Introduction
DR. MARCUS F. WHEATLAND JR. was born in Newport RI in 1899. His father was a very well known and well-respected physician there. A graduate of Lincoln University in 1922 and the Howard University College of Medicine in 1927, Dr. Wheatland Jr. came to Camden after interning at Freedman’s Hospital in Washington DC. A protégé of Dr. Clement T. Branch, he soon became involved in Camden’s civic affairs, and was a party to the introduction of federally funded public housing to Camden. He also served as an alternate delegate to Republican National Convention from New Jersey in 1940. A general practitioner, he was also a member of the Camden County Medical Society. In the mid 1930s, Dr. Wheatland made his home and office at 757 Kaighn Avenue.
In October of 1937, Mayor George E. Brunner appointed Dr. Wheatland to the Municipal Low Cost Housing Committee, which sponsored legislation providing for the creation of housing authorities in New Jersey, once the Federal act had been enacted. After many conferences with other agencies and representatives of the United States Housing Authority, bills were introduced in the New Jersey Assembly.
The Housing Authority of the City of Camden was established by an ordinance adopted by the Board of City Commissioners on April 20, 1938. To its non-salaried membership were appointed the members of the Municipal Low Cost Housing Committee, which had been in existence since October of 1937. They were Charles F. Hollopeter, William H. White, John Green, Dr. Marcus F. Wheatland, and Horace R. Dixon, who were appointed for terms of one, two, three, four, and five years, respectively. Dr. Wheatland resigned from the Board of Commissioners in June of 1939.
Dr. Wheatland Jr. last made his home at 727 Walnut Street, which had been the home of Dr. Clement T. Branch before his passing in 1933. Dr. Wheatland died in 1947. Wheatland Court, which runs northwest from Everett Street west of South Eight Street, is named in his memory.
142 Attend Meeting of Negro Y.M.C.A.
Camden Courier-Post —
Delegates Hear Pleas for Christian Co-operation to End Conflict
Joint application of the teachings of Christ by the white and Negro races to meet full responsibilities in a changing social and economic order was urged here yesterday at the eighth annual laymen’s conference of Colored Y.M.C.A.’s in New Jersey.
Citing the lack of practice of the teachings of Christ as conducive to conflict, Dr. G. Lake Imes, director of public relations of Lincoln University, Lincoln, Pennsylvania, declared that “the social application of Jesus is needed in these times, and not battleships and guns to set the world in order.”
Delegates to the conference, held in the Camden Y.M.C.A., Federal Street near Broadway, numbered 142 from Newark, Orange, Montclair, Plainfield, Summit, Princeton, Trenton, Camden, and various counties of the State. The Camden delegation of 31 was the largest in attendance.
Employment problems and their affect upon Negro youth were out lined by W.A. Smith. Jr., director of colored activities for the New Jersey National Youth Administration,
The successful movement for a Negro housing project in Atlantic City, which now affords modern living standards for 374 families, was related by C. V. Cain, manager of the $1,540,000 project.
The afternoon session was devoted to planning for observance of the 50th anniversary of the Negro Y.M.C.A. History of the association was related by Dr. C. H. Tobias, senior secretary of the national council, and plans for expansion through a $125,000 fund now being raised, were explained by Dr. Leslie Pinkney Hill, principal of the Cheyney Teachers’ College. The expansion will benefit New Jersey associations.
A committee of laymen and association secretaries for New Jersey’s share in the 50th anniversary was appointed.
Other speakers were G. W. Barnes, temporary secretary of the State Y.M.C.A. headquarters; William P. Partenheimer, general secretary of the Camden Y.M.C.A.; W. R. Valentine, of the State Colored Work Committee, A. E. Flournoy, executive secretary of the Hunton Branch Y.M.C.A., Camden, and Irwin Roundtree, chairman of the local entertainment committee.
The Misses Alma and Jessys Jones served as secretaries of the conference. The WPA Orchestra provided dinner music, led by James Wheeler. Partenheimer praised the Hunton branch for the work it accomplished “with so little equipment.”
The local welcoming committee comprised Roundtree; H. W. Brown, Elmer Congo, Dr. M. F. Wheatland, J. S. Brooks, Foster Meekins, W. S. Ashley, Charles Whittington, Alfonso Davis, John Robbins, George L. Eggleston and Louis Pugsley.
The 1939 conference will be held in Summit, the first Sunday in February.
$8,000,000 Fund Sought for Housing
Camden Courier-Post —
Hartmann Declares City Needs 2 Added Low-Cost Rental Projects
A Federal grant of $8,000,000 for slum clearance and two municipal low-cost housing units will be sought by the city of Camden when the State Legislature approves pending bills providing enabling legislation.
This was made known yesterday by Commissioner Frank J. Hartmann, director of public works, who also announced he will present an ordinance at Thursday’s meeting of the City Commission setting up a Camden Municipal Housing Authority.
The ordinance, Hartmann explained, will conform with requirements in one of the Assembly bills. Members of the authority, who will be known as Housing Commissioners, will be named by the City Commission.
Present members of the Camden Municipal Low-cost Housing Committee are Charles F. Hollopeter, chairman; Dr. M. F. Wheatland, William H. White, Horace R. Dixon, secretary, and John Green, president of the United Marine and Shipbuilders’ Union of America.
“Camden needs two more low-cost housing units to provide modern, sanitary and adequate housing for its working people,” Hartmann said. “Unless present plans are changed the proposed housing authority will seek a grant of $8,000,000 from the U. S. Housing Authority.”
“As soon as the legislature passes the enabling legislation the city through this committee will be in a position to go to Washington, present our plans, and make formal request for Federal money.
Hartmann said that neither he nor the members of the housing committee will divulge any contemplated locations of the two proposed projects.
“This committee has studied housing needs from all angles. Neither politics, race or creed will enter into negotiations in connection with the projects.”
Dixon Will Ask U.S. to Advance $73,000 for Housing Board
Camden Courier-Post —
4 Employes Face Payless Pay Day; Authority Has $300 Left in Bank
While four employes face a payless pay day and with the Camden Housing Authority’s bank balance less than $300, Horace R. Dixon, chairman, today will request U. S. Housing Authority officials in Washington to make an advance payment of $73,000 to relieve the financial crisis.
The advance payment toward construction of the $1,423,000 Clement T. Branch Village low-rent Negro housing project in South Camden, will cover authority salaries, fees for architects and appraisers and other expenses, Dixon said.
Dixon has an appointment with the Federal housing officials in Washington at 11 a.m.
Meanwhile, the four employes will not receive their two weeks’ salaries dating back to May 15, when they were officially placed on the payroll. The employes are Walter S. Anderson, Jr., authority counsel; John W. O’Neill, accountant, and Mrs. Elizabeth Riggins and Patricia Andrisone, office stenographers.
Sees No Further Delay
Dixon said yesterday he did not expect any further delay in having the advance payment approved. While Dixon would not offer any comment, it has been reported the USHA held up the advance payment to the local authority
Mayor George E. Brunner filed charges of political coercion against William H. White, former temporary secretary-treasurer of the authority.
Last Thursday the City Commission voted to remove White, Dr. M. F. Wheatland, Dixon and John Green as commissioners of the authority after Assistant City Solicitor Edward V. Martino gave an opinion the four commissioners had not taken the oaths of office required under the State Housing Act.
The oath of Wilbert F. Dobbins, taken April 13 last, was declared valid.
Dixon was reappointed and other commissioners named by the City Commission to replace White, Wheatland and Green were John Diehl, Dr. Howard E. Primas and Burnell S. Hartman. The new authority immediately organized and elected Dixon chairman.
Hartman was elected temporary secretary-treasurer and Dr. Primas was elected vice chairman.
Hearing Delayed
Charges filed by the Mayor against White were to have been heard last Thursday, but due to a legal technicality the hearing was postponed until 2 p.m. June 8.
White was charged with threatening tenants of Westfield Acres with eviction when they were said to have refused to vote for former Commissioner Frank J. Hartmann who was defeated for re-election May 9. White categorically denied the charges.
The local authority manages Westfield Acres under a contract with the USHA. However, funds of the East Camden project are set up in a separate account and can be used only for its management.
At a recent meeting Anderson gave an opinion the authority commissioners can borrow from the Westfield Acres account to meet payroll demands. The money borrowed, he said, could be returned when the authority receives the first payment on the South Camden housing project.
The next regular meeting of the authority is scheduled for June 14. Dixon said a special meeting will be called before then.
Housing Unit Reorganizes to Get Funds
Camden Courier-Post —
Present, Former Members Resign to Prevent Long Litigation
Dixon Given $4600 Position
By Frank Sheridan
Present and former members of the Camden City Housing Authority resigned yesterday to facilitate obtaining funds from the U. S. Housing Authority for administration and other purposes.
The resignation of the authority members were climaxed when the City Commission named a new authority, which immediately organized and elected Horace R. Dixon, former chairman, as secretary and executive director, at a salary of $4600 year.
John W. Diehl was elected new chairman of the authority, Dr. Howard E. Primas vice chairman and Walter S. Anderson was reconfirmed as solicitor.
Then the new authority approved all contracts existing between the U. S. Housing Authority, the City of Camden and private individuals. A temporary office force, as required by Federal regulation, was set up.
All this legal action, which required 12 hours, was put into motion so the local authority today may obtain a check for $73,000 from Washington. As a matter of fact the check has been signed but it was necessary to carry out the reorganization to satisfy government objections to the removal of three former members after the recent city commission election and to comply with requirements of the Federal housing setup.
New Job Created
The office of statistician was created at a salary of $2000 but no appointment was made. The government also required the employment of a stenographer, clerk and accountant in the central office along with the executive director. These jobs were created and a clerk now in service was continued. Two furloughed employes were renamed in the same status.
The government questioned the removal of William H. White, Dr. M. F. Wheatland and John Green as members of the authority. City Solicitor Firmin Michel explained any litigation might tie up Federal funds for a year as it would take that long to get the issues settled in court. The other course, he pointed out, was to have the former and present members resign. The city commission, after an executive session, accepted the
Housing Unit Acts To Win U.S. Fund
(Continued from Page One)
resignations of White, Dr. Wheatland and Green and those of the present members, Dixon, Dr. Primas, Diehl and Burnell S. Hartman. There was no legal question raised over the appointment of Wilbur F. Dobbins last April and he continued in office.
Then the commissioners re-elected Dr. Primas, Diehl and Hartman. Charles W. Anderson, 1019 North Twenty-eighth street, was elected to succeed Dixon as a member of the authority.
Mrs. Kobus States View
Commissioner Mary W. Kobus announced at the outset she intended to vote for accepting the resignations and electing a new authority but she disagreed with the government’s contention, branding the action as “technical.”
“I concur in anything to bring a low cost of housing project to the Negro population of our city,” the commissioner said. “I don’t want any delay. But I stand on advice of counsel. Our solicitor advised us it was legal to remove these members of the authority from office and I feel we have done no wrong.”
She continued she did not wish to hold up the proposed project for Negroes to be known as the Clement T. Branch Village.
Dr. Wheatland said in his resignation:
“For several days past I have given careful consideration to the advisability of resorting to litigation for the purpose of challenging the action taken by you at your meeting of May 25th, 1939, when, by resolution, you declared vacant the offices of several of the Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Camden. My hesitancy in this respect has in nowise been prompted by any doubt concerning the soundness of my position. I am convinced that the said resolution was, in all respects, improper, imprudent and illegal.
Housing First Interest
“Rather have I delayed taking positive action in this matter for the reason that I have been informed that any litigation which might be commenced relating to the Housing Authority would result in the loss of funds with which it is hoped we may build in this city better houses for Negro residents of Camden. My interest in any movement which has as its purpose a benefit to members of my race necessarily transcends any purely personal consideration I may have.
“In the hope that by so doing I may assist in the early continuation of the work of providing a low cost housing project for Negro residents, I herewith tender to this Honorable Board my resignation as a Commissioner of the Housing Authority of the City of Camden, New Jersey, the same to be effective upon lawful acceptance thereof.
“I respectfully request that this communication be incorporated in the minutes of the meeting of the Board of Commissioners at which it may elect to accept this resignation.”
According to Mayor George E. Brunner, he requested the present and former members of the authority to submit resignations whereupon a new group was to be appointed. White was the first to comply with the request.
Prior to the city commission election last month, Brunner charged White with engaging in political activities at Westfield Acres. The charges subsequently were dropped when White, Green and Dr. Wheatland were replaced.
White’s Statement
In his resignation, White said:
“It is now a matter of general knowledge that the low cost housing program in the city of Camden has become jeopardized as a result of the doubt which has arisen concerning the legality of the recent action in vacating offices of commissioners of the housing authority. Together with others who were affected by your action, I share the belief that you have acted improperly and without legal justification. I am unwilling, however, that my personal concern in this regard should in any way contribute to the loss of low-cost housing projects in Camden. I therefore tender herewith my resignation, the same be[ing effective upon acceptance.]”