The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-02-21
Bass River Road MIDDLE.

Some time since bids were asked for
material for road in Bass River town
ship. The road was to be constructed of
gravel and oyster shells which were to be
placed on the road-bed
These bids were to be opened last Sat
urday week, and on that day two mem
bers of the committee were present for
that purpose. They were Messrs How
ard Mathis and James Apologize. Mr.
Jennings, the third member of the com
mittee, was not present.
The bidders were Walter Allen, Aaron
Mathis and Charles W. Mathis Aliens
bid was seven cents bushel for bay
shells; Aaron Mathis bid 384 cents per
cubic yard for gravel; Charles Mathis bid
was 98 cents for gravel and nine cents for
shuck shells.
The time set for receiving bids was one
o'clock. Charles Mathis had been to
Tuckerton to get his bid put in legal
shape, and he arrived at the place where
the committee was sitting minute or so
late. The committee knew he was com
ing, but when he arrived at the hotel he
was not able to gain an audience with
them as there were several persons in the
way and retarded his passage, so it was
about IA minutes after one when he pre-
sented the bid. Meantime one of the com
mittee had left the room by back door.
However, the bid was opened 1t was
found to be in proper shape, signed ac-
cording to law, with the revenue stamps
affixed and accompanied with bond for
81, 900. In addition there was certified
check for $500 as a guarantee of good
faith
The other bid was defective in several
particulars, especially in the absence of a
stamp The committee, however, did
not see fit to accept Charles Mathis fig
ures and on Thursday Ho ard Mathis
came to Mount Holly. What his inten-
tentions were is not known, but with the
idea that it would be well to look out for
his end of the affair, Charles Mathis came
also and engaged counsel, who after a
in convincing that gentleman it would be
better for all hands to drop the matter
just where it was and to readvertise for
bids. This has been done.
The whole affair appears to bear the i'm
print of irregularity, to use the mildest
term. There are two kinds of oyster
shells-bay and shuck. The bay shells
are those which are thrown into the bays
where oysters are spawning in order that
the young oysters may have something to
cling to. When the oysters are taken out
these shells are thrown along the shore
and allowed to lie, the man who digs the
oysters and claiming them as his property
As the state originally pays for them it is
but natural to suppose they should be
thrown back again. Shuck shells are a
better quality, being the shells from live
oysters are secured in Baltimore. 1t is
said that two bushels of shucks are equal
to three bushels of bays. Charles Mathis
bid was for shucks, and it is claimed his
two cents per bushel over the others. was
in reality no advance at all.
But, the story goes, Howard Mathis,
Freebooter from Bass River township,
and Director of the Board, had been pur-
chasing the bay shells and was in posses
sion of 49, 900 bushels of them. He did
not use his name in the transaction, how
ever, but purchased in the name of Wal
ter Allen, who was one of the bidders
As the affair now stands, there is pos
sibility of the State Road Commissioner
throwing the road over New bids will
be advertised for, however, and the kind
of shells to be used will be specified so
there will not be any misunderstanding
when the bids are again opened.