The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-03-19
BOARD OF
FREEHOLDERS
The Question Of Road Money
from the townships Caus-
es Much Discussion
ROUTINE BUSINESS TRANSACTED

The regular meeting of the board of
freeholders was held last Wednesday
morning. A petition received from
the Mayor and council Of the borough
of Netcong. asked that the line of
Main street from Mechanic street to
the Lackawanna railroad be straight
ened and that the gates at the rail
road be changed to obviate the delays
by reason of trains standing on the
present crossing. The matter was re-
ferred to the road committee and it
was reported that the cost would be
little.
The matter of the payment of the
one-third of the cost of the roads built
under the bonding act was taken up.
At the last meeting it was ordered
that notices be sent to the townships
which have not said when they would
pay asking Immediate response. The
first letter was from Jefferson town.
ship which stated that it was not
ready to make definite reply.
Freeholder Davenport, who is also
town clerk and counsel of the town.
ship had received no statement set
ting forth just what is owing. 1t
seemed to him that it was hardly
proper to ask the townships to pay
their third within few years, while
it has taken the county a dozen years
TO raise $4,000 to retire bonds. At
the present rate when will the county
share be paid. Then the interest was
a question. The townships are asked
to pay interest," on their share, yet pay
their share of the interest which is
raised to pay on the total amount ard
paid by the board.
Collector Mclean said that the free
holder had raised nice point. The
board started only four or five years
ago to create a sinking fund which
now amounts to $4,000. Some of the
freeholders are of the opinion that
from six to ten thousand dollars should
be raised yearly to pay the bonds, but
in the past few years it has required
close figuring to pay what has been
raised.
: Freeholder Fancher doubted if the
townships could be made to pay inter-
est on their third, while at the same
time they are paying their share of
the total interest.
Counsel Runyon said that the stat
ute provides that the board may
charge interest as the third of the cost
was due when the roads were COM
pleted.
The Madison letter stated that the
writer had been advised that no SER
ious attempt was being made to col
lect the monies and the borough is in
the dark as regards figures.
Roxbury stated that no notification
mad been received or demand for pay
ment. This lack was charged against
former Freeholder Bryant, who was
supposed to have waited on the COM
mittee with the documents.
Montville was of the same import,
but Freeholder Millidge said it was
through ignorance of the clerk as he
saw the town committee last year.
Freeholder Powers stated that
Boonton is paying it's share of inter-
est and sinking fund and never had a
foot of the roads under the act.
Finally the matter was referred to
the Counsel, the Collector and the
County Engineer to issue new notices
specifying the roads improved.
A petition from residents along the
Pleasant Plains road in Passaic town
ship asking the improvement of that
road under the State aid law was re-
ferred to the road committee.
A communication from John M.
Forbes stated that a committee was
raising money tor the purpose of oiling
Madison avenue, Morristown, from
South street to Convent Station. The
letter asked permission to apply the
oil and also requested that the road be
scraped, the depressions filled and the
road bed rolled before the oil is ap-
Piled The communication was re-
ferred to the road committee with
power.
The court house and Jail committee
reported as follows: in Jail at last re-
port %; admitted, 40; discharged, 30 |;
remaining, 3d. The physician made
eight visits.
There were four admitted to the
aims house last month, leaving 68
there the first of the month, while
he.population of the children s home
was lessened by one during the month,
leaving 60.
Snow bills presented aggregated
S95.40. The damage committee re-
commended that A. w. Hicks be paid
1926 for injuries to horse going
through the Elkwood bridge last sum-
mer. 1t is a two county bridge and
the other $25 will be paid by the
Union county board.
Collector Mclean then took the
floor and stated that he had trouble
in collecting the taxes. Three dis
tricts have not settled. Madison is
delinquent, but agreed that morning
over the telephone to settle. Forham
Park owes considerable, but claims
that one OF its large tax payers is
away, but will pay with interest be-
fore July. In Boonton there is a dis
pute, the authorities claiming that
one amount was given the assessor
and later a larger amount was named.
The town has paid the smaller
amount. The difference is about $3.50
and the town counsel has advised the
collector not to pay. If these amounts
do not come in at once, it will be i'm
possible to settle the books at the end
of April. He recommended that the
counsel be instructed to take measures