The Pleasantville press., 1924-10-18
.Repaved, Trackless
Shore Road Urged
Improved Highways With Ade-
quate Bus Service Sought by
Five Mainland Communities.

Through the courtesy of the Aero
Marine Company, manufacturer of the
Uppercu transit bus, a party gotten
together by Zippler G. Wootton, local
realtors, had a trial trip Saturday
morning over a route which would
likely be traversed by any proposed
bus service which would operate thru
the mainland section, in the event OF
any future abandonment of the present
trolley system over the Shore road.
Starting at the corner of the Allan
tic City boulevard and Shore road,
with sll of the Mayors and a number
of officials of civic bodies and other
representatives of the Shore road com
munities aboard, the bus readily DEM
onstrated its applicability to this sec
ton for prompt and comfortable trans
portation. 1t proceeded over the Shore
road rapidly. though comfortably, MAX
ing a couple of stops, arriving at the
Seaview Golf Club twelve minutes lat,
er. 1t then completed trip down the
Shore road to Somers Point in thirty
minutes and returned to PleasantviI1e,
completing what would likely be one
of the circuits of bus travel and indj-
eating that points now without trolley
service above and westward OF Abse-
con could be opsnsd UP, as well as the
back part of all Eve towns by connect
ing buses.
The passengers marveled at the
comfort with which the large bus,
seating something over thirty, and ac-
commodating additional passengers If
required, travelled over the present
rough Shore road and were interested
in the safety implied with the picking
up of passengers at the curb instead
of from the centre of the street as is
done by trolley. Ordinary distractions
across the centre of the road, such as
would usually impede trolley's
time were easily overcome by the bus,
and the impression Of all of the riders
was that buses properly scheduled,
equipped and operated in sufficient
numbers would be far superior to any
existing or improved trolley service
over the road.
Men from the various communities
expressed the interest of their respect
i've towns in the movement for wider
and repaved Shore road at the same
time. and were of the opinion that
elimination of the present trolley
and repaving.
They also expressed the opinion,
unanimously, that first rights to bus
franchise should be offered the present
trolley company operating over the
Shore road, in gratitude for the early
services of the company in developing
the mainland highway. The company
could then open additional territory
with bus line, could operate without
the present overhead of tracks, power
plant, loles. trolley wires. and would
likely attain a paying basis instead OF
going steadily backward in its invest
menI as Low reported
The Shore road bus line could either
connect with present rail terminals in
Pleasantville for Atlantic City, or
could operate over any or all three
boulevards between the mainland and
Absecon Island, and could be made
into a double belt line forming the
figure if operated both ways. 1t was
computed that possibly fourteen buses
of the size used Saturday would be
required
There will likely be formed a conceT-
trated movement of the several com
munities, their Councilmanic and Civic
bodies, within the near future, to urge
a furtherance of the bus line plan, and
facts arrived at by the group Saturday
will be offered the Utility Commission
of the State, which is now hearing ap-
plications for a raise in the trolley
fares
Among those making the bus inspec-
ton and trip Saturday morning were
Mayor Coll and Lewis B. Matthias.
President of the Atlantic County Cham
ber of Commerce, of Somers Point; ].
V. Wray, representing Mayor Swilkey,
of Northfield; Mayor Charles E. Jack
son, s. ]. Stoloff, President of the
Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce.
Stanley w Zippler. of the Kiwanis
Committee on Shore Road improve
ments, John S. Weaver, merchant.
Thomas B. Wootton and George Hal
ler, local realtors, all of Pleasantville,
Mayor Harry Mattson and Councilman
Roger, of Absecon: Superintendent
Goldey. of the Atlantic and Suburban
Railway, and others.
Petitions are again being distributed
through the Shore road communities
south of Pleasantville for a widening
of the Shore road. five feet on either
side. It is understood that the State
mas already taken over the Shore road
as a part of the new state highways
and VII pave he same when s1oneys
are available for IT, purpose. There
is almost unanimous sentiment all
along the Shore road ioI widening,
1, paving and track elimination. it was
brought out AT the meeting Saturday.