Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-10

Atlantic Highlands. N. J.. is an attrac-
tive seaside resort, but its chief claim to
notoriety at present is that it is under
''petticoat domination" the municipal af-
fairs being managed by women.
Two of the most important public offices
Of the borough are filled with distin-
guished ability by mere slips of girls. Miss
Louise NJ. Snyder Is the postmistress and
Miss Mary d. Hart is the town clerk.
They are both under Is and pretty. viva
cious and attractive. Moreover, the whole
town, from the mayor to the man who
drives the water cart, are unanimous In
saying that never in all the history of the
town has Atlantic Highlands been better
served and rarely ever so we'll served as
under the present rule, says a writer in
the Kansas City Star.
The board of public improvements is
likewise composed entirely of women. 1t
really seems as though in this beautiful
seaside town woman had at last come into
her own. In the words of one of the lead
ing citizens of the place, THE women run
the town" And 1t is even being limited
that the next mayor shall be a woman.
It is all the more remarkable from the
fact that never has Atlantic Highlands
boasted of so-called female suffrage as
ISOLATION, nor a woman's civic federation.
Indeed, the ambitious woman's club and
the equally innocuous mothers meetings"
have been sadly ignored in the social sys-
tenn of the village The maids and ma
irons have been, until a few months ago,
just nice, easy going, comfortable sort of
women, quite content with their native
place and the administration Of its affairs
on the part of their fathers, husbands
and brothers.
There is no saying how long this state Of
apparent apathy on the part OF the women
might have continued had not two things
I'D
daughter, Miss Snyder, was appointed his
successor. Almost simultaneous with the
installation of Miss Snyder the town clerk.
Adam c. Hart, died, and his daughter.
Miss Mary c. Hart, was unanimously
elected to succeed him.
ORGANIZED AT A EUCHRE PARTY.
This was early in March, and the very
next week. at fashionable euchre party
given at the residence of Mrs. Peter s.
Conover Jr., wife of ex-Mayor Conover,
the leading society women of the town
to the number of thirty-fve, organized
themselves into what is now known as the
Atlantic Highlands Improvement society.
1t was pointed out that the men Of the
town had not availed themselves Of their
political privileges-that the town needed,
and had long needed, many innovations
and improvements.
They elected a board OF officers and d.
vided themselves into committees. Mrs.
Charles II. snyder was mdQ6 pTSSluenls
Mrs. Spencer Morris, vice president; Mrs.
George L. Barrett, treasurer; Mrs. F. E.
Price, corresponding secretary; Mrs. f. E.
Morehouse recording secretary, and Mrs.
Peter s. Conover, Jr., chairman of finance
committee.
Among the committees delegated to spe-
cial work was formed the back yard COM
mittee, whose duty 1t is to inspect the
back yards of every house in town and see
that the sanitary conditions are ire
proachable. It is the duty of this commit
tee to see that careless housewives are de-
TERED from throwing paper and garbage
about.
Then, there is the front yard committee.
which has for fits aim the identifying of
the little plots of ground on which nearly
every house in the town is built. 1t has
among other objects the abolishment of
the beauty destroying fence. which IT
hopes to accomplish by persuasion. 1t al
so urges and is trying to foster taste for
landscape gardening. Next in Importance
is the nuisance committee, which viii keep
its eye on all public nuisances in general.
The rights of citizens to built a stable or
other more or less obnoxious structure in
place where 1t might offend the public
taste or endanger the public health or mar
an otherwise beautiful view will be vigor-
ously protested against.
The various committees of the Improve
ment society are kept extremely busy just
now. in view of the coming opening Of the
summer season. Every day they are to be
seen in groups of four or five, driving or
walking through the Atlantic Highlands
streets. They wear pretty shirt waists,
golf skirts and outing hats. and for aught
the casual observer might knew they are