• , \ r ; « J ^ Herald/Lantern/Dispatch 17 April '85 49 f* \ 1 :

f38r —"7W SflSs // you Can'f Be Benny Hill , Be Jay Schatz— —

(Continued) generally do," said Schatz modeling an Uncle Sam topper. Some of the hats Schatz buys at antique shops or yard sales. Some are given to him by friends. Some even come from guests who stay at The Abbey. "SOME OF THEM even come in sections," said Schatz. "One guest gave me a hard hat worn by employes of the Washington, D.C. sewer system. Later, he gave me a visor for it. If a cherry picker comes next, I'll take it and give it back later." Generally, Schatz will don one of the hats at, well, at the drop of a hat. But there are some places where Schatz is wary about his lids. Like bars. "Some of these hats I don't wear into bars." he said, smiling impishly from beneath a Roman legionnaire's complete with metal visor and plume. "Like Chief Joseph, of the Nez Perces Indians, I fight no more forever," he said. SCHATZ AND HIS WIFE are a bubbly, fun couple. Like a good comedy act, they play off of one another. You could say that the chemistry is right for them to be successful innkeepers and hosts. In point of fact, both studied to be chemists in college. But thousands of miles apart. Schatz at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, and Marianne at Cabrini College, Radnor, Pa. They met while working for Atlas Chemical in Wilmington, Del. "As part of the sales training program, he had to work for me for three months," said Marianne, who was national sales correspondent for the company. "We didn't date for two years, but when he was transferred to Buffalo, we started dating. We kept Allegheny Airlines and

Bell Telephone Co. in business," she said. They got into the business of running a restored Victorian mansion gradually, and almost by accident. OUR ADVOCATION took over our lives," said Schatz. "We started camping in a 45-foot trailer at Cold Spring campgrounds. But we found the seasons were too short. There is gorgeous weather in Cape May in October and November." So they bought a two-bedroom bungalow at Cape May Point, and later, a small, twobedroom house on Ocean Street ip this city. Together, they began restoring their second house and started accepting guests. With a measure of success, they began eyeing bigger game, and found themselves coveting The Abbey, which was then owned by the Christian Science Society of Cape May. When the house went on the market in October, 1979, they moved quickly to acquire it. TO BE ABLE to furnish and restore the old ( 1869) three-story house with a 65-foot high tower topped with a captain's walk, Schatz took a job in Philadelphia with Wheatland Steel Pipe Co. as marketing manager. Marianne took on the task of supervising restoration. Not one to let an opportunity for promoting cordiality pass him by, Schatz immediately organized six or seven of his fellow commuters to pass the two-hour train ride from Cape May to Philadelphia in suitable style. "We laid a piece of plywood between the seats, and we had things like smoked oysters, cold cuts, macaroni salad, beer, and mixed drinks," Schatz recalled. By June, 1980, the party was over. Marianne, with a little help from an assort-

ment of craftsmen, had the house ready for guests. •LORD LOVE HER. she brought it in - about 15 percent under budget, and we opened that June," said Schatz. To celebrate what Schatz called nis transition "from the fast track to being laid back," Marianne and a group of her friends were waiting for Schatz wfien he got off the train on June 31, 1981. "Tom Hawkins, of the Barnard-Good House, had a flat-bed truck festooned with rolls of toilet paper, and we went hooting and hollering around town to Alexander's resta&rant where we had a wonderful dinner," said Schatz. "I've basically been genteely retired since then except for 24-hours-a-day, seven , days a week, eight months a year running the inn," he added. BORN AN ONLY CHILD of a machinist who worked for the Westclox division of General Time in Peru, 111., Schatz spent his youth hunting and fishing. "I could field-strip a shotgun or a rifle blindfolded," he said. As a college sophomore, Schatz dreamed only "of making enough money so I could hired somebody else to work. "If you had told me then that I would be running an inn, and keep busy making beds, and love every minute of it, I'd have told you you were crazy," he said. BORN AND RAISED Marrianne Hillegas near 64th Street and CRy Line Avenue in Philadelphia's Overbrook section, Mrs. Schatz is the daughter of a city fire captain. As a child, she drearfied of being a nurse. "That lasted until I was 16 and went to work in a hospital," she said. "I liked chemistry," she said of the course she took in college. "I figured I'd give it a shot, and it worked out very well." "We like old houses, antiques, and entertaining people." said Schatz of the life he and his wife lead. "This was a way to do it and make it pay for itself. And you meet some super people." SUPER OR NOT, Schatz and his wife agree that not everybody would enjoy being hosts. "It takes getting used to," said Marianne. "Having people live in your house." v "For some it excruciating," said Schatz. "They never got used to people living in their house, using their things. "> > ■ The cost of buying the old houses has risen dramatically since the cdbple bought The Abbey, and they doubt that they could afford to start out today. One house sold for $450,000 last year, Mrs. Schatz said. The couple don't intend to be life-long innkeepers, but are not sure what their next venture will be. "I don't see doing it for more than 15 years, but right now it suits me very well," said Schatz. WHATEVER they turn to. they will like\ • ly stay in Cape May . "I'd like to stay here, it's a nice area," said Schatz. "But it will only be that way if we keep it that way." Both the Schatzes believe^nrt^mgjo give something back to Cape May.' SheTSv a member of the city Planning Board, and an officer with the Middle At£u\tic Center for the Arts. Schatz is first vice president of the Chamber of Commerce, and amember of the Mayor's Advisory Board and the Cape May Vintage Home Association. "I'm just an affable nee'r-do-well who never does anybody any harm," Schatz said of himself. "If you can't be Benny Hill, be Jay Schatz." * "He keep6 rite sane," said Marianne, i laughing. "I'm lucky to have him."

Le Liquor Pour La Mer

(Continued) said his client would not use the license in an "improper fashion." Mayor Arthur Blomkvest said he felt the neighbors would feel better if the restrictions were included. THE CITY'S NOISE ordinance is a problem," said Blomkvest. "It doesn't mean a thing in certain districts." Andy said he agreed with the restrictions, adding, "I have a responsibility to the people who live there. I'm not going to mess it up." Issuance of the license is contingent upon the completion of 50 additional units •currently being constructed lit the motel. The license, which has not been in use for four years, formerly was held by East

Girard Savings Association, 5-9 Jacksoif Street. IN OTHER BUSINESS. Council adopted a resolution permitting any interested parties to submit proposals to provide jitney service for the city this summer. Officials already have received a proposal' by Five Mile Beach Electric Railway, Wildwood Crest, to operate a gas-powered trolley. At the suggestion of Councilman Adrian Capehart, the city backed away from a plan to finance the purchase of a $46,000 sewer pressure cleaner. Instead, City Manager Fred Coldren said the city will of* fer to pay cash for the machine when bids are sought. Council awarded two contracts totaling $11,006 for repairs to the former Lafayette Street railroad station that the city's Chamber of Commerce plans to lease as an office. BARRY HARPER, of AVP Roofing & Sheet Metal Co., Wildwood Crest, will be paid $3,000 to replace the cedar shingles on the roof, and Radnor Restoration Inc., P.O. Box 462, Southeastern, Pa., will be paid $8,006 for the interior work. Because bids on the repairs have exceeded the $15,000 provided by NJ Transit for the work, siding and painting of the building will have to be postponed, manager Coldren said. Coldren announced that David Carrick, .of West Cape May, has been hired as superintendent of the city's water and sewer system, filling a 'position that has been vacant for four years. Carrick, who has held similar positions in Avalon and Stone Harbor, will be prorated for his services out of $20,000 budgeted for that purpose. Council also approved the appointment of Harold O. Button, a city resident, to the Mayor's Committee for Civic Improvement and Community Development.

Virginia House (Continued) drus said Bashaw would need both a mer cantile license and a variance to operate a public restaurant since the building is not zoned for that use. Bashaw said the hotel will be open on a year-round basis, and will provide offseason housing to guests who normally would stay at the christian Admiral or Congress Hall, which are closed during the winter. "We will market it primarily to groups that attend the Bible Congress, but during the summer we will be open to primarily walk-In guests," said Bashaw. "It is probably one of the biggest renovation projects in Cape May, and I think you've done a great job," zoning board member Robert Mullock, told Bashaw. Mullock operates The Victorian Rose, a restored Victorian mansion, which has been converted to a bed and breakfast iqp.

fltspatrfos — ^ (Continued), the Arts, and Washington Street Mall, were attacked as a vandal spree continued last week. A small cherry tree , planted by school children was snapped off at tl e base, and tire tracks marred an emb inkment at the estate, 1048 A Washington St. On the mall, the buds > were putyed off several beds of tulips. Computer Beats Bay \ CAPE MAY — A computer has robbed ■* Bay of all of the underwater / secrets that posed a problem to navigators. The computer and the Na- * tional Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration ship "Ferrel," which operates out of the Coast Guard base ■ here, have charted shoals, currents, and wind factors under a $2 million study. Dr. Henry Frey. an ocean physicist from Maryland, called the project a "free ' world first." Control Density? CAPE MAY — A special Council meeting at 7:30 next Monday night will consider planning board proposals to control density. Among suggested weapons: close zoning loopholes, bo^it off-street parking requirements. establish<minimum-size stores A Texas Avenue Wauia? CAPE MAY — Wawa convenience stores are negotiating to buy the site of ^ the former Texas Avenue Food Market here, a company, spokesperson confirmed last week. Owned by Mr and Mrs Greg Giancola, the market was destroyed by fire on Jan. 13. Homes Approved CAPE MAY — The city Planning Board last week approved plans to build eight single-family homes on two lots at the corner of Wilmington and New York avenues despite protests from nearby property owners about possible erosion Under existing zoning, 12 homes could be built on the lots. * Victorian Fire CAPE MAY POINT - The Dolphin House, a three-story Victorian-era home on the beach here, was damaged by fire last week. The fire was controlled by members of the Cape May Point Volunteer Company, and fire fighters and rescue units from West Cape May\ Town Bank, and Villas. Search Fails CAPE MAY — A search of nearby at beaches and the sea by Coast Guard * units last week failed to find the owner of 'a sport fishing boat who apparently ^fe* overboard a mile off Cape May Inlet. Missing was William H. Dodson, 52, of Oglatown, D?I., owner of the "Caprice IIL" Molester Sentenced $ CAPE MAY — Superior Court Judge James O'Neill sentenced diehard Kohler, 40, of Delaware Avenue, Somers Point, to four years at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Avenel, for molesting a boy, 9, July 25-Aug. 16 at a beachfront condominium here where Kohler worked. Charged with aggravated sexual assault, he was ^opvicted in December. Kohler admitted during his trial that he was arrested before for sex offenses against a minor.