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: ' CM HAT WAV*. S*TM 88th YEAR. No. 16 r." “

CAPE MAY. NEW JERSEY. THURSDAY APRIL 16, 1W2

FIVE (

Survhrers Here After 200 Mile > Ufebeet Trip

Cape May Clergyman Enlists In Navy’s Chaplain Corps

mil«

The Rev. Benjamin B. Brown, rector of the Church of the Advent since 1938, left Cape May this week to enlist in the

Sixteen seamen who Bailed 200 XJ. S. Navy as a junior grade lieutenant in the Chaplaiii Corf " ‘ - • Father Brown reported for duty at the Norfolk Naval base

yesterday, where he is enroll-'

City Gets Bids For Surfacing Of 4 Streets

Spriag Ceart Tana Opened Teeeday

their ship had been torpedoed off the Atlantic coaet, were landed at ti>e Cape May Naval bane last Wednesday, it was announced by tha Fourth Naval District on Sat-

urday.

The men were members of the crew of a small American freighter which was torpedoed and sunk off the- Atlantic coast nearly two weaks ago. Thirty-»even members of the freighter’s crew and pastes ger list are believed to have

been lost.

IN BOAT FIVE DAYS

The survivora who were brought here had sailed for five and a quarter days in an open lifeboat, a Navy spokesman said. All Buffered from expoaure, but

none was injured seriously.

The freighter was attacked by an enemy submarine without warning about 6:60^ a.m. (E.W.T.)

ed in the chaplain school. During his absence from the local pariah, the pulpit will u * filled by the Rev. WObur. Hogg, at present assistant rector

warning about 6:50 a.ra. (E.W.T.) Third Mate Philip W. Babcock related, and within 16 minutes the

ship went down.

The survivors scrambled Into one lifeboat, and Second Mate Parke M. Ward, of Brooklyn, a veteran of 40 yean afloat, and 20-year-old Babcock took charge. RECOUNTS ESCAPE

Babcock, a Blairstown, N. J. resident, who spent two months in a navigation school and then “picked up the rest myself”, recounuted that he and Ward steered the tiny lifeboat by sun and Stan and dead reckoning until a Navy patrol picked them up on April 8. Three of -the ship’s six passengen were amound those saved. Employee* of Pan-American Airways, they are Robert L’Hommcdieu, Babylon, Long Island, N. Y.; Edward Magruder, 26, Washington, D. C. and Harold J, Bohnen, 46, Winnetka, III SURVIVORS LISTED Crewmen saved are: Third Assistant Engineer Alric J. Edwards, 81. New York City; Carpenter Carl O. Hansen, New York City; Stanley A. Zelinski, 22, wiper. Providence, R. Ij Acsiclo Perez, Aquadilln, ' Puerto Rico; James Tigner, 30, Albany, N. Y.; Tonten Carlson, 46, Hoboken, N, J.; Christopher Vclazquez, 24, New York City; Carl Roberta, 23. Lexington, Ky.; Marlin Derrickaon. 24, Willlamstown, N. J.: John Frank Augustine. 27. New York City; Bill Bussey Wiley, seaman second class, Gomez. Fla., Babcock and Ward.

Father Hogg will come May during the next two weeks, and will begin his duties here May 1Father Hogg is a graduate of Brown University and the Philadelphia Divinity SchooL He is a native of Plajnfield, N. -J.' In Father Brown's absence, Father Hogg will be priest in charge of the local parish. Father Brown remains as rector of the parish on leave of absence for tne duration of his service in the Navy. Father Brown was bom in Ontonagon, Mich., in 1906; was graduated from Niles, Mich., high school and from St. Stephen's College in 1927; was graduated from General Theological Seminary in 1930. He was ordained Deacon at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York, by the Rt Rev. William T. Manning on June 15, 1930 and was ordained priest by the Rt. Rev. Edward L. Parsons in the Church of the Advent, San Francisco, where he was curate from 1930 until 1932. During his curacy there, he also served at St. John's Church, Oakland, Cal., and did some pastoral work at San Quentin prison During his service here, the Church of the Advent has made marked progress. The church building has undergone a great many repairs, alterations and improvements and is now considered one of the finest types of colonial architecture in this section.

FATHER BROWN

Project Nears

Completion

Ask Larger Ration Quotas For City

Speed Work On New Chemical Plant

Construction of huge concrete and steel storage tanks is continuing rapidly at the Northwest Magnesite Company's million-dol-lar chemical plant in Lower Township, near Delaware Bay, despite slight delays caused by spring rains during the last week. Workmen are pouring concrete for cae of the larger tanks this week. The latest addition will bring the total to six huge concrete tanks and construction of one large steel tank is nearing completion. The once barren lands occupied by the Witmer Stone Wildlife Sanctuary are now scenes of intense activity as nearly 200 workmen speed construction of the plant, which promises to be this county’s largest industry. The plant will extract sintered magnesite from the water of Delaware Bay. and the product will be used in the manufacture of steel, one of the nation's principal defense and war industries at present. Construction work at present is confined mainly to tank building with other parts of the project scheduled to start soon. The chemical plant, one of the first, og ita kind in this country, Is expected to be ready for operation some time in August.

Increased ration quotas of automobiles and tires for the Cape May area were requested this week by city officials through the local rationing board in an appeal to Robert K, Bell, Ocean City attorney who is Cape May Coun's rationing coordinator. At the request of the city com...ission, City Clerk Floyd C. Hughes has contacted the local rationing "board with the request for increased allotments of both and automobiles for Cape May. In the city's request, Hughes tod the fact that the increased population of Cape May as a result of the expanding Naval base and other military units in this community has caused a CT'-ater demand for rationed autos and tires than the normal Cape May population, upon which the quotas have been based, would require. Commenting on the situation at Friday's commission meeting, Mayor T. Millet Hand explained that officers and enlisted personnel stationed at the Cape May Naval base and other local units of the armed forces naturally have need for automobiles and tires under the rationing Tilan because of their positions in the defense effort. As a result, he said, the service men's demands rtually deplete the local ratfon quotas. In view of these facts, the Mayor said, he and the other commisioners feel that Cape May’s ration quota should be revised to include both the civilian and the military personnel residing here.

Construction of 50 individual housing units for Navy personnel stationed at the local base entered Its final stage this week as actual construction work on the buildings neared completion. With most of the building work, painting and other principal construction work completed, only finishing touches to the houses remain to be completed, according to a representative of the Matthews Construction Co., of Princeton, contractor in charge of the

work.

The final phase of the Navy’s (tuilding program includes grading, landscaping, construction of streets, curbs and sidewalks, installation of sewer, water, and electric lines. No estimate could be given concerning the probable length lime required to bring to completion the housing project, and no tentative date was given when the houses may be ready occupancy. Construction of the 50 housing units, from the beginning of the foundations until the structural work has been completed, required approximately months. The foundations were started in mid-December. A large crew of workmen, representing all lines of the building trades, has been employed on the project to rush it to completion. Work on the final stages of the project is expected to start very shortly,, it was said.

The city commission on Friday recommended that the contract for surfacing New Jersey, Philadelphia, Reading and Trenton avenues with bituminous concrete be awarded to the Bituminous Contracting Corp., of Trenton, which submitted the low bid for the Job, Bids were received Friday morning from four contractors, covering the laying of 16,886 square yards of FABC-1 bituminous concrete, 16,385 square yards of grading and furnishing and delivering of 25Q tons of road gravel. $21,990.70 LOW BID The Bituminous Contracting Corp. submitted a total bid of $21,990.70. Its price for theFABC work was $20,317.40; for grading, $1,310,80; and for gravel $362.50. Second low bidder was Charles A. Barrett, of North Wildwood. His total bid was $22,861.30. His price for FABC work was $21,792.05; for grading, $819.26; and for gravel, $250. Versaggi Brothers Construction Co., of North Wildwood, submitted the third lowest bid, with a total of $23,189 for the project. Their price was $21,464.85 for FABC; $1,474.65 for grading and $250 for gravel. RECOMMEND AWARD Highest bidder was A. H. Lupton, Jr., of Bridgeton, whose lump bid was $24,094.40. His bid $21,955.90 for FABC; $1.638.60 for grading and $600 for gravel. The commission recommended awarding the contract to the low bidder subject to the approval of the State Highway Department which is furnishing funds for the major portion of the work under its allotment to Cape May from motorists' gasoline and license

Cape May County's April court nn was opaned Tuesday by Supreme Court Justice Frederic R. Colic, who has charge of this district, when he presided at the initial sens ion of the term and charged the new grand Jury which was drawn. In Us charge to the jury. Justice Colie lauded Cape May County for its low crime leveL He indicated that he is undecided whether or not to designate an acting circuit court judge to

Coaplete Plans Federal Agents

For First Week ~ Of Conferences

i To Survey Cape ; Housing Needs

ms for the first week the Bible Conference which will be held here during August under th« auspices ol the Northern Baptist Convention were announced

during the spring term, and his decision would he based upon further, study of the number of cases listed in Cape May and Atlantic Counties. The circuit court bench for this district has been vacant since the resignation of Judge Wilfred H- Jayne, who recently became a Vice Chancel-

lor.

The grand jury panel drawn Tuesday contams five women. C. Homer Shoemaker, of Ocean City, is foreman of the jury. Only one case was considered in * seven-minute Jury session, and

returned.

Local Men To Be Inducted

Fishermen Searching For First Mackerel

Whh the first of the famous Gloucester mackerel fishing boats fving here Sunday the annual spring search for the early, m fish is on this week. The "American Eagle’’, out of Gloucester, arrived at the wharof the Cold Spring Fisheries Sunday and immediately put to sea in search of the sea.* first mackerel catch. Five other Gloucestermen . i route to Cape May and are expected here momentarily, and others are expected to straggle into port during the next week or 10 days, as soon ae their crews have cleared their home port under the new Navy restricgoveming commercial fishermen. Augmenting the New England fishing fleet which each year bepina its spring operations here,, a

Seventeen Cape May County en will leave here next Thursday morning for induction into the U. S. Army under the Selective Service law, it was announced today by local draft board officials. Fourteen of the men are the local board’s quota; the others •e transfers from other boards. Those composing the board’s quota and their home communities follow: CAPE MAY: Frank Charles Beck, Everett L. Kimsey, Francis John Dwyer. RIO GRANDE: Frank Hallman. WILDWOOD: Charles V. Cos-..-ove, James D. Rice, Walter S. Todd, Jr., Rasmus M. Hansen, Carl S. Roberg, Howard Shaw and William C. Hannon. COURT HOUSE: William KMathis, William B. Eckhardt, Jr. GREEN CREEK: George Reen Transfers from other boards

Carrin, pastor The opening week of the threeweek .conclave will be known as Home Missions and Christian Education Week. It will open August 2 and continue through August 7. PROMINENT SPEAKERS Principal speakers during the first week will be Dr. E. T. Dahlberg, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Syracuse, N. Y., authority on the application Christian principles to social problems; Rev. Luther Wesley Smith, executive secretary of the American Baptist Publication Society; and the Rev. G. Pitt Beers, DJ)., executive secretary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society. Dr. Beers will preach the mon on the initial day of the ference, which will also include Bible School, morning and evening worship. PROGRAM OUTLINED Dr. Dahlberg will speak Monday morning at the session or Bible exposition and there will be conferences on home missions and Christian education. Afternoons will be devoted to recreation of the delegates attending the conference sessions.

Capa May’s the nsxt iris < let Hand disc lowing receipt

position of Cape May’s application for a defense area rating in

(Continued on Page Four)

School Board Unit To Meet

APE MAY Fred A. Piacentine and George E. Cadwallader WILDWOOD: William J. Ger-

ie men will leave here at 6:55 Thursday morning. They will be given a send-off by a large group of friends and relatives, and the newly formed Cape May High School band will provide music for the send-off, which, those arranging the farewell event, promise will be even more elaborate than the first two weeks ago.

With reservations being received from school board members throughout Cape May County for the annua! dinner-meeting of the Cape May County Association of Boards of Education, officials of the association this week said they anticipate an attendance of approximately 225 at the dinner next Thursday evening at Cape

May Court House.

The dinner will be held in the social hall of the First Methodist Church of Cape May Court House, and the business meeting of thq association, including the election of officers, will be held in the court building immediately

after the dinner.

Frederic Snyder, of New York, itemationally known journalist and lecturer, will be the principal speaker at the dinner-meeting. Mr. Snyder, who addressed the association in 1938, will take for his topic, “The Lash in a News

order to Continue home « v tion In this area, despite new i strictions on all civilian construction in excess of $500 worth annually. SMATHERS SEEKS AID Senator Smathers said he had reported to Charles F. Palmer, housing coordinator, on the need for more homes and priorities on building materials for houses in Cape May to provide homes for officers and enlisted personnel of various branches of the armed forces stationed in this vicifttty. A largely increased personnel at the Cape May Naval Air Station is in need of housing facilities, Smathers told Palmer. Tha Senator said Palmer indicated that there is considerable merit to the request for federal assistance in view of the expanding local population as a direct result of the nation’s war program. WOULD CONTINUE BUILDING The city commission has for several months setively advocated designation of this community as a defense area in order to permit continuation of present building programs and continuation of new home developments in this area. In their efforts to attain a priority rating, the commissioners have cited the instance of the Maryland and Idaho avenue developments where the vast majority of houses are presently occupied by officers and enlisted men now stationed a^ the Naval

base.

With an acute housing shortage in evidence for many months, armed forces in this area face ar increasingly difficult housing problem with the advent of the -summer vacation season, when many of the homes now rented by them will be occupied by theii owners. The influx of workers employed i construction of the milliondollar chemical plant now undei way in neighboring Lower Township was also citpd as a contributing factor in the shortage ol adequate housing facilities here.

Senate Approves Plan For Daylight Saving

Pat* Bill Te Delay Registration Change

Men 35-45 To Get Questionnaires

Questionnaires will be mailed soon to men between the ages of 35 and 45 who registered in the third Selective Service registration in mid-February, officials of Local Board Number 2, in charge of conscription tn this area, flounced this week. The fourth registration under the Selective Service law, which will cover men between the ages of 45 and 65 will take place on April 25, 26 and 27 from 9 a. until 6 p.m. on the first “ days and from 7 a.m. —*’* * on the final day. During the three-day period, the local hoard expects, to register approximately 1600 southern Cape May County mw

A bill to postpone for s year the effective date of statewide permanent registration of voters in New Jersey passed the Senate on Monday after Democratic minority members said the postponement would undo the election law

revision started last year.

TTie measure, originally drafted to postpone operation of the permanent registration law for three years, lost in a vote last week. Senator John M. Summerill. Jr., Salem Republican, sponsor of the bill, won approval after amending the measure to put off the

-i-*- —-.i— - —from

The New Jersey Senate Monday adopted a resolution authorizing Governor Charles Edison to negotiate with the Governors of Pennsylvania and New York for adoption of daylight saving time beginning the last Sunday in April and continuing until the Inst Sunday in September. The resolution was introduced by Senator Frank S. Farley, of Atlantic, and Senator Haydn Proctor, of Monmouth, who urged its passage in the interests of seashore resorts of the state well as for war industries. Senator Farley said he offered the resolution for two reasons: In order to give seashore resorta affected by dim-outs another hour of daylight, and to help defense industries obtain another hour of natural daylight. Civic and service organizations . Cape May County recently have urged adoption of daylight saving time in addition to wai time as a boon to county resorts. It was pointed out that with the proposed change, it will be daylight until .30 o’clock in midsummer, thus .minimizing the effect of the coastal dim-out

large number of local commercial fishermen are also after the early mackerel catches. Several netters from Cape May, Wildwood and other county ports are fishing for mackerel this year. The fishermen are centering their operations about 90 miles south by cast of this resort, here they expect to find the first signs of mackerel school:

House, Garage Are Damaged By Fire

Flash’

Edward W. Kilpatrick, secretary of the New Jersey Federation of District Boards of Education, will also speak at the meet-

Attempt To Revive Tri-County Canal

mg.

Eastern Star Elects, Installs Officers

. ’eqtive date only a year

Julf l, 1943, until 1944,

The measure now gdes to the

Assembly for action.

Boards of Freeholders through-

southern / section of New have urged postponement

of the Wmianpht registration law for the Huntfon of the war, contending that the expenditure re-

McBride To Leave Friday For Navy

Mrs. Beatrice S. Ewing, of West Cape May, was elected Worthy Matron of the Cape May Chapter, 156, Order of Eastern Star on Monday evening at a regular meeting of the lodge. She succeeds Mrs. Emily Hoffman, who held the position for a year. Other officers elected and installed Monday evening are J. Richard Moon, patron; Mrs. Ruth Moon, associate matron; Mrs. Clara Bohm, secretary; Miss Marguerite E. Hutchinson, treasurer; Mrs. Marguerite E. Williams, conductress; Mrs. jSdith W. Shields, associate conductress; Herbert C. Harris, trustee for three years. Mrs. Olsen, district deputy of the Eighteenth District, was installing matron. Mrs. Hoffman was installing marshal, and Mrs. Elizabeth Luker was installing chaplain.

Fire fanned by a strong breeze Tuesday afternoon damaged a summer cottage and a small private garage on Second avenue before members of the local fire company could extinguish the blaze. Sparka from a grass fire < vacant lot between properties owned by Mrs. Caroline B. Christie and William J. Hertle, both of Philadelphia, are believed have beep responsible for the c flagration. The major fire started on portrh roof of the Hertle property and quickly spread along the outside wall of the house, burning through to the interior of the lecond floor. While firemen were attempting o extinguish the blaze, the fire crept to the Christie garage and did slight damage to the rear of the building.

Arrangements for the annual , ssion are being completed this week by Everett J. Jerrell, of Cape May, president of the asso-

ciation for many years.

School board members and their ..ives and husbands from all parts of the county are expected

to attend the event.

Borough Defense Unit Is Reorganized

Pomona Grange Has Spring Session

tuld be conserved or used for other more important purposes

Edward J. McBride, of Cape May, is among six Cape Stay

County youths scheduled to 1c Friday to start enlistments in U. S. Navy, the Atlantic City

cruiting office announced Monday. The entire contingent of 89 due to leave Friday will report to

the Naval Training Station Newport, R. I. «

Those from Cape May County, besides McBride, who will leave are John Ogden Rowland and

Let Contract For County Airport

The regular quarterly meeting of the Cape May County Pomona Grange was held Saturday Cold Spring Grange Halt with

large attendance.

Following a supper served by women of the Cold Spring Grange, a special meeting of the Pomona Home Economics Committee was called. Mrs. Allan McClain, of Green Creek, resigned as chairman of the committee, and Mrs. Ida Simpkins, of South Seaville, was named to succeed

A special meeting .pf West Cape May air raid wardens and defense council members was held Friday evening. R. A. Swain was appointed chairman of the defense council to succeed Allen Bush, who recently resigned the Raymond Burke and Francis Douglass, of Cape May Court House. addressed the meeting. They are members of the county defense council. Another meeting of the group was held Tuesday evening when the council was reorganized and plans were made to carry on the work in the borough. Chairmen of new committees were appointed, and each chairman will solicit the aid of other borough residents to fill out their respective committees. All citizens of the borough are urged to cooperate and to attend any meetings of the council.

her.

Contract for construction of the Cape May County Civil Aeronautics Administration airport in Lower Township has been awarded to Foundations and Excavations, Inc., of Moorestown, N. J., I on ita low bid of $223,606, the ■ Board of Freeholders announced

| yesterday.

The evening session -consisted of entertainment presented by subordinate granges. Lewis Simpkins. master of Pomona Grange,

presided.

Rebekah Officers Are Installed

APPROVE CAPE MAY WORK The \ Board of Freeholders yesterday Vranted permission to the Works Projects Administration to carry oe> work on Delaware avenue, C^M May, giving the WPA

Newly-elected officers of Cape May’s Rebekah Lodge No. 37 were installed Thursday evening at a meeting of the lodge in ita headquarters at the Chemical fire house. Installations were made by Mrs. Margaret Hartley, district deputy president of the Atlantic district, assisted by her staff. New officers are Mr*. Irvin

Active work on behalf of • nal from Great Egg Harboi Bay across the southern part oi New Jersey to the Delaware Baj —a project which blossomed am then apparently died five yean ago—was resumed at a meetin| in Millville on Friday. Business and industrial repre .•* onto lives of the Millville an< Maurice River area have askei Congressman Elmer H. Wene ti seek a review of the old cana project and to ascertain if fund, could he made available. The action was taken at a din ner sponsored by the Millvilli

Board of Trade.

Efforts in behalf of the cana which would cut through Cum lierland. Cape May ano Atlanta Counties, have been dormant sinci

1937.

rmy engineers five years ag turned thumbs down on the pro ject on the ground that it wa not economically justified. At Friday’s meeting, advocate of the project's revival pointei out that changing transportatio: trends due to the war assur greater use of the proposed wa

way.

City i

Authorizes

Five-Year Plan

The Five-Year Plan, unde which delinquent taxes plus cur rent levies may be paid in reg ular installments over a five-yes period, was made available t* Cape May taxpayers Friday whel the city commission adopted i resolution authorizing use of tb plan this year. New Jersey’s Legislature re eently enacted a measure author izing municipalities of the stab to adopt the plan if they so de

Cape May has had the Five Year Plan in effect continuous!; for a long period, but because o the character of the plan, i must be authorized annually b; both the Legislature and an; municipality operating under th enabling legislation. The plan provides that delta quent taxes may belaid in in