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Ocean City: 1905 through 1916
Editor’s note: Fred Miller is a local historian, trustee of the Ocean City Historical Museum, trustee of the Ocean City Lifesaving Museum, and a member of the Ocean City Historic Preservation Commission. Photos courtesy of Fred Miller and the Ocean City Historical Museum. The following article first appeared in the special spring edition of the 2003 Ocean City Sentinel -- By Fred Miller OCEAN CITY—Next year the spotlight will be shining brightly on Ocean City’s past as this resort town celebrates the 125th anniversary of its founding by the Lake family. The looking back has already begun—last year’s Spring Edition looked at Ocean City’s first 25 years. Today we will look at the city’s history from 1905 to 1916. History shows that Ocean City is constantly changing to meet the demands of the public so the resort can remain “America’s Greatest Family Resort.” 1905 As the year began, Councilman Harry Headley offered the following advice to his constituents: “I think the greatest need of Ocean City is for the people to look on the bright side of things and say something good for the place in which they live. A great many people, and our newspapers not excepted, seem to take a delight in knocking our city. “Instead of talking about the good things, their mission appears to be to find something wrong and then magnify it as much as possible. “If a man builds a house or attempts to make an improvement of any kind, there seems to be a class of people ready to find fault and criticize anything that would be of benefit to our city. In my opinion, this is all wrong. We should praise our city. Say all the good things we can and thus encourage those who spend money to make improvements and to give employment. “You hear them complaining of high taxes. They say it will ruin the city. Now, would it not do our city much more good if these same people would say that Ocean City has the lowest tax rate and the lowest valuation of any seashore place in the county, excepting Cape May City, which has exactly the same rate, but a higher valuation? “Compare our $2.80 tax rate with Wildwood’s $3.75, if you will; then compare our streets, our fire department and all of our public improvements with any of them, and Ocean City leads them all. “Wouldn’t it be a greater benefit to our city if our newspapers and people would publish these facts and comparisons, instead of spending most of their time trying to dig up something to create a sensation and lead the public to believe that Ocean City is going to the dogs.” On April 22, Mayor Joseph G. Champion dedicated the new two-mile long boardwalk saying, “In the individual lives of all of us, events occur by which we mark our happiest milestones, events which shed a light over all the years that follow. Today we have reached a milestone in our municipal life, marked by the most brilliant event which has ever taken place in the history of the city.” By August, the Municipal Music Pavilion, on the Boardwalk at Moorlyn Terrace, was finished and the site of daily free band concerts. The pier extended 118 feet into the Atlantic Ocean, “Thus giving the frequenter a cool breeze as he reads or looks out upon the billowy deep.”  The Moore Building, across the boardwalk from the Music Pavilion, was the center of attraction with its bowling alleys.  The Board of Education—President Dr. B. T. Abbott, R. C. Robinson, R. H. Stites, S. F. Sampson, A. J. Smith and James W. Lee—and City Superintendent of Schools Professor James M. Stevens were planning to build a new Ocean City High School.  1906 The unveiling of a Revolutionary War cannon at the camp ground, Sixth Street and Wesley Avenue, was the highlight of Ocean City’s Fourth of July celebration. The cannon was one of the twelve thrown overboard from the British brigantine Delight, which went ashore on this island on June 2, 1779.  On July 1st, the Berkeley, a modern four-story hotel, opened at 48th Street and Wesley Avenue. Police Chief Samuel B. Scull, under the authority of the State of New Jersey, recorded all of the automobiles in Ocean City, together with the names of the owners and the license numbers of the machines. When he finished, there were 20 names on the list. “SUNDAY’S CROWD RECORD-BREAKER” was the headline over this article in the August 23 issue of the Ocean City Sentinel: “It is conceded that Ocean City’s crowd on Saturday and Sunday was the largest in the history of this resort. “The estimate is made that the Reading brought in fully 18,000 people, and the West Jersey at least 7,000 or 8,000. “The boardwalk on Saturday evening was a mass of surging humanity. Most of the people were between Seventh and Ninth streets, and the delay over the turning on of the electric lights, and the non-appearance of the band until an unusually late hour, made the walk near the city pavilion almost impassable. “All the hotels were crowded and many outside rooms were rented by the hotel people in order to accommodate their guests.” State Senator Lewis M. Cresse laid the corner-stone of the new Presbyterian Church, at Seventh and Wesley Avenue on November 3.  The schoolhouse built in 1882 on Central Avenue between 8th and 9th streets was torn down and a new school was built on the same site. While the new school was being built, classes were held in the Music Pavilion, the Bourse Building, Trower’s Hall, and Champion’s store. 1907 “THE NEW TROLLEY LINE” was the title of the following editorial in the Thursday, July 4 issue of the Ocean City Sentinel: “The ‘new era,’ ‘the epoch-making event’ has happened.  “The new trolley line across Great Egg Harbor Bay, by means of which Ocean City is to have more frequent and quicker service to Philadelphia, by way of Atlantic City, is now in active operation, and the business interests of this resort rejoice. “To the majority of the residents of this city, there never was heard prettier music than the ugly tooting of the whistle, Monday afternoon, proclaiming the arrival in Ocean City of the first car over the bridge across the bay. The first Night in Venice was held on Monday evening, August 12. The 14th Street lifeguards, Daniel Krauss and Alfred R. Smith, rowed their lifeboat in the parade, and they were loudly applauded by the folks along the parade route. 1908 Ocean City promoted itself as follows: “The Ideal Summer Resort; bathing safe and unsurpassed; finest beach on the coast; the home of the family man; many churches; no saloons; spacious boardwalk; free band concerts during the season; great fishing in ocean and bay; the delight of yachtsman; numerous trains to and from Philadelphia on three railways.” The following is from an advertisement paid for by the Ocean City Gardens Company and was under a drawing of the north end of the resort: “A balloon view, showing the relative position and natural advantages of Ocean City Gardens, with a general plan of streets, the Ocean Boulevard around the entire North Point of the Island and the Lagoon on the bay side. Note the commanding location of Ocean City Gardens—the beautiful outlook on all sides—the best of transportation by rail and boat. “Ocean City Gardens has been planned to combine all of the best features in a home by the sea.” The success of the boat parade was reported in the August 13th issue of the Ocean City Sentinel: “Before a crowd that numbered at least ten thousand, and amid the blaze of myriad of lights, the two squadrons of the carnival parade passed in review before the yacht club headquarters last night, and then a beautiful display of fireworks and the great bonfire brought to a conclusion the second successful ‘Night in Venice.’” The only incident worth reporting happened at Smith’s wharf, where a gentleman, in attempting to board one of the boats, slipped and fell into the bay. The article reported “He was promptly fished out by Lifeguard Flowers, with no worse results than a wet suit of clothes.” Mayor Lewis M. Cresse was determined to preserve the Sabbath day in Ocean City. A front page article in the August 20th issue of the Ocean City Sentinel reported, “When two men opened their places of business on the Boardwalk for the sale of soft drinks, post cards, and similar articles, Sunday morning, he promptly got busy and personally notified the owners of these booths to cease business.” The headline on the front page of the August 27th issue of the Ocean City Sentinel foretold the future of the resort: “FUTURE OF OCEAN CITY DESTINED TO BE GREAT.” 1909 Dedication services of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, on the corner of 8th Street and Central Avenue, were held on Sunday, July 4th.  The bridge, located at 34th Street, which was built in 1883, was widened in October. The July 29th issue of the Sentinel reported, “The widening of this road will be greatly appreciated by drivers of teams and automobiles. It is something that has been needed for a long time." Police Chief Samuel B. Scull reminded the owners of automobiles that, “It is required by law that such machines shall be run in a way that will not endanger the lives of pedestrians, and also that the horn be wounded when the auto is approaching a street crossing.” “IMMENSE CROWDS SAW CITY’S ‘NIGHT IN VENICE’” was the headline in the August 19th Sentinel. A smaller headline read, “Bay Front Was a Mass of Illumination and Presented Handsome Scene.” Folks in town were noticing the new penny. One of the ways America was commemorating the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth was with a new penny with Lincoln’s face on it. The new penny replaced the Indian head penny. Lewis M. Cresse was re-elected mayor on November 2. 1910 Postmaster Edward M. Sutton and his force moved into their new Post Office on 8th Street between Asbury and Central avenues.  Mayor Lewis M. Cresse appointed Alfred R. Smith as captain of the lifeguards. The previous captain, 65-year-old Joseph P. Krauss, was named Superintendent of the Lifeboats. James M. Stevens, Ocean City’s Superintendent of Schools, announced on September 15th, “The public schools of this city reopened Monday morning for the fall and winter session with a record-breaking enrollment of 404.” He went on to say, “The most perfect order prevailed in the school rooms Monday morning, reflecting credit both upon teachers and pupils.” On Sunday, October 9, sixteen horses were burned to death in a stable fire on Haven Avenue near 7th Street. When the firemen arrived they found they could do nothing with the stable, so they confined their work to saving the adjoining buildings. A sanatorium called Scotch Hall opened on the corner of 5th Street and Wesley Avenue.  1911 The city councilmen were: President John Marts, H. F. Stanton, George O. Adams, Charles B. Rider, William M. Ranck, and Frank D. Newberry. The Ocean City Title and Trust Company moved into their new building, on the southwest corner of 8th Street and Asbury Avenue, across 8th Street from the First National Bank of Ocean City. The officers of the trust company were: President Lewis M. Cresse, First Vice President Henry D. Moore, and Second Vice President Leslie S. Ludlam. The commencement exercises of the Ocean City High School took place on Friday, June 9th. There were six graduates: George Norcom, William Hancock, Eugene S. Miller, Edward Cotton, Missea Inez Corson and Esther Carhart. An advertisement, including an artist’s rendering, encouraged people to buy property between 16th and 18th streets near the bay. “The Bayous form a veritable American Venice, unique, picturesque and attractive home sites, having water and boulevard frontage, being offered by the Ocean City Bayous Company at about one-half of actual value. The innovation embraces two spacious protected bayous or harbors, opening into the bay and joined at the land side by a water way, surmounted by an elevated concrete bridge of ornate design. Each lot fronts upon the broad, smooth, graveled boulevards, skirted by shade trees and grass plots, which encircle the bayous, and each lot has a frontage on the bayous, with a 30-foot water privilege for floats, etc. The engineering plans and landscape architecture include every advanced idea that makes for beauty, comfort, health and convenience. Full particulars are obtainable from Harvey Y. Lake, Treasurer of the Ocean City Bayous Company, having offices at 838 Asbury Avenue and the Boardwalk at Moorlyn Terrace.”  “BIG CROWD HEARS SPEECH BY GOVERNOR WILSON” was the headline in the October 5th issue of the Sentinel. The article began, “The Hippodrome Building, on the Boardwalk, was filled Thursday evening when Governor Wilson was present and addressed the assemblage, in which there were many women.” “A NEW EPOCH IN OCEAN CITY” was the title of the editorial written by James E. Lake printed in the October 14th issue of the Ocean City Ledger: “Tuesday, October 10, 1911, will long be remembered as the beginning of a new ear in Ocean City Government. “The Commission Form of Government, the new Democratic principle of self-government, that has taken deep root in several states, had its real beginning in Ocean City when the citizens selected and elected from among their fellow citizens, without regard to class or party affiliations three of our best men to manage the city government for the next four years. “The day was perfect. The city seemed almost like a holiday, not a squabble from morn till night. Not an evidence of vote-buying or any other unwholesome political trick. For weeks the Ledger has taken the utmost interest in getting everything before the people, and when the polls closed with one of largest votes ever cast at a municipal election, we surely felt a spirit of true Americanism that we never quite enjoyed before.” The Ocean City Board of Commissioners met on October 17th and organized by naming Harry Headley as mayor and president. His official title was commissioner of public safety and public affairs. R. Howard Thorn was chosen commissioner of revenue and finance, and John Marts was made commissioner of streets and public improvements and parks and public property. 1912 The Thursday, January 18th issue of the Sentinel report on the cold weather: “Not in thirteen years has the weather here been so cold as it was early Saturday morning, when the thermometer registered one and two degrees below zero. It was said to be even colder than this around the Ocean City Motor Boat Club’s headquarters on the bay at Fifteenth street. Thirteen years ago, Chief of Police Scull says, thermometers here registered four degree below. The bay was frozen over during the recent cold snap.” On May 23rd, Chris S. Hand announced that he had named his new pier and auditorium at 9th and the Boardwalk the “Pier Mousquetaire.” The new pier was built against the south side of the old Young’s Pier. The theater’s seating capacity was 3,000 people. The Breakers, Ocean City’s first Boardwalk hotel, opened on Saturday, June 29th. “REID MAKES FINE FLIGHT OVER AND AROUND CITY” was the headline in the August 8th issue of the Sentinel. Under a smaller headline, “On His Trip From Stone Harbor He Carried Great Amount of Mail,” the article reported, “More than 500 pieces of mail were carried here from Stone Harbor by Mr. Reid in his flying machine Monday afternoon. He made the trip up with a head wind in 29 minutes, and thousands saw him make a graceful circle out over the ocean and land on the beach just below Hand’s Pier.” The Ocean City Yacht Club formally opened their new clubhouse in the Gardens on August 24th. They held an open regatta that drew many boats from other seashore resorts and thousands of visitors who expressed the greatest admiration for the new clubhouse and its surroundings.  Former Mayor Joseph G. Champion and his wife had a delightful sightseeing auto trip to New York. One of their stops was at Sing Sing Prison where officials gave him a unique experience—they let him sit in their electric chair. A.J. Smith, president of the Board of Education, announced on October 7th work would soon begin on a new school building. It will be built on the east side of Wesley Avenue between 4th and 5th streets. He reported, “The building will have two stories and a basement, and be modern in every detail. It will have eight rooms for the children, and rooms for the teachers and principal.” On November 5th, Americans went to the polls to elect a president. They had four choices: President William H. Taft, Republican; former President Theodore Roosevelt, Progressive; New Jersey Governor Woodrow Wilson, Democrat; and Eugene V. Debs, Socialist. Wilson won by a landslide, but he did not win in Ocean City. Roosevelt won here with 381 votes. Wilson placed second with 185 votes, and Taft received 144 votes. 1913 The biggest political story of the year was the effort to have Mayor Harry Headley recalled as one of the city commissioners. He quickly responded to the allegations saying they were all lies and “The parties circulating the petitions and their friends are either disappointed office seekers or violators of the law that have been brought to justice by me.” Citizens believed him and he remained in office. Ocean City was featured in the July 2nd issue of the Philadelphia Evening Times. The following, from the article, paints a nice picture of the resort: “The wide, substantial boardwalk is one of the resort’s greatest attractions. It runs from the Ocean City Gardens to Twenty-third street, with frequent cozy pavilions, in which one may sit and watch the promenaders or look out upon the sunkissed billows. “Trolley cars run from one end of the resort to the other, covering the distance along the ocean front.  “The streets in the resort and the roads to the vicinity are among the best in the state. They are appreciated by owners of automobiles and driving teams, who are in Ocean City in large numbers from early in the spring until late in the autumn, and long spins over the smooth highways are greatly enjoyed by them.  “Many auto owners take frequent runs from Philadelphia to this city. “From Ocean City there are good roads leading to various resorts in Cape May and Atlantic counties, and the automobile bridge now being constructed to Somers Point gives this resort a short route to Philadelphia—shorter, in fact, than the run to Atlantic City. “The hotel accommodations are varied and unexcelled. The rates run from $8 per week upward. The hotels and boarding houses are all located within a comparatively short distance of the boardwalk and beach, are easy access to the railroad stations.” Hand’s Pier Theater was filled Friday evening, August 29, when “Cinderella and the Little Glass Slipper” was given under the direction of Professor Ellwood Carpenter for the benefit of the Ocean City Motor Boat Club. The following firemen were sworn into office by Mayor Headley on September 29th: Company No. 1—William Lake, Daniel Sampson and George O. Adams; Reliance Company No. 2—Harry Smith, George C. Murphy and S. B. Swan; Liberty Company No. 3—Warren Smith, Harvey Morey and Somers C. Young. The dedication of the Wesley Avenue Grade School took place on September 19. The ceremonies were led by City Superintendent of Schools James M. Stevens and the following members of the Board of Education: President Augustus J. Smith, Vice President M. W. Adams, Richard B. Stites, Alfred W. Powell, and Spencer B. Swan. Mayor Harry Headley presented an American flag to Spencer B. Swan and the flag was raised to the top of the new flagpole. The children then recited the pledge of allegiance to the flag. They said, “I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” The men of the U.S. Life Saving Service began looking for ships in distress from their newly built tower on the north end of the boardwalk. 1914 The first issue of the Ocean City High School students’ monthly publication “The Billows” was published in late March. The day before Easter, April 11th, two historic events happened: the Ocean City Automobile Bridge Company opened the roadway and four bridges connecting Ocean City and Somers Point; and the cornerstone of City Hall was laid by Mayor Harry Headley. The bridge toll was 25 cents for an automobile and driver; 5 cents for each additional passenger. May 15th was another historic day for Ocean City. A new bridge at 34th Street, which replaced the original bridge to the mainland built in 1883, was officially opened. The ceremonies were led by Cape May County Freeholders John P. Fox and R. W. Edwards. The Ocean City Public Library opened in the Bourse Building and Miss Maud M. Floulds was the city’s first librarian. On August 10th, people in Ocean City were shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Lewis M. Cresse at the age of 46. He was the first from this city to be elected to the New Jersey General Assembly. He was later elected state senator and mayor of Ocean City. On September 9th, Booker T. Washington, the most influential African-American in the country, was in Ocean City. He spoke to large crowds at the Hotel Comfort and the First Methodist Episcopal Church. The September 12th issue of the Ocean City Ledger summarized the summer under this front-page headline: “A Banner Season For Ocean City.” The article began, “Notwithstanding the cry of hard times, which many attribute to tinkering with the tariff, followed by the upset condition caused by the European war, Ocean City has undoubtedly had its banner season this summer.”  Special mention of the fact that no drownings occurred was made by Mayor Headley: “Captain Al Smith’s life guards have clearly demonstrated their efficiency by effecting over seventy rescues in the surf, a wonderful record indeed, when one pauses to think of the thousands that bathe everyday.” This year, the Ford Motor Company greatly improved its assembly-line operation by employing a chain to pull each chassis along. 1915 The newly built City Hall was opened for inspection on New Year’s Day. Mayor Harry Headley, Commissioners R. Howard Thorn, Robert Fisher and other city officials acted as guides. The new building was the subject of an editorial in the January 2nd issue of the Ocean City Ledger: “The new City Hall has called forth the applause of the visitors’ during its entire building and we are sure it will stand as a memorial to the builders, the City Fathers, and all concerned, for many years to come. While it may seen like an expensive luxury for so young a city, yet on the principle that ‘what is worth doing at all is worth doing well,’ we are sure the results will prove the wisdom of such an expense. We feel sure the city has made no mistake in putting up a building in harmony with our schools, churches, banks and our private homes. Such a city hall on our central streets will appeal to business men and to capitalists, so that in the coming summer thousands of investors and visitors will feel the power of such a beautiful and convenient structure in the heart of our already solid city. It is surely an indication that we are a strong, growing, united, stirring people. A city whose taxables are fast approaching $10,000,000 figures can and must have up-to-date buildings. We surely have a City Hall of which the city is justly proud. We are sure much credit must be given to Mayor Headley and the other Commissioners.” Five months after Mayor Headley and Commissioners Thorn and Firsher moved into City Hall, they were all voted out of office. “CITY ADMINSTRATION DEFEATED AT THE POLLS” was the headline of the front page of the May 13th issue of the Ocean City Sentinel. “The present City Commissions—Mayor Headley and Directors Thorn and Fisher—were defeated for re-election at the polls on Tuesday. They went before the people on their records and the voters rejected them in favor of Joseph G. Champion, a former mayor, George O. Adams, a former councilman, both Republicans, and William H. Campbell, a Democrat.” “The Greatest Cottage Seaside Resort in America” was the city’s slogan this year. On January 28, the U.S. Coast Guard was created by an Act of Congress by combining the Life Saving Service and the Revenue Cutter Service. The three local stations at 4th Street, 36th Street and 58th Street soon had new signs on their buildings.  Chris Hand’s Ocean Pier at Ninth Street and the Boardwalk was sold to Albert Fogg. He reported the pier would be remodeled and enlarged by Memorial Day. The OCHS boys’ baseball team beat Pleasantville 12-0 on May 15th. “W.C.T.U. PRESENTS CITY WITH HANDSOME FOUNTAIN” was the headline in the June 3rd Sentinel. “Memorial Day of this year was a memorable occasion for the members of the Ocean City Women’s Christian Temperance Union, marking, as it did, the presentation of the union’s pretty granite drinking fountain to the city.” Mayor Champion expressed the hope that the fountain would remain for years as a monument to the W.C.T.U. Nearly 600 teachers were present at the opening assembly of the Ocean City State Summer School on Monday, June 28th. Dr. Calvin N. Kendall, the State Commissioner of Education, addressed the teachers who were enrolled in the six week school. Circus posters around town caught the eye of young and old. The famous Al F. Wheeler two-ring circus was coming to the Ocean City Show Grounds, located between Simpson and Pleasure avenues, for two shows on Saturday, July 31st.Activities got under way at noon with a big parade lead by a huge camel, Rajah, the King of the Desert. The first show, which began at 2 o’clock, featured acrobats, aerialists, animal acts, clowns and Dare Devil Dalton. People gasped as Dalton rode down a 100-foot ladder on a buggy wheel. The Baby Parade, held on Saturday, September 4th, was called “a complete success in point of turnout and the uniqueness of many of the costumes of the little ones. Lee and Stanley Heist were winners dressed as Ocean City life guards.  The city’s first fishing pier was built at 14th Street by the Ocean City Fishing Club. The Club bragged it had reached its full membership of 300 and those desiring to become members would be put on a waiting list. “The Ocean City Gardens—One of the most desirable seashore situation in the world” was the caption of a photo in the October 30th issue of the Ledger. The picture, looking up Battersea Road, was taken from the upper veranda of the Ocean City Yacht Club. Republican Mark Lake, of this city, was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly on November 2. 1916 Ocean City advertised itself under the new slogan: “The Greatest Family Resort In America.” The ad included the following information: “Seven miles of ocean front and eight miles of inland waterway and bay affords unexcelled bathing, fishing, sailing and motoring; absolutely free from saloons and all kindred evils; good hotels; cottages to rent; reached by both Pennsylvania and Philadelphia & Reading railroads, and Shore Fast Line electric.” One of the most notorious series of shark attacks in United States waters occurred in New Jersey during a 12-day period of July. During the period, four bathers were killed by sharks while swimming off North Jersey beaches. The newspaper and magazines all carried shark attack articles, which set off a tidal wave of shark hysteria along the New Jersey coast. Ocean City’s Mayor Joseph G. Champion issued a statement protesting against the publication of stories, which he declared “caused the public to believe the New Jersey seacoast is infested with sharks, whereas there are no more than any other summer. The statement ended saying, “The business of the resort has been hurt without cause by the shark scare.” Local policemen delivered the following letter to the commissioners on November 6: “We, the undersigned, members of the police force of Ocean City, do most respectfully petition your honorable body for an increase in our monthly wages. “In view of the high cost of living and clothing required to maintain our families, the long hours of service we are on duty each day, irrespective of the weather, we think it is no more than justice to ourselves and families that are depending on us for their daily bread that our wages should be increased. “Trusting you will favorably consider this request, we in duty bound will ever pray.” The letter was signed by Chief Samuel B. Scull, H. W. Hildreth, George Sack, Frank Schock, Howard T. Johnson, George E. Seaman and H. M. Newkirk. To be continued in 2004 |
