USA > New Jersey > Atlantic County > Atlantic City > The Daily union history of Atlantic City and County, New Jersey : containing sketches of the past and present of Atlantic City and County > Part 12
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The result was that when William L. Elkins was elected President of the Camden and Atlantic Railroad Company, February 22, 1883. the West Jersey people had secured a controlling interest in the line that owned Atlantic avenue, the Longport route and the valuable street car privileges.
Both roads since then have been under one management, with combined and improved terminal facilities.
In 1807 these and all other branches of the Pennsylvania system in South Jersey were reorganized as the West Jersey and Seashore.
GROUP OF OLD-TIME BATHERS.
The Climate.
F the climate of Atlantic City a volume could be written, and then not tell half of its delightfulness and healthfulness. The beach with its many attractions, and the city with its beauty, could not hold the many invalids that visit this shore, did they not all realize that the climate was the one thing that they required. The air is dry, and the barometric and thermometrie readings are remarkably regular, there being very little variation in atmospheric pressure or temperature. This is due to freedom from the influ- ence of large bodies of fresh water. No river is here pouring its volumes of ice- cold water into the ocean, lowering the temperature; and no large fields of ice. broken or unbroken, over which the winds must pass and become chilled, here abound. The prevailing winds during the summer are from the southwest: these are seabreezes, are delightfully cool and refreshing, and do not permit the tem- perature to rise very high. The north and northwest winds are likewise dry, and not cold even in winter. They pass for miles over dry pine barrens, losing much of their moisture; true they are cooler than the winter ocean breezes, but they are far from being chilly.
The atmosphere. as already stated, is dry, the rainfall being less than at either New York or Cape May, places representing the extreme points of the New Jersey coast, and both influenced by large rivers. Foggy days are rare; fogs follow water lines as river or coast, and Atlantic City being out in the ocean beyond the general coast line of New Jersey escapes the fogs that are frequently seen elsewhere.
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DAILY UNION HISTORY OF ATLANTIC COUNTY.
There is a mildness and balminess in the air that cannot be expressed in words, it must be felt to be understood. So pronounced is this, that invalids coming here in the winter from snow-bound cities call Atlantic City the "Florida of the North;" they unbutton their heavy wraps, walk up and down the board- walk, or along the beach, and thoroughly enjoy the climate.
The question is frequently asked, what are the causes that contribute to this delightful climate? In general they are three, two of which have been already mentioned. The topography of the place; there being no large body of fresh water near, chilling the air in winter, or saturating it with fresh vapor in summer. The air being dry it is ever ready to take up moisture, thus evaporation takes place readily from the human body, keeping it cool. The advantages of this freedom from fresh water cannot be too strongly expressed. The southern ex- posure that the city enjoys is another cause for the mildness of the climate. The ocean breezes from the southeast, south and southwest blow directly from the gulf stream onto the beach, and the gulf stream is of itself one of the most potent factors in the climate. Its waters are a deep blue, contrasting strongly with the green of the ocean, and opposite Atlantic City this stream has a temperature all the year round of about 77º, and is nearly five hundred miles wide. Winds passing over it are tempered and possess that peculiar balminess so well known here.
Another point that must not be overlooked in the freedom of Atlantic City from fresh water influence, is the absence of malaria. The mixture or alterna- tion of salt and fresh water is one of the most potent factors in the production of malarial poison. If a large tract of meadows is for one-half of the twenty- four hours covered with salt water and the other half of the day covered with fresh water, malarial poison is sure to abound. This condition of things cannot obtain here. Besides this there is a preservative quality in salt water and salt air which prevents the growth of germs; hence contagious diseases do not get a foothold here. The prevention of decomposition is manifest in our stable yards where manure may lay for months without becoming rotten. Lots in the city which were below grade were filled years ago with sand to a depth of one to three feet; upon digging down now to the old ground the grass that covered these lots is found discolored but still tough and not rotten.
ABOVE THE CLOUDS.
The Invalid.
VERY newcomer to Atlantic City, whether he be well or sick, is usually surprised by two sensations, one is a feeling of sleepiness and the other is an increased appetite. Thousands of visitors for the first few days of their stay here seem to do nothing but eat and sleep. They will be found in the hotels, in the sun-parlors, along the boardwalk or on the dry sandy beach, with neglected book or paper, either sound asleep or drowsily drinking in the beauty around them. This is not the listlessness of a warm, depressing, sultry, southern climate, but simply the result of perfect oxydation of tissue securing this very important factor in the recovery of the invalid. The increased appetite is due to the same cause, and with it comes the ability to digest more food, especially animal fats and oils; still the invalid needs to be cautioned against excessive eating, for with an increased appetite, and a tempting menu before him he may be led into sinning, and as a result suffer the pangs of acute indigestion.
What class of invalids will be benefited by a visit to Atlantic City is a ques- tion frequently asked. and one not very hard to answer, in a general way. Con- sumptives, as a class do well here. Not all cases of consumption should visit the seashore, but there are cases that are vastly benefited by the sea air, and if not radically cured the disease is ren- dered so latent, and the system given such an impetus. that the disease will trouble the invalid no further, unless some special influence is exerted to reawaken it. In- cipient cases are those that receive the most radical and lasting good. A patient with a family history of con- sumption may have an attack of pneumonia from which he does not convalesce nicely, there is but little cough. but he does not gain strength as he should. He tires easily, has no energy, appetite is poor and his sleep is disturbed. Or without any previous sickness he complains of lassitude, decreased digestive powers, has some cough, a constant daily elevation of temperature, and perhaps, beginning tuberculosis. To such a case a residence in Atlantic City. more or less prolonged, as the case may require, will prove very beneficial be- cause these cases demand an out-door life such as can be found here, for hardly is there a day even during the winter, that the consumptive cannot spend at least a few hours in the open air without danger of taking cold. In cases further ad- vanced the outlook is, of course, not nearly so hopeful, but even these are bene- fited. As a rule they suffer from hectic fever and profuse night sweats, both of which are much modified or entirely disappear after being here a few days. Appe- tite and digestion are always improved, and that brings increased strength. There
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THE MORNINGS CATCH.
SCENES AT THE INLET.
205
AS A HEALTH RESORT
is still another condition in which the lungs become contracted and hardened, and the air cells become more or less obliterated. In such condition this climate is of
a
RESIDENCE OF E J. PETROFF.
two-fold benefit. for the invalid will receive more oxygen each time he fills his lungs, and the salts in the air have a direct effect upon the hardened tissues.
The season of the year when consumptives should visit Atlantic City is
SUMMER HOUSE OF MR. GEORGE ALLEN.
ISAAC COLLINS.
207
AS A HEALTH RESORT.
particularly from the middle of September to the middle of May, though some cases are benefited at any season of the year. Cases that should not come to Atlantic City are those that have had hemorrhage or that are liable to have hemor- rhage, for this very serious condition will most likely be increased by a visit to the seashore.
Invalids that suffer from chronic bronchial, post nasal, or laryngeal catarrhs. with the attending annoying cough, which is aggravated every winter. do well here: in some cases the cough becomes entirely relieved. Asthmatics are another class of sufferers who bless the balmy breezes of Atlantic City. The "hay-fever"
RESIDENCE OF BOLTON G PARSONS.
victim here finds immunity from his tormentor, and if he comes early enough and stays long enough, and repeats his visits for several years, the chances are that he may be cured of his trouble.
Another great class of invalids are those suffering from chronic malarial poisoning. These are abundantly helped here. As is well known this poison may lay dormant for a long while in the system, but even in this dormant state it has an influence. and the victim does not feel well. Such conditions may be
CLEMENT J. ADAMS.
209
AS A HEALTH RESORT.
radically changed, and after a residence for a few weeks here the verdict is gen erally expressed thus. "I feel better than I have for a dozen or twenty years."
The poor sufferer from rheumatism finds relief here, and he often finds more-a positive cure. Many of the permanent residents of Atlantic City are old rheumatics that are living here simply on account of their freedom from pain.
Here, also, is the Mecca of the nervous invalid. He may be the man of business, who, for years has devoted all his energy to piling up a fortune, without taking any rest; he may be a student or professional man, working his brain eighteen hours out of the twenty-four; or the woman of society, living in a brilliant exciting whirl month after month; these and a thousand others come to
난
RESIDENCE OF JOHN W PARSONS.
this ideal spot for rest and find it. Peaceful sleep, which may have been for months unknown, takes the tired feeling from the brain, and awakens within the invalid a hope that he may recover, and he improves. He sits entranced by the hour watching the rolling deep in its grandeur, and as he inhales the stimulating air his mind is soothed, worry is removed, and he forgets that he is sick.
Many other conditions could be mentioned, but the little invalid must not be forgotten. During the heated term the beach is a grand baby show. Here
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J. ADDISON JOY, M.D.
211
AS A HEALTH RESORT
is the healthy, happy baby sent from the city to escape the heat and its attending dangers, and there is a poor little sufferer, far advanced in marasmus; and as a rule both are benefited. Between these two extremes are many children more or less delicate, with pale faces and thin bodies. They have had all the diseases that
RESIDENCE OF DR. JAMES NORTH.
·childhood is supposed to be heir to; or have grown too rapidly at a fearful cost to their animal economy. A few weeks in Atlantic City will change all this, and the little invalid will become a healthy, rosy-cheeked child. This is not a miracle. it is simply a natural result.
BACHARACH BUILDING.
HANNAH SOMERS DAVIS.
Our City Water Supply.
ITH all the advantages of living on an island out in the sea, it may well be supposed that there would be some disadvantages. The greatest of these as Atlantic City increased its thousands of inhabitants was an insufficient supply of potable water.
For many years before the city knew the luxury and value of having two to five million gallons of pure spring water pumped daily within its borders, the first inhabitants depended upon surface wells. The soil was not then impreg- nated with the deleterious waste of a dense population and good water was obtain- able along the ridge of wooded sandhills that formed the backbone or ridge of the island. In most places where wells were dug, salt or brackish water was found. which was worthless for domestic purposes.
Chalkley, John, Steelman Leeds and others were favored in having wells near their homes that furnished excellent water.
But as hotels and cottages were built, travel increased, and the demand for water grew. brick cisterns were built beneath every roof to catch and harvest the proceeds of every storm and shower. No well can furnish so pure, soft and wholesome water as a clean, well ventilated cistern yields beneath ocean skies. Occasionally it happened in times of drought that the railroad company was ap- pealed to and did bring large tanks of spring water from Absecon to be peddled about the city and sold to those whose cisterns were dry. So late as 1880, when there were 1.000 buildings and as many voters, and five times as many inhabi- tants, a water famine was tided over by the water peddler in this way.
City Council had caused to be built a number of brick wells at accessible street corners about the city for recourse in case of fire, and pumping stations on the meadows at South Carolina and Massachusetts avenues provided sea water for sprinkling the streets for several years.
So early as 1856, Manassa MeClees, owner and builder of Cottage Retreat, or the Metropolitan, at- tempted to solve the water problem by sinking the first artesian well. With a nine-inch pipe he went down ninety to one hundred feet, at a cost of $1.000. and striking salt water at that depth, gave it up in disgust. Many of our large hotels now are sup- plied chiefly in this way, finding a strata of pure and satisfactory water at a depth of eight hundred feet.
John W. Moffly, Walter Wood and other capi- talists of Philadelphia took the first practical steps towards giving this wooden city proper fire protec- tion and water supply.
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AUGUST STEPHANY.
215
THE CITY WATER SUPPLY.
On October 21, 1880, Council passed an ordinance giving them and their associates the right to lay pipes and supply water for all domestic and public uses.
A supplemental ordinance was passed November 19, 1880, more particularly reciting the conditions of this contract and securing to the investors certain ad- vantages which created prejudice and caused controversy which lasted for years.
The Moffly-Wood Company prosecuted vigorously the building of their plant, erecting a steel standpipe in this city, connecting at first with a twelve- inch main across the meadows six miles to the brick station where powerful pumps forced the purest and sweetest water obtainable, to a people that needed it badly enough, but objected to the contract for its coming.
THE UPHAM COTTAGE.
The ordinance of the Moffly-Wood Company was repealed by Council on May 24. 1882. after several hundred thousand dollars had been invested, but such action was ignored as illegal. It certainly was not effective.
The streets had been thoroughly piped and one hundred and fifty fire-plugs had been located and put in service for the water which was first turned on June 19, 1882. The excellence and abundance of the water proved a great blessing to the town, restored confidence, promoted expansion, and greatly encouraged build- ing improvements.
JOHN J. ROCHFORD.
217
THE CITY WATER SUPPLY.
But the tariff charged by the Wood Company was considered by some to be extortionate and the feeling against its promoters became intense. Council re- fused to pay and never did pay the stipulated $7.500 a year for the 150 fire-plugs and made special arrangements for sprinkling the streets, so that contractors for the work should buy of whom they pleased the water which they used.
A special election was held in 1881, to vote on the question of the city build- ing and owning a water plant of its own. Only half the total vote was polled. or about 600 ballots cast, but the result was five to one in favor of the proposition.
RESIDENCE OF FRANCIS P. QUIGLEY.
Council passed an ordinance March 5. 1888, giving the Consumers Water Company, a local organization, the right to lay pipes and supply the city with water. The incorporators were Henry J. White, Fred Hemsley, Daniel Morris. George Allen, John B. Champion, Dr. T. K. Reed, Mark Malatesta and Win. G. Bartlett. This company proposed to get its supply from artesian wells, but as a precaution, secured an option on the pond at Port Republic.
Seven wells in all were driven by the Consumers Company, two at Arctic and Michigan avenues, on the Gas House property, which have since been dis- connected, and five at the pumping station, Kentucky and Mediterranean ave- nutes. These wells were four. six and eight inches in diameter and at a depth of nearly eight hundred feet reach a water-bearing strata that has yielded satisfactory results.
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RESIDENCE OF C. J ADAMS
T
RESIDENCE OF MRS. JACOBS.
219
THE CITY WATER SUPPLY.
For several years the water controversy and costly litigation continued. The two rival companies fixed a low tariff schedule and furnished in abundance an excellent article, creating careless and extravagant habits in the use and waste of water which had to be checked years afterwards by a costly system of meters.
But some of the stockholders were practical business men and noticed that as expenses increased dividends did not materialize. The demands of a growing city made further investment and improvements constantly necessary. The re- sult was that the two companies consolidated with a view of the city taking both plants, which was finally consummated on August 1. 1895.
THE OLD OCEAN HOUSE.
A special commission, consisting of ex-Governor George C. Ludlow, Wash- ington G. Robeling and - Harrison, with Robert Herschel, an expert engineer, went over the records and appraised the plants at $771.782. This large sum is supposed to cover every dollar of the original investment with interest to date, with all the unpaid water rent due the Wood Company.
At the time of the purchase engineers estimated that the plant could be duplicated for a trifle more than half the amount for which city bonds were issued. Extensions and improvements since have increased the amount of water bonds issued to about $900.000.
The property is more than self-sustaining on a low schedule of charges and is economically managed by a board of three commissioners, consisting at present of Messrs. L. Kuchnle, Dr. E. A. Reilly, and Rufus Booye.
LOUIS KUEHNLE, SR.
221
THE CITY WATER SUPPLY
There are fifty-three miles of pipe in the city, four hundred and twenty-five fire-plugs, close to four thousand services in use and over three thousand meters.
The full pumping capacity of the plant is over 13,000,000 gallons daily. . \ 20-inch and a 12-inch force main bring over the meadows the spring water from the mainland in quantities ranging from 1.500,- 000 to 5.000,000 gallons daily. The Consumers sta- tion is also operated for those who prefer that water, which is pumped in quantities ranging from 250,000 to 700,000 gallons daily.
The excellent quality of these waters is shown by the last report and analysis made by Prof. Wm. P. Mason, Professor of Chemistry at the Rensse- laer Polytechnic Institute, Troy. N. Y .:
Ist. Sample from 30-foot wells at the mainland pumping station in Absecon:
FIRST CITY HALL.
Analytical results in parts per million :
Free Ammonia .023
Albuminoid Ammonia .05
Chlorine 9.
Nitrogen as Nitrites Trace.
Nitrogen as Nitrates .5
"Required Oxygen" .4
Total Solids 30.2
The mineral solids of the above are composed as follows:
Silica (Si O: ) 7.75
Oxides of Iron and Aluminum ( Fe, (); +Al, O ) 0.51
Sodium Chloride (Na. C1) 6.4
Magnesium Chloride (Mg Cl:) 4.03
Calcium Chloride (Ca Cl.) 3.3
Calcium Sulphate (Ca S O.)
5.03
27.02
"This is of excellent quality. You are fortunate in having so good a supply. The water is not of local origin, being quite distinct in character from those of your immediate neighborhood, and, although the wells supplying it are but thirty feet in depth, there are sundry reasons why it would be proper to classify it as a 'deep-seated water.' "
Second sample taken from the artesian wells at the Consumers Pumping Sta-
RESIDENCE OF JOSEPH S. CHAMPION.
RESIDENCE OF CAPT. SAMUEL SOMERS.
223
THE CITY WATER SUPPLY.
tion. As there is no question as to the purity and potability of this water coming up 800 feet from the surface of the earth, no sanitary analysis was made, but simply a determination of the minerals contained.
Analytical results in parts per million :
Silica (Si O22) 35.5
Oxides of Iron and Aluminum (Fe2 O3 + .\12 (3) 1.8
Magnesium Sulphate (Mg S (4) 8.1
Calcium Phosphate (Ca3 [P (4]2 2.0
Calcium Carbonate (Ca CO3) 23.6
Sodium Sulphate (Na., S(1) 39.7
Sodium Chloride (Na Cl ) IO.7
Sodium Bicarbonate (Na H CO3) 23.1
144.8
"Regarding this water, from the artesian wells, nothing need be said beyond the statement that its quality is good."
The following is a statement of the expenditures and receipts for year ending August 1, 1897. Water Department of Atlantic City.
Items. Expenditures.
Receipts.
Management and Repairs
$14,680 52
Pumping Expenses
15,392 55
Interest
43,250 00
$539 66
Construction, Meters, Etc.
210 39
Sinking Fund
22,580 00
Water Rents received Aug. 1, 1896, to Aug. 1, 1897 ...
66,499 14
Penalties
160 02
Bills of Series of Aug. 1, 1896, and Feb. 1, 1897, unpaid Aug. 1, 1897
645 51
Meter Bills due Aug. 1, 1897, for water used in pre- vious six months
14,030 00
Sundry Account
911 82
Bills on Sundry Account unpaid Aug. 1, 1897
64 01
Rebates
66 43
Street Service Account
3,402 17
3,306 60
Street Service Account, Material on Hand Aug. I, 1897
352 27
Rent of Bargaintown Mill Property
150 00
Amount received from Tax Duplicate as payment to Sinking Fund
12,100 00
Expended on Permanent Improvements to Plant, charged to Management and Repairs
840 85
Totals $99,371 67
$99,810 27
LYDIA H. CROMWELL, M.D.
Gravity System of Sewerage.
After more than a year of agitation and discussion, City Council, on Deum- ber 12, 1884, passed an ordinance granting the Improved Sewerage and Sewage Utilization Company of New York the right to lay pipes in the streets and alleys of Atlantic City, to take away the waste water from hotels, cottages, bath houses, etc.
The very great importance of a feature of this character can only be imagined by those who were personally familiar with the situation and conditions in this growing city at that time. The disposal oi slops and waste water of all kinds was attended by great inconvenience.
A supplemental ordinance was passed Decem- ber 15, 1884. when the promoters of the "West patent" proceeded with the construction of the plant.
Winfield Scott West was a civil engineer from Virginia, with headquarters in New York, and his system consisted first of all of a pumping station PUMPING STATION. with a receiving well sufficiently large and deep to bring the sewage by gravity from all parts of the town through pipes laid in the streets. This well was centrally located at Baltic and North Carolina avenues, and was excavated 24 feet in diameter and 20 feet deep by the use of sheet piling. This held the sides from caving in while powerful pumps removed the water till the timbers, brick and con- crete of the bottom and sides could be secured in position.
The brick and stone engine house and pumping station was built over the well as over a cellar and the work of pumping water out of this cellar has been prosecuted without intermission for the past fifteen years.
There is never any offensive odor in or about the well or station. The sewage is all pumped far away before any decomposition can take place or any offensive gas be generated.
The sewage enters the well 15 feet below the surface through a 20-inch iron pipe which extends across the city and to which lateral mains are connected lead- ing from either extremity of the town.
These pipes are all laid at a grade of 712 feet to the mile, which covers most of the city.
Recent compressed air devices have been attached to the pipes in Chelsea. the most distant point, so that the sewage there is lifted into the pipes from receiving wells automatically and forced along the same as from nearer points. A suitable iron screen at the mouth of the pipe in the well prevents rags and all solid matter from going into the pumps and pipes beyond.
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226
DAILY UNION HISTORY OF ATLANTIC COUNTY.
Two 100 horse power boilers and two centrifugal pumps with a daily capacity of 16 million gallons are at present ample for all requirements in keeping the well free. There is also a reserve five million gallon Holly pump in the station.
The daily pumpage varies from 2 million to 6 million gallons.
A 16-inch iron pipe leads from this well and station two miles back on the meadows to the northerly side of the city, where the sewage is disposed of in a manner so highly satisfactory as to meet the approval of the highest health au- thorities and the best sanitary engineers.
There are now about forty miles of sewer pipe laid in the streets of Atlantic City, and 4.475 properties connected therewith. While the city authorities under the present laws cannot compel people to connect with the pipes of a private cor- poration, the rates are so low and the service so efficient and satisfactory that more than two-thirds of all the buildings by actual count are connected with the service.
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