Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-01-19
SPECIAL MEETING OF CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE

On Friday, January 18th, delegates
to the Cape May County Chamber of
Commerce from the Wildwood Board
of Trade received notices of a meet
ing to be held at Court House on that
evening, for the purpose of planning
a program to place before the State
Highway Commission at a hearing
scheduled for Saturday, January 18th,
at Atlantic City. The Wildwood men
attending this meeting were Chairman
tanning Myers, Samuel A. Laning,
d. j. Woods and H. F. Greaves. The
Friday night meeting was called to
order by President Ogden, of Cape
May, who explained the purpose, tell
ing the delegates that on the follow
ing morning the State Highway Off
Gals would sit in session in Atlantic
City to hear representatives from At
lantic and Cape May Counties present
their desires for the year. He stated
that Director Of the Board of Free
holders Joseph Champion would by
virtue of his office be spokesman for
Cape May County and a large delega-
ton would not be necessary to attend
the meeting. He then called upon S.
A. Laning for his opinion. Mr.. Lam
ing stated hat Wildwood was present
to listen to the opinions of others first.
Mr.. Mecray, of Cape May, said he had
heard the state was going to spend
nothing in the county this year. Com
missioner Wentzell, of Cape May, adj
vocated the Jersey-Delaware ferry,
declaring that the commission had
promised it if the forty million dollar
road bond issue went through the
election VIGOROUSLY. Hon. Lewis T.
Stevens said that the first and fore
most thing to be done was to complete
Route IA of the State Highway Sys-
tenn, or at least a part of it beginning
at Swainton and continuing to the
road which turns off to Tuckahoe. The
spokesman for Upper Township spoke
next and strongly urged that the reso-
luton, passed by the Wildwood Board
of Trade and Chamber of Commerce,
urging the connection of Route 4 and
IA by way of a Somers Point-Bees-
ley's Point bridge, be used as an open
ing wedge to put that project before
the state officials. The resolution was
reread by Chairman Myers, of Wild
wood. Former Freebooter /. H. Ed
redge, of Cape May, objected to the
presentation of that project to the
Commissioners on the ground that it
was not included in the bond issue
which is to be used for state highways
already established. He advocated
that the ferry project be pushed
ahead of anything. Attorney Samuel
Eldredge, of Cape May, suggested that
as the county stands 18th in ratables,
that the delegates TASK largely"
President Ogden spoke at length, say
ing that it was unwise to present the
bridge suggestion because of the facts
set forward by 1. H. Eldredge. MI.
Laning took the floor and stated that
the project had been discussed and
contemplated for ten years; that the
county not only wants it but needs 1t;
that it would be even more necessary
for northward and southwark travel
upon the opening of the Delaware
River bridge. President ogden stated
he didn't thing the bridge could be
built legally. Solicitor Andrew Bos-
well, OF Ocean City, said that the
legislature or counties could enact
laws that would make it legal under
the reimbursement act. Assemblyman
Ralph Stevens, of Cape May, declared
that after talking with people repre-
senting all parts of the county he was
convinced that the general public OF
the county wanted the Beesley's Point
bridge and that he, if no n else,
would present the matter at the hear
ing before the Commissioners.
Freebooter Champion said he was in
favor of the county getting all pos
sible venues of entrance regardless
of where they came in, and that Ocean
City would not oppose the project, as
she promised to do before the state
bought the toll bridge between that
resort and Somers Point. Speaking
of hard surfacing the roads, he said
the county now has 35 miles of unim-
proved road under state supervision.
He said that seven miles of paving
done each year, beginning in 1928,
would see our county surfacing pro-
gram completed by the end of the five
years. He also said he was in favor
of the ferry project and advised the
county insisting on the state carrying
out it's promise in this matter.
The meeting decided to ask for as
much of the eight million %appropria-
ton as possible and advocate the
speedy completion of State Routes IA
and Is; the ferry and the connection
of Routes 4 and IA by the Somers
Point-Beesley's Point bridge.
Atlantic City Meeting
On Saturday at the meeting held in
the Guarantee Trust Building in At
lantic City, the Wildwood representa-
tives included Senator VIM. H. Bright,
Lanning Myers, S "A. Laning, D. j.
Woods and H. F. Greaves. The hear
ing was opened by George l.. Burton,