Bridgeton pioneer., 1916-06-29
James Neal Is Entitled to
Retirement.
LONG SERVICE.
Came to Bridgeton 81 Years Ago
and Has Responded to Many
Fire Alarm Calls.

Neal, driver of the Fire Department,
becomes a private citizen, having
served over 29 years in the Depart
ment, as sub-driver and as driver. He
retires under the law, on half-pay for
the remainder of his life. The 29
years in which he has served as a
member of the Bridgeton Fire Depart
ment expired on the 18th of May last.
Mr.. Neal came to Bridgeton some 81
years ago, moving from the farm of
Coombs Ackley, at Parvins Mill. For
a time he worked in the sales stables
on North Laurel Street, which were
then just above the First Presbyter-
ian Church in the site of the black
smith shop and iron store of George
Pierson.
Frank Atkinson had charge of the
horses of the Cumberland Nail & Iron
Works, some of which were then used
by the Fire Department; Atkinson
was the driver of the department
horses, and Neal took employment
with him and became substitute driv-
er. Atkinson later purchased the
Leake Hotel on Irving Avenue, and
resigned from the Department, and
Neal was elected to the position of
driver, which he has held ever since.
He is entitled to retirement on half
pay by law, because of his being
civil war veteran. Timothy Woodruff,
late Superintendent of Public Works,
was retired on the same grounds.
These two are the only persons in
this city thus retiring under the pro-
visions of that law.
Those who were members of the
Fire Department at the time Mr. Neal
became member, have all passed
beyond, except himself and these 9TH
ers-these three are Chief George
Kinkle, John Baumgarten and John
Nieukirk.
Mr.. Neal was a member of Co. D,
9th N. ]. Volunteers, and saw service
at Newberne, N. C. and Goldsboro, N.
c., and several minor skirmishes, and
was discharged at the close of the
war.
He was one of the youngest of New
Jerseys troops, being but 60 years
old last April.
Those who were members of the
Fire Department when he became
member and who have died were w.
H. H. Elwell, Fire Chief; w. T. Bow
en-, Clarence milford, Harold Pierson,
George Davenport, Charles Shull,
John Putnam, Frederick Franz, S. w.
Wells, Jonathan Riley, j. B. Fithian,
Reuben l.. Bowen, L. B. Silvers, Clar-
ence Wilsey, Chris. H. Gahrey, Frank
Atkinson and G. H. Barth.
Mr.. Neal is a member of the Ex-
empt Firemen's Association, of 20
years standing.
The first big fire he drove to was
the fire at the Lew Fox livery stables
at corner of Pearl and Warren Streets
where is now the garage of Charles
R. Tomlin, and since then he has
driven to all the important fires in
ha oifu thn GotcinOpr G1occ
Works, the Cumberland Glass Works,
the More-Jonas Glass Works., the
East Lake Woolen Mill, the Ferracute
machine Works, the East Lake Glass
Works, the S. M. Ogden Creamery,
the Acme Chandelier Co., Parker
Bros. Glass Works, and scores of
fires of smaller pretentions.
In all his driving he never met with
an accident in which any person was
hurt. At one time he was the hero
of the occasion. He was turning from
Commerce into Atlantic St., at Bacon
e Sons corner; there were wagons
on both side of Atlantic Street, and
coming up between these two rows of
women. A fearful crash, and grea
injury and of two lives loomed in
stantly before his vision; thousands
of thoughts rushed through his mind
in the shortest instant of time, SEEM
ingly. Setting dead upon the guiding
reins of his three horses, he sheared