Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-12-01
Freeholder Malta Says
Hudson County Is
Responsible.
ATTACK MADE
BY ]. ]. HILL
Says County and City
Officials Have Been
Negligent.

stirred by the demand for Immediate
improvements of the depIorable condi-
ton OF the Plank road, as told In the
EveifnE STAR, the mcrennnis md
manufacturers who use the rond held n
mas s-meeting In the Board Of Traie
ruo,ns today and the initial steps Sox
obialrIBg relief were taken.
The disruption among the members
of the joint road committee, composed
of freeholders of Essex and Hudson
counties, was recognized at the begin
ming of the trouble and a sub-cominlt-
tee was appointed to arrange for a
meeting between the freeholders and
the angry merchants.
Some feeling was displayed when
John j. Hill. of the Hill Bread Com
pany, who called the meeting, offered
a compliment to the Hudson members
of the joint committee for what they
had accomplished. Freeholder Rich
ard r. Malta, of the Essex board OF
freeholders. retorted that it was mea
like Mr.. Hill and remarks such IS he
made which had much to do with the
difficult situation
After selecting as chairman of the
meeting j. II. Wood, of the Newark En-
press and Transportation Company.
and James NJ. Reilly as secretary. the
discussion started. Freeholder Frank
l.. Driver, chairman of the Essex dele
cation of the joint committee, explained
that while the boggy condition of ths
road presented engineering difficulties
which had to be met, the chief
hindrance was with the Hudson free
holders who were members of the Joint
committee.
Freeholder Driver stated that in orr
der to give immediate relief by laying
planks over the troublesome part OF
the road and make it accessible 1t
would mean an added expenditure OF
$50, 900, and the present appropriations
forbid this.
Former Judge GOttfried ESrueger AS
serted that $4,000 should be spent By
both counties in giving this relief, aa
the road IN alI-important TO the mer-
chants. He continued by saying that
tho Board of Trade had gone to some
lengths to boost Newark and ii
would be dsgraccful for prospective
settlers to see the present condition
of the road.
Mr.. Hill told his personal observa-
tlons Of the road and declared that
only yesterday he saw six trucks stuck
fast in the mire. After telling Of nu-
Inerous instances which illustrated ths
difficulties met with by truckmen. Mr.
Hill asked;
Why are the freeholders at logger
heads over this matter? Why did they
pass the resolution to pave the road
with granite block before they looked
into the matter sufficiently?
~ tell you, gentlemen" he continued,
"it appears 10 me that the county and
city officials have been negligent
They should have known that granite
pavement would not do for this
meadow land Something has got to
be done. If the Board of FreenoIders
don't do it why lets get up in arms
and do something ourselves, by bring
ing the matter to the attention of
Supreme Court Justice Swayze."
1t was then that Freeholder Mattia
took exception TO the remarks Of Mr..
Hill and sought to explain the situa-
ton.
The speaker told that he had been
member of the committee for three
years, and the Essex members have
been trying to Civ the residents Of this
county a good road.
The trouble lies with our inability
to have the Hudson members Of the
Joint committee to meet with us and
concur with the. improvements we sug
Continued ON PAGE 8, coIumn l.,