Herald/Lantern/Dispatch 10 April '85

CAPE MAY COUNTY HERALD For More Information

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Vandal Swath City Offers Reward Public, Private Property Damaged CAPE MAY - City officials are offering a $200 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of vandals who cut a wide swath last Thursday. April 4. slashing tires, smashing doors on a public restroom. and dumping promenade benches into the ocean "It's a problem we normally have, but it happened a little early this year." said City Manager Fred Coldren on Monday in announcing the reward. Coldren declined to guess who was responsible for the damage. but said. "We'll catch them. We've increased surveillance." Coldren estimated that the destruction of public property amounted to about $500. In addition to breaking the doors and the mirrors of the restroom on the promenade near Convention Hall, the vandals threw two benches into the water and carried a children's Hde from in front of the Arcade to the beach In other sections of the city, a tire was (Page 77 Please) INSIDE See the COUNTY CALENDAR for an up to-date listing what's happening in Cape May — page 33 BRUCE MINNIX reflects on his administration — page 27. Find current restaurant listings in the CAPE MAY DINING DIRECTORY - page 34. learn who won all the prizes in the annual EASTER STROLL - page 14.

SHE'S SO EXCITED? — ELiza Dietz. 3. yawns while watting for results of the Cape May Easter Stroll Sunday. She's accompanied by Travis Pritchard, 4. Parents are Phil and Sue Dietz and Charles and Hilary Pritchard, all of West Cape May.

Fow: a $2,500 Solution

WEST CAPE MAY If residents of the Fow tract. Sunset Boulevard and Fow Avenue, want relief from long-standing sewage problems, it could cost as much as $1 ,500 per house, an engineering consultant said last week . Roger Copp. an engineer biologist with F X Browne Associates, Inc.. Lansdale. Pa . told about 25 area residents in a meeting in Borough Hall that the cheapest solution would be to install four inch gravity sewers that would connect to a small pumping sta tion at Broadway and West Grant Street. The pumping station would connect to a Cape May sewer main Copp's firm has been hired by the borough to study difficulties residents have with their sewage disposal, and propose solutions The area is a low-lying one where subsurface water reduces the efficiency of septic tanks. SEVENTEEN OF 20 property owners who responded to a questionnaire reported they have problems with their septic systems. Copp said.

"They say they have waste water back ing up, difficulty in flushing toilets, experience odors in their back yards, and are afraid to use their washing machines." Copp * said. Installation of gravity sewers. Copp said, could cost from $180,000 to $250,000 Up to 75 percent of the cost would be covered by grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), he said. AS AN EXAMPLE. Copp said if the overall cost was $200,000. EPA, would pay for $150,000 leaving $50,000 to be financed through the issuance of municipal bonds. "I would suspect just the people affected." said Copp when asked what group of borough residents would be held responsible to pay off the bonds. If the system was built, residents of the area would be assessed the standard $320-a-year sewer fee in addition to other costs. Copp said. Copp stressed that the cost estimates are (Page 57 Please)

Portraits

Emma Elwell Made The Library Special

By JACK SMYTH CAPE MAY - Signs don't always give a clear picture But the one on the yellow building at Ocean and Hughes streets does It says: "Cape May Public Library, Em ma G. Elwell." Emma G Elwell. 79. has been the Cape May library for 25 years, since she first took over 2.000 books piled helter-skelter in a basement room of City Hall and began cataloging them Today the library has 22.000 books. 19.068 members, a staff of four and a budget of $50,000 But more than that, she added the touch of warmth and friendliness that has made the library a special place over the years

for thousands of summer vacationers as well as year-round residents "I WANT THE LIBRARY to be a place you would like to come to." she said People who come to the library for something to read, leave finding that they have made a new friend The nooks and crannies of the building are full of mementos they have left from simple sea shells to pieces of antique furniture "People come back summers and throw their arms about me and kiss me on the cheek." she said. Today the library has 22.000 books, a budget of $50,000, a staff of four, and 19.068 registered members It is a far cry from the conditions Mrs ( Page 57 Please )

Doris Ward EMMA ELWELL Librarian for 25 Years

Lower Incinerator Tempts Council

By JACK SMYTH CAPE MAY — Lower Township Mayor Robert R Fothergill won Ameasure of support here Monday nigh in his campaign to build a trash incinerator at Sunset Beach. After hearing Fothergill extol the cost effectiveness of such a plant, and its possi ble linkage with a plant that would desalinate city drinking water. Mayor Arthur Blomkvest committed Council to tour a similar incinerator that is operating in Connecticut. "You're to be commended, don't give up." Blomkvest told Fothergill. Councilman Adrian Capehart indicated he was favorably disposed towards the incinerator. too. The third member of Council. Harry A. Gilbert, was not present for the work session. BLOMKVEST ADVISED Fothergill of the opposition to the incinerator in Cape May Point. "The people there are afraid of burning, and I think that's the prime thing you have to overcome." said Blomkvest Fothergill identified the county Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) as

the main obstacle to the incinerator, charging that the MUA "is continually studying this and that." The MUA has a franchise on trash disposal throughout the county, and has taken a dim view of Fothergill's proposal A consulting engineer hired by the MUA recently recommended a 400-ton-a-day incinerator in Woodbine as the most economical solution. But last week, the MUA reluctantly agreed to spend $10,000 to study a twoplant solution to the problem. FOTHERGILL SAID that while he wants to cooperate with the MUA. "to date, it's been a power struggle. "I've had no dealings with these people." Fothergill said at one point alluding to the MUA. "I'm looked at like fungus." Bruce Gorman. solicitor for Lower Township, pictured the incinerator providing power in the form of steam for a plant in Cape May that would remove the salt content of ground water by osmosis. The process, which reportedly has gained favor with city officials, has been proposed by Howard J. Davis, a retired research scientist with the Celanese Corp. "THE OPPORTUNITY to put the in(Page 57 Please) Geese Got to Go CAPE MAY — The big goose roundup is on at the city's Madison Avenue park Animal Control Officer Bertram Halbruner has been instructed to grab the geese that have been popular attractipas at the park and transfer them to the county park in Cape May Court House. The reason: they have bitten a few passersby including babies "I'm gonna sort of miss them." said Mayor Arthur Blomkvest last week "They kept down the carryings-on there " Shared Paving CAPE MAY - The city and the U.S. Coast Guard have agreed to share the cost of repaving Pennsylvania Avenue, the main access to the Coast Guard base here The Coast Guard will put $113.750 into the project and the city. $73,400 The deal is contingent on Congress appropriating the larger sum Is Desalt De Answer? CAPE MAY — City Manager Fred Coldren has called a process to desalt water proposed by a retired research scientist "a good possibility" for relieving the city s on-going water supply woes Howard J Davis, former researcher with Celanese Corp.. claims that a plant embodying the process could be built for about $1.8 million, and produce three million gallons of potable water a day