This Week in Ocean County, 1921! (October 7th)

10/8/2021

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)

October.
Tenth month.
Nights gain on the days.
Time for moonlit nights.
Freeholders met Tuesday.
New moon last Saturday.
Boys are playing football.
1921 is three-fourths gone.
Autumn colors are not very profuse yet.
Rain on Friday and again on Monday.
Judge Wells, of Burlington County, set here in court on Monday.
A summer with two droughts is rare, but that was the record this year.
Many Toms River and Ocean County people visited the Trenton Fair last week.
Hallowe'en will come on Sunday, October 30. Quite likely the celebration will be on Saturday night.
“Skip” Cowdrick, “Cap” Grover and “Lakehurst” Bryden, of Toms River, caught four big fellows at Oyster Creek Channel last week end.
C.C. Engle has moved his family to Trenton, where he will give all his time to the selling end of the Crossley Clay Mining Co. This company is developing some new clay mines in other sections. He has for some time past been the resident manager at Crossley Station mines.
Jesse P. Evernham is about to break ground for another store and apartment building on the west side of Main Street, next to the Evernham and Mathews' Building. It will be two stories, with a large store on the ground floor and apartment on the floor above.
Delos Thomas, the flyer, with the seaplane, was at Toms River again on Saturday and Sunday, taking up passengers. He made several trips from here to Barnegat Inlet and return. J.E.C. Brown, the publicity man with the plane, says the company expects to have several boats on Barnegat Bay next summer—perhaps two in the Toms River-Seaside Park section, one at Bay Head and one for Beach Haven and Barnegat Station.
Toms River High School football team is booked to play Point Pleasant on October 15.
Last Saturday night showed up so cold that cranberry men who had a head of water flooded their bogs. It turned out, however, that the mercury went only to 30 degrees on the bogs, the same point it reached on the bogs the night before. No frost is reported from it on the uplands, and berries are now so well ripened that they can stand a little freeze.
Oscar Hodgkinson, of Cedar Grove, brought into The Courier office from his farm on Tuesday, appleblooms, cherry blooms and a cluster of green apples about hickory nut size.
Large gatherings of swallows, millions of them if you go by the looks, on Long Beach these days. On Squan Beach there are hundreds of starlings in flocks.
Mrs. Jannet John took over the Sunnyside October 1, and is continuing it as a boarding house, which is a great public convenience. There is room and need for several good boarding houses in Toms River.
A.E. Adam, who has followed the oil game from Texas to India, and thence to Jackson Mills, is now occupying the Miss Amalie Franco farm at Pleasant Plains. Adam says he has been in the oil game all his life and is now settling down to raise a few chickens and run a small farm. He is still interested in oil, however.
Henry, the twelve year old son of Farm Demonstrator Waite, has had a flock of chickens and belonged to the Junior Poultry Club for a year and a half, and in that time clearing $106 [$1600 in 2021 dollars] from his flock. Henry's idea is to run a poultry farm when he gets big enough.
Overcoats and wraps were all right this week, at nights.

THE MEANEST OF THE MEAN
On the outskirts of Toms River village is a man who some time ago, through misfortune, lost a leg near the hip. He has never whimpered or whined, but has met fate face to face and tried to make a living for himself, his wife and little ones. With one leg he farms his little place and makes out the best he can. This fall he had a few watermelons. There were some people, the meanest of the mean, who stole those melons from that hard-working, one-legged man. I hope that it was thoughtlessness rather than meanness that led to this despicable trick, for I would hate to believe that anyone could descend to such low estate. I also hope that if the persons who did it read this article, as they very likely will, it will show them how small a thing it was to do, and will arouse in their breasts the determination to in some way to pay back the loss to this hard-working but unfortunate man.
Since the above took place another piece of hard luck has befallen this family. A few weeks ago this man bought a cow that he might have milk for his little family and perhaps some to sell as a source of a little income in the winter. Monday the cow died, and that hope is gone.

HEADLINE NEWS

KITE BALLOON WENT TO SEA
TWO MEN IN IT ESCAPED
The big kite balloon used as an observing station and practice balloon at the Naval Air Station, in Lakehurst, broke loose from her moorings in the heavy west wind on Wednesday and went to sea. Two men were up in the balloon when the cable snapped; they let out enough gas to get it to the ground, and then jumped. Relieved of their weight the balloon shot up again in the air. It was seen Wednesday morning passing over the south edge of Toms River village toward the sea. Later reports said the east wind to seaward drove it back to shore, and it had been seen near Atlantic City. It was a big fish-shaped balloon, with three-fin tail to steady it, and carried an observation basket. A cable and winch let it out and brought it back to the ground.

SCHOOL TO HAVE MOVIE MACHINE
The Toms River Home and School Association voted last Wednesday at its first meeting this school year, to buy a motion picture machine for school use. The opera house, used as assembly room for the school, has a booth and the state supplies educational films.

50,000 BUSHEL HARVEST AT WHITESBOGS THIS SEASON
A Mt. Holly paper says that the Joseph J. White Company, owners of Whitesbogs, near New Lisbon, will pick 50,000 bushels of cranberries this fall and have a small army of 500 Italians from Philadelphia doing the picking. Up to last week they had already shipped more than twenty carloads to the middle and far west, some going to California.
The same paper says that County Clerk William H. Reebes, of New Lisbon, and Mr. Warner Hargrove, of Brown's Mills, have harvested good-sized crops of cranberries.

LOST DRILL at 2000 FEET
Reports from the Jackson Mills oil field via Lakewood Citizen, is that the oil well there is down 2000 feet, and at that depth a drill was lost and so far they have not been able to recover it. That means the 2000 feet is lost. A new well is to be started at once.

HANGAR A BIG ATTRACTION
The past summer the approved thing to do for all visitors in this section of the shore was to motor to Lakehurst and look over the hangar. As the Lakewood season opens up visitors at that resort are making the hangar one of the points they will want to see.

THE COURIER'S 72nd BIRTHDAY TODAY
Today the Courier starts its seventy-second year. It is the oldest paper in the county, having started its career in 1850, the year Ocean county was set off from Monmouth. It is new, as it has always been, looked upon as the paper identified with the interests, the welfare and advancement of the county as a whole, and it is accordingly rewarded by a wide and ever-growing family of readers. It is prouder however of the confidence of its readers in fairmindedness and honesty of purpose than it is of growth in columns or in circulation. It is this confidence it has striven to deserve, and will endeavor to retain.

FISH AND GAME
Gus Meisellbach and party from Newark, while fishing at New Inlet recently brought in ten large channel bass, the largest weighing 42 pounds, and being caught by Al Hunt.
If the federal government builds a big stone pile at Barnegat Inlet to save the lighthouse, it would be a good place to stock with baby lobsters.
The Fish and Game Commission late this summer have put out in the woods and fields of the state 1406 pheasant, grown at the Forked River Game Farm. Earlier in the spring there were several thousand put out. Only the cock pheasant can be shot lawfully, and the commission is hoping in this way to get the state well stocked with these birds.
The commission also announces that it has been putting out wild turkeys from the game farm in places that seem to make a natural cover for these big game birds. There is a closed season on them, and already in parts of the state they have been fairly well established. These flocks are found by wardens in fairly wooded sections.
Big fish have been running this past week. The bay is full of small mossbunkers and the big fish have chased them up Toms River into fresh water where numerous schools of the mossbunkers have been seen, and where some of the big weakfish have been caught.
Pound nets are said to be catching great quantities of albacore, a fish that resembles both the bonito and the mackerel. They are caught off the coast of late in large schools running from six to thirty pounds. Anglers have gone off shore after these fish with light tackle and have had great sport.

PERSONAL
Capt. Clifford M. Elwell, U.S. Army, left Toms River last Friday afternoon for Pittsburgh, where he is to be one of the instructors of military science in the Pittsburgh University.
Mrs. Helene Klienhans and family have closed Sunset Farm on Hooper Avenue and returned to her home in Newark for the winter.
Edward Crabbe has returned to Princeton University for his sophomore year.
McEwan and Birkbeck Crabbe have returned to the Berkshire School at Sheffield, Mass.
Andrew Applegate, assistant keeper of Barnegat Lighthouse, has been spending several days this week at his former home in Cedar Grove.
Miss Ida Robinson, is now in Alhambra, Cal., having left Los Angeles, after a long stay there. She is now staying at an orange ranch and tells of a trip into the Sierra Madre Mountains, and camping there. When she returns East she expects to live near New York, having sold her home at Toms River.
Henry Edwards and family of Beachwood, sail on Tuesday next, from Philadelphia to Jacksonville, en route for a winter at Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Jack Birdsall, son of Capt. And Mrs. Clarence Birdsall, has entered Princeton university.
Franklin Doan, son of Mr. and Mrs. Horace A. Doan, has gone to Princeton, preparing to enter the university next year.

RECENT WEDDINGS
William Gwyer of Toms River and Miss Mary Jane Harris of Camden and Island Heights were married on Saturday last at Manasquan. The groom is the son of Captain and Mrs. Edgar K. Gwyer of this place and is well known as a player on the Toms River baseball nine. The bridge is the daughter of Herbert P. Harris, a P.R.R. man.

TOWN LIFE

BARNEGAT
Added facilities adds to business but there is little use trying to increase our yachting and fishing crowds as there are not enough boats to accommodate them. Nearly ever night one can see yachtsmen looking for some one to take out their parties but everyone is busy. There are many parties who would rather have the old-fashioned sail boat for a day's outing than the modern gas-propelled craft. When the new cross-state road gets through and our baymen come to realize the great amount of business it will bring, of course they will advertise in all the Burlington and West Jersey papers. They will have large signs along the road, telling of the great fishing, sailing and crabbing is in Barnegat Bay and the rates but will not keep the ordinary people away, and above all accommodating and courteous captains who will treat visitors so they will come again and bring their friends. One could make good money with a dozen row boats furnishing nets, lines and bait for crabbing parties. But like one man said when the summer was over, “you would have to take care of them during the winter.” He might find some charitable organization to do that after he had made a good summer's work with them. As we have said before it will pay the town to spend a little money at the landing in making it attractive for visitors. The money would soon come back, but if we are going to wait for outsiders to force the business on us while we doze and grieve that we have no accommodations, many parties will leave and go elsewhere and never come here again. If we want the trade we must cater to it, make the place attractive, and then when we attract them, have something for them to enjoy. A day's outing is what the people come for, not to pay us a friendly call, but to satisfy their desire for sport—sailing, fishing, crabbing, rowing, bathing or just sitting on the wharf watching the boats come and go, enjoying the salt air and then spreading out their lunch. But whatever their desire is, try to please them and they will come back again. There are other places far more attractive than this, but let's get together and make our landing as attractive as some others.
Billy Hankins has purchased a power-boat from Ezra Parker and is having her overhauled at Perrine's boat shop. He expects to burn the water when he gets his new up-to-date speed engine attached.
Not for years have we had such night fishing. Those who go mostly come back with from half dozen to thirty weakfish, weighing from four to eight pounds, which is a pretty catch. Many are salting them for winter use.
The Central Railroad will run its annual Mauch Chunk [renamed to honor Native American athlete Jim Thorpe in 1954] excursion this season. Why not make a change as nearly every one has been there, and it's too long and tedious to take a second time? Why not go up the Hudson as they use to do and give the people a view of New York City and the beautiful sights along the river which is rightly called the “Rhine of America”? Or they might take a run through the East River to Long Island Sound, down the Sound to Glen Island or any one of the many great pleasure resorts near New York.
Austen Colgate, head of the large Colgate toilet industries, who owns a large slice of ground at the mouth of Barnegat River, is a frequent visitor to Barnegat these days. He had much sport fishing there this summer and fall.
J. Howard Perrine is increasing the size of his boatshop in Barnegat. He is making a specialty of one design, sneak-boxes, and has his shop arranged to turn them out on standard specification.
Albert Petterson, who has been employed at the Toms River station all summer, is back again with C.H. Brandt.

BEACH HAVEN
Capt. Jack Henson's and Sam Hayes' homes have had a visit from the stork.

BEACHWOOD
Polyhue Yacht Club, the youngest club on the beach, feels that it has done something this year, in that it has introduced the fifteen foot sneakbox as a separate racing class. There is little doubt now that next summer there will be a fleet of forty or fifty of these craft. Beachwood, Bay Head, and Mantoloking have boats of this size now; Seaside Park has ordered some sixteen or more of them; Island Heights is getting together a bunch of people to build boats of this type; so that next year racing of these small crafts on an inter-club scale seems assured.
[The club], which recently leased from the borough three years the boathouse on the river bank, has installed a runway with skids and car for hauling out boats, and storing them.
The Borough Commission at its meeting on Saturday night last had two big problems put up to it, the development of Beachwood Heights being petitioned, and charged against Frank Turner, as clerk and marshal, being preferred, and his removal asked.
Mayor Senior being absent, Chas. H. Haring presided. The petition from residents of Beachwood Heights, was read, asking for more improved streets and street lights, also better police protection. The request was favorably received by the Commission, having been anticipated by them, and these matters having been the subject of much anxious thought on their part. Mr. Haring read a statement showing why the river front section was first developed by the borough. He said the blocks between Wave street and the river, about one-eighth the borough's total area, paid over 51% of the taxes and had only a small amount of 1920 taxes left unpaid; the part of the borough south of Wave street, some seven eighths of the total, is assessed at less than 49% of the total valuation, and a much larger proportion of its 1920 tax remains unpaid.
The area south of the railroad being largely unimproved it has been thought wise to spend the greater proportion of the taxes at first in the improved section, the benefits of which expenditure are enjoyed by all Beachwoodites in their daily visits to the water front.
Fear of what a forest fire may do is perhaps the reason that in many properties the wild shrubbery is being thinned out and the trees thinned also. It takes away from Beachwood its original look of nature in its wildness, but it may save the place from a conflagration some time if it is done with care.
A new series of Beachwood postcards, in colors, has been printed by The Albertype Company, of Brooklyn, and placed on sale. It embraces several views of the Polyhue yacht races and the different colored sails are very attractively shown. Also scenes on Bayside Avenue, the bathing beach, Indian Spring, etc. To S.D. Priest, of Toms River, belongs the credit of having brought out these most interesting and pretty cards.

CEDAR RUN
The Tuckerton Railroad is now running on standard time.
William De D'Fanti, the new owner of the Eugene Reeder Farm, has a tractor plowing up his fields and has a couple of men building new chicken houses, as he expects to enter the chicken industry on a large scale.
C.N. Taylor is assisting the delivery of coal in town, and by the looks of things, our coal bins will be well filled this winter. Last winter our citizens were forced to purchase their coal out of town and then had to pay extra for delivery.

FORKED RIVER
The cranberry crop has been pretty good and has escaped frost so far.
John Horner had one week-end party out fishing that caught 28 big weakfish, running up to ten pounds in weight; another of his parties caught 20 big yellow fins.
Capt. Jos. Smires has a contract to build a new boat for a Philadelphia party. The Captain is now driving a Ford sedan.
Mr. Rodgers, the “science man,” gave a very interesting lecture on some of his experiences in China and Japan last Monday evening, and despite the inclement weather, had a fairly good audience.

ISLAND HEIGHTS
Mr. and Mrs. Randolph Cramer, who are staying at the Hallock cottage on the water front, paid a visit to Old Barnegat last Saturday, and were shocked to see what destruction had been done since last year.
Emil Bartells and Misses Helen, Dorothy and Marguerite Bartells sailed over from Seaside Park last Saturday and called on Mrs. T.E. Wainwright, the ladies returning home via airplane. Who says we are not progressive?
Charles M. Haddon, son of Charles K. Haddon, and master of the fast catboat Zulietta, which this summer won the Morgan cup, and other races, is now a student at Philips Exeter Academy, Exeter, N.H., where he is preparing for college.
Charles K. Haddon and family have closed their summer home, returning to Haddonfield.

LAKEWOOD
The Laurel House, Lakewood's first big hotel, and still the favorite with many Lakewood visitors, opened for the season on Saturday last, October 1. Indications point to a big year in Lakewood and an early opening of hotels.
The Strand, the new Ferber Theatre in Lakewood, will open in December. Barney Ferber is now interested in picture production, having bought stock in the Associated First National Pictures.

MANAHAWKIN
Congressman Appleby, Lighthouse Commissioner Putnam and party took dinner at Tom Cranmer's bridge house last Friday. Tom served them a shore dinner that ought to have helped save the lighthouse.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Bolton Jr. of Manahawkin were among those taking flight in the seaplane at Beach Haven last Friday afternoon.
Conductor James V. Jones, of the Long Beach train, has moved back to Manahawkin, after spending the summer at Barnegat City [now Barnegat Light Borough]. Jason Fenimore, who had his family at Harvey Cedars during the summer, has also moved back to Manahawkin.

NEW EGYPT
Latest reports are that the typhoid epidemic near New Egypt, centering in Jacobstown, has apparently run its course. While there are many still very sick, it is now thought they may recover. Just now there is another typhoid outbreak in Trenton and its surroundings.

OCEAN GATE
The seaplane spent some time here taking up parties. One party consisted of Mayor William H. Newlin and Marshal Joseph F. Selinger.

PINE BEACH
There are likely to be several more winter residents here than last year. L.J. Hutchinson is living in his cottage this winter. L.T. Sacrey is occupying the Haines apartment on the water front.
The bungalow on New Jersey avenue which Miss Mulrenan purchased last spring has been moved to Huntington avenue.

POINT PLEASANT
The tin Lizzie has featured in many roles, but figured as a life preserver for Frank Hennessy, an electric light lineman here, when he fell 16 feet from a pole and hit the hood of a Ford, breaking the force of his fall and perhaps saving his life.
George T. McGirr, of Point Pleasant, is recovering from a severe attack of typhoid. He served in the Eleventh Engineers in France and was gassed.

SEASIDE PARK
Winfield Donat of Philadelphia spent the week end here and took back a good catch of fish.
Wm. C. Conover with his family is among the last to leave the resort, but he is now storing his boats to go away.
A number of houses are to be built during the winter and spring.
The State Board of Health has notified the borough that overflow of sewage into the bay must cease, and an engineer will try to see how the matter can be remedied as early as possible.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Mangold are spending a couple of weeks cruising down near Barnegat City [today Barnegat Light Borough]-- a vacation marking their first wedding anniversary.
Operator Clayton Sterling, who spent the summer here as operator at the P.R.R. has returned to his home in Maryland.

SHIP BOTTOM
The pound fishery is lifting large catches of all kinds of fish.
We have fine artesian water and by next summer will have all the cottages piped.
Our old fisherman, Jake Applegate, has been taking out parties after those big fish.

SILVERTON
Marauders have been helping themselves to some of Theo. Irons' crops. About three weeks ago they picked and carried away a generous lot of his nicest apples; later, they dug some of his sweet potatoes, and have taken most of his cranberries.
Mrs. C.L. Warwick of Seaside Heights spent Monday here with her mother, Mrs. D.H. Tilton, and other relatives. Her husband has finished his summer's work at the Penn. station, Toms River, and today goes on duty at Jamesburg, where they expect to live this winter.
Bartine Clayton has his cranberries about harvested.
Watson Clayton had the misfortune to lose his hog last week, after keeping it over all winter and summer. It is quite a loss, and so near the killing time, too.

TUCKERTON
Tuckerton Borough will give up its gas street lights and put on electric street lights, using current from Atlantic City.
Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Pharo have closed their home here and gone to Philadelphia, where they will spend the winter.

WEST CREEK
Mr. Lumbreyer of Berry Lodge, is quite extensively engaged in the manufacture of candy which he retails at a very reasonable price. Another new industry started from present prospects good.
Hamilton Pharo, Joseph B. Cox and Miss Maud Cox went to Atlantic City recently to attend a surprise birthday party to Miss Adele Parsons, one of our town girls, but now residing in the City by the Sea, whee she is teaching in one of the schools. Needless to say they had a good time.
Josephus A. Seaman, station agent at Beach Haven, is spending his vacation at his home here interspersed with trips out of town.
Harry Seaman and family have returned from Beach Haven, where he has been employed during the summer. We are glad to see our people coming home again.
Several of our town's people took in the excursion to Mauch Chunk, Pa.