The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-01-14
BOARD OF
FREEHOLDERS
The Financial Situation Wor-
RES the FreehoIders Not
A Little.
The NEED OF RIGID ECONOMY

The board of freeholders held it's
first meeting of the calendar year on
Wednesday, the state of the finances s
being the most important item Of
business considered.
A letter was read from Prosecutor
Rathbun and approved by Judge Mills,
asking that the board offer a reward
of not more than $500 for the arrest Of
the Italian, who stabbed another Ital-
ian in Montyille township in Noyem-
ber The letter was received and $500
reward authorized, the reward to be
good for one year.
The finance committee staggered
the County Collector, Director and
other officers of the board by report
ing S4.S67.84 for court expenses. Col
lector Mclean recovered enough to say
that the board might as well go out Of
business for the next three months.
The court house and Jail committee
reporteds in jail at last report, "a ad-
mitted, 48 discharged, 36 remaining
36. The physician reported seventeen
visits during the month and number
of diseases treated. Bills amounted
to $1,214.45.
The aims house committee reported
as follows in house at last report, 49,;
admitted, II; discharged, 81 remain
ing, IS. In children's home at last re-
port, 6S; admitted, 3: there on Janu-
AIRY first, IL.
The lunacy committee reported 81
females and SS males county charges
in the Morris Plains Hospital and the
quarterly bill of $5,058.61 was ordered
paid, also the bill of the State Viii
|lage for Epileptics, amounting to
$3.50. 81 for the quarter.
Bills for fox bounty we're again num-
erous, the aggregate being 1914.
The damage committee reported the
judgement against the county in the
McLaud case amounting to S95l.ll,
which was ordered paid
The finance committee presented a
resolution authorizing the County
Collector to cancel the road bonds
numbered from 81 to 40 which have
just been paid and file the cancelled
bonds with the vouchers of the county.
A transfer was authorized of 800
from the Hanover to the Pequannoc
bridge account.
After the routine bridge bills had
been paid, Collector Mclean took the
floor. He said that when the budget
was made up last year it was necessary
to cut the appropriations to the mini
mum in order to keep within the rate
fixed by the Hillery law. There still
remains three months of the fiscal
year and the court house and Jail ac-
count is about depleted, the aims
house account is nearly so and others
are very light. The court expense ac-
count was cut from $27, 200 to S22, 900
and the bills of the day have drawn
that account down to about $500,
with the January term OF court With
expenses of two to three thousand dol
lars staring the board in the face.
Nearly all that remains in the def
cheney account will be needed to pay
the Judgment reported.
He suggested that the county Off
cials be urged to keep down expenses
or put off their requlsitions until la
ter, or another month will see the
board in up to its neck.
The Sheriff Of course has the right
to borrow $1,000, but that is only a
makeshift. The board must run on
wind as near as possible to get through.
Mr.. Mclean said the board was sup
posed to be an executive body, yet
every year sees more accounts saddled
on it for payment, which they can
only add up and order paid without
any discretion,
Director Becker urged that every
body keep as close tC the wind as pos
sible and he thought the year could
be finished.
The finance committee gave an
other notice that it would not consid-
er bills unless presented to them on
the day before the board meets.