.
Jack Peer, who some time ago started to walk around the world, has not been heard from in a long time.
Capt. Samuel B. Conkling, who spent the summer on the beach, is now at his home here, gathering his vegetables and fruit. The rest of the family are expected to return here for the winter in a few days.
One of our busiest men is Robert Hampton, who is making many changes in the W.S. Cranmer store, of which he is now manager.

FORKED RIVER
Capt. Joe Smires has just built a new sneakbox for Jess Miller, of Toms River and started two more for the High Bar Gunning Club.
Wesley Craw sold his motorcycle and is driving a new Ford. He has also built a garage. He is the guard at the gate at the Naval Air Station, Lakehurst.
Some of our citizens claim they came across a bear track in the southwest part of Lacey Township.
Outside fishing is good our fishermen say.
Watson Penn caught a barrel of fish with hook and rod line outside last Friday.
Joel Barkalow recently sold his place to George Kenfield, of Rockfield, Mass., and has moved into the house on Bay Avenue, he bought from the heirs of Robert Andrews. He is making a big change, clearing up the underbrush. The Kenfields also moved here last Friday, with cow, chickens, etc.
Capt. F. Brouwer had a party out gunning and got over thirty ducks for the opening day.
John Horner has a new house-boat for his gunning parties.
Gray & Rutter have opened a meat market at Forked River in Al Grant's store.

ISLAND HEIGHTS
Harvey Stanwood's new house is going to have some cellar. We are eagerly looking for Captain Kidd's treasure to turn up.
Ed Dilley motored down from Philadelphia to inspect the work on his cat boat, which is being turned into a sloop.
Charles K. Haddon's new yawl boat is progressing well at Rote's yard.

LAKEHURST
The schoolhouse fence is looking better for the application of several coats of paint.
With one good-sized store and restaurant and two stands at the entrance to the Naval Air Station, it looks like a little Wrightstown there. The entrance to the station is now closed off with a gate, and you must have a pass to get through. Some of the men are being laid off at the station.

LANOKA
The curve at Lanoka, on the C.R.R., running from the bridge to the side track has been raised about three feet. A gang of about fifty men have been working two weeks and will take another week to finish it. Several other places will be raised along the line, which ought to have been done years ago.

LAVALLETTE
Our new school teacher is getting along nicely with the pupils. They all like her and that seems to be half of the success of the teacher in a public school.
Mr. George Jones is going to build a bungalow on his lot on President Avenue and Bay Boulevard.
Some people think they have the right to cart sand off the beach front for grading, etc. There is no sand to spare and no one will be allowed to take any away.
There are many people thinking of building here. It is quite a job to keep track of them. We welcome all who come to buy lots or build on them. It is hard to keep pace with them which all helps to promote the growth of the borough.
The Lakewood & Coast Electric Co. will put in the extension from Reese Avenue to Brown Avenue.
Osborn Bros., of Osbornville, have closed their store for the winter.
The duck gunners had quite a good day's sport on Monday. Percey Johnson and his brother Enis got thirteen ducks; Oliver Osborn and his partner got eleven; and several others got quite a few between them.
We only heard of three wild geese being shot on the first day.

MANAHAWKIN
The public school has been closed during the past week owing to several cases of scarletina.
Conductor James V. Jones, of the Long Beach Railroad, is building himself a bungalow at Beachview section of Manahawkin. William Manlove is doing the work.

PINE BEACH
Several new families are expected to become all-year residents of Pine Beach. Some new houses are to be built this fall and winter.
Recently, when a bungalow was bring moved from one street to another, a young lady was seen sitting on the porch of the house quietly knitting, while one of the movers was perched on the roof.
Victor Dittmann is attending a class in commercial law, and account in the Wharton School of Finance at the University. Jas. Pentoney, his cousin, is taking a course in salesmanship in the same institution.
Mr. Victor Donahue, who is a teacher in West Philadelphia High School for Boys and teaches night school in the same building, was held up recently near his home on his return from night school. Having served in the A.E.F. [American Expeditionary Forces, American soldiers in the first world war] he was not as much afraid of a gun as the robber thought he would be. Mr. Donahue thought it was a joke at first, but when he heard the voice back of him saying, “Hands up,” and turned to look, he saw a man with a black mask on holding a revolver pointed at him. His army experience made him tell the burglar to go to a warmer climate, while he took to his heels and fled, zigzagging as he went. He reached his home safely.

SEASIDE PARK
William Burdge is building a bungalow on Island avenue.
At the pinochle and euchre party held Friday evening at the Manahassett for the benefit of the Board of Trade several prizes were donated. The first prize, a half ton of coal, donated by Frank Hewitt, was won by William Bates. For highest score at pinochle, a ten pound roast of beef, donated by Wm. Gregor, was won by C.W. Mathis. Refreshments were served and dancing followed.
Mrs. H.S. Lippencott is enlarging her store.

SILVERTON
Game Warden Evernham was on the job early last Sunday A.M., but nothing doing. Our sportsmen would not break the Sabbath, so the warden had things all to himself. Look out you boys, though, for the new deputy warden who lives here.
Those who watched the moon rise eclipsed last Sunday evening thought it worth looking at.
Birds of various kinds were heard singing like in the springtime last week on those fine days we had. The sweet notes of the blackbirds, that came in large flocks particularly attracted attention. Must have been their farewell visits, for they haven't been heard since.
Ill luck came to Watson Irons last Tuesday, when he fell twelve feet from his barn roof while putting on shingles. Dr. E.C. Disbrow was called and he found him in bad enough shape, but could have been worse. No bones broken, but he was sent to bed. We all hope to see him around and O.K. very soon.
County Agent Waite spent Tuesday afternoon with Hamilton Tilton and his sweet potato patch, looking for prize sweet potatoes. Ham's sweet potatoes were a success this year.

TUCKERTON
Tuckerton Borough Council will take electric lights from the Atlantic City company, which will run wires to Tuckerton, having also furnished the current for the wireless plant below Tuckerton.
Reuben A. Gerber has opened a new dry goods store at Tuckerton. Nathan Gerber's Sons have remodeled the original Gerber store and are running it as a department store.

WEST CREEK
Our cranberry growers are shipping their berries at very good prices to city markets. Owing to the absence of frost until most of the harvests were gathered the berries are in abundance and excellent condition.

ADS OF INTEREST

Enjoyed this article? Please consider making a one-time or recurring donation today!

Your donations support preserving and restoring our shared maritime heritage on the waters of Toms River and Barnegat Bay, through our boat workshop, educational programs and special events. Thank you.

Open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays - 10 am to 2 pm
78 East Water Street, Toms River, NJ 08753
Guided Tours By Request - New Members Always Welcome
(732) 349-9209 - [email protected]

News