The Penn's Grove record., 1919-02-21
Fire Watchman Employed
A Little Kaiser Comes to Town
and Shoots Off His Inflated
Egntism

~
The Mayor and Council met in regu-
lar session at the Council chamber on
Tuesday night and transacted consid-
cradle business of Importance. The
entire official board was present, as
follows: Mayor Fisher, Clerk Hunt,
Councilmen Borden, Pyne, Smith, Be-
dine, Keen, Fahy.
Captain C. K. Fiss, in command of a
company of soldiers at the Delaware
Ordnance Depot, was granted the
privilege of the. floor to make a state
ment. He said that on Saturday
night last one of CHS boys" on leave
went to Wilmington and coming back
on the ferryboat was offered a drink
by some one, which invitation he ac-
cepted, although not addicted to the
habit. In fact the Captain claimed
this was the first drink the young mar
had ever taken in his life. This one
drink put the soldier on the blink n
he was found lying insensible under a
fence on Pitman Street by the officers
and carried to the lookup. The Cap
tain said "his boy" had 1881 IN his
clothes at the time which was missing
when he conveyed the young man back
to the reservation the same night. No
charge was preferred against the sol
der.
He wanted the matter investigated
and the money returned If possible OF
he would take the matter up with
Washington and see what they could
do about it. The Captain was none
too choice in his language and did NOT
seem to have~a very high OPINION OF
Penns Grove or its people. A furthef
hearing in the matter will take place
soon. e,
WiEbert Sparks asked to be allowed
to complete "a small frame structure
he is erecting along the railroad south
of Main Street to be used for storage
p11noses. 1t is in the fire zone and 1t
is a violation of an ordinance to erect
such structures within that limit, be
sides he had never secured a permit
to put up the building. 1t IS now
partly finished.
Council finally decided that if MI.
Sparks would cover the structure with
metal sheathing and put on a metal
roof he would be allowed to proceed.
The report of Treasurer D.. T.
Featherer. to the Finance Committee,
showed a balance on hand of S779.43;
Board of Health balance, S74O.o0;
Public Buildings balance, $4,000.
There was considerable discussion
over the matter of collecting the new
mercantile tax. Many of the mer-
chants and those in other lines coming
under its provisions had paid promptly
but there were "a good many delln-
quents yet.
Frank Rhodes was employed at a
salary of S25 per week to be in con-
slant attendance at the fire house
from Z P. NJ. till 7 A. M. to handle
the apparatus and keep it in repair:
This was considered by all concerned
to be a good move toward better fire
protection.
A proposition was received from the
Welsbach Lighting Company of Phil
adelphia to light the town with gas.
They agreed to put up the necessary
equipment at their w expense n
furnish rs lights for $4,000 a year
under a five year contract.
The Water Committee was instruct
ed to remove the water pressure gauge
from the school house and install 1t IN
the fire house.
Henry j. Blohm, Edward Money,
Alvin Smith. Melvin Cogar, w. f.
Van Austin and Frank Rhodes were
sworn in as special officers Without
pav.~ excepting Mr.. Rhodes who Will
do special fire duty.
Assessor j. n. Layman made a
statement in relation to a second as
sessment he was required to make last
wear under a new law and wanted to
know what compensation he was to be
allowed for the work. The matter Will
be adjusted at a future meeting, u
ell desiring to find out what other
places have paid for this extra work.
A large electric light was ordered IN
stalled on Oak Street near the Rail
road Station so that people coming
into town on trains could navigate
that dark neighborhood in safety.
A letter was received from Attorney
Harry Burt Ware, of Salem, stating
that there was a balance of 1925 due
David A. English for extra services
rendered by him while he was assessor
of Penns Grove Borough in 1916. The
work in question had been ordered
done by Council and he would like
some action in the matter. 1t was laid
over until Clerk Hunt could examine
the minutes for the year 1916 and see
if there was any record of the matter.
Adjourned.