Bigget’s Park burned again, shortly after it was rebuilt. The Sea Girt Fire Company #1 performed even better than the 1918 fire and stopped the fire from spreading with help from other companies. John Biggett vowed to rebuild once again. The Sea Girt Inn would be bigger than the last iteration.
At the end of the war, flying was still a huge novelty. Paul Micelli flew for France before the US entered WWI, and then he was an ace for the Yanks. When the war ended he purchased a home on The Terrace in Sea Girt overlooking Wreck Pond. Paul was preparing for a transatlantic flight until the plane he was to fly on was damaged. Lucky Lindy (Charles Lindberg) would be the first to cross the Atlantic in the sky.
Paul Micelli over Sea Girt from a postcard
Paul gave demonstrations with VIP passengers all summer at the Sea Girt Camp. Thousands came out to watch the acrobatics. In late August, Micelli failed to come out of a tailspin and dropped 300 feet to the ground. The governor jumped in his car and drove to the crash site. Micelli had a broken hip, ribs, collar bone and was unconscious. His passenger, Lt. Monteith died on his way to the Ann May hospital in Spring Lake. Micelli recovered and continued to give flying lessons and perform stunts. He advertised restaurants and clubs by announcing he would be wing walking and performing stunts over their venues at a set time.
Paul had another crash in a seaplane in 1929 over Barnegat Bay in a “Flying Boat”. He survived, but his three passengers perished.
Micelli ad from the early 20s
Perhaps if the crash had taken place earlier in the summer, Emily ‘Millie’ Schaeffer might have changed her plans. But the girl from Sea Girt was “plane crazy” and she was to be married in a airplane over Sheephead Bay’s Speedway Park during a policeman’s fair. Lt. George Burgess was the groom and he piloted the plane with his bride.
Library of Congress Ohio air crash 1919
His best man flew the celebrant Rev. Wauters in the adjoining plane and they communicated over wireless telephone. The broadcast was also carried on speakers in the grandstand where both families could listen (no one objected to the questions) and the maid of honor flew in a third plane so she could say her part through the telephone.
They met in 1913. He was then the assistant manager of the radio station of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company in Wall. Millie and a friend were in a canoe that pitched, and her friend was thrown into the water. The lieutenant saw the accident from the shore and came to their aid in a boat.
She told the Brooklyn Daily, “I am interested in the radio code and understand it. When we talked over our wedding, it was suggested that we get married in an aeroplane to demonstrate its wonderful possibilities." When asked if she was not afraid to make the flight, Miss Schaeffer replied: "I have never been up in an aeroplane, but I am not afraid if Lieut.Burgess is piloting the plane. I would go anywhere with him.'
"Is your mother going up, too.?" she was asked. "Oh, no, mother of course will not go up. She was invited to, but she declined with thanks. Mother will give me away on the ground.”
She will. be connected by radio with our machine and the minister's 'machine and will listen to the marriage ceremony. She will be the first to. congratulate us when we come down." When asked where her pilot was to take her on their honeymoon Miss Schaeffer smiled and said: "Oh, that's a secret."
Maconi revolutionized the world with the development of radio.
There was a band that broadcast the wedding march and they played “There goes the bride” at the conclusion of the ceremony. After the celebration on the ground they flew off to their honeymoon.