The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-01-12

along the proposed shore boulevard
route, that they may be maintained by
the state through the state road de-
partment without expense to the locali-
ties through which the roads pass, the
control of the surface of these roads
being transferred to the commission by
the local authorities. All the revenue
derived from license fees for automo-
biles should be given to this commits
sion to be used in the maintenance of
these highways and such additional
sum added thereto annually by appro-
priation as will furnish a sufficient
fund to properly maintain them. An
estimate of $3.50 a mile seems to be
sufficient to guarantee the maintenance
of these roads.
If this suggestion is adopted by the
legislature, appropriations for new
roads can be omitted for the present.
If lateral roads are desired by locali-
lies connecting with the main thor
oughfares which are maintained by the
state, these roads can be constructed
by them. n
Grants of Riparian Lands.
Shall the policy of the sale of state
riparian lands be continued? That the
state has sacrificed many millions of
dollars by its policy of sale since 1871
do not think any one can doubt that
is at all familiar with the enormous
increase in the values of riparian
lands on the Hudson river, Newark
bay and XIII Won Kull 1t can do no
narm TO try an experiment with thu
balance Of these state lands ON tht
leasehold system and see what the ne
suit may be.
recommend that legislation be en-
acted prohibiting further grants on thu
Hudson river, Newark bay or SsI voI
Kull, but that the commissioners be
authorized to make leases of these
lands for 100 years at definite rate O.
rental per annum and with the option
to. purchase at the end of the lease OF
of renewal for another 100 years a,
a sale or rental price then to be fixed
by mutual agreement or in default o.
such agreement by commissioners ap
pointed by the court of chancery.
Forest Fires.
Fifty-four thousand acres Of the
timbered lands in this state were
->hurned over by fires the past year, anc
yet this is SO much less than for many
years before that, while still serious
is hopeful improvement. Thirty pei
cent of the fires are definitely traced
to being started by railroad locomo
tives, and it is believed by the state
forester that fully 60 per cent is due
to this cause.
A bill was presented last year to the
legislature by the state forestry board
seeking legislation providing for fire
lines along the railways of the state
through forest sections. This is wise
legislation, and the present year where
such lines have existed no fires haze
occurred.
Railway Reformatory.
The opening of the Railway reforma.
tory in 1900 was welcomed by all in.
terested in penal reform as a great
step in advance. The results up to
this time have not fully justified ex.
pectations. The difficulty has been
within and not without the institution.
The theory of the late head of the in.
stitution was not the right one He
seemed to be impressed With the idea
that the institution was a prison and
that fhe inmates should be treated as
prisoners. This idea was radically
wrong. 1t is to me a serious problem
as to whethersthe state should not turn
this institution into an adjunct state
prison and relocate reformatory, con.
structing it on modern lines. A new
state prison will be a necessity very
shortly s
A reformatory should have about II
not less than 800 acres Of land, upon
which the inmates could be employed.
The new Sing Sing prison has 1900
acres The Massachusetts reforma-
tory has 600 acres and the Ohio 700
other similar state institutions have
like farms,
There is quite little land yet pur.
chasable about the Railway institu.
ton, which the state should immediate.
ly secure, while 1t can be done at a
reasonable price at private sale, or con.
denim 1t by legal proceedings. Our
present farm at Railway has only
about eighty acres. The inmates can
work the farm and provide very
large percentage Of their sustenance,
| beside raising considerable produce fol
the market This is the best method
of employing the prisoners and is Der.
fectly safe and healthful.
| The institution also needs a water
supply of its own. AT present it is
paying over $4,000, and as soon as the
new wing is operated will probably
have to pay $4,000 per annum for wa.
ter from a private company. For $1s,.
| 600 "a driven well system can be In.
stalled with full water supply. The
| economy Of this is self evident. Trade
schools should also be established here
Collateral inheritance TAX.
The collections from the collateral in.
heritance taxes and transfers last year
produced a Eevenue to the state Of
s24T396.