Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-06-27
THE CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS.
june Meeting.

with all the members present.
Mr.. Mathers reported that the Eastern
Company had been given the
privilege of running conduit across the
creek, through the bridge walls, at a rental
Of s5 veaE0 Messrs. Usinger aud Jones
thought that the company should be re
ouired to give bond. but Messrs Handle,
Cooper and Mathers did not think it neces-
sary. Mr.. Handle thought that the Prop
erty committee did well in getting SIS per
wear for allowing the wires to cross the
creek, as no damage c5uld be done. On
motion the act of the committee was ap-
proved.
Mr.. Usinger, of the Stone Road COM
mittee, reported that all the stone ordered
had been delivered.
On motion, J. Clark Helms and Horace
Richards, near Briigeport, were given per-
mission to lay water pipes along the road to
connect their houses, nnder the supervision
of Mr.. Usinger.
In communication, George NJ. Ashton
and A. R. Talman, prominent citizens Of
Swedesboro, petitioned the board to release
John Bates from Jail. The petition states
that Bates is a young man without father
nor mother, is good citizen, an excellent
workman whose services are always in de-
mand, and that he is very sorry and repen-
tant for his act and that he will not again
be guilty of this offence Containing the
petition says
GAS we understand the facts in the case
they are something like this: young Irish
American, patriotic in the suplerlatlYe de-
gree, meets on the street young Ethiopian
American. of equal pitIiotic proclivities,
both of them full of exhuberance from an
over indulgence of the 'sElixer Of Life,
both claiming to be the best man in town.
The sequel hows, one man went to jail, the
other to the hospital The one who went
to the hospital is now enjoying his liberty
and we pray you to give the other fellow
the same privilege of enjoyment =
The case has been fayorably considered
by the committee on Liberation OF prison
ers.
Mr.. Joyce, of the Red Bank Battlefield
reported that he bad had the
trenches cleared up and the park put in
good shape. 10
communication was read from E. G.
Hutchinson. State Commissioner of Public
Roads, stating that he had danger signs
prepared for railroad crossings for the
safety of automobiles, and desired to know
how many was needed in the county, SO
that he could ship them. The communica-
tion was ordeled received and filed, and the
necessary information secured and forward
ed to Mr. Hutchinson.
A bill was presented by Isaac White, Of
Williamstown, for $l2 for damage done his
horse by stepping into hole. On motion
of Mr.. Handle the bill was ordered paid.
A communication was read from Genl
Howell Post thanking the Board for the
use of the Court House on Memorial Day.
). A communication was read from the So
1icitor, Senator Avis, IN regard to the county
acquiring the Salem turnpike, as follows:
Board Of Chosen FreeAolders, Woodbury., e
DEAR SIR:-With reference to the petit
tion presented to the Board at its last meet
uSsl
to acquire the public road known as the
Swedesboro Turnpike, by proceeding ap
proved by the State Commissioner Of Public
Roads, and which said petition has been re-:
ferred to me for an opinion, desire to adj
yise you that. / have carefully examined
the statutes of our State relative to the
method and mode Of acquiring turnpike
roads, and find the following facts =:
By an act approved March II, 1873, the
Legislature provided method under which
Boards of Chosen Freeholders might acquire
and purchase turnpike roads. The third
section of this act provided method BY
which upon the application in writing Of
twelve property owners,a special committee
of said board should be appointed to confer
with the directors OF the Turnpike Com
pany, and in case no agreement could be
reached, then that an application could be
made to the Justice Of the Supreme Court
and the turnpike condemned
This section of the act was in effect until
the year 1890, when the Legislature re-
pealed section 3, which repealed was APP
proved BY the Governor on June 10, 1890
By an act Of the Legislature of 1886 on pag
406, another method was enacted by which
petition could be presented to Justice of
the Supreme Court by certain number Of
persons living along the road, and upon
this petition com missioners could be APP
pointed to condemn the road and fix its
value, and the Boards Of Freeholders might
purchase at that price.
This act, however, was amended By stat
ute approved March 20, 1892, and in this
amended act it provided that the provisions
Of the act should not apply to turnpikesa
over three miles in length.
Therefore, at the present time, the board
has no power to acquire this turnpike nm
der either one Of these acts Of the Legisla-
ture There is method provided by
chapter 19l, Of the laws of 1897, whereby a
petition can be presented to the Commits
sioner Of Pnblic Roads, signed by the own
ers of at least two-thirds Of the land and
real estate fronting or bordering on turn
pike road, and providing method by which
condemnation proceedings can be COM
pleted, and a turnpike road may be acqnir-
ed under similar conditions that now pro-