The Penn's Grove record., 1911-02-17
COST OF STATE ROADS is GROWING
A Lawsuit For One and Heavier
Taxes Looked For.

At the February meeting OF Salem
county Board Of Chosen ~Freeholders,
County Collector Butcher made a state
ment to the members advising them to
go slowly in the matter of both building
and repairing state roads. He said that
at the last meeting the Board had order
ed Warrington, Lower Creek and Lower
Penn's Neck roads reshelled, but that
the shells bought and placed on the
Warrington road had cost so much that
there is no money left to buy the shells
for the other roads and that therefore the
Board should stop this work until the
next budget is made out. He also spoke
about providing the money for the al
ready ordered Warrington oodstown
road. 1t would either be necessary to
increase the amount of the budget a con-
siderable sum or else bond the county
and in the latter event the bonds must
be issued before the work is commenced.
He said it seemed now as though it may
be possible to increase the budget by
oooub PoO,VVu dhO III tidt CaSC ohSAo
would be most likely complaints from
the taxpayers at the necessarily increas-
ed tax rate. He strongly advised the
Board 20 cut out some Of the expensive
road repair bills and said that if they
continued building new state roads in
addition to practically rebuilding all OF
the state shell roads i'll the county every
year, the county would soon be over
burdened with taxes, or else it would
certainly be necessary to bond the county
for a considerable sum-.
The Finance Committee wass instruct
ed to confer in the matter Of providing
these road moneys needed aud report at
the next meeting.
The Board has not paid FISHER & Sons,
the contractors who built the Elmer and
Harding State road all the full amount
because the road was not kept in condi-
tion for a year. The Board at a recent
meeting voted to put the road in repairs
and deduct the sost from the belance due,
$548. 66, which is the five per cent retain-
ed by the county. At the February
meeting, the solicitor read a notice and
summons of a law suit brought by Flsler
& Son, to recover the balance.
The Board voted UNANIMOUSLY to defend
the suit and the Solicitors was authorized
to employ assistance i'll defending the
case.
Another trouble arose when a letter
was received from State Road Commiss-
Toner Gilkyson was read and state that
he could not approve the road i'll Man
nigton from Hedgefield to the Woods
town Borough line, because the state has
no available money. The Board and
contractors are in a most unpleasant
position because the contract has been
given and the contractors have gone to
considerable expense to buy teams and
have ordered material. Shells have been
to be delivered at Salem in
March. They cannot be had later.
Solicitor Keasby stated that the State
Commissioner could not approve the
until the money was in hand
for the States one third share and that
il the county went ahead and built the
road without waiting for the State Com
approval, it would be up to
county to pay the entire cost unless
the Legislature in the future made the
appropriation and the incoming Com
missioner should then approve the con-
tract. He further said that if.the county
built the entire road it would be neces-
sary to proceed under an entirely differ
emit act, which would necessitate new
specifications, costs etc. At present, he
said, there is no contract with Tult &
Kelly as the contract under the resolu-
tion and law, is not complete until APP
proved by the State Commissioner He
the contractors are in a bad
position.
Alter considerable discussion a motion
was made and carried that the Road
in charge, with the engineer
and contractors, visit the Commissioner
and try to arrange some way out of the
difficulty and make a report of their
at the special meeting OF the
Board to be held at the call OF the
Director.
The committee in charge reported
that they had received the following
bids for building the new iron bridge