The Brooklyn Daily Eagle from Brooklyn, New York • Page 7

ROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE LONG ISLAND I AND PICTURE SECTION. LONG ISLAND AND PICTURE SECTION. NEW YORK CITY. SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 9.

1907. 11 SCENES ABOUT PATCHOGUE TO LIFE .11 FOURTH P. S. 39, FAR RDCKAWAY TO Bustling Village, Where All Really a Separate Building, and Erected at a Cost of $130,000. Men of Paid Department in Queens Find Time Hanging on Their Hands.

Work Together for the Common Good. SEVERAL LARGE INDUSTRIES. IS UP TO DATE IN EVERY WAY. ALARMS THERE INFREQUENT, Big Laeemaking Plant, Large Lum Five New Churches Either Completed or Soon to Be Built at Bock-away Beach. Have Built Ring In Jamaica to Givcj Horses Exercise They Cannot Otherwise Get, ber Mills and Many Smaller Enterprises.

THE III mmjii i immm, iff mm The paid firemen of Jamaica and Rloh mond Hill find that time hangs heavily od their hands. Since the Installation the paid system, on July 6, the average number of alarms has been about five per month In Jamaica and three in Rich' mond Hill. Various are the methods employed by the firemen to while away the long hours and keep their horses In, trim. Despite the efforts of the flrei fighters to keep the horses exercised, tha animals are becoming sleek and lazy. In the last days of the volunteer sys tern the alarms usually false ones came in sometimes at the rate o( two every day or night, la striking contrast to the present rate.

The ini stallatlon of an entire new set of fire (Special to the Eagls.) Patchogue, L. November 9 "The Queen Village of the South Shore" Is a term that her people delight to apply to Patchogue, and It Is not Inapt, for the Tillage, which la as large as some cities of the country, Is not only a queen among the array of towns which front on Great South Bay, but is also a leader among them. Patchogue has always been a "live" town, and histories of every date back up this statement. Thompson's "History of Long Island," away back in 1840, described Patchogue as "the largest village," etc. The secret of Patcfiogue's leadership Is well known to every Long Islander, and is quickly noticed by the stranger who imay happen into the town.

It is found in the get-together policy that obtains. PatehoguerB are for Patchogue, first, last and all the time, and although the town, Among the many alterations and additions being made to the public schools in the Borough of Queens is the $130,000 addition to Public School No. 39, at Far Rockaway, which it Is expected will be ready for use by January 1. The school has a high school department and as pupils from Rockaway Beach and Arverne schools attend this. It was found necessary some years ago to enlarge the building.

Leading citizens went before the school board, but failed to get that body to supply the want. Undismayed they continued to urge the erection of an addition to accommodate all the children, and at last were successful and work was begun on the structure last The addition, which is practically a separate building connected with the old school house by wide passages, is of fireproof construction, being built of brick, stone and steel throughout. It has a frontage of 65 feet and depth of 137 feet, is two stories in height and has a large basement. All the most modern improvements are being installed and the building will be a model schoolhouse. There will be twelve class rooms.

A large kitchen, 22 by 60 feet, is being fitted up with gas ranges, tables and other equipments for use by the cooking class. The floor of this room is of Terraza marble and the wardrobes In the class rooms will be ot steel. The class rooms average 22 by 80 feet and on the first floor there are besides the cooking claBS room, a medical Inspector's room, a room for mule teachers, and six class rooms. and winter, Patchogue needs no introduction along this line. During the bicycle craze, the village was the turning point in the many century runs that came out on Long Island, and to-day is equally as popular with automoblllsts and motor cyclists.

Several large hotels, which are open the year round, offer excellent cuisines to the traveler, and in the summer time the many additional large hotels and boarding houses, with others of smaller size, are filled with fun and health seekers. Patchogue is the only town on Long Island which owns its shore front, and within a short time active work will be commenced on building tho shore driveway that was recently decided to be opened to the public. The village also owns a thousand feet out into the bay IlLaoe Mills rnd THt GREHT hmCrtOQUE- LRKE alarm boxeB, forty-five in number, and the great precautions taken, prevent the sending in of false alarms by malicious parties. There are six companies In Jamaica and fire in Richmond Hill, with six men, a lieutenant and captain to each. Drawn from all sections of Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx, those men, coming1 from the particularly busy battalion districts, where there are an average ot from five to fifteen alarms In one day, find the simple life ot a Fourth Ward, QueenB, fireman extremely Irksome.

The Fourth Battalion district, In Attorney street, Manhattan, and tbe One Hundred and Thirty-fifth, In Brooklyn, are the busiest In Greater New York of their respective boroughs. It is no uncommon sight In Jamaica and Richmond Hill to see the firemen parading up and down in front of their re-spectlve fire houses to limber up, oi riding bareback on their horses to give the animals their much-needed constitutionals. The men of Hook and Ladder Company, No. 77, on Union avenue, Jamaica, have utilized an adjoining vacant lot as an exercising ground for their horses. A ring, in all essential particulars like one in a circus, has been made, and around this circle the horses have been taught to run at high speed.

The animals seem to enjoy the Bport as much as the) men, and crowds often gather to watch; their capers. The floors of the Are houses, always Immaculately neat, are scrubbed mors often than is really necessary, Just to) keep the men occupied, on tbe same prln ciple as a strict disciplinarian of a sea captain oftentimes will order an idle loafing crew to wash down the decks ot his ship three times a day. Evenings the men on duty play cards, checkers or dominoes, or else they improve their minds by reading the "best sellers" in fiction. Some have developed a great taste for the works of Shaks-peare and there are, among their number several devotees pf Henrlk Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw. But an active fireman desires nothing beter than an oo caslonal run to a fire, even though their Idleness has some Battalion Chief Thomas Larkln of Ja maica, told an Eaglo reportor yesterday that he hoped Jamaica might soon have a couple of steamers because of the low water pressure.

He declared he believed that as soon as the houses are altered, all of them being not deep enough for the accommodation of steamers, the city would make an appropriation for some. The water pressure is not strong enough to reach over four stories, and Jamaica, in Its business section, has several high stone and brick buildings which, if they ever caught fire" would cause the firemen no end of concern. In the hill section of Jamaica and Richmond Hill, also, there is much danger, because of the low pressure. The hill sections are studded with palatial resl-, dences. The pressure Is said to be from sixty to seventy-flw.

pounds to the Bquare inch in the two battalion districts. Eighty pounds to tho square inch would bo considered a proper pressure. VOTE ON INCORPORATION. Biverhead People to Settle a Mooted Question on November 26 Besult Much in Doubt. (Special to the Eagle.) Riverhcad, L.

November 9 At lasfl tho date for an Incorporation vote in tha county seat has been fixed. On November! 26 the Inhabitants in a certain district! here, which Includes a square mile ot village territory, will vote on the ques tion of incorporation or non-lncorpora tion. Many times previously the question haa come very near a final vote, but no actual date has been fixed until now. The fixing of the date relieves many of a certain suspense, and the Inhabitants will now, have a chance to fight the matter out at the polls and settle for many years to come the mooted question whether River head shall become a municipality or re main as It is. It cannot be denied that there are many taxpayers against tho incorporation, scheme, while, on the other hand, there, are many for it.

Because of this difference ot opinion it is believed a large vote will be cast and that the vote will bo close one way or the other; indeed, no one will be surprised at either result. It is tho one question of discussion now. Those favoring incorporation are trying to convert those who have not yet "seen the light," and those opposed to it are trying to persuade the ineorporationists that they will make a mistake if they vote for incorporation. Those in favor tell of many benefits to the place under incorporation, principally from the fact that, all of the highway money raised in Riverhead village will then be spent on the village highways, instead of sent hither and yon through the town. They also say: "We will be our own masters that if we want to have a cortain public improvement the village people themselves cai vote to have it without running the risk of having the proposition defeated by the inhabitants of tho town, who might oppose it because of an inc rease in taxation without a cor responding individual benefit to them." Those who oppose Incorporation do so principally because they think Riverhcad, is good enough as it is, and if it is incorporated taxes will be higher while material benefits over what are already eu Joyed will bo lacking.

QUEENS NEW BUILDINGS. Plans were approved last week, by the bureau of buildings, in Queens, for forty-eight new buildings, to cost, with plumbing. $158,329. and fur nineteen alteration to cost $14,525. like every other, has its internal dlssen Bions, yet, when it comes to a question of Patchogue or some otner place, everybody gets out and hustles for Patchogue.

As soon as a Patchoguer gets out of town, he at once begins to extol tne Deau' ties and the attractions of his village whether he be native-born, or otherwise, and each villager immediately becomes a press agent for the "ueen village. Politics Never Dominates Choice of Village Officials, The spirit of all standing together 1b I well exemplified in the government of local affairs. Ever since the village was Incorporated, In 1893, there has been no thought of politics in the selection of its officials, the citizens meeting in annual primary and nominating a non-partisan ticket, which is elected with no opposl-i tion. The unanimity of opinion and con- fldence of the voters and taxpayers in tne selection of the nominees iB denoted bj the smallest of the vote on Election Day, just twenty-three votes being cast at the charter election of last year. Patchogue is not only well and most economically governed, but Its moral standing is not excelled by any other place on the island.

It has been com mented upon by visitors here that they never saw a town with less disorder and drunkenness. Seldom is a drunken per son seen on the village streets, and the two local justices of the peace probably have 'not over a dozen cases a year of thio sort. A Population of 4,000. The incorporated section of Patchogue, extending from the bay on the south to Cedar Grove avenue on the north, a distance of about a mile and a half, and from the Patchogue River on the west to the center of Bay avenue on the east, about five-eighths of a mile, contains a population of about 4,000, while Pat-chogue proper, which includes the school district, has close to, If not over, 6,000, every one of whom, babies included, is proud of being known as a Patchoguer. Patchouge is the first of the "ogues" on the south shore, and while there are many stories related of the origin of the name, there is no dispute that a strong tribe of Indians known as the Pachougs dwelt in this section, and without a doubt the white Patchoguer Inherited the instinct of his Indian ancestors in being leaders.

It has been said that "ogue" means water, and that Patchoug, the Indian title, was intended to convey the meaning "patches of water," for not only is the handsomest and most Inviting section of the Great South Bay lapping the southern end of the village, but five of the finest lakes in New York State are withing a short walking distance of the Tillage center. Three of these five bodies of fresh wafer are directly on the South Country road, or Main street, and the other two are to the north of the village. One of these, the Great Patchogue Lake, is partly owned by the Brooklyn Water Syndicate, composed of prominent Brook-lynites, while the other, the West Lake, was recently purchased by the Great South Bay Water Company, of which former Mayor David A. Boody of Brooklyn is president, to safeguard the water supply of the village of Patchogue for the next twenty years at least. Water System Greatly Enlarged.

In line with the purchase of the West Lake by President Boody's company is an excellent object lesson of the benefits of incorporation. The village fathers, after nearly a year's deliberation with the water company and after a careful analysis of the question of municipal ownership, last August signed a contract with the company to furnish the village and its inhabitants with "pure and wholesome water" at a figure practically 15 per cent, less than under the old twenty-year contract, which expired on September 1. The water company is now at work on the improvement of Its plant, which will give Patchogue and the adjacent territory practically an entire new water system, with more than double the capacity of the old plant, and a modern system of fire protection that will not be equaled anywhere for a locality of the same size. The capacity of the improved plant will be 2,500,000 gallons every twenty-four hours, secured by a pressure of sixty-five pounds at the pumping station, and which will give the firemen, in case of urgent necessity, at least six solid streams attached to J00 feet of hose in the business center of the Ninety-five Hydrants of the double nozzle type will be Installed. The mains will be so arranged that should an accident happen to one the others will not be impaired.

Modern Gas and Electric Plant's Features. Light A first class gas plant is an addition of recent years, and which is gaining business every month. The gas company furnishes an excellent quality of gas, the maximum price of which is but $1.50 a thousand feot, with special rates for cooking and similar purposes. By the term of its franchise the gas company furnishes free lamp service in front of all the churches and other public buildings. The electric light plant, which has been doing business for over twenty years, In which time it has twice increased the capacity of its plant, is now overtaxed, and furnishes good lighting service, both public nnd private.

Under contract with the village, the electric light company furnishes about 160 lG-candle power lamps for the street service, which service Is being gradually extended as necessity demands and the village purse allows. Practically every public building Is piped for gas and electricity, and nearly all the new residences being erected, with many of the older ones, also have both these modern lighting facilities. Fine Boads a Source of Pride. One thing that Patchogue is proud of Is its system of good roads. No other village on Long Island has paid as much attention to its highways or spent as much money with as good results, as Patchogue.

Having always gone ahead cautiously in all matters, the improvement of its highways has been given extra care. Shortly after the village was incorporated it was bonded first for $20,000, and within two years afterward for another $5,000, to lay a stretch of vitrified brick pavement along Main street, Ocean avenue and North Ocean avenue. This brick pavement is the only one of Its kind outside of Greater New York. Three years ago the village again bonded itself for $16,000 to Improve Ocean avenue its entire length from the brick pavement at Division street to the bay edge. This stretch of shell road, curbed and guttered, is not surpassed anywhere on the Island.

The village fathers are now working on the improvement of Baker street, which leads eastward from the railroad depot grounds. Last spring Baker street was curbed its entire length, and now Peeksklll gravel Is being laid. The total cost of this improvement will be over $3,000. Railroad avenue and West avenue, two of the leading thoroughfares between the center of the village end the railroad, are now being treated to a heavy dressing of shells. As fast as possible the other streets of the village will be taken care of In the same manner, with either shells or gravel, although all are flr3t class dirt roads at present.

Pedestrian travel Is also attended to by the local authorities, as evidenced by the long stretch of improved sidewalks. Main street, through the entire business section, has paved walks, which ex tend well out into the residential section of the street. The east side of North Ocean avenue has a paved sidewalk its entire length, and the west side will shortly be paved. Maple avenue has a paved sidewalk nearly its entire length on the west side, while stretches of a paved walk are now being laid, on Ocean avenue, Kose avenue' and otner streets. The village fathers help the laying of paved sidewalks by rebating three-quar ters of the cost of building the walk on the annual highway tax, and under this plan both the property owner and the village, while obtaining the benefit of im proved walks, are paying their propor tionate share of its cost.

Sewer System Next to Be Considered. Now that the water problem has been solved, the village trustees may, within the next year or so, take up the question of a village sewer system. The time Is hardly ripe enough for an extended system of sewer disposal, though plans are already in the hands of the local authorities for a modern plant. A private sewer system, chartered by the Brook-haven town authorities prior to the incorporation of the village, at present give3 excellent service for the business center. Five years ago the village bonded itself for $10,000 to build a storm drainage sewer, which, with the one on North Ocean avonue and Lake street, admirably drains the business and most populous centers.

The first $500 payment on these storm sewer bonds was made on Novem ber 1. An Excellent Eire Service. The fire department is another to which Patchoguers point with pride, and so well are they satisfied with the elilciency of their firemen that three years ago, with scarcely a protest, the village raised $13,000 In a boid issue for the erection of a modern brick headquarters and the installation of an electric telegraph alarm system, the only one of Its kind on the Island. The equipment, which includes a large $1,700 hook and ladder truck, one smaller truck, a hand engine, old "Honey Bee," whose fame as a prize winner is a part of Long Island's history; two hose reels, three hose Jumpers, with over 4,000 feet of hose, and two 45-gallon chemical extinguishers, is valued at over $6,000. The membership in the four companies is about 150.

Trolley Boad Is Being Built. What is of great importance at present is the actual construction of a trolley road within the village. For the last twelve years there has been nothing but talk about the building of a trolley, principally for a cross island route, but now Patchogue is not only to have its long sought for cross island connection, hut is to have an east and west line, which will bring the town in closer relationship with the Greater New York, eventually with the villages eaBtwanf toward Mon-tauk Point. Patchogue will, without a doubt, soon be a factor in the electrical world by reason of being the testing ground of a new system of trolley motive power. Former Public Works Commissioner J.

C. Brackenridge of Brooklyn, who is in charge of the construction of the local trolley system, has been designing a new motive power, with, gasoline as the generating force, to carry the trolley cars, and will make his first experiments at Patchogue. Those who know Commissioner Brackenridge believe he will accomplish his object, and that his Patchogue teats will prove successful and his system eventually be adopted by all trolley roads in the world. Town Has a Variety of Industries. The industries of the town are varied.

The largest conrern is the Patchogue Manufacturing Company, which makes lace curtains and, in fact, everything in the form of lace. Over a million pairs of curtains alone are turned out of the factory every year. The plant is estimated at being worth not less than $750,000. It gives employment to 600 hands, and has a payroll ot over $6,000 a week. Next In Importance Is the lumber and molding mill of E.

Bailey Sons. It is capitalized at $100,000 though worth at least four times that amount. The plant covers about ten acres of brick and frame buildings, fitted with modern machinery, and employs 275 people. Its payroll averages about $3,000 weekly. The firm has two branch yards, at Sayvllle and Islip, which employ a total of twenty-five men.

The ship-building firms which put out at least $100,000 every year, line both sides of Patchogue River. The steel tape and roller awning firm of Justus Roe Sons, the Hiscox Chemical Works, the Hygeia Ice Manufacturing Company and other smaller concerns, including a small glove factory, give employment to several hundred more, all of which adds On the second floor a carponter shop is being fitted up with all the latest ap-liances for wood working. This shop is 22 by 50 feet. Heavy oak work benches are being placed in position and tool chests, filled with up-to-date tools, will be supplied. On this floor there will also be six class rooms, a library and a room for women teachers.

In the basement will be found a gymnasium, locker rooms, shower baths. toilets and furnace and fuel rooms. Joseph Ohlhauser of Brooklyn Is the hnilrler. Rockaway Beach has five churches, of which are building or contemplate erecting new edifices. Foremost is St, Rose of Lima Church, whose beautiful $150,000 edifice in Falrvlew avenue, near the ocean front, was dedicated about six weeks ago, although the building is not yet completed.

Then comes tne new bi. Francis de Sales Church, In Washington avenue, In the Belle Harbor section of the beach, which will be dedicated BOine time next month. The building is of frame construction and cost $50,000 to build. These two are the new churches Inst, nearine connection. Down at Belle Harbor, not far from the St.

Francis de Sales Church. Is that oau little structure of cement and in Mexi can architecture, built one year ago by a number of Episcopalians, who created at Andrew's-by-the-Sea Church, Bishop Burgess officiating at the cornerstone laving. At the southwest corner of the Boulevard and Academy avenuo is the First Congregational Church, which has planned for a magnificent new building, to be erected in tho near future. It is the plan of the church society to transform tho present edifice into a gymnasium ana hall or parish house upon completion oi the new church. Then comes the Temple of Israel, in Fairviow avenue, built several years ago, but whic hthe congregation now desires to enlarge to meet the growing number of worshippers.

A Sunday school room is to bo added in the basement and the synagogue Is to be made more beautitul. A HANDY SORT OF DOG. Biverhead Man Has One That Supplies the Family Larder Sometimes Overdoes It. (Special to the Eagle.) Rlvcrhead. L.

November 9 Herbert W. Lane of this place has a dog on which most people would believe it was a paying investment to pay the annual tax imposed by the town, in spite of the fact that the public in general is "howling" against the new dog tax system put in voguo recently by the supervisors. This particular dog has a neat way of bringing supplies home to his master. Yesterday the dog walked up to Byron Rogers' grocery store, selected the largest ham in a collection that was handy (a nine-pound one), and calmly and deliberately carried it home. As Mr.

Lane hadn't sent the dog after it, and as he is strictly honest, he walked down to the grocery, upon being informed which one the dog visited, and paid for the ham, in spite of the fact that ho was already well supplied with provender of that kind. The dog Is a valuable hunting dog, and Its education has been properly attended to along various lines, but Mr. Lane says the commandment about stealing had probably been overlooked when the dog was educated; bo "there Is talk now of Bending him to Sunday school to complete his education. FISHERMEN HAD THE CALL. Corraled a Stage to Take Them to Fishing Place Voters Were Put Out.

(Special to the Eagle.) Roslyn, L. November 9 Election Day is also fishing day for business men who love that sport, and O'Neill's carryall at Glen Head Station, to the disgust of local politicians, who vote either in Roslyn or Sea Cliff, and wanted to bo carried to the polls, was too busy carrying fishermen to Glenwood on Tuesday to bother about voting men. Thirty men, all "true and tried" fishermen, went to the harbor waters, having had advance news of the big catches ot smelt which have been running for the last week, one man's catch being over six dozen. There Is great sport at this season with smelt, and tho lines are rigged for two separate catches. The end of the long line goes down to the bottom for flat fish, which are always in evidence In Hempstead Harbor, while a smaller hooit.

near the end of the Bhort pole, is for smelt, which don't bite until a flat fish on the lower hook causes the fisherman to pull up and the smelt, seeing the bait near the end of the pole moving away, makes a quick move and gets caught. Smelt, like trout, are phenomenally greedy, and like human beings, when a coveted morsel seems out of reach, they make desperate efforts to secure It. Mr. Yule, formerly ot tho steamer Idle- wild, and for many years In government vork, having been laid up by reason or his seventy odd years, has now time to go a-fishing, and is one of the most successful of many successful men who fish in the waters of Hempstead Harbor. at tne root of each of the four avenues leading to the water.

Winter sports are a leader here, the broad expanse of the ice-covered bay affording an excellent field for skating, lceDoatmg, scootenng and the latest fad, motor-scootering. In the summer the bay is the scene of activity, with its fleet ot pleasure vessels, and fishing parties always find success at Patchogue. The South Bay Yacht Club, which in cludes many Brooklynltes as members, is ina center ot social and yachting circles during the season, and has held a num- oer or Buccssful regattas. iu oiu soiaiers are remembered, a monument to the memory of those who went from this section in the Rebellion being located on the main school grounds, With all Its natural advantages, well graaoa ana pretty streets, and other con stantly added Improvements. Patchogue is a cheap place to live in.

The bugbear oi taxation is not heavy. This year the village tax rate was 60 cents on each $100, the town tax will be about the samn as last year, 30 cents on each $100, while tne scnooi tax, which is much higher than in years past by reason of the additional school facilities, is only 86 cents on each $100 of assesed valuation, making a total of but $1.76 all told for tax ing purposes. LIKE A WAR-TIME SCENE. Improvements Under Way at Long Island City Give Section Appear ance of an Army Encampment. If these were war times and an army had taken possession of the vacant land between Hunters Point and Blissville, and from Newtown Creek northward to Woodsido, with orders to entrench and fortify its position, the scene could not be a more busy one than that presented at this time by tho army of mechanics at work transforming that territory for iuo purposes or tne Rail road Company and other owners.

ne arivors are pounding, concrete mixers stir the air by their grinding buuiiu, ana nammers lend their echo to the industrial medley, while a big corps of engineers are running imaginary lines in all directions. The army signal corps has its imitator In the men who stand on little elevations and wave signals to each other, while long trains of dirt cars are rushine back and forth taking away upland and raising me grade oi meadow. At several points white foundations are observed. They might be the nrotection for machine guns, but they are not. They are the foundations on which will rest steel piers to hold up the elevated structures that will carry the streets over the railroad tracks.

Thomson avenue, the motorists' favorite highway for reaching points out on Long Island, has changed at the Long Island City end. There is now a compound curve, with railroad crossing, trucks, dirt cars and other things for the chauffeurs to dodge, and it calls for their best skill to pass through the industrial puzzle. Some day it will all be over and the change will be better appreciated by the old residents. CHANGES AT PATCHOGUE. New Business Building to Go Up.

Landmarks to Vanish. (Special to tho Eagle.) Patchogue, L. November 9 Another brick building is to be added to Patch-ogue's already numerous structures of this character, Herman Pape having given the contract for the erection of a two story structure on Main street, next east of the big Syndicate building. The new building will have a frontage of 30 feet and a depth of 85 feot. In tho basement Mi.

Pape will have his candy manufacturing plant, and on the "main floor will have an up-to-date store, while the second floor will be used as a public meeting room and dancing hall. The erection of tho new building will necessitate the removal of one of the old business landmarks of the village, Carter's restaurant. The restaurant building, with the paint shop next door, which will also be moved, have been located on this site for many years, and their removal will be like tho loss of an old friend. A SIXTY YEAES SUBSCBIBER. An aged subscriber to the Huntington Bulletin, who has read that paper for sixty years, recently walked a mile and half to renew his subscription.

The veteran subscriber is T. Smith Roe. and his years number 86. He has had the Bulletin since its establishment in 1849, and is the paper's star patron. The pub lishers are proud of him and point him out as an example worthy of emulation.

purposes. The other smaller firms totalled over 2,500 barrels of oysters shipped from here during the season. Averaging a value of $5 per barrel for these oysters, It can readily be seen that this is no small part ot the industrial feature of the village. This section of the Great South Bay is the home of the world-famed Blue Point oyster. In commercial activity, Patchogue has a metropolitan air.

Its department stores and business shops of various special lines are models of their kind. Prices on all commodities are on a par, and many times cheaper, than found in the large Competition is keen and the local merchant Is not behind in presenting his goods In attractive form. While competition Is keen, as stated, the merchants are united in protecting not only their own, but their customers' interests. This fact was strongly evidenced In the formation of the strong Merchants Association, which came into existence three years ago, primarily to shut out the trading stamp. Winning in this fight, the association has taken a firm stand on many other improvements in the local business life, and is to-day one of the stanchest organizations of its kind In the country.

It is an important factor In the advancement of the town. Three Banks Thrive. The town supports three banks, the Patchogue Bank, a state institution, the Citizens National Bank and the Union Savings Bank. The Patchogue Bank has a capital of $75,000, and a surplus of $60,000. Since its organization in 1884, it has increased its deposits from $17,593.75 to $581,443.22.

John A. Potter is its president and Floyd A. Overton cashier. The Citizens National Bank, organized in 1903 with a capital of $50,000. has to-day in surplus, with $375,000 due depositors.

Milton G. Wiggins is president and Sidney N. Gerard cashier. The Union Savings Bank was organized in 1897 and now has over 4,000 accounts, with deposits of over $1,500,000, and a surplus of nearly $50,000. Fremont Hammond is president and Walter S.

Rose cashier. The post office is a criterion of the town's standing. Under the regime of Postmaster Edward A. Cowles, tho office has doubled Its receipts in the past six years, the receipts now averaging about $18,000 annually, and within a short time will no doubt be increased to $20,000. There is an average of 150 pounds of mail matter distributed daily.

It is the only post office in Suffolk County to furnish free delivery and collection service, and supplies a field of about two miles square with Its carrier service. There are twenty collection boxes in the delivery district, and 460 call and delivery boxes in the main office. Besides Postmaster Cowles and his assistants, John T. Dare and Edgar M. Sharp, there are four clerks in the omce and five carriers.

Fine Churches Are Numerous. Churches and fraternal societies are well represented. There is the Methodist-Episcopal Church, with a brick edifice valued at over the Congregational Church, with a brick and stone building of not less than $60,000 in value; the Roman Catholic Church, with its recently enlarged building, worth at least $30,000, and the Episcopal and Baptist frame buildings, and each of which have their parochial residence and other properties. The total of all church properties in Patchogue may safely be estimated at not less than $200,000 In value. Splendid School Facilities.

The school facilities are of the best. There are three school buildings at present, the main, or high school, on Ocean avenue, with fourteen rooms, the River avenue school, of Blx rooms, and the Maple avenuo school of eight rooms. Recently the taxpayers voted a total of $70,000 for an additional building on Bay avenue, and which will be completed early next June. The registration is over 1.214, with an average daily attendance of over 1,100. The school system is under tho supervision of Superintendent W.

E. Gordon, who Iras a corps of thirty-three teachers under his care. The pupil's work begins In the kindergarten and concludes with a four years course In the high school, the high school courses including English, Latin, scientific and commercial. A primary school building will, in tbe near future, be located at tho lower end of Ocean avenue. Fraternal and secret societies are well represented.

The Masonic fraternity has its Knights Templar. Suwassett Chapter and the blue lodge, all housed in the fine, three-story brick and stone building on Main street. The Odd Fellows. Foresters, Junior Order of American Mechanics, Shepherds, Encampment, Knights of Columbus, G. A.

Woodmen and Royal Arcanum are each represented and do a good work in the community. A Motorists' Rendezvous. Always tbe center of attraction for visitors from the cities, both summer materially to the weekly wage earnings of the community. Essentially a Home Town. Patchogue Is strictly a "home" town, as evidenced by numerous substantial cottages owned, ia many instances, by the employes of tho manufacturing concerns.

Last year the building operations within the Patchgue field amounted to over $250,000. Rents are moderate, here, a cottage with improvements renting as low as $15 a month. It la an active center, and the list of clubs are really "too numerous to mention," leading off with the Sorosls, which became a reality through the energy of Mrs. WUrhot M. Smith, widow of the deceased Jurist, ten years ago.

There are dancing clubs, bowling clubs, card clubs of all sorts, and. various other forms of social organizations. The literary side of the social life is not forgotten, as shown by the several reading and literary organizations. The churches take an active part in making the social life of the town, the Methodist Church having Its brotherhood, tho Episcopal Church its St. Paul's In stitute, tho Congregational Church its boys' club, with others still to be named Even the younger element have their own social organizations, noted in "The Coming Men of America," and the Greek letter bodies connected with the school.

Pine Carnegie Library Building. Patchogue is the only town, east of Greater New York which contains a Carnegie library, and the handsome $10,000 Duuaing aonatea Dy tne ironmaster, on the plot generously given by Edwin Bailey, is almost completed, and will probably be dedicated early next year. ine village is tne center of the town government, the Brookhaven town clerk's office being located here, Clerk George L. unicnester, who was re-elected for his third term last spring, enjoying the distinction of being the first Republican to be elected as town clerk in Brookhave town in over fifty years. Located in the Syndicate Building, a handsome three-story, yellow-faced brick building on Main street, are the chambers of Supreme Court Justice Walter H.

Jaycox. At these chambers are heard nearly every Saturday tho "moanings of the tied in the divorce calendar that has become a feature of the legal depart ment of the town. County Judge T. M. Griffing holds his monthly terms of court here, and lower down In the official scale of justice are found two justices of the peace, II.

Clay Losee and John R. Vunk, the latter being state transfer tax appraiser. There are plenty of "arresting" forces here, the village employing four regular policemen, while there are several additional deputy sheriffs and constables at hand for emergencies, if they should arise. The town has just completed a fine five-cell brick lockup, or police station, at an expense of $2,000, the village donating the rental of the land on which it stands. Patchogue a Port of Entry.

That Patchogue is an important port of entry is noted by the attention given to its adjacent waters. Most conspicuous in the government appropriations of re cent years is the $66,000 set aside for the Patchogue River-Fire Island channel, from the head of the river at Division street to Fire Island Inlet, a distance of about eighteen miles. This channel is 100 feet wide and ten feet deep! which allows vessels of large size to unload directly in the local docks. It is no uncommon sight to see five or six large schooners unloading at the docks here. One day this week there 'were nine large schooners unloading brick at the lumber firm's dock, averaging at least 40,000 brick in each vessel, and one had 60,000 brick aboard.

The river is a mile long itself. The Patchogue custom house was established in 1875, at which time fourteen vessels, aggregating 457 tons, were enrolled. According to the report of Port Surveyor S. O. Weeks for the last quarter there were registered with him 252 sailing vessels, totalling 3,670 tons; 131 Bteam vessels, totalling 1,903 tons, or a general total of 383 vessels employed In mercantile lines, aggregating 6,086 tons.

Of yachts, there were 33 sail, aggregating 319 tons, and 22 steam, aggregating 255 tons. As tho law requires no vessel under five tons' burden to be registered, the foregoing does not Include numerous small vessels In the local harbor. Oyster Industry an Important One. The oyster industry, which Is carried on here, affords employment to many and provides a steady income to the town during the best part ot the year. Last season the Nassau Oyster Company, which is incorporated for $150,000, shipped over 7,000 barrels of oysters to various sections of the country, while Odell Ruland sent 1,600 barrels of oyster seed to the state of Washington for planting.