The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-12-03
HOLMES AGAIN
Re-elected Director of the
Board of Chosen
Freeholders.
EXGELLEN 7 RECORD
In Accepting the Office He
Tells of What the Board
Has Accomplished.

At last nights melting of the Board of
Freeholders all the old appointees at the
county institutions were re-appointed for
the coming year. Director Holmes, in
taking the chair for a second year, said
Gentlemen of the Board of Freehold
ers-I thank you, and especially my
esteemed friend Freeholder kuper, who
led the Freeholders' ticket in the cleo
I ton of 1900 and who has a second time
nominated me for Director of this Board,
for the great honor you have again con-
ferred upon me.
Il had hoped this time that younger
and more active man would be selected
to preside over your meetings, one who
would have more leisure time at his dis
posal to give TO the details of the onerous
and responsible duties that devolve upon
the individual who fills the office OF
Director of this Board.
ssBut when | know it is the unanimous
wish of the colleagues with whom | have
been associated in the past year that
should continue to fill the office of Direc-
tor for another term. would be churlish
and ungrateful if failed to yield to their
wishes.
Il have agreed all the more readily to
accept this honor because / respect and
esteem the members of this Board, and
have no hesitation in saying that more
honorable, unselfish and painstaking body
of men 1 never have had the pleasure of
working with in the interests of Hudson
County or in any other good cause.
every member of this Board has Ia
bored earnestly to keep every promise
they made to the citizens of this county,
that they would try to give them good,
Honest and economical administration of
the affairs of the county. We believe we
have redeemed these promises as far as
il lay IN our power.
1--WE have surrounded the County In
stftutions. viz:-The Asylum, Almshouse
aud Penitentiary, with a water system
connected with fire hydrants that insures
the safety of the lives of the inmates of
these institutions and the valuable prop
erty of the county from loss and injury
as far as our ingenuity could contrive.
by the removal of the large Worth
ington pump from the almshouse to a
new building near the Hackensack River
with which we have connected it, We are
enabled to get an unlimited supply of
water with which we keep the reservoir
on tor of Snake Hill iilled and
whence we can draw a supply of water
Sdillticut~ LO supply Jul &iC C1AeAh5 aio'A-
ing system, for flushing closets and for
bathing purposes.
Instead Of buying water frsm Jersey
City for all purposes as we were com
pclied in the past, the only wats- we will
oeed fer the future IS that used for
cooking and drinking purposes. This
ought TO result in an annual saving to the
county of from 5000 to $1,000.
.'We have laid out and improved a park
or recreation ground in front of the Luna
tic Asylum for the benefit of the unfor-
tunate inmates of that institution, and we
hope in the coming year TO improve it still
further. so that it may not only benefit
the poor unfortunates who are deprived of
their reason but also be an ornament to
the landscape surrounding our County
Hospital.
1--WE have burned down the old delapi-
dated and unsanitary building, known as
the Smallpox Hospital, and we are having
a modern building, with every necessary
convenience, erected in its place
I'VE have adopted the system of having
our coal delivered at the dock near the
Fenitentiary whence it is carted by
our own horses and employees to the var
ious institutions, which plan we believe,
VIII result in saving large sum of mon
ey to the county.
s.The small sum of money at our dis
posaI for constructing and repairing coun-
tyr roads and bridges has been honestly
and economically spent and the Turnpike
Road from Jersey City to Harrison has
been made a splendid public highway.
.aThe good results we have achieved in
this Director are largely due TO the ener-
~ and devotion TO duty of our County
Superintendent, Christopher P. Smith. and
she encoura cement we have received from
the Leader ce the Democratic rarity in
this county, Robert Davis. who from the
beginning assured Us of his friendshipAnl
cooperation, so long as we labored for
the curtailment of expenses and the eco
nomical administration Of the various in
stitutfons over which we had control.
..After due deliberation, and having
consulted with those upon whose judg-
ment we believed we could rely, we con-
Guided to obey the law of 1899. creating a
State Board IF Children's Guardiars, and
we turned over TO their care the children
whom we found in the Aims House at
Snake Hill.
.sThe reports we receive monthly from
fhe chldren's Guardians. In which they
give full particulars of where the chill
dren are located and the free homes they
have provided the older children--Catholic
children in Catholic homes. Protestant
children in Protestant homes-convince US
that we have performed good and
praiseworthy act in transferring these
children from the almshouse TO homes
where they have an opportunity of be-
coming good and reputable men and
women. instead of growing to maturity
with the stigma Of pauperism branded on
them. aN
.sThe success of our administration dur
ing the past year is largely due to the
advice given US by the counsel Of our
Board. John Grimm, whom we always
consult and upon whose advice on import
ant questions we always act.
sOur attorney, Mr.. Alexander g Young,
has rendered faithful service. and has
saved the county thousands of dollars, as
our county records win show, ID pruning
bills and defending claims presented in
our courts against the county
Il thank you, gentlemen, for the gener-
Gus and public approval you have given
of my administration Of the office of Di-
rector OF this Board, and thank the
wardens Of the various institutions and
their assistants, ais well as Mr. John r
Eean and the clerks Of the Bsreehoder's 3