The Penn's Grove record., 1900-05-25
Board Of FreehoIders.

Board Of Freeholders.
The August meeting OF the Board Of
Freeholders was held at the Court
House on the 9th. Bills from the diff
ferent wards and townships were ap-
proved and ordered paid.
Director Newell reported the receipt
Of 1926. 81, board of insane, from the
State Treasurer.
The bill of Eleazer Smith, the con-
tractor for the L. A. Creek shell road,
for extra grading and cutting, $3.50,
laid over from last meeting, was brought
up.
Mr.. Smith contracted to grade the
road and cover it with shells. After the
contract was drawn up, certain grading
and cutting was ordered by the Super
visor not mentioned in the specifica.
lions. some cutting being over two feet,
and the dirt carried from 800 to 1900
yards. Mr.. j. w. Acton appeared for
Mr.. Smith and explained the bill and
the work done. The committee on the
Road had ordered contractor Smith to
go ahead and do the work after he had
complained that the Supervisor had or
dered him TO do this work, and Mr..
Acton c0ntended that, although tech
nically the changes should have been
endorsed on the contract, yet if the
work was outside the contract, and it
vas done by the contractor, and the
price charged was reasonable, as hon
olable men dealing with one another
the bill should be paid and not thrown
out Oh 4 technicality.
The bill was approved by Engineer
Josiah Miller, who appeared and stated
that b. had made measurements and
that Mr.. Smith had moved 5000 cubic
feet OF earth outside the specifications.
Supervisor J.. Warren Smith stated
that he did not think there was a rod
of the road where more than a foot had
been taken out of the middle of the
r0ad-there had been on the sides but
not in the middle.
Mr.. Acton suggested, in view of the
conflicting statements, that the Board
appoint a committee of disinterested
members, and meet with the Engineer,
Supervisor and contractor on the road
aud learn for themselves what had been
done. He pointed out that by the SUI
pervisOl Is W statement he had order.
ed the contractor 10 do certain things
in grading; the contractor had appeal
cd. TO the Road committee of the Board,
who ordered him not to go below a GER
tain depth; the Supervisor had gone 10
State Road Commissioned Budd who
directed him to make the contractor do
as he told him, that the Road Commit.
MAS not IN it; that the Super visor
reset the stakes and ordered the con-
tractor to grade to them, and that the
contractor again appealed 10 the Road
Committee, which threw up its hands
and directed him to go ahead and do
the best he could. Mr.. Acton suggest
ed that there was a fair and manly
method Of settling this question, that
no member OF the Board wanted this
contractor to lose money by work hon.
estlv done, and he renewed his sugges-
tion.
Mi. Richard Grier, representing the
property owners along the road, created
a sensation by charging that Contract
orSmith had offered a bride of $50 to
the Supervisor if he would let up in his
opposition, which the Supervisor indig-
nantly refused. The contractor den
led the accusation.
MI. Freas moved that a committee
be appointed to meet at the road with
the Supervisor and Engineer and find
out how much if any extra excavating
had been done. Adopted, and Messrs.
Griscom. Freas and Fox appointed.
Committee on bridge on State Street,
Elmer, reported in favor of putting in
iron pipe there; as being less expensive
than a stone bridge. Freebooter Har-
ris was authorized to have the pipe put
in there.