Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-01-25
BOARD OF FREEHoLpERs.
HEARS PROTESTS AGAINST STONE RoAl
ASSESSMENTS AND. FAULTY CON-
sTRUcTIoN. GEORGE E. PIERsoE
RESIGNS TO BECOME A CAN
DIDATE FOR COUNTY
COLLECTOR.

|
COLLECTOR.
The January meeting of the Board Of
Chosen FreehoIders was held in the CourI
House last Thursday, all the members
being present. Mr.. UsiDger was excused
after the first hour because of a pressing
business engagement.
A communication was read from Solici.
tor Watkins in regard to the remission Of
the fine of Fred A. Shuster for illegal sale
of llquor Mr.. Watkins thinks the action
of the court was just and that ShusteI
should not be exempted frem the hne i'm
posed. Communication received and filed
The bond of John c. Budd as county
supervisor of stone roads was approved.
J. r. Shanleys bid TO furnish crushed
stone for portion of the Knights
Run county road was opened and the
figures found to be 81 55 per ton, an ad
vance of fifteen cents per ton oyer the
| former price paid by the county. Mr..
Shanley's representative explained that
since January 1st, freight rates bad sheen
advanced twenty five cents per ton, and
the bid in fact was ten cents per ton less
than formerly. Ga motion to accept the
bid, Mr.. Knight cast the only negative
vote.
Mr.. Knight reported the purchase of
steel plates for the PaulsbOro bridge, bnt
that they had not yet been put on
In the matter of choice of an engineer
for the Clay ton and Glassboro county road.
ME- Usinger moved that the vote be taken
by ballot Mr.. Nichols opposed, as such
method was unusual, but the motion was
OBJ Ruf.Aro ho uuao nallQd MI r
AIberlson said he would not contend for
by unanimous vote.
Mr.. Usinger moved that the hearing of
the prOtestants to the assessment of benefits
on property owners on the line of the
Paulsbolo and Swedesboro stone road be
postponed until the third Thursday in
March-the date of the regular March
meeting of the B ard, giving as a reason
that he was obliged to leave the meeting,
and as be was one of the Committee undsr
whose supervision the road was constructed,
he desired to be pre- sent when the protest
was made. He said these people had
brought the committee, engineer, super
visor and even the Board into discredlt,
and he wanted to meet them face to face.
Mr.. Pierson said that before the motion
was adopted, he desired the petitioners to
know why 1t was adjourned
Director Miller said he had informed a
committee of the petitioners that they
would be heard Immediately after the
noon recess-at 30 p. "a, in the court
room, and it was being warmed for that
purpose
Mr.. UsiDger retorted that they ought to
be present now, instead OF walking around
the town, and he pressed his motion which
was adopted without division.
Solicitor Watkins read a communication
from attorneys representing Contractor
Mullen, demanding immediate payment of
81 ,515 50, amount of balance due in the
construction of the Paulsboro-Swedesbor
county road. Mr. Watkins read his reply
asking delay until the Board meeting,
and then he advised the Board that Mr..
Mullen was not entitled to be paid the
assessment until one year from the accept
ance Of the road-next September.
Mr.. Adams, president of the Clarksboro
and Jefferson turnpike, asked the Board to
take said road off the company's hands, as
they we're no longer able to keep it up
Mr.. Usinger tn ught they were at liberty
to abandon the road at any time and let
IL W IdC WlbuOub dGtlOu VI
the Board. The matter was referred to
the Solicitor.
Mr.. Usinger reported that all matters
relating 20 the construction of the Norton
vile and Bridgeport stone road had been
complied with, and asked that bids for its
construction be advertised for. After
including the Clayton-Glassboro and
Mulica Hill Harrisonvlle roads, the motion
was adopted.
A petition asking that Fred Wolf be
released from Jail was adopted.
Ga motion of MIR. PiersOn the Director
was instructed to appoint a committee of
three on Lberations of Prisoners. He
Immediately appointed the three Woodbury.
members.
Mr. Stapger asked that an appropriation
Of one dollar per week be made for the
support of Mrs. Eislie, of GlassbOro, out
side the Aims House. Carried.
The Standing Committee on State Hos.
pital, presented written report of their
annual visit of inspection, which was that
this county y fifty-four inmates were doing
well, with hope that one would soon be
released entirely cured. This report was
supplemented by written report on each
Gloucester county inmate of the institution
by Mr. B. W Andrews, of this city, mem
Der of the Board of Managers of the in
stitution. Both reports were received and
filed, and, on motion of Mr. Nichols, vote
of thanks was rendered Mr.. Andrews for
his report.
Robert S. Clymer, Esq, counsel for a
property owner admitting the Westvllle
aud Glassboro stone road at Westville, was
given privilege Of addressing the Board,
and said in opening, that the time for
revision of the assessment had passed !;
that assessment is final and binding. The
only relief the Board can now give was an
abatement or remittance of assessment. He
hoped to be able to convince the Board
that the assessment had not been based on
correct principles. He said he appeared
especially on behalf of William d Hanle's
estate, which was assessed $533 ! A. Mr..
Clymer proceeded to show that this prop
erty received no peculiar benefit from the
construction of this road. A stone road
was already in front of the house, and
another a few yards above. This road
passes only a portion of the front of this
property. Property adjoining, with greater
frontage, was assessed only $87. He
thought the commissioners had misunder-
stood the method by which they should
make the computation, and then proceeded
to cite what seemed to him clearly iDequit-
able and inconsistent assessments. He
closed by asking the Board to make a
substantial reduction in the assessment as
made by the commissioners
Philip A. Mason was given privilege of
addressing the Board He said he was not
lawyer, bat a plain citizen, who repre-
sented himself and one OF two of his neigh
bors He alleged that the assessment in
cases he represented was within two dol
lars OF the full cost of the road. There
was nothing fair about it. He said there
was little notice of the meeting of the
appeal court which was held in Camden.
He thought the Gloucester county Court
House was good enough to transact Glou-
cestey county business in, without drag
ging our people to Camden. No notice OF
the amount of assessment was given prop
erty owners prior to the sitting of the
court,
J. M. Plum, former owner of Falls
Hotel, said he could say by actual iufor-
nation that the road was no benefit to that
hotel, and the people were unanimous in
belief that the assessment was outrageous.
A. W. Miller said his oppinion was that
the assessment of this hotel property was
very high, and out of all common sense
No action was taken in the matter.
At this point the representatives of the
/ oh kho ponlohnro.