Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1920-03-19

rays htTenBtueni IL Woulu hatui1"J "
supposed that interest in city ball do
ings would be proportionately IN
creased, but not 30. Rather may II
be said that the awakening OF spring
has acted upon the attendance there
in an inverse ratio; for yesterday,
March 18th, there were but two audi
tors at the commissioners weekly
meeting, besides the two reporters. 1t
was pleasing to note the return OF the
Eun-Tribune representative, after an
absence of two weeks, owing to Illness.
When asked If she had been a victim
of the iDfuenza epidemic. Miss Carolyn
Webb replied CURLY: "No, l had La
Grippe"
Whether it was by design or by
chance is not known, but when the
Mayor suggested that the meeting
come to order, the delicate hands OF
the city clock pointed to two p. no.
precisely and his Honor laughed out
loud to see the reporters heads bob up
to scan its intelligent face, the very in
slant he had given the word to 'go!'
The habit of watching its pendulum
swing to and fro has become sort OF
chronic with many, and 1t may truly
be said of the city clock, that it is "the
observed of all observers''-"the cyno-
sure of n%eighborlng eyes"
"Woodpecker No. s." as he calls
himself, was q little bit late in arriv-
ing yesterday. We refer to Edward
M. johnson, Sr., the Progressive, who
so tenderly laid on the commissioners
table some time ago a section of de-
cayed piling, procured under the board
walk in the vicinity of Magnolia ave-
nue.. 1t was this incident that led
Caustic Soda to spring the woodpecker
joke on his readers, relative to the use
that might be MADE of these birds for
testing the condition Of piling, instead
of depending on the skill of man only.
The instincts of birds and animals are
supposed to be unerring.
No financial report was given out
yesterday. The commissioner OF this
department explained that there had
beeu but one transaction in the water
department and only a couple more in
the tax department. Hence he said he
felt 1t not worth while to make any re-
port this week. At hext meeting tax
and water receipts for a period Of two
weeks will be furnished.
The street commissioners turn came
next, but his report did not sound
good. 1t Jared ones nerves to 'listen
to his tale of woe" On Park boule-
ward, between Young and Roberts ave-
nues, In efforts to repair leaks In the
big sewer main, an opening 81 feet in
length has been made. In all this dis
lance only one good piece of sewer pipe
was found. There must have been at
least ten lengths of pipe exposed. II
but one out Of ter proved to be sound,
then 80 per cent of the exposed section
is defective. What a bill of expenses
will face the taxpayers, if the present
discovery is any indication Of what
further breaks may occur. Vas it a
case Of ''penny-wise, pound foolish"
policy when terra Gotta W pipe was
selected instead of iron pipe? The
street commissioner says Eyes" The
inference is that terra Gotta pipe will
not stand the strain of seashore condi-
lions. Why was this important fact
not known before? foresight is al
ways better than hindsight." This is
not the fret trouble we have had with
sewer breaks since the new system was
put in, and still worse reports may be
looked for.
Joe Brown took the floor to read his
water report and blandly told how he
had so cheerfully complied with eleven
requests to turn on the ripping fluid
for the season, or maybe longer. On
Cardinal road, east of Philadelphia ave-
nue., Wildwood Crest, the water main
was tapped for Mrs. Elizabeth g. Gar
sed, who proposes building a cottage
at that location. On Fourth avenue,
east of Central avenue, Anglesea, the
water main was tapped to supply the
new cottage of Richard HI. Hoff.
Thirty-seven lengths, 444 feet Of water
pipe has been laid up-to-date in Extern
sion No. II, on 21st street, North Wild
wood, east of Pennsylvania avenue.
Thirty-seve en- joints were calked in the
operation so far.
All reports having been heard, COM
munications were next called for. The
first one to be read was from Nellie
Grant johnson, of the Glenn Oak,
Lincoln and Holly Beach
She complained of damage to her
building and premises from smoke,
blown from the gas company's plant.
She informed the commissioners that a
smokestack had fallen down aud that