The Penn's Grove record., 1913-05-02
PLAN OF STATE
ROADS SYSTEM
Finest Chain of Highways in
Country Under New Law
OVER 500 MILES THIS YEAR
Letter of Colonel Stevens, Commits
%sioner, to Boards of FreehoIders, Elk
planning the Blue Route-Objec-
tions to Proposed Routes Filed.

PIdIntn9 the Blue Houte-ObJec-
tions to Proposed Routes Filed.
Especial Trenton Correspondence.)
Trenton.-Colonel Edwin A. Stew.
ems, State Road Commissioner, sent
to the chairmen of the Chosen Boards
of Freeholders throughout the State
the following letters, asking informa.
ton on which to base the beginning of
the State highway system, which will
give to New Jersey the finest system
of State roads in any State in the
Union. The Colonel says:-"The
State Highway Commission has direct
ed me to forward to the Boards of
Chosen Freeholders a copy of the map
submitted by me to the commission,
showing the blue route which it is
proposed to take over under Senate
bill BAT. The law makes it mandatory
on the State to take over not to ex-
coed 500 miles of the blue route this
year. 1t is the desire of the commits
sion to be informed as to any objec-
lions by your board to the routes
shown on the map.
Il would call your attention to the
fact that the routes shown are only
those that it is proposed to take over
this year, and comprise only one-third
of the total system authorized in the
act of 1912. The other two-thirds of
the system will be taken over as soon
as practicable after November 1, 1913.
1t will be impossible to estimate close
ly the cost of restoring many of the
routes shown to a proper condition
and of maintaining all of them until
the routes have been definitely set
tied and determined. This cost will
have to be a first charge on the State
road fund. The amount therefore that
counties and municipalities, both in
maintenance and improvement, can
not be accurately determined until the
commission has definitely decided up
on the routes to be now taken over.
1t is, of course, important that the
counties and other road authorities
should be advised at the earliest pos
sible date of what they may expect
from the State. The commission has
heretofore set Monday, May 5, as the
date on which it will take action in
this matter. Should you desire any
change in the blue routes as set forth
in the map, l would earnestly request
that you take the matter up at once
and communicate with this depart
ment, so that arrangements can be
made for a hearing before the State
Highway Commission should the same
appear desirable"
The statement of Colonel Stevens
that not more than 500 miles Of the
Blue Route" must be taken over this
year indicates close figuring, as the
report of the State Highway Commits
sion shows that there is only 508,67
miles in the Blue Route outside of
those miles within the cities traversed.
She Blue Route" is set down in the
report as follows
Jersey City to Trenton, 1925 miles,
1t being borne in MINI that no mileage
in any municipality is included in the
roads to be owned by the State.
Jersey City to Paterson, 1859 miles.
Camden to Atlantic City, 54.542
miles.
Newark to H~ackensack with branch
to Paterson, 12.501 miles.
Elizabeth to Newton, 52.209 miles.
Morristown to Somerville, 20 miles.
Freehold to Belvidere, 68 1899 miles.
Railway to Absecon, 1888 miles.
White House to Trenton, 31.S76
miles.
Camden to Salem, 25.96O miles.
Mullica Hill to Bridgeton, 20.25'
miles.
Egg Harbor Court House, 36.45S
miles.
Clogs States Machinery.
Perhaps the greatest surprise result
ing from the legislative session was
the opinion of Attorney General Will
son that Senator Wheaton's bill, re-
Gently approved by Governor Fielder,
creating a State Prison Parole Board.
superseded not only last years law,
establishing a parole board, but also
the law of 1911 providing for indeter-
inmate sentences. Probably not a
member of the Legislature who sup
ported the Wheaton bill realized that
in indorsing it he was wiping off the
statute books the in~determinate SEN
tence law passed two years ago. This
shows apparently a weakness in this
States system of making laws. Ere
quently members in supporting meas
ures are unconsciously upsetting exist
ing laws which they have no desire to
disturb. Two remedies have been put
forward as a cure for this condition.
One is the creation of a tribunal to
pass upon all measures introduced,