The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-07-11
Midsummer Meeting.

order of Justice Voorhees,, were examining
the accounts In the collectors Office, and
the finance committee had to take the
judges room In the court house to try to
figure out how to squeeze through with
the money at command. In the words of
one of the Freeholders, It was meeting
to try and find out how to spend money
that was not In possession. After spend
ing considerable time on the subject that
vexes them at every meeting the finance
committee finally came into the room and
reported that they had twisted from the
miscellaneous account to various other
places, sums amounting to about 81, 500
and they thought shis would hold the
Board until at least the next meeting.
Having got the money placed to the
satisfaction Of all 1t was decided the
proper thing would be to consider bills.
That of the court house and grounds COM
mfttee was the first to create discussion.
There was an item of $256.30 for electric
current consumed at the county buildings.
and it was suggested there was no need OF
enriching the Public Service Company
when the county was maintaining a gas
plant which, when installed, was promised
to furnish all the light necessary.
Sheriff Worrell gave some information
on the subject and stated that the bill In
Guided lights furnished in the jail yard
through two arc lights, and half dozen
incandescent lights In the county offices.
Some time ago he found that while tests
were being made by the Public Service
people the lights for which the county
paid by meter, were burning. He pro.
tested and was told there would be a
rebate. OF course this extra burning did
not amount to much but 1t was not a
proper practice. Since hearing how the
bills had been growing the Sheriff had cut
out one of the arc lights at the jail.
There was no way of getting out of
paying the bills as presented, but motion
was adopted to leave the suggestion Of
abolishing the electric lighting system to
the court house and grounds committee
to be acted upon as they saw fit.
Then there was an item for telephone
calls which amounted to $3.50. 20 for two
months. This was thought to be very
high. The sheriff said he could not speak
for any part of this item except for the
jail. There are necessarily many calls
from that institution, especially when the
officers are seeking criminals In other
states and counties and had to call upon
outside officials for aid. No definite
action was taken on this point.
Supervisor Hilton's bill called forth
some remarks from Mr.. Lofiand who
wanted enlightenment ON acharge of IS for
storage of oil at a railroad station. In
this way he got In shot on the supervisor
for what he claimed was favoritism In oil
ing some roads In Eyesham township. Mr..
Lofiand held that oil was put on the roads
In front of some properties, then there
would be skip which would omit places
that were equally entitled to the benefit.
Mr. Hilton was allowed TO appear In his
own behalf In reply to this charge He
said the storage charge was absolutely
necessary and 1t was impossible, owing to
the state of the weather when the oil
arrived, to have 1t sprinkled 1t was the
first time anything of this kind had ever
happened. On the portion of the charge
that road fronting the property of one
owner had been sprinkled while others
had been skipped, Mr.. Hilton said the
gentleman referred to is q sufferer from
hay fever and the dust annoyed him very
much. He offered to purchase some oil
but the supervisor was not authorized to
sell it and he felt perfectly justified in his
action in sprinkling the road at the ex-
pense of the county.
This closed the incident and the Board
took recess for dinner and before again
conYening held caucus at which the
appointment of supervisor of weights
and measures was discussed. When this
measure was first made public there were
several gentlemen who signified their
willingness to devote time and attention
to the subject, but their names did not
appear at the caucus and the Republicans
decided to keep the Office in the family
and at the afternoon session the name of
Edward T. Haines, member from Lum-
berton, was presented. There was no
opposition and Mr.. Haines had an easy
time of it. The salary was not fixed.
Representatives from the townships of
New Hanover, North Hanover and
Chesterfield appeared and told the Board
of the action In those neighborhoods
with the idea of having improved roads
The county was asked to give some aid,
and 1t was finally decided that the county
could stand $50 per mile.
George F. Leek, who lives on the Whar-
ton property at Batsto, presented a bill
for damage done to his automobile while
crossing the drawbridge at Wading River.
The apparatus for turning the draw had
been left so that it was easily accessible to
any one and some boys had secured 1t and
placed 1t on the bridge. Mr.. Leek did not
see the obstruction until he was nearly on
1t and his automobile suffered from the
collision. The matter was referred to the
resident freeholder to investigate.
The Chesterfield township committee
asked that the county build retaining
walls at the bridge now being erected at
Wallaces Mills. 1t was argued that the
walls were necessary to protect the road
way. Engineer Thomson said this cues
ton had been considered when the specifi-
cations for the bridge were drawn and 1t
was not thought necessary to insert such a
clause as the road was township property.
The bridge would stand without the
retaining walls.
Solicitor Rigg said there was nothing
to prevent the county from spending
money as requested If 1t saw fit to, but
there Is no statute that can compel 1t
to build the wall This brought up the
point that has bothered the Board more
than oDce-where the money would come
from. The only solution to this problem
seemed to be a bond issue and that
frightened everybody. A motion to have
such an issue was promptly put out OF
business,
Some time ago the War Department
called attention to the fact that John
Seeds, tender of the drawbridge at Delan.
CO, was not as prompt In responding to
calls of boatmen as he ought to be- He
was notified that he must mend his ways,
but the warning seemed to have lost its
effect, for, on Wednesday, another letter
came from the War Department that
Seeds had been complained of by A. G.
RidgwaY & Son, who said Seeds would
not open the draw at the request of the
person In charge of their boat.
Mr.. Birkhead referred to the time oil
the first complaint against Seeds. Their
he was given instructions to open the
bridge for every boatman who made 8
request for such action. In view of these
instructions Mr.. Birkhead could not SET
how Seeds could justify his position Al
the present time.
In this view of the matter Mr.. BirkheaC
was Sustained by several of the mem her