Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1897-01-06
A Letter FROM THE
CITY BY THE SEA.
The Holiday Celebrations
Observed.
The FIRE DEPARTMENT cRITIsED.
ARGUS" WHITES OF BUSINESS, POLITICS
FREEHoI .DERs, THE COUNTY SEAT AMI
RAILROADS AND WINDS UP WITH REFER
ENCE TO THE CITY HALL PARK.

|
RAILROADS AND WINDS UP WITH REFER
ENCE TO THE CITY HALL PARK.
The Holidays were merry ones not
withstanding the hard times, and the
Christmas greetings and the wishes for
"a Happy New Year" were exchanged
with as much fervor as usual. Quite a
number of the cottagers came down to
enjoy the occasion, and many Others
came to the big hotels to escape the
noises in the large cities incident to the
US herring in of the New Year. The Nat
tcr's Alley fire was the shadow
that clouded the Christmas
celebrations, and quite a number of very
poor people were made homeless in mid
winter. Their friends, however readily
responded to the call Tor assistance, and
all the victims have been carefully pro-
vided for. Right in this connection
want to say q word in defence OF the
Fire Department-whichI l believe to be
one of the best and most efficient in the
country for city of 10000 inhabitants.
notice that the boys who are always
willing to risk and sacrifice their lives
are being made the target Of adverse
criticism by some of the thugs and
thieves who inhabited Matters Alley.
These high-toned and distinguished
gentlemen aver that the members of the
fire companies did not exercise sufficient
activity in sa wing the valuable furniture
in the burned district, and furthermore
that they were not quite lively enough
in their movements while rescuiDg some
Of the fragrant SONS of Ham who were
temporarily oblivious to their surround
ings in consequence of having absorbed
too much bug juice" What are the
facts in the case? Simply these. A lot
Of drunken negroes on Christmas day
overturned store during their drunken
orgies and set the house on fire and
started confagration that-with less
efficient Fire Department-might have
been q most disastrous one. The De-
partmeut quickly responded, as it al
ways does, and found itself confronted
with sheets of flame leaping from row
of cheap wooden houses of tinder-box
combushbility. Quick hard work alone
| saved a much worse fire. The neighbor-
hood was filled with scores of drunken
and half drunken negroes of both sexes,
| fighting, bawling and brawliDg; scream
ing, crying and shouting with all the
| the hysterical senselessness of their race.
Others were helplessly drunk, and would
have been burned to death if they had
not been bodily lifted by our abused
| tiremen and carried to a place of safety.
That the fire could be held in check SO
soon, with SO little damage under such
circumstances, and amid such surround
inge, speaks well for the efficiency of the
Fire Department | am surprised that
our ewspapers here have not vigorous
ly defended the fireman from the asper-
sioDs of these worthless and disreputable
critics. People here of course know the
circumstances, but other people do not.
and when such criticisms are telegraphed
far and wide to the big newspapers it
creates an unfavorable opinion ofmen
who do not deserve it.
The threat to organize a ''colored'
fire company ought to be encouraged.
Then we shall no doubt see fires put out
and lives saved in the latest and most
approved style. Until then we must
stagger along with our present system.
Taken as a whole Atlantic City is pretty
lively, hustling, enterprising, and well
managed town, and there is SO much to
do in addition to what ought to be
-done that ourpeople don't have much time
for groWfq Our banks and monied
Institutions a. Ranaa so@e1
thing to be proud OF, and n
agement has made them popular.
city has better hotels or better railroad
system-both being the main contribu-
tors to our marvellous growth.
Unless all signs fail some of the MEM
bers of the County Board of Freeholders
are going to be elected to remain at
home if they go before the people for
reelection next Spring. l hear a great
deal Of criticism for them on every hand
in my daily contact with citizens, and
much of it is very pointed and out
spoken. Some of it is directed against
them for their course in regard to the
removal of the County Buildings, and
some for the great advance in the County
expenditures, many Of which seem to be
without an adequate equivalent. 1t
would seem that there are some things
that require an explanation but the
Board, evidently, isn't much on the ex-
plain. Some day they will tumble. to
| the fact that they have made big mis-
| take in ignoring demands for imfOrma-
| ton, and in not making an effort to
obey the popular will.
At last the people up at Mays Land
| ing have awakened to the fact that there
| is lust a shadow of possibility that
the County Seat is likely to be moved to a
more convenient location and they would
rather see it come here than to go to
Pleasantville. While | must candidly
admit that Atlantic City would be far
preferable to Mays Landing, | am OF
| the opinion that very large majority
of our citizens would prefer that Plea
| santyilIe should have them. As to the
removal it cannot remain a question
much longer. The legislature will soon
decide the matter, and, believe, in the
interest of the public convenience.
Should it fail to do SO the whole battle
will be fought over again, for it is sure
as fate that the people Of Atlantic
County will not submit to such incon-
veniences much longer. This is the con-
census Of public opinion as hear it ex-
pressed from every standpoint.
Through the riffs in the clouds that
have obscured the political horizon one
may catch an occasional glimpse OF
what is going on, what lis going to hap
pen, and what some people want to
| happen. For instance, there are some
citizens of this bailiwick who would like
| to see George Long retired from Councils,
and boast that they have the influence
of the Pennsylvania Railroad behind
them to help accomplish that object.
| The same men said substantially the
same thing when Sam" Rose ran the
last time, but that kind of talk didn't
disturb the digestion of that shrewd old
stager not little bit. tin such incon-
siderate and bombast!c gibberish that
has cost the Pennsylvania r, r. Co.
thousands Of dOllarF, and some of these
DAYS, when Gen. Sewell has time to cast
his optics in this direction and look over
the field, q lot Of blowers will have to
] buy tickets or walk. Sewell has beer