The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-02
GRAFT IN THE
CITY CAMP IS
DENIED
And Discrimination Has Not
Been Shown, Says
City Clerk.

City Clerk James Connolly, on behalf
of the outing committee of Common
Council, today, in speaking of the
conditions existing at Camp Newark at
Avon4by- -the-S Sea, most emphatically
denied that there was any graft or
discrimination at the camp, and in
detailed statement of the facts of the
case from the time of the inception of
the camp unt1 the present time, showed
that the administration had been fair
and impartial, and according to the
statute governing the case.
Alderman Frey, chairman of the COM
mittee. and Alderman Fischer. who has
charge of the Newark end of the work,
also had something to say on the mat
fer. and all positively declared that
hings at the camp are as they should
be. and that none but the needy and
deserving are given a weeks outing.
The following statement was made by
the City Clerk:
"I read a story which stated that
things at the camp are not as they
should be- and was Interested in II pe-
cause of the fact that l have had as
much to do with the organization OF
the camp from the time the property
was purchased as any one efficial In
the city, and as clerk of the committee
I intend to talk fairly and without
prejudice about Camp Newark The
whole article / refer to seems to be
founded on a sentence of the law per-
mitting the outings, which says that a
sum not exceeding $4,000 shall be ex-
pended each year for the purpose OF
providing health and recreation for the
sick or needy inhabitants of Newark
''The first year of these outings a
place in the Dover hills was leased and
about 700 children were taken there and
permitted to enjoy a nouting of one
week at the expense of the city. So much
good came from this experiment that the
Common Council sought and had passed
an act permitting the expenditure of an
amount not exceeding $4,000 for the pur-
pose Of securing permanent place where
the children could be sent yearly. This
was done for two reasons; that better
place than Dover could be procured and
that the 1000 appropriated for the en-
tertainment could be made go farther if
the city owned its own plant.
This action resulted in the purchase CT
what was known as the Brown farm at
Neptune City, which Is located ust west
of jAvon- by the-Sea. The purchase was
made in May, and ground was broken for
the camp about the 7th of June, and so
lot Of children left for the new camp about
the 10th of July. The committee In
charge who built the camp with the
amount appropriated for the work deserve
the highest praise from the city OF New
ark When they found that 1t VOL be
impossible finish and furnish the camp
with the 1000 appropriated, under the
law. they and others connected with the
city government went among the citizens
and obtained considerable of the furniture
for the camp. The Saengerbund gave
nearly all the chairs, the ice chests and
water tanks. and in fact furnishings worth
$500 were collected through the efforts
of the committe and their friends
This year the committee appointed con-
sisted of five new Aldermen. two Aldermen
from last years committee. including the
chairman. These gentlemen had little to
guide them except the experience Of last
year, which was found tabulated In the
report of the committee of last year. and
the matron. They opened the camp by the
appointment of the matron Of last year
(Continued on Seventh Page.)