The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-06-17
Our County Roads.

Commissioner that there are upwards Of
eighty miles of roads In Burlington
Comfy that are In deplorsble condition.
1t would take 100000 for repairs, but
the members of the board only wanted
start made and were modest In their
demands from the department.
1t is pointed out by the members of
the board that Burlington has not been
getting a square deal in the matter of
distribution of road funds. 1t has also
been charged against the Colonel that he
has been unduly interested In the reten-
ton Of Joseph Hilton, the road super
visor under the old Board of Freeholders.
In fact, it is said that Colonel Stevens
took such an active part In trying to in
| fiuence the members of the Board to
retain Hilton, who is now under indict-
ment for malfessauce in Office, that the
matter was called to the attention of
Governor Wilson, who was the executive
at the time.
1t is further pointed out by members of
the new board that Colonel Stevens has
shown his partiality within the last
month. The old board attempted to or
ganize April 2. following the decision of
the Supreme Court In the litigation in
volving the other counties. Burlington
was not included in this litigation, but
the old members attempted to take con-
troll of the county government.
A few days after the organization
Hilton went to the State Road Depart
ment and it is said that Colonel Stevens
gave him carte blanche to the use Of
$2O, 900 of the auto funds for Burlington
County. Since this happening. however,
1t is understood that the Colonel has
withdrawn this authorization.
To the new board no money has yet
been given out of the state funds for
1918, although Saturday the Colonel
agreed to allow the use of $4,000 as the
preliminary for some road repairs. Con-
tractor Thomas j. Barrett has invented
new machine to mix and lay an asphalt
pavement and this machine will be loaned
to Burlington County for one week be-
ginning next Monday. If it works out
satisfactorily, then Mr.. Barrett is to be
allowed to continue with some of the
work. 1t Is estimated by Mr.. Barrett that
the cost of road building with this new
invention will be about 65 cents per yard.
There has been much criticism through
out the state of the poor roads laid during
the regime of Colonel Stevens. Par
ticularly Is the amiesite road between
Trenton and Lawrenceville mentioned as
one of the especially poor ones. There
has also been comment on the expensive
ness of the convict road scheme
The above appeared in a Trenton even
ing paper and it was not supposed Col.
Stevens would rest easy under the state
ments. so he "came back" In a morning
paper as follows;
| my attention has been drawn to the
article In Wednesdays issue of a local
newspaper In relation to road matters In
Burlington county. l deeply regret that
the board of chosen freeholders should
have felt any indignation at the way In
which they have been treated In this depart
ment. Anything that would justify such
feeling was certainly unintentional.
II trust that the department will be able
to get into hearty cooperation with the
Burlington officials.
''The road problem In that county is one
OF the most serious ones In the state. /
have just been over an estimate of the
cost of putting all of the county roads in
Burlington into first rate order The total
amount necessary would appear not less
than $3.50, 900. and the amount named in
the article $400,000 might well be ex-
pended without wastefulness. This sum
is one which fear is entirely beyond the
com bined means af the county and state
1t Will require hearty cooperation and
efficient work to prevent matters from
| getting worse.
AS to one matter mentioned In the arti-
Gle. would say that after the decision of
the supreme court In the case of the
second class counties, some of the repre-
sentatives of the old board, among them
Mr.. Hilton. called at the office and asked
for an allotment of motor vehicle moneys
for certain definite repairs on certain def
mite jobs. 1t was at that time thought
that the old board was legal body and
the allotments were made. When it was
decided that the new board was de facto
In office the allotments were Cancelled
This was done because it was felt that the
new board might have different views as
to the expenditure of the money, which
views 1t was desired to meet as far as DOS.
sible. This cancellation In no wise affects
the amount of money going to Burlington
comfy.
might add that my interview with the
board on Tuesday terminated in an agree
ment by which work would be begun al
once on two repair jobs and an inspection
arranged for to determine where it would
be most advisable to spend the moneys
available.
The situation In Burlington has been
due to the fact that the county has built a
great many miles of road and within the
last few years has been providing from
$40, 900 to $25, 900 year for repairs, while
the cost of keeping the roads In condition
should have been in the neighborhood OF
$50, 900 or $780, 900. 1t is only fair to say
that this has been due to the operation Of
the tax laws limiting the amount thai
could be raised for county purposes.
1t may not be out of the wsy to ado
that the new work put on this department
by the state highway laws and by the con
Wet labor laws, all of which is new apC
requires frequent opinions from the attor
ney general and consultation with other
departments has overtaxed our force. We
are hence behind hand with our work
and beyond question violating the spirit
II not the letter of the eight hour law
This condition is aggravated by the seri
GUS and protracted Illness of the state
highway engineer, R. A. Meeker, who's,
experience KNOWLEDGE of local condition,