East Rockaway: 1910

Below is an unedited transcript of the April 1, 1910 East Rockaway Village Board meeting. Henry F. Johnson was president (mayor). The president of the United States was William Howard Taft. St. Raymond’s Church has been built the year before, and the library was established in 1908.
The village officials met in the Main Street fire headquarters in 1910, according to author and historian Pat Sympson. After the incorporation of the fre department in 1893, the men got together, bought land and built a fire house. This picture is 1902 because it has the bell tower.  Because village officials and fire people were often one and the same it was possible for them to meet in the fire headquarters. The village paid rent for the use of the building.

April 1, 1910
Village Elections having been held on March 15th 1910 with total votes of 261, the results are as follows: for President. Henry F. Johnson defeated Richard B. Combs 163 to 98. H.H. Garrison defeated Nathanial Abram for Trustee position 154 to 102. These two positions were for two year terms. Alexander Rhame defeated Hallet Pearsall for Treasurer and Charles Curtis defeated James Barry for Tax Collector. These latter two were one year in office. Delamater Denton and Sam S. Rhame were appointed to the Health Board. Total Village money on hand as of March 1, 1910 was $363.92.

Horace B. Simons appointed to the Health Board
Walter B. White Clerk procured an assessment roll
Edwin Wright, Attorney reported on the progress of the Prospect Avenue Crossing Matter.

Resolution: Resolved that the village will be open for bids for surveying and making maps of the boundary line and all roads now in the village and also showing the location of all houses and hydrants and be it further resolved that the village board reserves the right to reject any and all bids said bids will close April 15,1910.
Henry F. Johnson President; H.H. Garrison and David Van Wicklin Trustees. Vote yes.
Village Map Completion will cost $250.
Ordinance #6 … All scavenge will be done between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. in the incorporated village of East Rockaway. [This is a precursor of the Department of Public Works].

What was life like in 1910?

According to the online Inflation Calculator, if you were to buy exactly the same products in 2010 and 1910, they would cost you $1 and $0.04 respectively. So, what cost $1 in 1910 would cost $22.74  in 2010.

Prices in 1910:
Gallon of gas: 7 cents
Loaf of bread: 3 cents
Quart of milk: 3 cents

The average starting salary for a college graduate in 1910 was $750 per year, or $14.42 per week.

Also in 1910:
The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated by William D. Boyce.
The Earth passes through the tail of Comet Halley.

Source: U.S. Commerce Department statistics