Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-09-30
COMMISSIONERS MEETING

The fourth and last meeting of the
Wildwood City Commissioners in the
month of September was held last
Wednesday afternoon, the 2Sth, begin
ming at 2.10 o'clock by standard time.
The proceedings were conducted by
the director of revenue and finance,
assisted by the director of the street
department. The mayor was unavoid-
ably absent. His presence that day
raj demanded at the. county seat,
where he is rendering service as a
juror az the present term Of court.
Notwithstanding the mayors absence
the business of the meeting ran along
smoothly and was expedited in rea-
sonably good fashion.
Frank T. Finn, of Camden, was an
interested spectator. He is passenger
trainmaster of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company, eastern region. Mr..
Finn addressed the commissioners on
some matters pertaining to the mutual
interests of the city and the West
Jersey and Seashore lines. His re-
marks were listened to attentively.
Many complaints, from time to time,
have been made to the commissioners
about the smoke nuisance of the loco
motives, the shrill noises of their
whistles and the dangers constantly
present because of unprotected street
crossings. All of these subjects the
speaker touched upon; and he ex-
planned the difficulties under which
his company labored in catering to the
demands made upon it by the heavy
summer traffic. He said the extension
of the wildwood branch beyond the
limits of the Crest has been very Sc
riously considered. If this were done,
he continued, the engines could be
parked and coaled On Two Mile Beach,
thus eliminating much of the smoke
annoyance.
AS to the placing of safety gates at
all of the street crossings, that would
be an impossible undertaking, he VEN
tured to state; but felt that the pro-
lection of three or four of the most
dangerous crossings might be favor
ably considered by the management.
Rio Grande, Burk, Baker, Oak and
Pine were mentioned as the
probable ones needing the most at
tention.
1t was a striking coincidence that
at this meeting a letter was read, bear
ing on the smoke subject. 1t was
the reading of this letter that prompt
ed the commissioners to ask Mr.. Finn
to speak. The letter is herewith pro-
duced, in part:
81 would thank you to kindly give
the following communication your
careful consideration. Numerous COM
plants have recently been made to
you by property owners on Holly
Beach, Davis and Burk avenues,
against the stocking of engines in this
locality. The noise and dirt caused
thereby constitute a nuisance to all
the residents of this section. The for
mer owner Of this property (No. 100
East Montgomery avenue), Mrs. A. G..
Erickson, who has been a taxpayer
for sixteen years, is now a helpless
invalid; and the noise from the ex-
haust valves of these engines causes
her to lie awake most of the night.
"The house was painted last spring;
but the smoke and dust from the loco
motives has ruined the paint COM
pletely and such a thing is a disgrace
to the city. Please urge upon he rail-
road company the necessity of having
this nuisance abated in the near flu
ture. Yours respectfully, John A. Err
ickson."
Some one suggested to Mr.. Finn
that both the smoke n the engines
could be gotten rid of by his COM
pany ~consenting to electrify the Wild
wood branch. He agreed that that was
the most effective method, but thought
the cost would be about 5000, 900. The
central station idea was also preached
to him, thus doing away with all the
other stations on the island. The plan
to have but one station, centrally To-
Gated, has been much talked of in the
past. Under this plan, all railroad
tracks would be removed from Five
Mile Beach except the ones leading
from the junction on the mainland to
this central station. Mr.. Finn did not
think as we'll of this second PROPOSE
ton as he did Of the identification
plan; but he did not lead us to hope
for the realization of either proposal
in the immediate future. He as much
as said his company could not afford
to do either now; but did not deny
that the agitation of the matter might
eventually be productive of results.
Alexander McMurray, proprietor OF
the wildwood Manor hotel, asked the
passenger trainmaster if it would be
possible to secure a through train from
New York City to Wildwood next sum-
mer? Mr.. Finn said he thought it
could be done once a week; that is,
leave New York on Friday morning,
via Trenton and Burlington and run
49,