William
M.
Dilmore

WILLIAM M. DILMORE was born in New Jersey in 1879 to George S. and Mary E. Dilmore. The elder Dilmore originally worked as a bookkeeper, but in the early 1890s went intoi the bar and restaurant business. The 1880 Census shows William Dilmore to be the third child, after George S. Jr. and Mary. The Dilmore family then lived at 336 Kaighn Avenue. By 1894 the Dimore family resided at 339 Kaighn Avenue. George S. Dilmore Sr. owned and operated a saloon next door at 341 Kaighn Avenue. The 1906 City Directory shows William Dilmore engaged in bottling business. Brother George Dilmore Jr. eventually became a dentist then a dentist, also liveing at 339 Kaighn Avenue. 

The Dimores left Kaighn Avenue by 1910. William Dilmore had left the bottling business, and father was made his home and operated another saloon, Dilmore's Hotel, at 531 Market Street through at least 1914.

When the 1920 Census was taken, William Dilmore, then 40, was working as a storekeeper at a shipyard, most likely New York Shipbuilding Corporation, as he was living at 295 North Congress Road in the Yorkship Village section of Camden. A storekeeper in the context of shipyard work would be the person responsible for keeping and issuing tools and materials to shipyard workers. 

William Dilmore married Catherine Clinger around 1913, when he was 34. They had at least one child. Their daughter Ann was born around 1921.

William Dilmore later served as Assistant Purchasing Agent for the City of Camden during the administration of Winfield S. Price, Mayor of the City of Camden from 1937 to 1931. He worked under Dr. Charles B. Helm, who was the Purchasing Agent.  At the time of the 1930 census, the Dilmore family rented a home at 3409 Federal Street in East Camden. By February of 1933 William Dilmore was serving as the acting Purchasing Agent, his predecessor [whose name I do not know as of February 2005 -PMC] having been removed from office.

William M. and Catherine Dilmore do not appear in the 1936 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory or the 1947 City Directory for Camden.

William M. Dilmore
339 Kaighn Avenue

Bottle Cap is from about 1906. His father George Dilmore 
ran a saloon out of 339-341 Kaighn from then mid 1890s trough at least that year, before relocating downtown.

MAYOR TO DECIDE ON FIRE ALARM BIDS
Conducts Hearing on Firm's Failure to Accept Specifications

Mayor Roy R. Stewart will rule within two or three days on whether the city will accept the bid of the Horni Signal Manufacturing Corporation, of New York, to install the new, fire alarm and police signal system in the new city hall courthouse annex. The corporation sub­mitted the lower of two estimates recently.

The mayor cited the corporation to show cause at a hearing before him Wednesday why the corporation's bid of $44,995 should not be rejected as irregular in that it allegedly did not follow specifications, failed to reveal the corporation's financial responsibility to complete the work, and made no provision to accept city bonds, warrants or other form of municipal security in payment for the work, as provided in the specifications. Mayor Stewart said the corporation, through three represen­tatives at the hearing yesterday, pointed out that it would take city securities in payment, provided the city agreed to make up the difference should the value of the securities drop. The firm's representatives also sought to have the city assume the responsibility for the payment of "extras", should the National Board of Fire Underwriters specify that additional work and material be added, although the specifications themselves relieved the city of that responsibility. They also furnished a satisfactory statement of their finan­cial status, the mayor said. 

As a result of the hearing, the mayor can reject the corporation's bid, accept that of the Gamewell Company, of New York, the rival bidder with an estimate of $51,837, or re-advertise for bids.

City Solicitor E. G. C. Bleakly and William Dilmore, acting city purchasing agent, attended the hearing in the mayor's office.  

KELLY GETS CONTRACT FOR NEW JAIL PLUMBING

William J. Kelly, 575 Mickle Street, yesterday was declared low bidder for the plumbing and drainage work to be installed at the new city jail. His proposal of $3250 contained an alternate of $3050, contingent upon materials to be selected for the work. 

The only other bid disclosed by William M. Dilmore, city purchasing agent, was presented by H. J. Eichfeld, also of Camden. It was for $3091.