The borough of Atlantic Highlands has issued a stop work order for the property at 48 Ave C where an underground tunnel was uncovered earlier this week.

At Wednesday’s meeting of the Borough Council, administrator Robert Ferragina announced that elected officials and borough professionals including the borough engineer and attorney have met and a temporary stop order issued while the borough conducts a GPR, a ground penetrating radar procedure to learn more about any possible structures in the right of way area.

Borough engineer Doug Rohmeyer explained the GPR sends signals below the surface, getting responses that provide engineers with more information and said the work is being done an abundance of caution.

Contrary to what was believed, Rohmeyer said, the hole created by the construction equipment as part of the initial work prior to new construction on the site has not been backfilled. The contractor did build up a dirt wall around the opening and covering it with plywood, both for safety and weather situations.

It is estimated the GPR could be conducted sometime next week and the governing body would wait until it is completed before deciding any further action.

The property owner of the former Fireman’s Fieldhouse on Ave C, received a variance from the Planning Board several months ago, granting the owner permission to construct three houses on the vacant lot, where the ordinance currently would only have allowed for the construction of two houses.

The tunnel that was exposed as part of the construction work is at one side of the property close to Ave C and extends eastward under the property of the residence at the intersection of Ave C and W. Highlands Ave.

There was considerable speculation among numerous residents who gathered at the site Monday evening that the tunnel is a remnant of the Prohibition era between 1920 and 1934 when the borough was known to have had considerable activity among rum runners and bootleggers, with underground tunnels and rooms used for transporting illegal liquor .

There have also been underground still rooms where illegal alcohol was made uncovered or discovered in the bayshore area dating to Prohibition..

During the public portion of the meeting Jack Grodeska, who indicated he has done considerable professional archeological work internationally, addressed the governing body.

He explained he was representing the Atlantic Highlands Historical Society and had spoken with a leading archeologist at Monmouth University, and both are donating their time to do an archeological assessment of the property.

He indicated the Historical Society would appreciate being able to have artifacts from the site for display at the Strauss House Museum as an indication of some of the unique history of the borough. Grodeska noted the find is a major piece of history for the borough. Council took no action other than to thank him for his report.

Tucker Snedeker, who lives near the site where the tunnel was uncovered, also described it as a historic find and commended both the Mayor and Council and the Police Department for taking action in a “tricky situation” and praised the good job they did at an unexpected event.

Stop Work Stop Work Stop Work Stop Work

Hiring Brush and Leaf pick-up schedules as well as municipal Yard hours were announced by Councilman James Murphy at Wednesday’s borough council meeting, along with news there are currently positions open in the Public Works Department for new employees.

Murphy noted the brush pick up begins October 7 and will be conducted zone by zone with one pass through the entire borough. Material should be out and in compliance with pick-up requirements he said.

There will be two leaf pickups, the first beginning Nov. 4, again zone by zone, and the second beginning December 9 with one pass through town. Residents are urged to remind any building contractors or workers of the schedules for the convenience of all and enhanced appearance of the borough.

The fall seasons for the borough yard are posted on the borough calendar as well as online and at the yard. Mondays through Fridays, the borough yard is open for recycling disposal from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. There will be weekend hours for leaf and brush drop-offs only, on November and December Saturdays and Sundays from 8 am, until noon.

The Public Works Department also reminds residents and businesses that no signs are permitted on borough, county or state property and will be removed if posted without written permission from the proper authority.

Persons interested in applying for a position with the Public Works Department should apply as soon as possible either Borough Hall during business hours or by downloading an application at ahnj.com

Hiring Hiring

With more praise and thanks to First Aid Chief Lance Hubeny and the Atlantic Highlands First Aid Squad, Councilman James Murphy reported the squad will have a 2024 Ford E450 ambulance within two weeks.

At the same time, the squad and it chief deserve more praise and credit for the squad’s Cadet Program, noting that one cadet in the program has already completed all his training and is now officially an EMT with the squad, and two other cadets are in training to become EMR, or Emergency Medical Responders. Murphy noted the title of EMR with the requirements necessary to be completed to receive it is similar to an advanced first responder.

“Having three of four cadets earn an EMT or EMR designation is amazing,” the councilman said, noting also that the squad has answered 43 calls during the month of September.

News continues to get even better, he continued, with three more cadets in the process of joining the firsts aid squad.

The new ambulance was made possible through fundraising by the First Aid Squad through donations; the fact it will be available by next month rather than the two to two and a half years generally accepted for arrival of a newly ordered ambulance, is because of efforts by Chief Hubeny, Murphy said. He termed both the fund raising by the squad and the quick arrival of the new equipment “Astounding.”

Murphy reported the squad already also has a buyer for their “gently used rig” they purchased for use until they could secure a new ambulance. He pointed out the squad was able to sell it for more than they paid for its purchase.

The squad has answers 381 emergency calls from January to September, for a total of 1,047 calls since Hubeny took over as chief in July 2022, and promised a harder working, more enthusiastic, capable and enthusiastic squad that would work together seamlessly.

Ambulance

It’s the Volunteer of the Month for September that prompted Mayor Lori Hohenleitner to suggest that everyone should follow the example of the unnamed person.

In announcing there is a designated Volunteer of the month as has been the schedule for Atlantic Highlands Council meetings, Hohenleitner said the person selected for this month did not want to be publicly identified.

In agreeing to honor the resident without any identification, the mayor suggested that everyone instead “thank somebody”: for doing something nice.

The mayor noted there are many unsung heroes in town and many people who do things for others without recognition, but rather selflessly.

The honoree she said, is a person who is always busy doing something for the borough, always looking out for the Mayor and Council, and always representing what the community is all about.

She suggested that to honor the unsung hero everyone should thank someone for doing something nice whether it is wearing a plant or volunteering in some manner because “that’s what our town is all about.”

Volunteer

Whether it is a tunnel leading to an underground still dating to Prohibition, or tunnels for bootleggers to move illegal whiskey to or from boats that were dealing with rum runners along Rum Row, or whether it was the cellar of a former school what was unearthed on Avenue C. might be a piece of history yesterday afternoon certainly brought neighbors together, lots of excitement to be shared, and historians, Historical society members and borough officials and employees to ensure that no matter what, it was well worth attention.

Word spread quickly throughout the late afternoon when the excavating company clearing and preparing the former Firemen’s Fieldhouse site for construction of three houses on the empty lot dug into what appears to be a tunnel on the northeast side of the property stretching into the backyard of West Highland Avenue house that backs up to the fieldhouse site.

Initial reactions and indications, coupled with legends and stories from generations, were the excavators hit on one of many tunnels reported to be in numerous locations throughout the borough, part of the Prohibition era from 1920 to 1934.

Oldtimers or second and third generation of families living in the borough during that era remember talk of tunnels for transporting illicit alcohol, either to the site from clamming and lobster boats that traveled out to Rum Row three miles offshore to pick it up, or trucks who clandestinely carried the illegal whiskey from its underground hiding places to both local and northern New Jersey liquor dealers, speakeasies and businesses that profited from the law that banned the sale and manufacture of alcohol.

Stories circulated among the gathering of nearby neighbors, friends and officials that tunnels were prevalent in prohibition and this particular tunnel could well be one that led to the Robert Mantell house on Avenue D, once the home of Andrew Richard, a local phenomenon often associated with the rough and wild times of Prohibition.

Talk even circulated that Richards had a friend, Dominick Caruso, well known for his expertise in construction, actually built the tunnel. However, a quick call to Caruso’s daughter, Jacqui Larsen, a retired architect, indicated that was not so.

Born long after Prohibition ended in 1934, Larsen said she heard many stories both from her father and her mother and aunts, all who were neighbors of Richards, as she was growing up. But she never heard her father talk about building any tunnels or underground rooms.

Fire Department secretary Lance Hubeny, recalled how the floor on that side of the fieldhouse, with a garage door opening to Avenue C., was always lower than the rest of the building, and volunteers often wondered and warned about parking heavy equipment on that portion of the building

Atlantic Highlands Historical Society members weren’t asserting specifically what the underground open space was originally but wanted it to be preserved at least until studies could be done, research completed, and a piece of Atlantic Highlands history preserved at least on video and in word. Several Society members turned out to show their interest and learn as much as they could so they could continue research and present an accurate portrayal if what appears to be what families have talked about for ages but will remain hidden as the borough progresses.

Society members on the site gathering whatever information they could were Patty Bickauskas, Ellen O’Dwyer and Lou Fligor. Historians on site were Greg Caggiano, Jack Grodeska and Muriel Smith. In a strange coincidence, Smith is scheduled to give a talk to the Highlands Historical Society at the Community Center in Highlands at 7 p.m. Thursday night on the subject of Prohibition in the Bayshore.

Councilman Brian Dougherty cycled over to see the uncovered tunnel sharing in the excitement and wonder, noting no one really knows yet what it was used for, but sharing in the camaraderie and stories. “It is very exciting, even if we don’t know yet what that tunnel was used for, “he said, adding “I would just encourage people to remember that this is an active construction site on private property. Safety first! “he said, urging people, politely, to stay away from the site.

Code Enforcement Officer Richard Colangelo was also present to ensure safety at the site and to direct anyone walking or standing on the private property of trespassing regulation site.

Borough Police responded to the site to ensure safety, to inspect and ensure no one was inside the tunnel and to cordon off the area with yellow ribbon as a reminder of no trespassing.

The possibility of the tunnel, with supporting beams inside and brick walls, as well as what appears to be a ventilation tube, might also be the cellar of a school, the Washington Avenue School, from the turn of the 20^th century. Such a building is portrayed in the Arcadia book on Atlantic Highlands written by Randy Gabrielan.

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Rum Runners Rum Runners Rum Runners