The Penn's Grove record., 1905-04-21
BoARD OF f-REEHoLDEhs
The Woodstown Mill Dam Road
and State Road Discussed

tHO 0t0OO ANO0NA Oh1CuS6CA |
The April meeting Of the County Board
of the County Board of F~reeholders was
held on the 18th with all the members |
present. The usual number of bills were
presented among which were those of
Sheriff William Johnson for the board of
prisoners and Migrants amounting to $288. |
O6 and Mayor Josiah Miller's bill for COM
mitments of $S8. rs. Bills were also paid |
in the cases of the sudden deaths of En-
ma Centrefield, Hannah A. Jordan and
James j. Harris, and for tombstones for
George w. Jester, Preston Merton and
Elwood P. Davis, three INDECENT soldiers.
Mr.. Freas, chairman of the Lower
PENIS Neck State Road Committee, re-
ported that some portions of the new road
were in bad condition and the committee
was now arranging to have repairs made
where needed. At the adjournment of
the Board the committee viewed the road. |
In reference to collecting the ten per
cent assessment from the abutting prop
erty owners on the new State road in
Elsinboro township, Solicitor Summerill
said that no collections had been made as
yet as the person appointed to make the
assessments would n~otqualify and others
would have to be appointed. As soon as
that is done he intends to proceed In the
matter with all possible speed. )
Mr.. Burke for the committee appoint |
ed to go to Trenton to confer with State
Road Commissioner Hutchinson and
learn his views on State road matters in
Salem county, stated that the committee
had set Tuesday Goth for the trip and
that a report would be made at the Nav
| meeting.
Mr.. Borton stated that he, together
with Messrs. Summerill and Freas. had
met g committee from the Borough Coun-
Gil and talked the matter over but could
not come to any final action. That there
seemed to be some hitch as to the height
and width of the bridge. He said that
the citizens OF the borough are very anx-
ious that the dam should be put up. He
said that he was especially, so for at the
present time the water is below the foun-
dation of the iron bridge leaving about
eight or twelve inches exposed to the air
and the life of the bridge is thus shorten
ed. Jon. w. Acton appeared in the in
terest of MI. Colson and presented a
numerously signed petition by farmers
who prayed that the road be fixed so
that may have access to the mill. Mr..
Acton stated that his client stands ready
at any time to pay his share of erecting a
new bridge but will never, unless the
courts say so, pay a cent towards fixing
the road.
John w. Lippincott, a member OF the
Borough Council, stated that he was there
as n to defend the Borough; that the
latter body had tried more than once to
come to some settlement with Mr.. Col
son but could not seem to do anything;
that as near as the Borough Council had
ever come to getting Mr.. CoIson's views
was the other night when he (Colson)
stated that as far as the dam is concerned
he was done with it. The committee at
that time offered MI. Colson $3.50 towards
building the dam which was not accept
ed.
Mr.. Acton replied that such an offer
was preposterous for if accepted it would
then cost Mr.. Colson $500 or 5000 to build
a road which the Borough under the stat
ute is bound to keep in repair or abandon.
Another member of the Borough Coun-
Gil, George w. Washington, stated that
the Borough was willing to proceed with
the road as soon as the Freeholders' posi-
ton i'll the matter was learned.
Mr.. Freas replied to this by saying
that the Board had no right to consider
any matter except the erection of a new
bridge and just as o o as the roadway is
fixed the Borough Council could rest as
sured that a bridge would be built.
The Director, Mr.. Ayres, suggested
that the committee already appointed
from the Board, the committee already
appointed from the Board, the COM
mittee from the Borough Council and
the Solicitor, Mr.. Acton, arrange for a
meeting and have the matter settled at
once.
This was agreed to and it is now posi-
BILE that everything may be amiably set
tied.
Enoch s.. Fogg, Solicitor of the bor-
ough OF Woodstown, presented a petition
asking the Board not to insist upon the
borough paying the ten per cent. assess
ment on account of the new State road all
in one year as it would embarrass the
borough and that it be given a longer
time.
Mr.. Washington stated that to do this
it would necessitate the raising of the
tax rate and rather than do that the Bor-
ough would prefer to pay interest on the
amount to raised.
Attorney Acton stated that a son of J.
S. Hewitt while driving between Woods
town and Pole Tavern had a horse killed
Il Ny SOlhS OfCA q UIluS0 W4GIlOub drDS,
near the Riley farm and that he held the
County liable for the value of the horse
worth between $3.50 and $175.
Mr.. Borton said that he had been over
the ground and he agreed that it was an
ugly place but it was a question with
him whether or not if there had been
arms on the bridge the horse being so
frightened would not have gone over tax
ing the arms with him.
The matter was referred to the Com
mittee on Claims.
A delegation of property owners in
Quinton township appeared before the
Board with w. T. Hllliard, ESQ.,, as their
counselor to impress on the Board the
need of a slate road in that township;
leading from Salem to Quinton. The
Director stated that until the committee
referred to above, sees the State Road
Commissioner and gets his views, and
whether or not he will sanction further
road building here, nothing could be done
The Board adjourned until the first
Wednesday in May when all the accounts
for the year will be settled and it is the
desire OF the Board that all bills owing
by the county be presented for payment
on the Tuesday preceding, May Sd.