Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1920-05-21
New City Commission
Organizes by EIecting
w. c. Hendee Mayor.
Other Surprises
Handed Out

no contests made, the stage was set on
Tuesday, May 18Th, for the ceremonies
OF Inducing into Office one brand new
Commissioner and two ''holdovers,''
all elected for q term of four years. AS
q prelude, however, at a few minutes
after 10 o'clock in the morning, the old
Board of Commissioners convened for
the last time, to finish the fast.fading
business of their expiring term. Haste
was necessary because, under the pro-
visions of the Walsh act, at the stroke
OF twelve, or high noon, the old boards
power and authority would terminate
automatically, as the new trio would
be ushered in.
The first report called for was that OF
the city clerk, covering the period from
May 1st to 18th. In this time $4S2.5O
was received in payment of mercantile
licenses j; 1894 for dog licenses S25 for
rent of Third ward hall to Odd Fellows
is cents for phone call to Atlantic City,
and $50 for permits to make openings
in streets-known as street permits
total collections, $40. %.
The city electrician granted thirteen
permits and issued thirteen certificates,
collecting $19.5 10 in fees. The city tax
collector made twenty-five searches and
received in fees therefor $50. 70. The
building inspector granted seven per-
mits for $13, and the estimated value
of the operations concerned thereby
was $4,000. The plumbing inspector re-
ported one registration and twelve per-
mits granted and the receipt of $3.50
for fees. Last report to be read was
that Of the Finance Commissioners,
showing receipts in the tax depart
ment for the week ending May 18th to
have been $42, 321 .O6, and water rents
collected, $290.41.
After all bills were read and ordered
paid, each retiring Commissioners made
q brief speech. The Finance Commits
sioner headed the list by saying that
he had no regrets to offer-was glad he
was going back to private life again.
He felt sure that he had done the best
he could for the city and thanked his
confreres for the kindness and courtesy
shown him. The Street Commissioner
felicitated the Finance Commissioner
on the philosophic way the latter took
his defeat, remarking finally, at was
not my wish to see you CO." The
Mayor patted the dropped Finance
Chief on the back by telling him that
the financial condition of Wildwood
is in far better shape than many other
New Jersey cities. W. COPYRIGHT
Smith thanked the retiring Board Of
Commissioners for kindness and court
esy shown him as managing secretary
OF the Board of Trade.
The pending bills were read and or
dered paid, then q motion to adjourn
sine die prevailed at l0.45, and the pro-
ceedings of four years became history.
That oft-quoted sentence was heard
repeated on Tuesday Uneasy lies the
head hat wears a crown" 1t was in
tended as a salve to soothe the wounds
of defeated candidates, so that any feel
ings Of envy might be Modified.
No sooner had adjournment taken
place, without a day appointed, than
into the chamber trooped the bearers
offour mammoth brown flower baskets
containing roses, carnations, snapdrag-
n and purple lilac, all done up in JIG
&Iacey's best style at his floral depot,
Twentieth street and Columbia avenue,
Philadelphia. These innocent flowers
were brought from the city in a Ford
sedan, driven by Nick Holmes, keeper
of First ward firehouse. He was &C.
companied by Webster Bright, son of
Commissioner-electB Bright, and Officers
Crawford and Norcross.
On a filmy drspery of chiffon the
word Congratulations" was c%onspicu-
ously displayed IN each bunch OF flow
ers, which were purchased out of a fund
oflS50 collected for the purpose by solic-
itation. The huge bouquets were
stacked upon the legislative table and
on the city clerks desk. Later two
more big baskets of red and pink roses
and carnations were brought in by
Spencer Cummins, our exclusive Wild
wood florist. These were very choice
specimens most carefully arranged.
They had been ordered by Senator
William II. Bright. Flowers, as you
know, are sc appropriate for Inaugural
tions. The poet Longfellow long ago
called attention to this by telling US
that
'Flowers are the alphabet of the
angels,
Wherewith they write on hill and
dale mysterious truths"
A Third ward citizen was heard to
express regret that the delicate and
pleasing odor Of these lovely flowers