Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-10-04

In the Commissioners chamber at
the Wildwood city hall the most at
tractive wall adornment, next to the
city clock, is, perhaps, the frameless
portrsit of u nations chief magis-
trate, Woodrow Wilson. Both objects
hang on the same wall and barely a
yard apart. If the calm but voiceless
features Of our President could speak
we might fancy him saying in grave
and measured tones: "Gentlemen,
public office is a public trust" quoting
that famous slogan of his distinguished
Democratic predecessor, ex-Presldent
Grover Cleveland. In all legislative
functions the inter ests of the tax payers,
the burden bearers, should ever be
uppermost; and where their wishes
and welfare are disregarded dire results
are sure to follow. 1t was LOO when
Mayor Smith, mellow and merry, rolled
into the COMMISSIONER room yester-
day afternoon, October Sd, a glorious
autumnal day. He was no sooner
seated than be asked: "Where's Ryan
and Hendee; they promised to be here
at I.3O?n Mr.. Ryan had preceded the
Mayor by some minutes, but the for
mer had stepped, temporarily, into an
adjoining room. Soon he re-appeared,
followed close by Mr.. Hendee. The
discovery was then made that the
clock was ten minutes too fast by MIR.
Ryan's watch and fifteen minutes fast
by Mr.. Hendee's timepiece. AS Mr..
Ryan had arranged to leave yesterday
at 4.3O on his annual vacation trip to
Pocono Mountain Summit very little
time was now wasted before the meet
ing was in full swing. Prior to begin
ming City Clerk Whitesell asked:
HShall the lower lights be burning?'
and pulled the necessary chain to pro-
duce this effect. Two upper lights
were also put in circuit. Then the
minutes of the previous meeting on
September 18th were read and speedily
approved. Commissioner Ryan then
reported the collection of $194.4S from
taxes and assessments for the week
ending September 26th, and $31.92 In
the water department for the same
week. Joseph Brown reported water
turned off for As consumers during the
past week, and turned on for n con-
sumner. Frank L. King, through MI.
Brown, made a proposition to the Com
missioners relative to the purchase at
the prevailing market price of a guam
tity of lead the former has On hand, the
value of same to be placed to Mr..
Kings credit on the city's books for
payment of taxes and water rents.
The offer was accepted. During the
past week Mr.. Brown further reported
that SO water meters had been read and
the readings turned into the water bu-
reau. The City Clerks report for the
month of September was read next.
This showed receipts amounting to 1881
from the folio owing sources: Fines i'm
posed for drunkenness and disorderly
conduct and for other causes, $55; mer-
camille licenses, 1907 rs; dog taxes,
1915; rents, SIS; and 500 from each of
two property owners. Messrs. Miller
and Lewis, for cement pavements laid
by the city, notice to repair not having
been complied with by the owners. In
addition to the foregoing Justice Of the
Peace B. G. Ingersoll levied and col
lected fines In the month of September
a~ggregating $50. The receipt OF these
last named revenues will swell the
city's miscellaneous garnerings for the
month just past to $10l1. October Sd.
at 2.8O p. M, was the time set for the
opening of the bids for the $S5 900 bond
issue recently authorized, and when a
motion was passed at the specified
hour to proceed at once with this mat
ter it wss learned that only n bid