The Penn's Grove record., 1905-02-03
~BoRbUGH COUNCIL
The Gas Coz tract Failed To Pass.

~ ~ - 81
The regular meeting of tie Borough
2 Conncil was held on Tuesday evening
Councilmen Hunt, Hammit, Denny, Jor
dan and Cook were present and Mayor
t Elkinton presided.
Current bills were ordered paid. $12.5
were donated 10 the G. A. r. towards
last years Memorial Day expenses.
w. A. Summerill made complaint thai
some OF the side walks on Broad Street
still remained blocked with snow, and
persons had to walk in the middle OF the
street. For the past twenty years in ex'
traordinary snow blockades, both under
Borough and Township governments the
side walks had been ditched out at pub
lie expense. Little had been done by
the Council to make the sidewalks pass
able after the blizzard last week. While
the citizens had ditched some of the side
walks, others still remained obstructed.
The sidewalk was as much a part OF the
public highway as the road where the
wagons go. Persons III tie Borough, WHO
have use for sidewalks and none for wag-
ons, have to pay taxes to keep the wagon
road unrestricted and are as much en-
titled to have a passable side walk which
they have to use. Persons in the middle
oil IN streets, especially at night, are
liable to be struck by teams.
Street Supervisor B. S Featherer stat
ed that the snow pillow had been run OH
Main and Harmony Street and on South
Broad as far as w. A. Sacks ditch, that
the pillow was no use in snow banks.
Mayor Elkinton stated that the citizens
had ditched out in many places and he
did not see but that those could do so in
other parts of the Borough and thus save
the Borough quite a sum. If a person
walking in the streets was run down by a
team the driver was liable for damage.
Mr.. Cook thought each property owner
should clear off the side walk in front of
his property and made a motion that an
ordinance be prepared to that effect. 1t
was lost.
MI. Hammittt thought the gates which
swing out were a nuisance and obstruc.
ton to the side walk. He made a mo-
ton which was carried that the Marshal
be instructed to notify property owners
whose gates swing out to have them ar
ranged to swing in, in accordance with
the requirements of the Borough ordin-
ance.
GAS DISCUSSED
The ordinance authorizing a contract
with the PENIS Grove Gas Co. for "a gas
lights with which to light the streets was
taken up and discussed until midnight
when it was defeated. The contract in
the ordinance calls for forty-eight lights
at 5000 ISIS. rs each) and six more at $40
each. Total $1014. If more be needed
$40 each, The contract is for five years
and payments monthly.
A map of the Borough was gone over
and lights located about 400 feet a part
where it was thought a light would be
AOCOCO. IL bOOh % liklltS.
The time of payment was amended so
the Borough could pay on June 10Th
and December 10Th.
w. p. Denny made a motion that the
price per light be $17.
Mr.. Herbert McNeal, of Philadelphia,
attorney for the Union Railway Supply
Company, was present in behalf of the
Gas Company. He stated that the Com
pany could not accept such a price. 1t
was unreasonable, because the price per
light was fully discussed when the fran
chise was granted and the price per light
was limited to $40, The Company should
have $25 per light. AT $40 Penn's Grove
would be lighted as cheaply as any other
town in New Jersey. 1t was unfair and
unreasonable to ask more. There was a
moral principal at stake after the price
was agreed upon in the franchise. The
of PENIS Grove held a majority
Of the stock, and he was pleading for
what was fair and just to them. The
stockholders would not get rich off of $40
light, while they hoped to make the
Company successful. They wanted to do
what was fair, give a good light and not
skin the people as they might do.
Go to Medford or P~leasantville where
had built gas plants and ask the peo-
pie whether they bad not been treated
They wanted to maintain their
reputation.
The Company had made concessions
when the franchise was granted, had
made a concession on the time of pay
ments. The receipts have to be reported
to the State authorities and the Borough
would get 2 per cent. of the gross receipts
and the tax on the plant He would
wager that after gas lights and water were
put into Penn's Grove that the reduc-
lions in insurance would be greater than
the increase of taxes. with this Mr..
Denny agreed). Such improvements en-
nance the value of property. 1t had
done SO in other towns and would so in
PENIS Grove.
The motion that the price be $17 per
light was not acted upon.
Mayor Elkinton thought the Company
could grant SIS a light. That motion
was defeated.
Mr.. Cook made a motion that the or
dinance for $40 a light be finally passed.
Motion was lost.
CIou0acfor COrner NJ. |