Wright Avenue
Wright Avenue first appeared in Camden City Directories after 1891 and before 1906. The street originally ran northeast from 400 Haddon Avenue, more or less opposite of Camden’s City Hall, across Haddon Avenue, crossing Carteret Street, Warren Avenue, the railroad line which has since become the PATCO high-speed line, through to Federal Street, opposite North 12th Street. Since the construction of Interstate 676, Wright Avenue now begins in what was its 800 Block, at 840 Wright Avenue, the old National Guard Armory which now houses Camden’s Public Works department.
Phil Cohen
Wright Avenue in Past Years
Left: Wright Avenue — map published in 1914. Below: Wright Avenue area — map published in 1946
700 Block of Wright Avenue
750 Wright Avenue
Hi, my name is Ginny Lee Pilstl, daughter of Ludwig and Virginia Pilstl who lived at 750 Wright Avenue. The only date you have for that address is the apartment building. I thought you might want to know that the Pilstls (including me) and Mrs. Trainor lived there during the early 1940’s. I was born in 1943, my father, Ludwig was drafted later that year. After the war, my parents and I returned to Camden, we lived there after the war until 1948 when we moved to Kentucky.
— GL Pilstl, now of Findlay, Ohio — April 25, 2010
Direction Stanley Company of America
Camden Courier-Post —
Theatre Beautiful
First S. Jersey Showing
Noon to 11 P.M.
ADOLPHE MENJOU
Serenade
On the STAGE
HELENA MARSH
Metropolitan Opera Co.
COMEDY SMITHS MODISTE SHOP
Stanley News
Va[?]! King of Sports
OVERTURE MORNING NOON & NIGHT
A CAMDEN INSTITUTION
Broadway & Pine
Keith Vaudeville
Stanley Photoplays
5 BIG KEITH ACTS
Headed by the Big Time Feature Act
BOBBY O’NEIL & CO.
In a miniature musical comedy in live scenes
GRAPE-JUICE
Extra Attraction—First South Jersey Screening. Feature Photoplay.
SILK LEGS
Extra! Extra!
TONIGHT IS GUEST NIGHT
Loads of Fun for All.
TOWERS
A CAMDEN INSTITUTION
Broadway & Pine
Keith Vaudeville
Stanley Photoplays
SPECIAL EXTRA ATTRACTION TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY, THURS., FRI., SAT.
Camden’s Most Beautiful Girl
WITH HER LATEST
SPORT MODEL FORD CAR
Guess Who She is and Receive a Free Gift
FORD CAR—COURTESY OF CRAMER & MYERS INC., FORD AGENCY, 780 WRIGHT AVE.
Continuous Noon to 11 P. M.
Broadway and Mickle; First South Jersey Screening.
OLIVE BORDEN
In a story of a girl who was indiscreet.
“Come to My House”
COMEDY “A FOOL AND HIS MONEY”
TRAVELOGUE KINOGRAMS
Mistaken Identity Lands Driver in Jail
Camden Courier-Post —
Resemblance of C. C. Chalfonte, state motor vehicle inspector, to a salesman, resulted yesterday in an automobile driver being arrested on charges of drunk driving.
Chalfonte was sitting on his porch at 752 Wright Avenue when Raymond Stafford, 26, of 218 Glenwood Avenue, Merchantville, drove up in a car.
Stafford had an engagement to meet a salesman at Haddon and Wright avenues, and on seeing the inspector, thought he was the person. Stafford urged Chalfonte to “hurry up and get in the car,” but the inspector, observing Stafford’s condition, called police.
Patrolmen John Trout and George Weber Jr. took the driver to police headquarters where he was ordered held for a hearing in police court this morning.
Hospital Cases
Camden Courier-Post —
COOPER
John Passarella, 7, of 433 Spruce street, lacerated scalp.
Peter Chiodi, 14, of 337 Spruce street, lacerated hand.
John Cool, Jr., 7, of 218 Burns street, lacerated thumb.
Michael Bottalico, 19, of 816 South Fifth street, lacerated hand.
Kenneth Bell, 40, of 754 Wright avenue, lacerated upper lip.
Irving Yerks, 9, of 1134 Baring street, lacerated thumb.
Theresa Joyce, 61, of 507 Haddon avenue, possible fractured hand.
William Malloney, 15, of 709 Morgan street, possible fractured nose
Leonard Schaffer, 10, of 119 Dudley street, fractured wrist.
Florence Melari, 60, of 808 Princeton avenue, dog bite.
Theresa Tenovese, 7 months, of 221 Railroad avenue, Glassboro, burn, hand.
Marie Cahill, 5, of 2168 Berwick street, brush burns, hand.
Howard Cannon, 30, of 751 Cherry street, nail wound, foot.
Catherine Wolfer, 14, of Lindenwold, injured ankle.
Alex Maloney, 29, of 425 South Fifth street, injured shoulder.
WEST JERSEY
James Brady, 7, of 1580 Minnesota road, lacerated wrist.
Betty Antonow, 6, of 1038 street, puncture wound, foot.
J. E. Walker, 46, of 222 Washington terrace, Audubon, near amputation, tip of finger.
Arthur Davis, 10, of Nicholson road, West Collingswood, lacerated scalp.
Ed Cachell, 35, of 612 Robert street, lacerated finger.
Dolores Pfeffer, 7, of 548 Haddon avenue, Collingswood, abrasions of thigh; communuted [sic] fracture of ankle.
Ida Devlin, 40, of 1337 Morton street, contusion, wrist and possible fractured arm.
756 Wright Avenue
Camden High School Purple & Gold Yearbook —
Williams — Specialists in Permanent Waving — Camden High School Purple & Gold Yearbook, June 1932
Working for Bermuda Trip
Camden Courier-Post —
Miss Mary Ellen Williams, of 756 Wright avenue, Camden Courier-Post, June 15, 1932.
780 Wright Avenue
Jordan Motor Sales Co. — Acme Motor Trucks — 780 Wright Avenue, 1923–1929
County Kennel Club Meets Next Wednesday Night
A meeting of the Camden County Kennel Club will be held next Wednesday evening, June 7, at Dixon’s Hall, 780 Wright Avenue, Camden, at which time the report of the show and regular business will be staged.
National Guard Armory, Wright Avenue
Left: “New Armory Wright Avenue Camden N.J.” — 1918. Right: Battery B Armory on Wright Avenue
800 Block of Wright Avenue
801 Wright Avenue
Sypherd Fuel Company at 801 Wright Avenue — New Jersey Bell Telephone Yellow Pages ads, 1955
GMC 1½-Ton Stake
Priced with the lowest
Only $3 to $4 more per month on an average twelve-month time sale
POST CARD
You can now get GMC's better appearance . . . greater power . . . 15% to 40% fuel savings and many other unmatched quality features at rock bottom prices. Owners report that fuel savings alone repay any slight difference in cost. Ask any owner or let us prove it.
CAMDEN MOTOR TRUCK CO. 9TH & WRIGHT AVE. CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY PHONE: KEYSTONE 27581 BELL PHONE: 2135
Mr. Atkinson, W. L. Hurley Co., Broadway & Pine, Camden, N. J.
840 Wright Avenue
Camden Motor Truck Company at 840 Wright Avenue, 1940
1000–1100 Block of Wright Avenue
1035 Wright Avenue
Bearings Inc. at 1035 Wright Avenue — New Jersey Bell Telephone Yellow Pages ad, 1955
1140 Wright Avenue
Kaighn Avenue near Wright Avenue — August 6, 1963
1125 Wright Avenue
b.ella and nouvella luxury legware at 1125 Wright Avenue, 2007
B.ella specializes in luxurious US crafted socks and Italian made hosiery. Our styles are constructed of exotic blend and high-tech stretch yarns for the ultimate in fit and feel. B.ella offers the essential to the extraordinary. Nouvella specializes in fashion forward socks and hosiery. From space-dyed cottons to snapshot trouser socks; slipper socks to footless tights, we offer the daring, delightful and unique.
“Bob” Ashenfelter, Shot in Duel With Burglars, Asks Pension
Camden Courier-Post —
John Sheeran Claims Disability
Gladney and Roy Smith Ask to Leave Fire Service
Applications of four policemen and two veteran firemen for pensions will be considered today at a special meeting of the Police and Firemen’s Pension Commission in the offices of Mayor Roy R. Stewart.
Included in the list are Detective Robert Ashenfelter and Accident Investigator John Sheeran, both seeking retirement because of disability suffered while members of the department.
Others whose pension request will receive consideration at today’s session include Patrolmen Robert Ward and Jesse Smith and Charles M. Gladney and Roy M. Smith, members of the fire department.
Ashenfelter, who is 40, and lives at 352 Berwood street, was one of the first members of the police force to receive the Gold Star when that award for bravery was established by Mayor Stewart in 1931. He was appointed to the force by Mayor Victor King on July 1, 1926, and served as a motorcycle policeman until April 17, 1929, when he was appointed acting detective.
His physician stated that Ashenfelter was suffering from an infected right lung as a result of wounds he received in a sensational pistol battle with a burglar whom he killed in the robbery of the American Store, Thirty-second street and Pierce avenue, on August 24, 1931.
Receiving the report of the robbery, Ashenfelter went to the store with Detective Benjamin Simon. Ashenfelter walked to the rear of the store. As he reaced [sic] the door of a shed in the rear, he met a volley of seven shots fired from inside. One bullet knocked the gun from his right hand, another pierced his arm and a third entered his chest over his heart.
Despite his wounds, Ashenfelter was able to pick up his pistol with his uninjured hand. He emptied it through the door.
A moment later other officers arrived. When they opened the door they found Charles Rettberg, 21, of 1189 North Thirty-sixth street, lying dead on the floor.
Arrested on the scene were the dead man’s brother, Theodore, who later was acquitted, and Melbourne James and Gordon McCrea, who were sentenced to five years each in prison.
Ashenfelter was in the hospital for several weeks after the shooting.
During the World War he served as a lieutenant in the ordnance department attached to the 118th Field Artillery.
“Johnny” Sheeran, 57, was appointed to the police department July 15, 1913. He still lacks several months of the required years service but is seeking the pension on the disability clause because of a wound received several years ago.
Sheeran, attached to the Second Police District at the time, was helping to move some large steel cases in the old city hall when one of them fell on his left hand. Physicians at Cooper Hospital managed to patch the hand up, but Sheeran has never had the use of it since that time.
Lately he has been working in the Accident Bureau. He lives at 777 Wright avenue.
‘Booze’ Mystery Soon Cleared Up
Camden Post-Telegram —
Nothing But Near-Beer on Two Trucks Held Up by the Police
POLICE OFFICIALS SAMPLE CONTENTS
Great excitement prevailed about Police Headquarters early last evening when two five-ton covered motor trucks pulled up to the entrance and Detective Brothers alighted with three other men. In a brief space of time a crowd of at least 1,000 men, women and children flocked about.
It developed that Dective [sic] Brothers, scenting a big “booze” delivery, stopped the two trucks as they were coming out of Wright avenue into Haddon avenue. The four men taken to Police Headquarters were: Phillip Gassman, 1012 Wyoming avenue, Philadelphia; John J. Bowes, 1[?][?]0 North Sergeant street; Arthur Deitlebaum, 1801 North Reese street, all Philadelphians.
Inside the two trucks were barrels carefully covered with burlap. Detective Brothers and District Detectives Kates and Smith jumped on the trucks and grabbed several brown bottles and carried them into the captain’s office.
Assistant Chief Hyde and Captain Humes took charge of the situation. The bottles were carefully arranged on the desk as everybody smiled.
“Looks like beer to me,” said Detective Brothers.
“Well, let’s find out,” exclaimed Captain Humes as he pried off the top of a bottle and raising it, swallowed some of the contents.
“Can’t prove it by me,” said the doughty captain as his face became wreathed in a frown.
Others sipped the supposed beer, but they too, had their doubts about the quality of the stuff.
“It looks like beer, tastes like beer, but it does not appear to have much authority,” chimed in Assistant Chief Hyde after taking a very small mouthful of the beverage.
“I’ll tell you the truth, Chief,” said Gassman. “It’s only one-half of one per cent. Take a bottle of it and have it analyzed and I’ll bet you the two trucks it’s only near beer.”
Gassman then explained the situation. He said he owned the “near beer” and stored it in a warehouse on Wright avenue rear the elevated railroad. He added that he would have to pay a yearly license of $[?]00 to store the stuff in Philadelphia and for that reason he kept it in Camden and distributed it when he received orders.
This explanation was accepted by the police authorities, who permitted Gassman and Bowes and Deitlebaum, the latter two who were truck driver [sic], to go. However, two bottles were kept for testing purposes.
Want Advice on School Question
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Camden’s Board of Education intends asking the advice of the city’s representative bodies before it takes any action toward changing the site of the proposed new $400,000 high school from the armory plot at Wright and Haddon avenues to Parkside. A resolution has been adopted asking the opinion of the Board of Trade, Civic Club, Business Men’s Improvement Association, Rotary Club, Whitman Park Association, Stockton Wheelmen, Women’s Club and New Era Club. The ground on Haddon avenue was purchased a number of years ago for $40,000 for the school site, but it is declared it is now hardly large enough for an up-to-date building. At Parkside it is pointed out that there is plenty of ground, so that athletic fields could be provided. However, the Board will not act until it learns the sentiment of the several organizations.
Youth Given 10 Days for Emulating Sniper
Camden Courier-Post —
Because he imitated the “phantom sniper” Walter Anderson, 18 years old, of Carteret street near Wright avenue, was sentenced to ten days in jail today by Police Judge Bertman.
Anderson was arrested last night by Policeman Herbert Anderson on complaints from the residents of the vicinity of Newton avenue and Carteret street that a man was shooting up the neighborhood.
Walter Anderson told the judge that he was examining a gun he had purchased on the Fourth of July when the weapon was accidentally discharged.
World War II Registration Card
REGISTRATION CARD—(Men born on or after April 28, 1877 and on or before February 16, 1897)
Serial number: U 987. Order number: [blank]
1. Name (Print): GUS EDWIN GONDOLF
2. Place of residence (Print): 1462 BELLEVIEW AVE., CAMDEN, CAMDEN, N.J.
[THE PLACE OF RESIDENCE GIVEN ON THE LINE ABOVE WILL DETERMINE LOCAL BOARD JURISDICTION; LINE 2 OF REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE WILL BE IDENTICAL]
3. Mailing address: SAME
4. Telephone: CAMDEN 2651 J
5. Age in years: 5[?]. Date of birth: MARCH 8 1892
6. Place of birth: PHILADELPHIA, PENNA.
7. Name and address of person who will always know your address: WINIFRED GONDOLF, 1412 BELLEVIEW AVE., CAMDEN, N.J. [sic]
8. Employer’s name and address: STATE OF NEW JERSEY (MOTOR VEHICLE DEPT.)
9. Place of employment or business: 1140 WRIGHT AVE., CAMDEN, CAMDEN, N.J.
I affirm that I have verified above answers and that they are true.
Gus E Gondolf, Registrant’s signature
D.S.S. Form 1 (Revised 4-1-42) 16–21630–2 (over)