Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-09-30
COMMISSIONERS
MEETING
Continued from PAGE /

to do this work; or the city may UNI
dertake the work itself. At any rate
it is concluded that the luxuriant
growths should be extirpated.
Opinions differ as to whether Mayor
w. COPYRIGHT Smith did or did not
pursue the proper course in permit
ting the boardwalk games of chance to
be continued until the close of the sea-
son. In the published statement in
the Journal on September 18th, his
constituents were told hat che and
his two colleagues had fully intended
to close every game of chance on the
walk the day after taking Office" Their
failure to do as their consciences die
tated and as a wise public policy
seemed to demand, has resulted in
very sharp criticism IN certain quar-
tiers. In temporizing with that which
is conceded to be illegal and democrat
izing, the new administration may
have erred slightly, is the view taken
by some of the citizens; and may have
thrown their motives unjustly open to
suspicion by those who are u~nfriendly
to the present Board of Commission
ers.
A resolution was passed certifying
and confirming the report of the COM
missioners of assessment on the gutter
work let out sometime ago, per con-
tract. This work extended from Lin
coin to Crosse and from Holly
Beach avenue to the ocean front.
Charlie A. Norton, George /. Stein and
Chris. J. Scully were the commission
ers appointed to estimate the cost of
the operations and to apportion same
among the numerous owners of prop
erty in the area named, preparatory to
various properties affected. The total
cost of the improvements was fixed by
the Board as $2,224.35, including COM
pensation for the Board of Viewers.
In order that the public may see just
how grave this gaming business has
become, the Journal, herewith, prints
in it's entirety the letter addressed to
the commissioners at a recent meeting,
by j.. C. billiard, who is the lessee of
the Wildwood Casino property, a prop
erty owned in the main by the Estate
of the Baker Brothers.
"In view of the fact that there has
been much comment upon the games
that are being conducted on the board
walk this season.; and realizing that
the situation has reached such a mag
,,sk,,I1 that ~ hos hnnanan nnooccor ~
for it to be under complete control of
the commissioners, | wish to make a
few suggestions, which you may look
over. If there be anything that meets
with your approval, you may use it
as a working basis; If not, just throw
this letter in the waste basket.
THAT the vacationists and excur-
sionists and patrons of Wildwood, in
general, want games, is s~elf-evident
from the manner in which they patron
ize them; and if such legislation can
be enacted to control the situation and
eliminate the unreliable operator Of
games, the gaming concession can be
made a drawing card and an asset to
the boardwalk, instead of a detriment.
"In the first place, the opening of
the conducting of them throughout the
month of June when there is practi-
cally no business of any kind on the
boardwalk, could be eliminated by dat
ing the issuance of game licenses from
June Both or July 1st.
1.-THE opening and conducting of
games during the month of June les
pecially on Sundays), just has a ten
dency to create a feeling of animosity
among local business men and hotel
men, because there is no business in
any line at that time; and a crowd
around a game concession on Sundays,
just sows a feeling of discomfort
among them and gives them something
to find fault with all the season;
whereas, if the games did not begin
opens, then everybody is too busy to
find fault. Regarding these games, if
any of the following suggestions may
be of service to you in giving an idea
in formulating legislation to control
the situation, you can take them for
what they are worth:
"1st. Every applicant for a game
license should be recommended, in
writing, by at least three reputable
citizens of the City of Wildwood and
each applicant should be required to
post an indemnity bond of at least
100000, as a guarantee that his game
is to be conducted fairly. A clause
can be inserted in the license whereby
all games are subject to inspection at
all times by any one with the proper
authority; and should any evidence be
procured of any game being under
control of the operator, then the in
demnity bond shall be forfeited and
the operator subject to prosecution.
Such a provision as this will serve to