The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-01-11
Adiour ned Meeting of Freeholders

According to the resolution adopted OF
the first day Of the year the Board o
Freeholders met at the court house, OF
Wednesday, and discussed subjects tina
had not been given consideration at tn,
previous meeting. With the idea that thu
new member from Evesham might hav'
something else up his sleeve there were
quite number of citizens present to take
notice of the proceedings. But in THU
respect they were disappointed. Mr.
Lofand was on hand at the morning SEES
sion, but did not appear in the afternoon
as he went out to attend to some business
as an auctioneer, and Mr.. Evan, the other
active member on the Democratic side,
was absent for reasons which may appear
later.
One of the first objections to create dis
cussion was bill from the Board of State
Children's Guardians, to which Mr.. Birk-
head took exception. He thought these
bills had been increasing too rapidly and
the present result was an exhaustion of
the appropriation.
In response to a request for information
Steward Harbert said that during the
past year he had given into the custody
of the State Board at least dozen child
rem. Five more are ready to go. A list
of the children was read and Mr.. Wood
ward, member of the committee III
charge of the almshouse, remarked that
some of those on the list had been living
at the county's expense long enough and
ought to be self-supporting by this time
Mr.. Warrack thought there might be a
reason for this as some of the children are
weak minded and could not maintain
themselves. He felt inclined to criticise
adversely the actions of the State Board
as he had at one time endeavored to get
in formation about the whereabouts of the
children and 1t was refused him. He
continued his investigations, however,
and found FIVE children in one house near
Jersey City. The reason given for having
all of these wards of the county in one
place was that the location was good for
their health.
After further short discussion it was
decided to leave the subject in the hands
of the committee on orphaned children.
Mr.. Lofand then arose to address the
Board. All eyes were centered on him
and those who thought they knew what
was coming braced themselves In their
chair, but the member from Evesham
merely made a motion that the Board
refuse to pay any more of the bills pre-
sented by the State Board of Guardians.
He was told the law on this point was
mandatory and that there did not seem to
be any way to get out of the condition of
affairs. On motion of Mr. Hilton, the
Solicitor of the Board was added to the
committee to look into the matter.
This subject out of the way another
was brought up which gave rise to ami
mated discussion. 1t was bill for 81 1886
from P. ]. Byrnes, for work done on
bridge in Southampton township. Mr.
Aref - s.,k1 -
lection. He charged that the specifica-
lions had not been lived up to 10 the point
of foundations. Seven feet, six inches
had been in the contract while the founda-
tions were but four feet. Attention had
been called to this at the time, but the
committee in charge had thought four
feet sufficient and had agreed to put the
difference in the cost In building retain
ing wall along the pond. A man who had
bid on the work said if he had known
that the specifications were not to be lived
up to he could have made at least 81, 900
difference in his bid.
Mr.. Birkhead, of the advisory bridge
committee, admitted the specifications had
not been adhered to, and that the money
had been expended elsewhere fact that
Mr.. Joyce was well aware Of.
To this Mr.. Joyce replied that he had
stated his objections to the contractor.
The committee was called together to
confer on the subject but Mr.. Joyce was
not invited to the conference. Mr.. Joyce
said, Il told them why objected, did
agree that it wasn't necessary to place the
foundations as deep as specified. Wehad
bidder at home on this job, and it wasn't
fair to him to permit such radical change.
Mr.. Birkhead agreed at the time not to
tho full n ho
Mr.. Birkhead, Mr. Haines and Mr.. Brynes
agreed TO spend the balance along the
pond as suggested. Then the contractor
put the names of the committee on mar
BILE slab on the bridge, and my name was
at the bottom. The wing was placed on
the abutment merely to supply place on
which to put this marble slab. The whole
thing is rotten"
County Engineer Thompson was then
asked to tell what he knew about the
matter. He said he found that good
foundation could be secured at depth of
AZ feet, so it was considered useless to go
any deeper. The change made saved
about 5000, but the contractor had built
parapet walls and extended the wing
walls, which additions had cost more than
the 5000. The marble name plate which
had been spoken of was put on to show
who was responsible for the building of
the bridge. Speaking of the Vincentown
bidder, who claimed to have been hurt by
the change, the Engineer said his bid was
81 900 higher than the low man, so he
could not see where any particular damage
was done.
This seemed to wind up the discussion
and the bill was ordered paid.
The County Auditor was instructed to
furnish to the members at least three days
before each meeting detailed statement
of the amounts expended under the va
rious appropriations and the balances on
hand.
Mr.. Smith offered the payment of bills
for surveying roads that were expected to
be built, but which had been laid on the
shelf and, from present appearances,
would remain there. The surveyors had
done their work in good faith and Mr.
Smith thought they should be paid.
There was vacancy on the committee
to look into these bills and Mr.
Hilton was appointed to act. The report
of the committee was that the bills were
had not been sworn to. The
former solicitor, as well as the present
encumbent, had expressed an opinion that
the county is not liable for the bills, and
it might be as we'll to have test case.
Mr.. Hilton held that the surveyors knew
they were doing the work on contingen-
cy. If the roads were not built the bills
were not to be paid.
Mr.. Donnelly opposed the test case
idea. The county had just paid $500 on
such test case. 1t would be much
cheaper to pay the bills than to go to law
over them.
Messrs. Hilton and Woodward, while
the surveyors were subjected to
hardship owing to inability to get their
pay, thought the advice of the Solicitor
should be needed.
Messrs. Russ and Jordan favored hav-
ing test case and motion to that effect
was adopted.
Mr.. Ford was instructed to look into
the application for the building of rail-
ing along part of the road near L lower
Bank.
The report of the committee on stone
roads reported having awarded the con-
tract for stone to w. 81. Ireland at 81. so
per ton, and the report was approved.
There was lull just here, and when it
appeared as if motion to adjourn would
be in order, somebody started the subject
thought road between Burlington and
brough Mr.. Warrack to his feet with the
statement that the road between Borden
town and Florence was of more import
ance and should be given first considera-
ton.
This pleased Mr. Donnelly and he Of
fered motion that the county issue bonds
in the sum of 100000, Mr.. Warrack
promptly amending to make the amount
&o5O 600