The Monitor-register., 1897-05-14
Gloucester county Freehorders.

The annual meeting of the Gloucester
County Board of Fieeholders was hello
on Wednesday, in the Court House, a
Woodbury., Chas. w. Starr, being elected
director without opposition, the Board
politically standing fifteen Republicans
to four Democrats. The Board then
went into the election of officers. Solicitor
Jessup, owing to his elevation to the
Judiciary, declined re election, and
As%semblyman D. o. Watkins was elected,
to succeed him. DIR. Il. Fl. Clark was
reelected County Physician, and Alonzo
s. Chew, clock winder. The salaries were
fixed the same as last year. The Com
mittee on Appropriations was appointed
as follows: Messrs. George E. Piersop,
T. W. Sypott. r. G. Clark, George Ton.
kins and j. G. Bender.
Freebooter. Cooper, of East Greenwich.
presented the following resolution from
the citizens of that township, which
elicited some discussions:
"Resolved, That we disapprove the
alarming, continued extravagant increase
Of county expenditures, believing they
are out of proportion, above the improve
ments made and the ability of taxpayers
to pay, and we demand that the Board
of Chosen Freeholders, the c~ustodians of
the affairs of our county, make immediate
and necessary retrenchment in all matters
over which they have jurisdiction"
Mr.. Miller was on his feet and wanted
to know whether the citizens alleged
extravaganza.
Eyes, they do" answered Mr.. Cooper.
'The eyesore to the Taxpayers is the
bonding of the county for stone roads,"
"Well, then, l move that the resolution
be laid on the table," exclaimed Mr..
Miller. "We can't control stone road
expenses when deluged with petitions to
construct such public improvements"
The motion prevailed, and an animated
discussion ensued on the propriety of
having the Government furnish head
stones for the graves of deceased soldiers.
The diversity of opinions terminated in
the appointment of a committee to
investigat the matter.
A petition was resolved from the tax
payers of Franklinville praying for the
Q obstruction of a gravel road five miles in
length.
Messrs. Miller, Usinger and Wilson
were appointed a committee to confer
with Prosecutor starr and adjudi
cate the bills on file and compare them
nth criminal dockets to ascertain the
legality of the payment of certain con-
stables, and Justices fees.
Judge Jessup, in commenting upon the
legality of constables' fees, said if the
Prosecutor directed the services the bill
should be paid. The Solicitor, 10 a lengthy
opinion, declared that the charging of
certain fees over the amount prescribed
under the Disorderly act by the officers
was illegal and irregular, and the Board
went outside of it's province when it paid
such bills. The opinion thwarts the
purpose of several county Officers to
collect fees, and a batch of bills were
referred back to the off ,ers.
County Collector Barber submitted a
lengthy report showing the receips and
disbursements for the year just ended.
On account of stone roads $50, ISL 81 was
expended, and for courts $9157 so. The
repair and construction of bridges
amounted to SIT, 900 so, and for aims
house purposes $5533 10. The total
expenditures less balance stone road aud
incidental accounts, amounted to $780,
476 GA, and the receipts, including town
ship taxes, were $164 2S9 9S.
The Committee on Appropriations
reported amounts necessary for the
current expenses for the year as follows:
Almshouse, So 200; asylum, $1,000;
paupers, $3.50; burial of soldiers, 5000;
bridges. $16. 900; elections $4,000; public
property, $500: expenses Board, $500;
prisons, $1,000; Coroners, 500; off ,ers,
$500; schools, $500; courts, $40, 900;
State hospitals, $4,000; printing. $500;
discount and interest, $1,000; courthouse
loan, $4,000; interest courthouse loan,
$500; stone road bonds, $500; intere 1t
stone road bonds, 1890; surplus revenue,
$1811. so; incidentals, $1019 SO; repairs
stone roads, $1,000; stone road contracts,
$4,000. Total, $40, 900.
Director Starr announced the following
standing committees:
Almshouse-Miller, Knight, Cooper, H.
Hendrickson and Jones.
Public Property-Pierson, Knight and
d. J. Hendrickson.
Lunacy-Iredel, Wilson and Tomlinson.
Surplus Revenue-Stanger, Clark and
Bender.
Financial Condition of County -
Ledden, Tonkin and Usinger.
Auditors-Pierson aud Silvers.
Stone Road Vacancy-H. @. Hendrick-
son.
A resolution was adopted %instructing
the Solicitor to give a written opinion as
to the liability of the Board for the repair
and improvement of the sbutments and
wing walls of the stone bridge at Wood
bury. The Board approved of the pay
ment of bills amounting to $40, 600.