Introduction
Logan Bates was born in New Jersey around 1858 to Micijah and Emeline Bates. Micijah Bates worked as a ferry boat pilot for the West Jersey Ferry and when it changed hands, the Market Street Ferry, until his passing, around 1889. The Bates family was living in Camden by 1870. The 1878 City Directory shows the Bates family at 435 South 5th Street, and they were still at that location when the census was taken in 1880. Logan Bates appears to have been named after Logan Alcott, who lived next door to the Bates family in the 1860s and 1870s. Logan Alcott and Micijah Bates had married sisters, Elizabeth and Emeline Bodine. Logan Bates’ younger brother, George W. Bates, was an original member of the Camden Fire Department.
Logan Bates was still living at 435 South 5th Street when, on April 5, 1882 he was appointed to the Camden Fire Department to serve as an extra man with the Hook & Ladder Company, replacing Joseph Minnett. Logan Bates served with the Fire Department for two years, then was replaced by Amedee Middleton. He returned to service about two years later, and was still serving with the Camden Fire Department as late as July of 1890.
Logan Bates and his father are both listed at 574 Berkley Street in the 1883–1884 Camden City Directory. The 1884–1885 edition shows Logan Bates at 506 Berkley Street and his father at 502 Berkley Street. Both are listed in the 1885 Directory at 419 South 5th Street. The 1887–1888 edition shows them at 438 Berkley Street. By the following year they both had moved to 416 South 5th Street.
By the time the 1890–1891 City Directory was compiled, Logan Bates had moved to 507 Benson Street, and he was still listed there in 1892. He married his wife Susan in 1892. Logan Bates is not listed in the 1893–1894 Directory, but reappears in the 1894–1895 edition at 520 Benson Street. The 1896 and 1897 Directories show Logan Bates at 557 Mickle Street. He was at 422 Broadway in the 1898 edition, and at 632 Berkley Street in the 1899 edition.
Logan and Susan Bates appear in the 1910 Census, boarding at 532 South 5th Street. Also boarding there was his cousin Charles Alcott, who Logan Bates had known since boyhood. Logan Bates was then working as a ferry boat pilot, according to the census records. He was still in that line of work in 1914. That year’s Directory shows Logan and Susan Bates at 636 Berkley Street. Logan and Susan Bates and Charles Alcott all resided at 440 South 5th Street when the Census was taken in July of 1918. The 1924 and 1927 City Directories show Logan Bates at 526 South 5th Street. Logan Bates does not appear in the 1929 City Directory or the 1930 Census, and it appears that he had passed away.
Camden’s New Firemen
Philadelphia Inquirer —
The fire commissioners of Camden have made the following appointments, and the men will go on duty next Saturday: Engine No. 1—Foreman, George Tenner; extra men, James McCracken, Daniel Broomley, James S. Kelley, Michael McCaffery, James H. Brown, Thomas McKenna, James Shinn, Smith Moore, William Irelan. Engine No. 2—Foreman, William Bassett; extra men, John Hill, James Reed, Robert Miller, William Marsh, George Moffett, John J. Logan, Isaac M. Shreve, Samuel Welsh, Lewis Ferrell, Logan Bates, Isaac Collings, Harry Miles, John Elliott, William Turner, Charles Holl, John J. Hibbs, John Seybold, Wm. Suders, Edward Swope, James McCann.
"L" Bubble Bursts
Philadelphia Inquirer —
“L” BUBBLE BURSTS
Prospectors of the Chestnut Street Railroad Scheme Withdrew Their Ordinance
BOW TO PUBLIC OPINION
City Councils Overrides Comptroller Huffy—Street Commissioner Mohrman Attacks the Committee
That public sentiment was opposed to an elevated railroad on Chestnut street, South Camden, was so strongly expressed at the hearing before City Council on Monday evening last that the four Philadelphia promoters of the scheme sent a communication to Council last evening withdrawing their application for a franchise. The request was granted, and that ends the matter.
Councilman Sayrs, leader of the Republican minority, was able to attend the Council meeting last evening after a prolonged illness.
City Comptroller Hufty returned to Council the bill of $156.72 for costs in certiorari proceedings in the contest over the street paving contract. He said that half of the amount should be paid by Aaron Ward & Company, the contractors, as they were co-defendants in the suit, and had paid but $24.80. Council ordered the Comptroller to approve a warrant for the full amount.
Tax Receiver Burdsall reported that since June last the tax receipts had
amounted to $519,135.76, of which $47,581 was for delinquent taxes. He said there was still $83,173 of this year’s taxes unpaid.
City Comptroller Hufty sent in a communication disapproving a bill of City Clerk Kramer for $333.32 for the time he acted as city clerk, when T. P. Varney was the legal city clerk, but was kept out of office by the reformers. The bill was ordered paid by a vote of 17 to 1. Mr. Jessup voted against it.
There was a lively tilt between Street Commissioner Mohrman and Councilman Jessup when the Street Committee’s report was presented. Mr. Mohrman was granted the privilege of the floor, and severely criticised the Street Committee for holding private meetings and changing the disposal of the city garbage without consulting with him. He said the city contractor was being paid $5 a day to cart garbage outside of the city limits, and in five months this would cost $650, while the expenses of burning the garbage in the city crematory would be but $277.44. He
said the crematory could be put in excellent condition for much less than $1000.
Mr. Jessup accused the Street Commissioner of neglecting to cut down the sewer, paving and grading corps when ordered to do so by the Street Committee. Mr. Mohrman hotly declared this to be false, and said that the committee made changes in the street department without consulting him.
By a vote of 10 to 8 the crematory was ordered repaired. In the meantime the garbage is to be carted out of the city by a Pensauken township farmer for $6 a week.
The Fire Commissioners reported that they had accepted the resignation of Fireman Wright Cox and had appointed Logan Bates to fill the vacancy, but had afterward reconsidered their action and laid the appointment over for two weeks.
Council adjourned until December 8 when some action regarding the new water plant may be taken.