By RICHARD DEGENER Staff Writer, 609-463-6711 Posted: Friday, July 10, 2009
UPPER TOWNSHIP - A dredging project to bring sand to the severely eroded beaches in Strathmere will not disturb what remains of one of the worst maritime disasters in the nation's history.
Ron Sinn made sure of that.
The story begins several weeks ago when Sinn, a retired party boat captain in Wildwood and now a marine safety advocate, heard about the beach-replenishment project, which includes dredging sand from Corsons Inlet, set to begin this summer. Sinn studies significant maritime disasters. He has massive files on many of them.
Sinn knew that in 2000 the National Underwater and Marine Agency, or NUMA, located the wreck of the infamous excursion steamship General Slocum about one mile off Corsons Inlet.
At the time, Sinn tried unsuccessfully to convince people to put a memorial on the nearest beach to honor more than 1,000 people who died when the General Slocum caught fire in New York Harbor on June 15, 1904. Almost all the victims were women and children, German immigrants from New York City on a day excursion to Long Island chartered by St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church.
After the fire the General Slocum was converted to a barge named Maryland. It was hauling a load of coke when it sprung a leak off Atlantic City and sank here Dec. 4, 1911.
"It would be nice if they would put up a plaque," Sinn said in 2000.
Poor man's Titanic
Sinn still wants the plaque, but he recently turned his efforts to getting the wreck placed on the N.J. Register of Historic Places, since that would ensure the dredge would steer clear of it.
When he first contacted the state Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he said they didn't even know the General Slocum was out there. Even after it was renamed Maryland, Sinn noted crowds of people would meet it at the dock "singing and praying" following the disaster that had wiped out whole neighborhoods in Manhattan's "Little Germany" section.
It was the first big maritime disaster to fuel a public debate about safety at sea, and it made big headlines as William H. Van Schaick, the ship's captain, went to trial and President Theodore Roosevelt pressed for answers. This played out eight years before a more famous luxury liner hit an iceberg and took 1,523 lives, but the General Slocum has since come to be known in nautical circles as the "poor man's Titanic."
"I feel it was meant to be preserved," Sinn said. "It shouldn't be chopped up in a dredge."
Government acts
Sinn's effort led to a flurry of activity between the state DEP, including its Historic Preservation Specialist Vincent Maresca, and the Army Corps office in Philadelphia. Sinn sent them NUMA's 2000 report locating the wreck and the Army Corps' own 1912 report detailing the hiring of Atlantic City contractor Eugene Boehm to dynamite part of the wreck that had become a threat to navigation. Boehm was the low bidder at $1,442.
Both agencies responded to Sinn's request. The state even gave him forms to fill out to nominate the wreck for historic status. Sinn sent them coordinates of where the wreck is located.
"We're sharing information with the Army Corps to help ensure with the work they're doing that this shipwreck is avoided," DEP spokeswoman Darlene Yuhas said.
Army Corps spokeswoman Susan Anderson said all the coordinates were plotted - NUMA found the wreck partly by using old nautical charts detailing the proximity to now-defunct Ludlum Lighthouse - and the dredging will not threaten the wreck.
"The project will not have any impact on the General Slocum wreck. It's half a mile away from the farthest corner of the (sand) burrow site," Anderson said.
E-mail Richard Degener:
RDegener@pressofac.com
For more information about the General Slocum, check out the article on The National Underwater and Marine Agency's website - http://www.numa.net/expeditions/general_slocum.html
Friday, July 10, 2009
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
A message from the Strathmere Improvement Association
To all Strathmere and Whale Beach Homeowners and Visitors,
What a wonderful Fourth of July Weekend! Thanks to all who helped with and participated in the Parade, and congratulations to all trophy winners!
And now we have a terrific weekend coming up! The SIA meets Friday at the Firehouse at 8:00 pm, and on Saturday we have the Strathmere Olympics on the beach at Randolph at 10 am (great fun to watch); the Jane Shetler Women's Fishing Tournament from 6:00 am to 3:00 pm (weigh-in at Whale Creek from 1:00 to 3:00) and the SFEC Summer Social at the Firehouse at 6:00 pm! Ladies, PLEASE do some fishing on Saturday in Jane's honor!
On Saturday, July 25 at 7:00 pm at the Firehouse the Citizens (CFSWB) will hold "Silent" (write your bid higher than the one preceding) and "Chinese" (buy tickets for a bowl and the winner is drawn out) Auctions. Many great items will be available and additional donated items are welcome (email cfswb@yahoo.com)! Soda, beer, cheese and crackers provided. All adults and children are welcome!
This issue: Beach replenishment starts; Updated calendar; Strathmere websites;
Strathmere "stuff"; Improvement "suggestions"; and - Thanks again for your dues payments!
And please come back from time to time and check out all the websites listed below...
The Strathmere beach replenishment project has begun. The dredge could not get into the inlet as planned, so they have placed a pipe onshore between Randolph and Sherman, and will pump onto the beaches north of there. The "borrow" area (around the inlet) has not changed. We're guessing that after they've dredged from the inlet they'll be able to move the dredge there to replenish the State Park ("Point"), before pumping sand south through Whale Beach and on to SIC. That wheeled tower by the life guard station will be used to monitor the pumped sand levels and beach profile. See today's article in the Press:
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/cape_may/article_dbbc23b1-aa56-5ef4-a006-046e627b7eb4.html
Upcoming Events (update your calendars):
*SIA Meeting Friday, July 10, 8:00pm
*Jane Shetler Women's Fishing Tournament (until 3:00 pm) and awards and SFEC Summer Social at the Firehouse, 6:00 pm Saturday, July 11 www.strathmerefishing.org/
*Strathmere Olympics on the beach at Randolph, beginning at 10:00 am Saturday July 11. Go watch! Or sign up to participate at cmwelker@hotmail.com
*Newly added: Lifeguard MS 6-Mile Bay Race, beginning at the Deauville, 6:00 pm Monday July 20. Teams from 15 towns compete! Watch them go down the Strathmere Bay (then around the Intracoastal, under two bridges and finish at the Deauville).
*Citizens for Strathmere & Whale Beach - Silent Auction at the Firehouse, 7:00pm Saturday, July 25 http://www.cfswb.com/
*SIA Meeting Friday, August 14, 8:00pm
*Kayak Races Saturday, August 15. Check the Beach Patrol website: http://utbp.wordpress.com/
*"Nightmare in Strathmere" Boat Parade, 6:30, Saturday, August 22 (Note - two weeks before Labor Day this year!).
*Last day of Flounder Season, Friday, September 4
*Kids' Surf Fishing Tournament, Saturday, September 5
*Strathmere Ensemble Labor Day Concert at 7:00pm Saturday, September 5
*Monday, September 7 (Labor Day): Trash and recycling pickup.
*SFEC Meeting Saturday, September 12
*SIA Meeting Friday, September 18, 8:00pm
The Grand Opening of Strathmere's new Rita Schiavo Library was a rousing success. Visit the Library (Commonwealth at Putnam) and sign up for library membership at www.strathmerelibrary.org. Remember, our library receives no tax funding!
Some additional Strathmere websites:
Carol Baker's wonderful Strathmere History website at http://www.strathmere.net/ - See four pages of great parade pictures!
Strathmere Blog: http://www.strathmere.blogspot.com/
Strathmere Volunteer Fire Company: http://www.strathmerefire.com/
Strathmere live oceancam: http://www.strathmere.tv/
Strathmere Bay Tides: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/get_predictions.shtml?year=2009&stn=4720+Atlantic+City&secstn=Corson+Inlet,+Strathmere,+Strathmere+Bay&thh=%2b0&thm=31&tlh=%2b0&tlm=38&hh=*0.95&hl=*1.00
Stock up on the SIA's Strathmere "Stuff": Thank you so much for buying so many tee shirts, hats and visors. We have sold out of visors, but we have a few Strathmere caps ($15) and both adult and children's tee shirts ($10). Strathmere "stuff" will be available at 212 Bayview Drive (ring the doorbell).
Some requests for the "Improvement of Strathmere":
Drivers on Commonwealth: Please give people going to and from the beach a "brake"! Remember that NJ State Law gives pedestrians the right of way at both crosswalks and unmarked intersections!
Trash: Please don't put any trash with foodstuffs or other garbage out in plastic bags. Your neighbors don't mind putting away trash cans after you've gone home, but they do mind cleaning up a mess scattered by seagulls!
Boaters and Jet-ski / wave runner operators: Please remember that the Strathmere Bay is a "No Wake Zone"!
Dog owners: Please clean up after your dogs, including vacant lots and along Neptune Road.
Fishermen: Please don't leave any dead fish on the beach!
Everyone: Please try to carry off the beach more trash than you carry on!
Thanks to all!
The Strathmere Improvement Association includes all owners in Strathmere and Whale Beach and many visitors. It was founded over 50 years ago as a community organization with the simple objective of making Strathmere a better place. We are proud of the organization's many accomplishments over the years.
Thanks to all who have made their dues payments! Dues for the SIA are $10 per adult each year. The dues and the fund raisers provide for printing the trash regulations, mailing the post cards, funding the Fourth of July Parade, and our share of the Star Party and Christmas Party. We also donate money to help pay for extra State Police protection. If you have adult children or relatives (or visitors) who visit Strathmere, please forward this message to them - perhaps they'd like to be members also. Please send dues payments to SIA at PO Box 57, Strathmere, NJ 08248. Remember to tell us your e-mail address!
Also, please let us know if you have comments or suggestions for the newsletter or for SIA in general, or if you'd like us to change your e-mail address in our records. Or, if you still need a copy of the trash regulations...
You can contact us by responding to this e-mail (sia6@comcast.net), by e-mailing Donna Diefenderfer at donnad921@comcast.net or mailing SIA at PO Box 57.
Thanks to all for your continuing support!
Butch Vandegrift Ken Weaver Donna Diefenderfer Debbie Vandegrift
President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Strathmere Library Dedication
A party was held on 6/26 to celebrate the official opening of the Dr. Rita C. Schiavo Memorial Library in Strathmere. Josie Berndt sent me the pictures below of the dedication ceremony.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Strathmere Library opening party 6/26
A dream, a vision, a legacy...
Dr. Rita C. Schiavo bequeathed the resources of her island
estate for the establishment of a private, nonprofit library,
community center, and museum in the town of Strathmere, New Jersey.
You are invited to join us in celebrating Dr. Schiavo’s vision becoming a reality
Friday, June 26th, 2009
7:00 p.m.
Dr. Rita C. Schiavo Library
801 South Commonwealth Avenue
Strathmere, New Jersey
Refreshments provided by Deauville Inn
Appetizers provided by La Fontana & Mike’s Fish Market
Deserts provided by Mildred’s Strathmere Restaurant
Thursday, June 11, 2009
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