The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-09-07
Board OF FreehoIders.

cordance with this letter resolution was
adopted that the money be thus used.
A deed was presented by which striT
of land on the road between Riverside ano
Moorestown was given to the county fol
the purpose of draining the cutters or
either side of the stone road, with the un.
Outstanding that the county was to be al
the expense, at all times, of keeping this
particular strip in repair The deed was
accepted and handed to the Solicitor with
instructions to have 1t recorded If found
to be correct.
A bill of the Craemer Wrecking Com
panY was presented. 1t was for 5000 and
was for raising wrecks in the Delaware at
Bordentown. 1t was referred to a special
committee consisting of Messrs. Birkhead,
Miller and Woodward, who, with the
Solicitor, were empowered to pay the bill
if it was found the work had been done
according to contract.
A communication was read from the
State Board of Health with reference to
the condition OF the county prison. 1t
was as follows:
Trenton, August 10, 1909.
To the Clerk of the Board Of Frseholders OF
Burlington County, Mount Holly, ". J.
Dear Sir:-An inspection was recently
made of the Burlington County jail by a
representative of the State Board of
Health, and we desire to call your atten-
ton to certain unsanitarY conditions
which were noted at the time. On the
top floor of the jail there are thirteen
vault-like cells which open on narrow
halls. There is no method of ventilation
except by windows, and the light in the
cells and corridors is insufficient. Objec-
tionable odors are noticed in both cells
and corridors. Heat is supplied to the
south wing of this floor from a stove on
the lower floor, and the air which is sup
piled is vitiated by the inmates of the cells
on the lower floor. The concrete floors
and painted sidewalks of the cells and halls
of the two wings Of the top floor were I'M
clean In the bathroom in the south wing
heap of sweepings and garbage of
several days accumulation lay upon the
floor in the corner of the room. The
closets in the wings on the top floor were
in poor condition. The long hopper closet
in the south wing was particularly unclean
and offensive.
There is no system applied to the wash
ing of clothing of inmates. In both wings
on this floor the mattresses and blankets
were uniformly dirty and offensive. One
prisoner informed the inspector that the
blanket on his mattress had not been
washed for three months. The condition
of the beds in the two wings was exceed
ingly unclean. The iron bathtubs in each
wing were in poor condition.
Second floor. Objectionable odors were
noticed in both cells and corridors on this
floor. The bathroom is heated by vitiated
air from the room below. The air in the
south wing was particularly bad and over
heated. The condition of the floors and
sidewalks was unsatisfactory. Both CORR
doris and cells were unclean. The toilets
located In the bathroom were in poor
condition. The iron bath tubs we're I'M
clean and In poor condition In the south
wing the beds were placed upon the I'M
clean floor.
the upper floors. A hot air furnace has
been bricked In the space between two
small cells In the south wing on this floor.
This arrangement extracts the vitiated air
from the cells and halls of this floor, and
discharges it in an overheated condition
to the wings on the second and third floors.
The floors were in poor condition, and the
cells and corridors were unclean. Mat
tresses are placed upon the unclean floor.
The inspection of this institution shows
conclusively that permanent and salts
factory relief from existing conditions
will only be secured when an entirely new
and up-to-date structure is erected.
Very respectfully,
BRUCE S. KEAToR,
Secretary.
Mr.. Evan said he had visited the jail
very recently and had not found any of
the conditions presented in the communi-
cation Just read. Sheriff Worrell had
asked for a thorough inspection and Mr..
Evan had looked over the building. The
building Is old as all must admit, bur 1t is
kept as clean as can be done with build
ing of that age. The insinuation that
there is carelessnes by which the health of
the inmates of the jail is put in jeopardy
Mr.. Evan thought was all nonsense.
Mr.. Brick conceded with the ideas of
Mr.. EVAN and he offered a motion that
the communication be handed to the clerk
of the Board who should acknowledge its
receipt and say that the defects would be
remedied, and that the matter be referred
to the committee on court house and
grounds to investigate.
The Delaware and Atlantic Telephone
Company asked permission to lay con-
duits along certain streets in Moorestown
and the request was granted.
Mr.. Brick presented some papers con-
corning the case of a woman who had
been adjudged insane. The first idea was
to take her to the asylum at New Lisbon,
but before this was done the plans were
changed and she was put In a private
home. Those interested in the woman
asked that the county pay the doctors
who made the examination into the men
tai condition of the patient. Mr.. Brick
said the county paid such bills If the
patient was INDECENT but In this case she
had sufficient money to pay her expenses
and the county therefore could not be
held responsible. This view was sus-
tanned by the Board.
The township of Westampton was re-
quested to build protecting rails along
roads within its Jurisdiction.
The finance committee presented pc
tition addressed to the County Board of
Taxation asking that body to increase the
county rate of taxation to a sum not In
excess of ten cents on the 500 of assessed
property, In accordance with the law
enacted at the session of 1908. On motion
the director and clerk were instructed TO
sign the petition.
The committee appointed to investigate
the rumor that stone had been removed
from the Beverly and Delanco road and
used for private purposes reported that
when the road was built it was laid out as
twelve foot road, but it had dwindled
down to eight feet. The trolley company
had gradually increased its width Of
cinders, and the stone that had been there
had gone elsewhere. Numerous copings
and walls had the appearance of being
built out of stone similar to that used on
the road. A letter to the receiver of the
trolley company had not brought any
answer.
Mr.. Hilton thought this matter should
be carefully looked into. This was not a
new situation on this particular road 1t
began three years ago and then stopped
for awhile, but commenced again about a
year since. Freeholders from townships
through which trolley roads run are en-
tirely too lenient with the corporations
and do not keep them under subsection.
1t is case of fight all the time and there
should not be any let up. There is but
one thing to do in this case and that is to
have the stone put back from where it had
been taken or have it paid for. Mr.. Hill
ton moved that the matter be placed in
the hands of the Solicitor, who, If he
considered it advisable, was to take any
action necessary to have the county re
compensed for the damage 1t had sus
| tanned.
Mr.. Ford asked whose duty it was tc