** ^ 1Q Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 1 January '85 J:7

r— Jersey Cape Historically VK | By John Merrill

Driving down Route 9 to Cape May. the journeyer will take little notice of much of the history thqt has long since vanished or has, but only" recently, disappeared. The Cold Spring area of Lower Township is just such an area Although many items of past history still remain, many more do not. Located alongside the present railroad line and Route 9 is a now enclosed well built of stone. INITIALLY. THE spring was enclosed with a wooden barrel to keep salt water from contaminating \ the spring. This barrel-well / was eventually replaced by a wooden pavilion structure. enclosing a spring of ice-cold water underneath a foot or so of somewhat brackish water. In order to get to the fresh "bubbling spring" water without getting some of the saltcontaminated water, a

weighted jug with a stopperwas lowered into the spring. The plug was then removed, allowing the jug to fill with cold fresh water. BECAUSE OF this spring. the agricultural community of Cold Spring grew. And because of this well's popularity and the popularity of Cape Island a hotel was established named the Cold Spring Hotel. Today the Hotel is gone except for some of the foundations. the Spring House burned to the ground when a spark from a passing train set the Spring House roof on fire, and part of the original well was filled in to increase the size of the railroad's railbed. IN THE 1950's. the stone well enclosure was constructed. but this structure has been vandalized and the brass commerative plaque that was attached has been stolen. Even the pre-

sent site of the stone well. I've been informed, is in i the wrong location. [ It is a shame that the spring that has flowed since the days of King Nummy and the Lenapes. and has drawn tourists and developed an area, has been lost to history. OTHER HISTORICAL sites have gone into the pages of history in Cold Spring, including the Henry Ford farm, the old Seashore Railroad Line. Cold Spring Station, the first water mills in the county (a grist mill and a

saw mill that worked by the movements of the tides), and Cold Spring Academy. There is even a cemetery located in Cold Spring i which few people have ever | seen and fewer still I remember of even know. ] The next time you are I travelling to £ape May via Route 9. look at this area. Cold Spring- is very rich in history and much of its history has disappeared. Yet much still remains. We should all attempt to prevent important historical sites from disappearing out of the pages of history. f

Nix Personal Attacks To The Editor: After reading your letters Dec. 18 from Lower Township Democratic leader Eugene O'Brien and Democratic Committee people Mrs. Lottie Mattia and Edward Kammerer. I feel for the good of the Lower Township community, instead of making personal attacks on certain individuals, they should address more pertinent issues involving all of us. Let everyone start the new year with a new approach. RUTH J. HART Villas

loyride III By Libby Demp Forrest y | There we were, all decorated for Christmas with the queen-sized box spring stuck on the staircase while we partied around it. Thus, we come to the end of another year. Maybe sometime in 1986 we'll figure how to get the box spring out of the stairwell. I'll say one thing for The Hubby, No. 1 and No. 2, and the guests to our household — they have risen to our hour of crisis. No one cancelled a trip upstairs, or a trip downstairs, just because the box spring was blocking the staircase They rose and descended as usual. THE HUBBY AND I have always wanted a queen sized bed. and finally we found just the bed we had dreamed about. A good, solid bed witha.fich wood headboard and a rich wood footboard. A good firm mattress. And a good, strong, well made, long lasting, tough box spftng. The price was right, so who's to argue with a good deal? The bed was delivered to the house and left in the living room until we had the time to move it upstairs. That time came just before Christmas while we put up greens and decorations. THE HEADBOARD went up to the second floor without any hassle. The footboard went up to the second floor without any hassle. But the box spring got up as far as the landing and there it remained. We measured and re-measured, but the box spring was bigger than the stairwell. We took off the newell post while I cried buckets of tears. "Will the staircase ever look the same again?" I asked. "Re-plastering the wall is no big deal, " The Hubby said. "What about the newell post?" I asked. "It won't be quite the same," said The Hubby. "WHY DID YOU GUYS want a bed that big?" asked No 2. I ignored No. 2 as I watched The Hubby remove the newell post piece by piece. The newell post was put into a corner of the hallway. Then The Hubby, and No. 1, and No. 2. and Stepson No 1 . and Stepdaughter No. 1 tried to get the box spring up the stairs. "We've gained maybe five inches," The Hubby announced as he pushed. } But five inches wasn't enough. And besides the box spring was good and stuck now. v I STARED AT where the newell post used to be. I stared at where the box spring was now. "I can't think how to get it upstairs," The Hubby said. "Maybe next year it'll come to us," said No. 1. "Let's just enjoy the holiday and forget it for now."

Our Readers Write '■ J Local GOP Liberal ? To The Editor : Why is it that Phil Matalucci. who has never won a political election, is now being considered for Gov. Kean's cabinet? One of the members of our local Republican organization told me they are a liberal Republican organization. There are still some of us conservative Republicans around. I never thought I would say that I wasn't the staunchest Republican there could be, but liberal I am not. So in Cape May County I will be conservative and vote only for candidates that are for the best interest of the taxpayers and no", for big government spending. * SIDNEY WETHERILL Cape May f | | ; ; | '

% STONE HARBOR'S VSL I yj& Rose Petal V2 PRICE SALE JsR E&k STOREWIDE VO? ; I 20% To 50% off Discounted Fall ft Winter Mdse. tie Mail. w*j«»ooa Air< (Aort Ml, Pieataorvd* nj | ^^Cae»*«n. * B'oao~<. froaole. Ju-tmr

HaHMWM ■ EH BHHffl HBlfl ^B [ |w8 Have a FestIve ChtisTMAs wiTh aII Ml tIie TRiMMitqs . . . liks Joy ancJ i Hn Love . . . Peace ANd B • Contentment . . . LAuqh ter ANd BBS HAppy, Happy SMilES. ^^B . B *7 It is our sIncere hope tIiat you | ENjoy iT All IN qREAT AbursldANCE, B ii L ¥ duRiNq tIie holidAys ANd H ThRouqhouT tIie New Year. mmm H| " HI ! \ * FIRST SAVINGS AND M y ^^B LOAN ASSOCIATION B ■■■ J * 137 J.F. KENNEDY BLVD., 1 * H x HH JK 4 SEA ISLE CITY. N.J. 08243 ■■iwyt | [ \m . . ... ^^^^LJsEsBBVBUHHBSBBPflBHHHMHBHBfliBBBHBBBBI WE WILL BE CLOSED fP* Wednesday Jan. 1, 1986 feU NEW YEAR'S DAY 5 We Wail Close At 3:00 Dec. 31, 1985