'Presbyterian Church Elderly Man Saved %s Long History From Death By Fire ' Congregation Dates Neighbors Get Out Back To 1692; First William Bamberg, 73; Building In 1730 Hospital Patient William Bamberg, 73, remain- The Christmas night fire Member National Editorial Association — New Jersey Press Association — Monmoulh County Press Association which demolished the Matawan ed In fair condition last night ; Presbyterian Church on Mnin at Monmouth Memorial .Hospl-* St. crated one of the oldest land-;87th YEAR — 26th WEEK MATAWAN, N. J., THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1955 Single Copy Seven Cent* tal where he is undergoing r s in the area anc the first| treatment for burns received organized church In the com- when Ills house on Water St./ munity. Gerard Ave. Rail FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MATAWAN'S OLDEST, DESTROYED BY FIRE Skids On Icy Road Matawan, was consumed by fire The church congrcKatitm ac- Saturclny. ' . tually dates back to 1C92, when Crossing Concern Tangle Four Cars The alarm went in at 9:12: Scotch settlers first worshipped a.m. Neighbors noticed smolca; in a body before they had a Matawan Twp. Told To Laurence Harbor, coming from the Bamberg;',; church. Matawan itself was es- Get Better Protection; Union Beach, Women, house and went to Investigate. tablished only six years earlier. They found Mr. Bamberg In &- Ask Water Overbond Hurt In Double Crash smoke-filled house and led him In 1130, James Rockhcad at out to safety. He collapsed on Sjiis own expense erected Ihe Matawan Township Commit- Two women were injured in tee decided at its meeting yes- a double crash at CJIffwood the sidewalk from smoke-poi- first church building at Main terday to ask the Central Rail Ave. und Route 35, Matawan soning. He was taken by Ma- St. and New Brunswick Ave., road of New Jersey to confer Township, at 8:10 p.m. Friday, tawan First Aid Squad to the how the scene of Mount Pleas- with the committeemen on bet- caused by skids on the icy sur-hospital suffering from burns . ant Cemetery. ter warning signals for the Gci- face. about the face, head and arms. British Burned Church ard Ave. crossing. Committee According to Motor Vehicle man Stephen J. Kalleta noted Inspector James Calbcrry, Key- Mr. Bamberg lived alone. In Revolutionary War days, the crossing had only a sign port. Joseph Bienkowski, 53, Although the house is on the trouble arose with the British, with no gates, warning bells oi of IS Gulden St., Cliff wood, stop-township side of the line, an who burned down the church, red lights. Mrs. Rose K. Wen a I ruck in the southbound alarm was turned In at the near- - cst borough fire box, on Orch- after arresting the pastor, the zel, township clerk, slated a pe traffic lane on Route 35. Theo- tltlon was being considered In ard St. Borough firemen found tffiev. Dr. Charles McKnight.de- dore Hauser, 50, of 118 Second resilerits of the area to appeal St., Keyporl. driving the car be-the interior of the house ablaze, sciibed as "a fearless opponent for devices \thal would prevent hind, was unable to stop in time but had the fire fairl) under of Colonialism." This occurred reoccurence of the crossing ac on the icy roadway and skidded control by the time a second - alarm was put in to the Mata- In vm, 10 years after Dr. Mccldent- s like the recent Kab'ib into ihe rear of the truck. Mr. tragedy. wan Township companies. Knight, the first minister of the r told Inspector Carberry Investigate Cause there was no light on the rear church, assumed the pulpit. He A resolution will be introduc ed in the.near future asking the of the truck, owned by the driv- Louis Auriemma, a lieuten- was dragged off to prison in a State Department of Health to er's father, ArnoH "'""i-owskl ant of Matawan Township Hose warehouse In New York. Cli/ftvood. & Chemical Co. No. 1, conduct- conduct a public hearing earlv ed an investigation as to the In 1"8 the Legislature of theIn 1956 on the townships apph Inspector Carberry took Mr cause of fire, He found it to . State permitted a lottery to cation for an "order of neces Bnnkowskl, the truck driver, be n defective kerosene stove. " lands for rebuilding the sity" to overbond to construct before Dr. Francis W. Holman, Lt. Auriemma found a number M.'hurch, and $1500 was raised. tlw new water plant. keypurt. who tested the manof these < "<•-•" '">iiters In the - In 17S8- another church was Homer Matteson, building in und found him unfit to be driv- house. '. erected on the site of the first, spector, submitted his report ing an auto. A drunken driv- 1 continued on page tour. Laurence Walker, a former ' There was always difficulty for 1955. It showed 183 permits borough fire chief, was injured :; In heating the new building, andissued for total construction of fighting the fire. He sustained , the membership quickly outgrew $564,303. There were 64 new |Laffters To Present cut on the hand and nose. It . It. Sc, in 1840, the pastor, the dwellings, 62 additions to nous Three Act Comedy happened when he was getting K<*v. Charles Webster, spurred es, and 25 garages and othei hose fitting hooked up. the congregation to build a newstructures. For December, foui | The ihree act comedy, "Here Matawan Hook and Ladder church. The next year the cor-permits were issued In a total Comes the Bride." will be pre-Co. truck was run into in the nerstone was laid, and the build- value of $18,000. sented by the Laffters in the rear at the Broad and Litlle ing: vi.Txh was destroyed Sun- Water Polluted j auditorium of the Matawan Sts. intersection when It >»as on hay V.P.S completed in 1842. | Louis pei0Si vapBrackle Rd., 'Hiiih School on Friday and Sat-the way to the fire. Ii was Denned By Stamford White |compia|neti that an analysis by urday evenings, Jan. 6 and 7. struck by a car driven by Har- It is Interesting that theUl e state Department of Health I The play is under the direction old Thorsen. a Matawan fire- ehur&i lower, or b,elfry, was de- p of the water from his wells Firemen from M.ilun'.in ami Mirrmimliiig roinniunitii-s foueht! tin* In the center at the lahlc at Matin in I'IIIK e 1I< idiiuarlers, 0[ Mla Herbert Gittins man, hastening to the fire scene, signed ay the famous architect, a fire Christmas night at the I'irst I'rcsli.vti'iian ('lunch, Mntawaii, after siisnlnit a statement of confession, which is held l.v i'-licr.; Tne Matawan Band Pare showed the water to be both rents according to Chief Clro Nappl. for a period of more thin six hours. Tin: fire started about «:!:% Chief John .1. 1 loud. On Ibc right is William Mustoe, county ile-;are sponsoI.ing tllc two ner pp. Stai/ilcd White. The °raan,j,mpal[Uttble and polluted! He for a period of more thin six hours. Tin: fire tated abou «:! g ; perfor- Th hif id which -.vas valued at between!tw e n1 •. -. — . — i-- <--J -...p.m. and was bronchbhi i unded r controtll a litlllitll e aflefl r mlilniuhtmllniuht , huhtt I lectivelective , and slandiiiK is Georce Srtu-iTfSrtu-iTf . arson department auditaudit!! * ''"-" The chief said It was under- p . isaid five years ago he had call- "watch was kepi al! during the nUhl for safety purposes. .. _ ; of Ihe National Board ot Fir,Undcrw,•,,„*. ___ __ _ j „ , . , „ w he collision oc $40,MO and SJO.000 was instul- ed atlcnt(01l 0{ the governing Tlic top loft picture was taken as the Maiv/o r.'onlracthut Co., The pholoirraplicr snapped Ilir npi.er risrhi hand picture fronij^na and cheer leaders. Mrs.jcurredstandabl. e Hhoe wdeclare the collisiod the ndain oc- led in ;:-.e 1890's, during the same (continued on P«?« four> ate period :;int the tower was built, •itartcd to remove the steeple, containing a lliOO-pound hell, which I the doorway o( the church looking toward the sanctuary. The j ^f • u°ason is cnanman of-age was more extensive to the lt was was taken down Monday for fear it would topple over and damage! lower right shot was taken from the sanctuary looking toward the j tickets. car than to the fire truck. Ir :t a lecture room was Three From Area On. nearby property. In the lower left picture, Russell H. Apgar, back of the church. In the foreground the steeple that was re Chief Nappi credited tha bulll. L: the real of the church, Panel For Grand Jury Broad St., Matawuii, who admitted seltliiK the fire, is shown sit-l moved is shown. Notice neighbors of Mr. Bamberg with s^tand ;•.. :s the only part still Joseph's Eestaurant, West saving the man's life and mak- starx,r:p. There are 13 women and three |Long Branch will be open New ing It possible to save the housa The Sunday School building, men from the bayshore area Year's Day (Sunday and Monfro- m being levelled. Damage which is separate from the in the group of 35 persons tiom day.) was estimated iu S7000. — churii.1. was purchased about a whom the January grand Jury Matawan Man Retracts Statements He Started Fires year ,:po. .It ''a; "inrnierly '!,,,||i |,4. v next mmiHi. house, occupied by' tire Miss .The "group, of 35 was drawn Lily W:iite. before Tcounty Jtidee John C. Giordano by the county jury Christmas Eve, Sunday In Presbyterian Church, Annex Praise For Public commissioners, Dr, William G.