Pleasantville weekly press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1890-1911, 1898-02-09
A LETTER FROM THE
CITY BY THE SEA.
The Business Outlook Good
for a Big Spring Trade.
THE CRY HALl PROBLEM IOT YET SOLVED.
MANY PEOPLE SURPRISED BY THE
CHANGE OF BAsE-THE COUNTY SEAT
REMOVAL DIsCUssED--A TRIO OF
5 wELL-KNOWN POLITICIANS WHO
PLAY THEIR GAME FOR FUN.


trade, am assured, is very good.
Many of the popular houses have
already booked a large number of
able to learn, in good spirits in
anticipation OF prosperous Spring
trade. The great surprise has been
that all through the winter SO many
people have been patrOnizing the
houses that kept open. This leads
one to the conclusion that the very
near future will see nearly all our
houses kept open all the year
around.
The real estate transactions 1 am
told are fully up to last year at this
time, and the people engaged in that
line of business assure me that from
all appearances prosperous busi-
ness is expected for the remainder of
the year.
Our people are at last awake to
the fact that paved streets is the
next thing in order. The new City
Hall seems to be problem the
calibre of which is too much for the
mental capacity of our City Fathers.
The revival of the Schaufier deal and
the apparent desire of some of our
Councilmen to repudiate themselves
is causing widespread comment in
view of their action in the past. The
talk of buying this property, because
it is cheap, for the purpose of Park
and also to place the County build
ings thereon is too silly to contem-
plate for one minute. Everybody
knows that this is not, nor ever will
be, commercial city, and the day
that sees, if that time ever comes,
the County Seat located ,here-will
see Atlantic City's mistake of the
century. The reasons for this are SO
apparent, and SO well understood by
all thoughtful men, that / will only
refer to one OF them. The cost of the
ground alone should be enough to
satisfy the already burdened tax
payer-saying nothing about the
additional expense of maintaining
the buildings Beside this there are
other reasons no less weighty that
places the location OF the County
Seat at this place out UI Tile question:,
and for all other or for no other pur
pose does the city want the Schaufier
place. Many of the men who favored
this plan year ago are candid
enough to admit their mistake to-
day.
l had intended to write up the
inside history of the first deal, and
the cause of it's failure, but l have
concluded not to do SO for the
present. This l will say, however,
that the Commissioners at that time
were sincere and honestly believed
that they were acting for the best
interests of the city. Return
ing to the question of the removal of
the County Seat it is a vital question
and one that should be taken hold of
by everybody who is interested in
the progress of the town. The valu-
able time wasted in going and
coming to Mays Landing, for time is
money, is of some consequence and
it is time for our people here to take
up and settle, with their usual vim,
this all important matter. SEN
ator Newell was right when he said
some time ago, "This is Atlantic
City's fight, and some day her busi-
ness men will see it," They do see it
to-day as they never did before, and
l look for q move on their part at an
early day that will give some people
a pain.
am importuned so much to write
politics and about politicians that |
have lately been giving most OF my
time to them and | am asked
my opinions of noble band OF our
most useful citizens who are the
most unselfish Of men. Before me is
a request to give my opinion OF
Gardner-HOffman- Johnson - Oh,
well /! about every one who plays at
the game OF politics from the little
fellow, who beats the bushes, up to
the big wigs who bag the game.
This week l will take up three who
are on my list.
will begin with ED" Wilson, the
political bishop of Absecon, and OF
him will say that do not regard
him as a politician in the strict sense
of that word. Wilson is a legitimate
business man, makes his business his
first care, and, if mistake not, only
PLAYS at the game of politics for
diversion and to help friend now
and then. He is in his element only
when addressing his noble fellow
citizens on the floor of a convention
and one-half the assumed earnest
ness devoted to his customers would
make OF him one of Philadelphia's
most prosperous merchants. He is
well-liked by people who know him
well, and if he could divest himself of
a certain clerical look, might in time
make u politician. He impresses one
with his earnestneSs, but can't help
but think that his forte would have
been the pulpit.
Next is our glorious Samuel
Hastings Kelley. Why he is playing
| the game / don't know; but Iventure
| to guess that he is after honor. He
| too is a business man and a very
successful one. He, like Wilson, is
| liberal, good natured, and always
ready to serve q friend; and if the
marrow in his back bone ever
hardens SO as to stiffen up that com
bination of joints he may make a
good politician. He is a man Of ex-
cellent judgment, but plausible
good liar can take him into camp
with ease.
| Then there is dear old Lewis Don
nelly, naturally one of Natures noble
men and never 80 happy as when
serving friend. He, like Kelley and
Wilson, is also q business man, rich,
good looking, and always good
natured. Why he is in the game
passes my comprehension and give
it up. 1t must be for a pastime, and
1T does one good to hear Lew :
talk. He is open, affable and frank
and spends his money like a Prince
When he calls the boys, they come
and he surprises their bellies-which
until they knew him, were only &C