This Week in Ocean County, 1921! (December 2nd)

12/3/2021

Welcome to another era in Ocean County's past, one century ago this week!

Let your mind wander as you consider life around December 2nd, 1921, courtesy the New Jersey Courier weekly newspaper and Ocean County Library archives, and peppered with items of maritime interest (around a 15 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)

December.
Shop early.
Shop at home.
Twelfth month.
29 days left in 1921.
Another rainy Sunday.
Sewer mains are all in.
New moon last Tuesday.
Green grass still showing.
Main Street needs attention.
Year is on its last month.
Christmas shopping is in order.
Freeholders meet on Tuesday next.
Store windows show Christmas goods.
Leaves are rare on trees and bushes.
New school houses come next, they tell us.
Now we have sewers, what about sidewalks?
November about the rainiest month of the year.
Autoes go through town carrying holly and other Christmas greens.
1921 has been an eventful year for Toms River—what has 1922 to bring us?
Some folks are talking walks out in the woods and spotting symmetrical Christmas trees.
The warm fall has caused the buds to come out on swamp huckleberries and other bushes.
Toms River High School went to Clinton, Hunterdon County, last Friday, and tied the score with Clinton High School. Professor Hellman, now head of Clinton School, was glad to see the Toms River faces again.
Rev. W.W. Payne has sold his power garvey to Frank Wainright.
Sun rises tomorrow, 7:08; sunset, 4:35; length of day, 9 hours and 37 minutes.
The Sunday excursions that were run all the summer and fall from Camden to the shore, on the P.R.R., ended last Sunday.
The Citta-Russo Co. have built a cement block garage on Main Shore road in Berkeley, for Walter Davis, next to Clarence Attison's home.
Mrs. Laura Buchanan has arranged to have Dr. McCarthy, of Philadelphia, at the Toms River Hospital at least once a week, and Dr. English is there daily. Dr. McCarthy was operating surgeon under Dr. Buchanan during the latter's lifetime.
Buyers of lots in Montray Park find that they have the taxes to pay. Some of them say they were told that there would be no taxes for the first two years, and some for the first five years, but they all find that they signed an agreement in which they agreed to pay the taxes. As the property was still in the name of the Montray Corporation on the County Clerk's records and on the Assessor's books, bills for taxes were sent by Collector Bills to that company in New York. They replied that the lot buyers weer responsible for the taxes, and after a number of attempts, Collector Bills got a list of those lot buyers and sent them bills. This raised a hornet's next of protest, as most of them thought the Montray Corporation would pay the taxes till they received title for the lots. [Montray Park is the development of houses now bounded on each side by Route 37, King Street, Seward Avenue and Main Street, and including the Gateway streets, north, south, east and west.]
A high tide in the river on Tuesday morning, almost to the top of Huddy Park bulkhead.
The big power yacht Mycelma II of Island Heights is tied up at Huddy Park wharf.
Frank Buchanan, chairman of Yacht Club entertainment committee, promises a beefsteak supper and smoker at the clubhouse Wednesday evening, 14th, for club members and their guests.
Chairman Burton of the State Highway Commission seems to be a man of action. Sitting beside him at the road meeting in the courthouse on Tuesday night, I took advantage of the chance and told him of the condition of lower Main street. “I'll look after that the first thing tomorrow morning,” was his answer. Next morning men were at work carting off the mud and loose dirt.
I. Cohen of Mr. Holly has rented the store next to Priest's pharmacy, where Milton Sterns has his music store, and will open a clothing store there. Cohen has had a place in New Egypt all the fall and is closing out there to come to Toms River.
Nine new members were added to the Toms River Yacht Club, at a meeting last Friday evening, as follows: Ferd Schoettle, Harry S. Righter, W. Burtis Havens, Alex Robbins, Russell Harned, George R. Hitt, Bert Grey and Joe Finley. Following the business meeting the entertainment committee gave a party which was enjoyed by a number of the younger people.
The small boy is lamenting that we have had neither snow or ice.
Richard Wikoff, of Point Pleasant, was found at Sea Girt freight station, along the railroad, on the night of November 19, with a broken skull, and has since been in Dr. Denniston's hospital. It is said that Wikoff fell on the tract, striking his skull on a steel rail.
Football is about over and basketball is on the floor for the winter.

HEADLINE NEWS

OCEAN COUNTY COAST GUARDS HAD STRENUOUS TIME AT SEA
Loren Tilton, of Silverton, Keeper of the Sandy Hook Coast Guard Station, No. 97, and his crew of six men, some of whom are also Ocean County lads, had a strenuous time at sea during the storm on Monday and Tuesday. Hearing that there was a disabled barge off Long Branch, Captain Tilton launched his heavy power lifeboat and rounded the hook, to go to their assistance. Off Seabright the lifeboat ran into a pound pole and disabled their propeller, and had to anchor. They lay at anchor all that night and next morning rigged their sail and started home, but were taken off their boat by the revenue cutter Gresham, which had been summoned, and had laid by them during the night.
Meantime the men on the wrecked barge had been taken off by surf boat by the crews from Galilee, Capt. William H. Wilbert, of Toms River and Takanassee, Capt. Howard M. Horner, of Tuckerton, and their crews, most of whom are also Ocean County boys. There were three wrecked barged in the tow, and one was wrecked.

EVERYONE WANTS CONCRETE ROADS—BY HIS OWN DOOR
That everybody who drives an automobile, and that is almost every other man at least in Ocean County, wants improved concrete roads, was the outstanding fact developed at the meeting held by the Board of Freeholders on Tuesday night, November 29, to allow the general public to express its views on a proposed bond issue to build concrete roads at the county expense, the state agreeing to reimburse the county in from two to six years. That while everybody wanted concrete roads, most of the folks present favored the county bond system only as they hoped to get some of the concrete in their own immediate section was almost as apparent as the desire for better roads...
Horace A. Doan [commodore of Toms River Yacht Club], of Toms River, broke the ice when the meeting was thrown open to discussion, by asking Commissioner Doughty how it was that with some 230 miles of hard-made roads built or building in the state, Ocean County had not been favored with a foot of it by the state. The Commissioner admitted that he didn't think Ocean County had a square deal. Mr. Doan said that he thought that in view of the unusual expenses most municipalities were incurring (he cited those in Dover Township as an instance) it was unwise to bond the county for a half million to get ten miles of road...

15-YEAR-OLD LAKEWOOD LAD SHOT IN LEG WHILE GUNNING
Lakewood, Nov. 28.—Little 15-year-old Walter Johnson, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Johnson, of Holly Street, is in the Paul Kimball Hospital, as a result of a gunning trip with Harold White, a neighboring boy about his age. The two boys were duck hunting at Laurelton Saturday, when White accidentally letting the hammer of his gun down, shot his companion in the leg. Walter will probably be in the hospital several weeks and fears are entertained that he may lose the leg.

FIREMEN WANT PUMP ENGINE
The Dover Township Fire Commissioners, at a special meeting on Wednesday evening, voted to purchase a $12,000 [$185,422 in 2021 dollars] motorized pumper for the use of the local fire department. It is said a special election will be held at once to appropriate funds for the purchase of this piece of apparatus. The Commissioners already have on hand a considerable portion of this money, while Company No. 1 is going to kick in with a contribution of $1000 [$15,451 in 2021 dollars] from their personal funds.

YACHT CLUB DINNER
The Toms River Yacht Club announces a beefsteak dinner on Wednesday, December 14, at the clubhouse. Men members and their guests are invited to turn out in full force. There will be novelties in the way of entertainment, something unique to Toms River audiences.—Adv.

SEA GIVES UP BODY
Atlantic City, Nov. 24.—Buzzards circling over the meadows near Longport today resulted in the recovery of the body of “Gunnie” Johnson, of Wildwood, one of the victims of the recent Angelsea tragedy, which cost the lives of eleven fishermen. Search of the pockets of the drowned man revealed a pocketbook containing $294 [$4,542 in 2021 dollars] in money and the identification card issued by a lodge. Johnson formerly lived at Point Pleasant and was a member of the Metedeconk Tribe of Red Men.

VILLAGE CHRISTMAS TREE
For several years past Toms River has had a village Christmas tree, with a village Christmas service in the Court House early on Christmas eve. For the past two years, by common consent the direction of this affair has been in the hands of the American Legion, with the churches and lodges of the village aiding as best they could.
This year we must again have the big spruce in the Court House yard lighted from tip-top to bottom, and we must have the Christmas service also. The Courier nominates the Legion as the appropriate body to direct the movement again this year. All in favor say “Aye.” It is unanimous. Go to it, boys, and call on us all for help.

COUNTY SPELLING BEE SOON
At a meeting of the principals at Tuckerton on Wednesday plans were started for the annual county spelling bee. The trophy, donated by Mr. J. Leonard Clark, was won last year by Toms River and, according to previous arrangement, the other schools of the county will again come to Toms River this year.

NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that my wife, Viola Clayton Striffler, having deserted me and my support, her bed and home, for another man, I will not be responsible for any debts contracted for her, the above named. I am about to start action for absolute divorce on grounds of adultery. John M. Striffler.—Adv.

DRAW DECEMBER TERM JURY PANELS
COURT BEGINS DECEMBER 18
Grand and petit jury panels for the December term were drawn on Tuesday, November 29, in open court, by Jury Commissioner Hilliard, before Judge Jeffrey. The lists are as follows:
Grand Jury
Anna May Kelly, housewife, Tuckerton
Samuel S. Taylor, plumber, Lakewood
David Gautier, machinist, Lakehurst
H. Ely Havens, manager, Lakewood
Charles A. Bye, Pharmacist, Lakewood
Ada Strickland, housewife, Bay Head
J. Harvey Kelly, oysterman, West Creek
Edward L. Holmes, captain, Forked River
Belle Brown, housewife, West Creek
Clayton C. Willis, ice dealer, Bushwick
Harold Chafey, butcher, Point Pleasant Beach
Wilfred H. Jayne, Sr., retired, Lakewood
Lewis Abramowitz, merchant, Barnegat
George Voorhees, farmer, Harmony
L. Worrel Holman, cranberry grower, Whitesville
Charles H. Cox, salt hay dealer, West Creek
John R. Eliey, poultryman, Pershing
Elbert Wilbert, foreman, Bay Head
Napoleon E. Kelly, oysterman, West Creek
Ernest Stevens, musician, New Egypt
Ashbrook Cranmer, contractor, Mayetta
Henry L. Hazelton, carpenter, Manahawkin
Cameron W. Rhoads, clerk, Lakehurst
Samuel H. Grover, farmer, Lakewood
Duncan Dunn, superintendent, Forked River
Rosia Clark, boat builder, Pt. Pleasant
Charles Murphy, hotel manager, Lakewood
Joseph Bissey, grower, Point Pleasant
Charles A. Jones, retired, Seaside Heights
Charles M. Underhill, grocer, Mounts Crossing
Charles J. Parmentier, bank cashier, Lakewood
Jacob Prown, hotel manager, Lakewood
Carrie A. Sykes, proprietress, Lakewood
Frank R. Austin, banker, Lakewood
Mary E. Cowperthwait, housewife, West Creek...

GOOD, IF TRUE!
The latest rumor in circulation now regarding railroad extension, writes Rev. Samuel H. Potter, of Toms River, to the Courier, is to the effect that the New Jersey Central may run a spur across the state from Lakewood, to Yardley, near Trenton, thus giving a short and direct route to the capital city from this section. This would bring the resort section of the shore close to Trenton, and by running through Allentown, Imlaystown or New Egypt to Lakewood, would tap a valuable freight trade in that rich farming country. Mr. Potter suggests that this is good news, if true.

NO OIL WELLS IN PINELANDS
Apropos of the oil wells and oil operations in this part of the state, William Mill Butler, of Beachwood, a New York publisher, sends the Courier an article by Roland M. Harper, of the Alabama Geological Survey, published in the Engineering and Mining Journal of New York, and republished in the Literary Digest, which asserts almost no oil wells have been found in pine wood regions. The article says that natural gas, in a few instances, has been found under pinelands, but oil never, or at least very seldom. He suggests that the geological formations that furnish oil seem always accompanied by limestone and shale, which, when disintegrated, forms rich soil in which hardwoods flourish, while the pines grow in sandy soils. Mr. Harper does not state this as an absolute certainty as to future discoveries of oil, but insists that it is a fact as to present oil fields.

DISEASE FREE SEED SWEET POTATOES GROWN HERE
Local growers are putting on the market seed sweet potatoes that are practically free from disease. George A. Newman, of Clifton Avenue, had a field of sweets that when inspected by the sweet potato experts from Rutgers, showed but two diseased stems in several thousand hills. Hamilton Tilton, of Silverton, had as good results. Newman saved much of his yield for seed, and farmers are coming from all over the state to get some of them for next spring.

OCEAN SHORT ON FRUIT
Ocean County is short on apple trees. It has but 9928 according to the 1920 census, which is less than any other county in the state, except Hudson, which is practically one big city. Burlington leads the list of counties, with 427,352 trees, and there are 1,961,032 in the whole state.
Ocean is also at the bottom of the peach tree list, with 11,087 out of 2,820,099 in the state. Burlington leads in peaches, also with 640,139 trees. Monmouth is second in apple trees, and Atlantic second in peach trees, which would seem to show that Ocean ought to be able to raise both crops.

FISH AND GAME
There were several bits of fishing news a little out of the ordinary in the local correspondence of the Courier last week. Maybe you noticed them—maybe you didn't. Here they are:
Lavallette folks had a feast of shad caught in pound nets last week.
Shade and Bill Miller, fishing from Island Heights, caught ninetynine striped bass in one lift of their nets. (There's a peg to hang on a sermon for a new law prohibiting all netting of striped bass in our bays. It will be here soon.)
From West Creek came the story that Francis Parker caught fifty to sixty flounders with hook and line.
William R. Eddy and Harry Herbert while rabbit hunting, bagged a fifteen-pound opossum last week. The biggest either of them had ever seen.
Rabbit hunters have in the woods about Toms River cleaned up scores and scores of rabbits. One man counted thirty he knew had been killed in a little bit of brush west of the village. Fine bags of quail have been made also, and a few pheasant and woodcock brought in.
The season for pike and the fresh water basses closed on Wednesday, November 30. The same day the season for woodcock, mudhens and plover came to an end. There is talk of a new law this coming session of the legislature, to put a closed season of three years on woodcock, to give them a chance. Strange to say in this section more woodcock have been killed in the past two years than in a long time before—either more of the birds, or more men have hunted them.
Field doves seem plentiful. There is a closed season on them, and has been for some years. Hawks keep them down somewhat, if men leave them alone.
Black duck are giving some shooting in fresh water ponds and streams, but more of these ducks will resort to such waters if the bay freezes up.
Large flocks of brant and ducks in the bays, the story continues, just as it has for several weeks past, but very little shooting, except on windy days. And the rains for the most part have come without gales.
Frost fish are gathered in quantities on the beaches by those who like them as an adjunct to winter fare.
Deer hunters lose one of their five days in the deer season this year because it falls on a Sunday. The season is from December 16 to 20 inclusive, and December 18 is a Sunday. It's against the law to shoot on Sunday, so there you are.
Deer are apparently plentiful this year as last, when hundreds were killed in the South Jersey pines and swamps. However, this year there will be but four days of shooting, and last year there were nine days.
Fox hunters are having lots of fun, but are hoping for tracking snows, when they more easily run down their game.
Any hunter killing a fox is required by law to report to the warden of the county where the fox is killed, within forty-eight hours, under penalty of five dollars [$77 in 2021 dollars].
Only one buck deer a year may be taken by any one hunter.
Ellis H. Parker, of Mt. Holly; Anthony J. Parker, William Stevens and Joseph E. Roberts killed 13 ducks, 11 brant and a goose in two days' shooting at Egg Island last week.
Willard H. Eddy and party, Charles Applegate, Hadley Woolley and Charles Grover got about 100 ducks and 7 brant in their trip down the bay. The boys say they should have killed three times that number had there been any wind to stir up the fowl, and that they never saw more fowl in the bay than this fall.
State Treasurer William T. Read, of Camden and Seaside Park, recently went on a rabbit hunt at Ringoes, Hunterdon County.

GUNNING POINTS AND PROPERTY PURCHASES
The troubles of the Barnegat baymen over the taking up of gunning points has reached the city sportsman who, in former years, gunned at will with his Barnegat, Waretown or Forked River guide from those points, but is now barred. Last Sunday's Newark Call discoursed on this ever interesting topic as follows:
“Duck hunters are complaining bitterly about the posting of prominent gunning points in Barnegat Bay, claiming that the time is fast approaching when a half-dozen wealthy men will control the points from Bay Head to the inlet to the exclusion of other licensed New Jersey gunners.
“Ever since the wild water fowl season opened, residents at Barnegat, Waretown and other shore villages, have been employed to warn gunners off supposed leased lands under water, and in several instances coast guards have been added to the force of persuasion, especially when a couple of stubborn gunners are encountered who have refused to push their sneak boxes into deeper water.
“Baymen who have made their winter expenses taking out gunning parties are loud in their protests against one New York individual in whose employ is a rather pugnacious coast guard. This owner claims to have leased from the State of New Jersey practically all of the 'gunning points' and sedges from the southern side of the inlet clear across to the mainland, and his employees make a practice, when a gunner refuses to move away, to stand on the meadow banks waving their arms to frighten away ducks and geese until the disgusted gunner packs up his belongings and moves away.
“A few years ago a wealthy resident of Lakewood purchased an island a few miles north of the inlet, which he threw open to everybody for gunning purposes, but the gunning points will accommodate only a small portion of the gunning parties that now seek Barnegat Bay for their sport.
“Clam wars, oyster wars and wars over the taking of fish have shaken New Jersey to its very foundation in the past; “if” remarked a bayman, “the state continues to spread its net of leases so that we cannot shoot ducks on marshes that have been feeding grounds for generations there is going to be trouble before the disarmament conference is ended.
“While in the minds of many upland hunters there is no righteous justification in the posting of fields and woods that have been stocked with game paid for through license fees or state funds, that is nevertheless private land and the game is more or less fed, sheltered and protected and the birds and animals come to look on it as their permanent home, but with ducks, geese, brant and snipe it is entirely different. They are migratory, stopping only long enough during their flights to feed, and would not be in the same place two days in succession, even though there was no one there to shoot at them. There is also a vast difference between bay shooting and upland shooting and posting of lands. Bay shooting parties require guides, while upland guides are practically unknown in New Jersey, so that there is through this posting of gunning points a loss of revenue to a great many men. It is revenue that is badly needed just now, as the fishing season just closed was the poorest in the memory of the oldest inhabitant and some of the oldest residents along Barnegat Bay have seen the sun rise through the inlet for several decades.
“When a Barnegat Bay native loses his means of livelihood he is no different from any other man in feeling, but when the cause of that loss is a non-resident, all of that old independent feeling that filled Boston harbor with tea boxes comes back to him, resulting frequently in disturbances that newspaper headlines characterize as “wars.”

DOVER TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS
Next week, beginning Monday, December 5, will be “Visit the School Week,” when parents and others interested are expected to visit the schools. No change will be made at the village schools in the ordinary work-a-day program; except that on Wednesday afternoon, the occasion of the monthly meeting of the Home and School Association. That afternoon at 3.00 there will be a demonstration lesson in writing in Mrs. Sutton's room in the annex, followed by a one reel picture in the opera house, “The Boy Problem Solved.” These are pubic meetings open to all.
The Home and School Association showed the picture “Black Beauty,” to 1000 people last Friday, and netted $65.00 [$1,004 in 2021 dollars].
The football team went to Clinton on Saturday. The rain made the field a sea of mud, and neither side scored. The Toms River boys spent most of the time in Clinton's territory, however. In line bucking Toms River made good gains, Burnett repeatedly breaking through Clinton's lines. The season ends with one victory, four defeats, and a tie.

PERSONAL
The Mt. Holly Herald of last Friday said: “It was pleasing to a great many people on Wednesday to see Philip S. Irons, Sr., able to walk down town after he had been sick since early in August with typhoid fever that developed after attending the supper at Jacobstown on July 27. He looks great for a man who has gone through the sickness that was visited upon him; his voice is in form and his smile looks as though he felt like a million dollars.”
The Misses Ida, Henrietta and Marian Worstall, all of whom are in Trenton, were home for the week end with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. George G. Worstall.
Tilden Kirk and Allan Brouwer were here for Thanksgiving from the University of Pennsylvania Dental School, with Mr. and Mrs. Frank Brouwer. Miss Anna Henderson, of Philadelphia, also was a holiday guest of Mrs. Brouwer.
Miss Natalie Priest has returned to St. Mary's School, Burlington, having spent the holidays with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. D.S. Priest.
Edward Crabbe and Jack Birdsall have returned to Princeton University, after spending the Thanksgiving holiday at their homes here.
Col. Whittlesey, commander of the “Lost Battalion” in the Argonne, whose apparent suicide from a West Indian steamer has been made much of in the daily papers this week, was cousin to Mrs. George W. Hallock of Toms River. His family feel that his mind was temporarily affected while attending the services in honor of the unknown soldier recently at Washington.
The second of the series of winter promenades at the Marion Inn ballroom will be held on Thursday evening next, December 8, when a jazz orchestra and special features will be brought from New York City.
Edward Crabbe will drive to Concord, Mass., next week, to visit his daughter, Mrs. Starr Ballou.
Frank R. Austin of Tuckerton, and Samuel D. Downs of Newark, who has been visiting Mr. Austin in his old home town, made a pleasant call at the Courier office Wednesday. Mr. Downs is a Civil War veteran of eighty years, but active and alert. He formerly taught school in some of our shore villages.
Mrs. Edwin H. Berry will be the hostess at a card party in her home on Main street Monday evening, December 5th, for the Ladies Auxiliary of the Toms River Yacht Club.

TOWN LIFE

BARNEGAT
Of the millions who attend the movies daily, few can be censured, when by walking a block and paying a few cents, a workingman or woman can pass from the dreary workshop or the grim realities of life into the realm of romance and adventure; when the woman whose day is filled with drudgery within four walls of her home can spend an evening among the wind-washed mountains or in the palaces of royalty; when children can exchange the company of the ash cans and alleys for that of fairies and pirates, there is no wonder they accept the invitation so readily—so eagerly. Why not?
It is often remarked that we have nothing in our town that amounts to anything in the way of a weekly payroll. Let us see how many places there are that employ from one to several people; Conrad Bros., Gaskill's garage, Perrine's boatshops, Smith's oyster house, Clayton's feed mill, the bank, Abramowitz's store, Reeves and Cranmer, grocery; the bakery, Curtis' restaurant, American stores, hotels, schools, barber shops, post office, two railroad stations, John Lewis, dress factory, several hay shippers, besides the numerous mechanics and laborers, railroad employees, etc.
Our fishermen are going to petition Washington to sink a lot of these scrapped ships off our shores to make good seabass fishing. Why not? It wouldn't take many ships to amount to $100,000,000, and the fishermen could soon get that back at the price of fish the past few seasons.
Thanksgiving over, we feel we have several things to be thankful for. We saw a few turkeys that were sold for eight dollars each [$123 in 2021 dollars] (we write that out in full for fear you might mistake it for eighty cents). This is one of the things we give our heartfelt thanks for, the thought that we were not compelled to buy them. Then there are another lot of folks who ought to be very thankful, and that is the people who had the turkeys for sale—thankful that they find enough buyers who must have turkey, never mind the cost.
It doesn't seem to make much difference to our taxes whether we have everything or nothing, so give us some lights, especially in the business part of the town, so that strangers passing through won't think that there is an open-air movie show going on, and the one electric light in front of Louis' store is the screen.
It is reported that James Palmer, of Tuckerton, will open a meat shop here in the near future.
Some one recently remarked that women's dresses should be like a popular lecture—long enough to cover the subject, and short enough to be interesting.

BEACHWOOD
Mr. and Mrs. E.D. Collins of East Orange, were here for the week end. Mrs. Collins recently went to Washington, D.C. On the occasion of the exercises in honor of the “Unknown” soldier, and placed on his casket a wreath and a helmet, as a representative of the National League for Women's Service. She also, while in the national capital, sold a number of helmets, the funds going for the “dugouts” in New York City.
The Polyhue Yacht Club will hold a meeting, presumably at the Colonial Club, in New York, about the middle of December, when the cups won in the point races during the summer will be presented to the winners. A reunion of the Polyhue Club members is assured for this meeting.
The Beachwood Rod and Gun Club held its Thanksgiving day shoot at the club grounds... the club has been fitted up with four bunks and an open fireplace, and some of its members are using it as headquarters while on gunning trips.

BEACH HAVEN
The Board of Freeholders are widening the extension of the beach road south to the new inlet. This inlet, by the way, has been encroaching on the end of the road, as it widens with the storms. It nearly took out a small pavilion built at the end of the road in one of the late storms.
Hazelton Jones, of Bonds Coast Guard Station, has been home in Tuckerton because of illness.

FORKED RIVER
The C.R.R. Is laying new steel rails through here.
George Chamberlain is painting the farm house at the state farm.
W.H. Penn recently bought five mules at Camp Dix army sale.
William Petty, Jr., of Cranbury, has been visiting Charles Woolley on a duck hunting trip, and while out with Watson Penn bagged 26 fine birds.
Frank H. Britton has bought a lot from Joseph Peckworth and will build a bungalow. The cellar is dug and foundation started.
Randolph Phillips, the lima bean man, has sold his bean farm to Christian Fleissner; but will continue to raise strawberries and limas on another place he has bought.
There was a large crowd for the Greyhound Inn Thanksgiving day festivities, many auto parties coming down from the cities, besides the people from shore towns.

ISLAND HEIGHTS
Mr. and Mrs. Bert McKelvey have returned to Clover Hill Farm, after a pleasant visit to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Webb, in Philadelphia.
Milton Johnson is building a new bungalow on Laurel Avenue.
Prof. Byron Phillips is having his property on the corner of Ocean and Oak Avenues improved by a cement block walk.
The pupils of the Island Heights School presented the play, “I'd Be Thankful If,” on Wednesday afternoon, November 23. The proceeds from the cake and candy which were sold, together with the contributions, amounted to $13 [$200 in 2021 dollars]. Ed. J. Schoettle, of Philadelphia and Island Heights, donated $10. The money will be used for purchasing library books.
Willard Irons, a 15-year-old, shot his toe off while gunning last week. He was resting the muzzle of the gun on his foot when he accidentally pulled the trigger. At Kimball Hospital Dr. Harold Disbrow thinks he can save the foot, but one toe was taken off completely.

LAKEHURST
Electric lights turned on in several houses on Pine Street, Saturday evening, for the first time, and the whole village will be lighted shortly.

LAVALLETTE
The borough has taken up the steps on the boardwalk and also the outside dock on the bay for the winter.
The electric lights on our streets make a great improvement over the oil lamps.
I.B. Osborn made a large shipment of cranberries the past week.
Charles Hankins has started to build and has under way six pound boats and sea skiffs.
The Boulevard has been scraped and is in quite good condition after so much bad weather.
We would advise some of our younger boys to be careful how they throw stones and old tin cans at electric light poles, as they will be caught.

MANTOLOKING
Capt. H.M. Horner was a Saturday visitor here.
Miss Hilda Clayton, of Bradley Beach, spent Thanksgiving with her aunt, Mrs. Dory Ware.

NEW EGYPT
Oscar Chamberlain killed hogs on Monday.
Dr. J. William Bichler is having his house wired for electric lights.

POINT PLEASANT
Point Pleasant Beach front is being built up at the inlet with shacks and bungalows, pretty much like the north beach, across the inlet, known as Manasquan Beach. The question of sanitation is likely to be a serious one next summer, as Dr. Denniston, H.W. Briggs and others plan building a dozen or more of these summer houses.
Thieves are at work looting summer cottages at the beach resorts. These reports come from Point Pleasant, Bay Head and other ocean-front resorts.

SEASIDE HEIGHTS
W.H. Cowdrick, of Seaside Park, has succeeded Gordon D. Homer, as P.R.R. station agent at Seaside Heights.
Owen J. Melee, the contractor, has about completed the extension to the beach boardwalk.
Commodore William D. Stanger, of the Seaside Park Yacht Club, recently sent a check for $100 [$1,545 in 2021 dollars] toward paying the cost of rebuilding the Union Chapel at Seaside Heights.
Otto Geller has built a chicken house at his home.
G. Mannschreck is building a store and apartment house on Hamilton Avenue, near the bridge head.
E.S. Jones, of West Philadelphia, is having E.C. Kramer build him a two-story house on Sumner Avenue.
The dance held Thanksgiving evening by the Fire Company, was enjoyed by a large crowd; the music was by Newman's orchestra. Several prizes were given. The door prize, a large basket of fruit, was won by Howard Keogh, Jr.
Everett Worth on Wednesday killed a 300 pound hog, which he had raised and fattened at the fishery this season.

SEASIDE PARK
Harry Faunce, formerly of Toms River, is building himself a bungalow. It is understood that Hutch Faunce will increase his fleet of rowboats, which were such a popular form of amusement at the bay front last summer. Last year he had a score or more and on some Sundays and holidays could have rented twice as many. Auto parties and picnickers who came on trains used them for crabbing and fishing in the bay on the shoals between Fifth Avenue and the railroad bridge.
The school children's Christmas fund was the gainer by $90 [$1,390 in 2021 dollars] from the recent chicken supper.
Dr. Charles H. Harker, of Mt. Holly, who is an extensive property owner here, is building a cottage on Seventh Avenue.
A. Carl Haag is enlarging his store at Fifth and Central Avenue.
They say that times are hard, that wages and building material are high, that taxes are outrageous, and still a place situated like Seaside Park is, simply can't help growing, for people who come here once soon want a summer home here.
Joseph Penrose, who has been employed for several seasons as bookkeeper at the Manhassett hotel, was taken ill with quinsy sore throat [a rare complication of bacterial tonsillitis], and on Monday was removed to a Philadelphia hospital. His many friends here hope for a speedy recovery.
Mrs. M.R. Bagley entertained all her children on Thanksgiving day, the first time she has been able to get them all home at one time in twelve years. The party consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Burdsall, of Hamilton Square; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Heitzman, of Ocean Gate; Mrs. Amanda Falkenburg and daughters Eunice and Dorothy, of Mantoloking; Mrs. J.R. Hughes and sons Jack and Leonard, of Berkeley; Mrs. Martha Sprague, of Miami, Fla.; and Miss Mildred Bagley.

SILVERTON
This community is very sorry to learn that Rev. Linwood Miller and family are quarantined in their home in Whitesville, his little daughter having scarlet fever.

TUCKERTON
Charles H. Wood has opened a lunch counter in Tuckerton.

WEST CREEK
Mr. Connie Horner, of Tuckerton, is substituting in the railroad station while Station Agent Seaman is having his vacation.
Mr. John T. Grey is now possessor of a new Ford sedan. These machines are becoming quite popular in this locality.
The stork visited the home of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Shinn last Saturday, leaving a sturdy boy to begin the battle of life.
Mr. and Mrs. Josephus Seaman have migrated to Beach Haven again for their second winter there.
John T. Grey has sold the old mill at Mayetta, an ancient landmark on the Main Shore road, to Edward L. Shinn, who will demolish the building and utilize the material for something more modern. These old landmarks and the older people are fast disappearing as time rolls on, and already such decided inroads have been made on locations, vocations and population that we sometimes wonder if we still live in Ocean County.

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