The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-05-18
CANNOT MAKE
DRUNKS WORK
Is the Opinion Of County Coun-
sci Runyon to Board Of
FreehoIderS.
TO MACADAMlZE TWO ROADS

freeholders read an opinion rendered
by Counsel George G.. Runyon as to !
the relief of the county from keeping
the persons committed to Jail for
day or two Indefinitely because they
do not pay their costs. Mr.. Runyon
stated that under the provisions of an
act passed in 1799, boards of freehold
ers are authorized to build warehouses
and to provide work for those persons
committed for terms not exceeding
six months at hard labor.
This does not apply, however, unless
the hard labor is specified when the
person is sentenced. An act approved
in 1S47 permits boards of freeholders
to set aside portion of the county
jail for workhouse, provided proper
accommodations are provided in the
Jail for the other prisoners. An act
passed in 1908 permits boards of free
holders to purchase balls and chains
to be worn by disorderly persons, vag-
abonds and tramps.
/" L can't see how we can escape
from our predicament, said Mr.
Burchell, Sits not the tramps that
gives us the trouble but the drunks.
The board passed resolutions accept
ing as county roads the road begin
ming at the Gladstone and Chester
road at it's intersection with the coun
ty road from Chester to German Val
ley and extending through Chester
towns alp to the Somerset county line,
and also the road beginning at the
Pompton Plains and Newark turn
pike near the Hotel Vaudeville and
extending across Pompton Plains
through Pequannoc township to Slat
er'S Corner. Both these roads are to
be macadamized and the county en-
gineer was instructed to make the
necessary surveys, maps, etc.
Freeholder Neighbor said the at
tention of the lunacy committee Of
the board had been called to the case
of Mrs. Emily Schraft, daughter of
the late Samuel Jones, who, he said,
had asserted she had recovered from
her ailment and should not be con-
fined in the institution further. Mr..
Neighbor said the woman had proper
ty in Boonton that was paying her S12
per month and she was also entitled
to one-fourth of an estate of $4,000
left by her father, subject to some ex-
penses. Mr.. Neighbor quoted DR..
Evans as saying that the woman
should be taken away. g 1t seems, in
the light of the facts that haYe turned
up,' said Mr.. Neighbour, THAT it
would be well to have an investiga-
tion of this case and also the other
cases of county charges in the Morris
Plains institution. Director Gustav
A. Becker placed the matter in the
hands of the lunacy committee and
counsel
Arthur P. Butler, of the Morristown
School, complained to the board that
the bridge over the Whippany river
on the back road to Morris Plains was
sadly in need of painting and asserted
that many people stopped on the
bridge to look up and down the river
and admire the beauty Of that section
and the painting of the bridge had
been marred to such an extent as to
impair the picturesqueness of the
spot. He recommended that the
bridge be repainted and signs erected
warning vandals against marring the
painting. The bridge committee of
the township has the matterin charge.
Residents in the vicinity Of Pine
Brook asked the board TO straigh-
ten out a dangerous turn in the Pine
Brook and Caldwell road and to re-
move the bushes and trees that, OBJ
struct a clear view of the highway.
The road committee had the applica-
tion placed in it's hands by Director
Becker.
Seven have been admitted and twen-
ty-S seven discharged from the poor
house last month, leaving 119 inmates.
To the Children'S home three were ad- |
mitted and one discharged, leaving
population OF seventy-nine. The coun-
ty's wards in the State Hospital at
Morris Plains number ninety-two |
males and eighty-Six females. Forty
seven have been committed to the
county jail the past month and forty !
six discharged. leaving twenty-six in
the care of Sheriff Orr.
Jail Physician James b. Griswold |
reported making eleven visits to sick |
prisoners In the jail last month. He |
said that compared with the amount !
of sickness prevalent in the town there |
was an exceptionally good showing of |
health in the Jail.
Contracts were ordered executed /
with the Dover Boiler Works for the
erection OF a concrete and iron bridge |
over the Morris canal at Sussex street, |
Dover land with FL. X. Salmon for the
erection OF a bridge at Netcong for
$702. IA. Bills of the various depart /
ments were ordered paid as follows -
aims house committee, 81, 1865 of |
which S4S7,7F was for the children's /
home court house and jail, S460.59 /; i
lunacy, Sl,6T0.39 Morris Plains hospi- /
tai and 1886 TO the Trenton hospital /;
road repairs, S2,379.87 state aid roads,
S92. so; printing and elections, 1895. 95 T;
sherlff'S office, $685. surrogate'S Of
flee, S539. 99; stationery, S157.85; cor
oners and post mortems, Sl41.6l Il
court expenses, $S11.06 county clerks /
office, $751.7l officers salaries, 1857. .68 y
freeholders' salaries, 1928. 81 incident
ais, S350.15 ; fox b0unties, S10.50 +; bur-
ial. S35.00