Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-12-13

Standing beside the city's quartered
oak rolltop desk and with his elbows
resting on the top slab yesterday after
noon, December ~, in the commission
.ers room at city hall, City Solicitor
Hand pulled out his gold, open-faced
watch and asked: "Where's the may
or. it's two o'clock?" AS Mr.. Hand
asked this question, he carried his eyes
from the hands of his watch to those
of the respected worthy city hall time
piece, which showed just a fraction of
q minute after two. AT precisely 2.05
the mayor arrived, and he too looked
up d~eferentially at our clock on the
wall as his overcoat and hat were
plum ped down on the capacious table
underneath. AT 2.07 the acting city
clerk began to read the minut Of the
E, previous meeting, ''trippingly on the
tongue" From this on things moved
along swiftly and severely. 1t might
have peer said that yesterdays meet
ing was "short and sweet" had it not
been for the acidity which developed
at the close, causing some acrimoni-
Gus discussion. In reading his tinanci-'
al report of last weeks meeting, Mr..
Ryan said that "for the month ending
November 80, the collections from taxes
and assessments amounted to
SIC, 545.4I He explained yesterday
that what he meant to say was this !:
THAT the amount received for the
week ending Wednesday, November
%; and for the two remaining days Of
November % and 80, thus bringing the
collections in the tax department up to
the end of that month, was $40, 545.41."
He reported at yesterdays meeting that
for the week ending December 5th, tax
and assessment receipts were $11 ,126 81.
In the water department receipts from
water rents for that same week were
S162.OI. Street Commissioner Hendee
said that work had been begun on the
Iong-standing break in the big ewe
main on Park Boulevard close to west
Schellenger venue He has three
men working there now, and expects
to have five going in a day or two. Sup
erintendent Brown reported that he
, turned off water the past week for 80
and ON for two; repaired two
stock meters, one in service; and in
.spected five large meters and took their
readings. He further announced that
two-thirds of all the meters in service
IN Wild wood Crest had been Inspected
and readings reported to the collection
department. Mr.. Brown further said
that by December 31st, the inspection
i, of the remainder Of Crest meters will
have been finished. Mrs. Eva War
dell, of New York city, who owns a lot
on the beach front within the enclos-
ure Of the baseball grounds, wrote a
letter recently to the city commission
ers asking them to mail her a receipt.
ed bill for her taxes for 1918 on the lot
referred to. She claims exemption from
paying the tax, which amounts to
about $25, because her lot was used
for baseball purposes. She says George
L.. Porter assured her that the taxes
would be betrayed if she permitted her
lot to be used as mentioned. The COM
missioners all said that this contract
was sup to Porter" and that the city
had nothing at all 10 do with it. Some
one suggested that the Board of Trade
was responsible; but Mr.. Ryan said
s'no;" and said further that while the
relation of the Board of Trade to the
city commissioners was really like that