The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1912-08-27
.FREEHOLDERS TURN
DOWN ELLIOTT GAME
Vote Against Resembling and
ing Road Contract.

Freebooter Elliot's attempt to get
the contracts for repairing the Noun
tain Lakes and Landing-Mt. Arlington
roads rescinded proved to be fiasco.
At the special meeting of the board
held this morning, called by Elliot,
Jenkins and Kelly, the resolution call
ing for the resembling was lost by
vote of sixteen to four. Freeholder
Kelly did not appear, sending word
ne was sick. Mr.. Hapgood, of Noun
tain Lakes, was on hand with
flock of Boonton democrats and Wnen
Freeholder Elliot saw that he was
up against some opposition from his
own party in that section he had an
attack of cold feet, and withdrew the
demand for resembling the Mountain
Lakes contract, saying that perhaps
it would be well to build a good road
there as the people were spending SO
much money on their properties that
border the road to be improved. For
mer Mayor Reed was present repre-
senting the Oak Ridge Co., the con-
tractor for the work, and was pre-
pared to make a fight against the
Dover freeholder.
q. Freeh6fder Elliot in introducing the
RESOLUTION for the resembling of the
Landing road contract, said that it
would be better for the county to
build roads without state aid as the
Butler road would cost only $4,000 a
mile while he figured the Landing
road would cost $4,000. The resolu-
tion was seconded by Freeholder
Jenkins who explained that when he
voted for the award of the contract
at the last meeting he did not know
where the road was Both freeholders
voted on. the proposition several times
since last February when the pro-
nosal to repair this and the Noun
tain Lakes roads was taken up, the
approval of the specifications, the or
dering of surveys and other items OF
procedure being acted upon by the
board
Freeholder Fancher asserted that
the people along the Landing road
were heavy taxpayers and that it was
the main thoroughfare from Newton,
Stanhope, Hurdtown, Woodport and
other places and had to bear heavy
traffic.
Freeholder Burchell said that after
nine years experience in the board
be believed that the freeholders should
spend more money for better roads
and build less than to build cheap
roads that need constant repairs,
putting on little top dressing with
a coating of oil"
County Engineer King explained the
difference between the construction
between the Landing and the Butler
>roads as he did at the last meeting
wfsS3, Freebooter Elliot, after listen
ing to hiIn, said he was satisfied
with the explanation and did not vote
against the granting of the contracts.
He said the Butler road is to be
fourteen feet wide, of old style ma
cadam construction with surfaclng
of liquid asphaltum- The Landing
road is to be of six inches broken
stone base with three inches OF Annie
site on top, sixteen feet wide, as re-
quired by the state. Half the cost
only is borne by the county, the other
half coming from outside sources. IL
was not fair to compare the two
roads, he said, because they were IN
no way alike not only in the process
of building but there was no grading
to be done with the Butler road while
the Landing road had considerable
grading.
state Road Commissioner Meeker
says these are the kind of roads to
build and says they are cheap said
Mr.. King. my experience of TWEEN
ty years leads me to believe the same.
Why, in Morristown it used to cost
the county $1,000 per year to repair
the county roads. Since the Amiesite
has been put down it has cost moth
ing. This Landing road will last for
five, six or seven. years before it Will
need repairs"
Elmer King, representing Salmon
Brothers, the contractors for the road.
and also the DUPONT DeNemours
Powder Co., at Landing, addressed
the board. He told of the moving by
the powder company of several build
ings asked for by the road commit
tee in order to straighten the road.
how il had cost the company ST., TOO
but the company would not accept
anything from the county, and further
said that the Salmons had signed
contract which they considered en-
forcible and told how they had
changed their work arrangements in
Warren county SO as to finish up the
work in that county and in This county
by November 1st. He dropped
gentle hint that law suit might be
Forthcoming il the county abrogated
its contract
Democrats joined with republicans
in voting down Freeholder Elliot's
resolution. Those voting for 1t We're
Freeholders Coleman, Elliot, Jenkins
and Tierney Those sopposed were
Freeholders Ambrose, Burchell, Carle,
George Estler, Simon Estler, Fancher,
Grimes, Hcpler, Hill, Kayhart, Mills,
Molitor, Owens, Pruden, Tharp, Tuck
er; Freeholder Dee not voting.
Freeholder Elliot voted for the
establishment of the county tuber-
cnlosis hospital until he discovered
there was some opposition to it then
suddenly made fight against the
hospital site after the matter had
been closed up and there was no way
out for the county.