The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-09-08
September Meeting Of Free
holders


holders.
The September meeting of the BOARD
of Freeholders was held in the court
house Wednesday, with all the members
present, and the political candidates anc
their friends were on the outside look
ing in and buttonholing all who might
be of benefit in the coming primary
election. Director Davis, who is Dem
ocratic candidate for the nomination fol
sheriff, was at his post, apparently I'M
concerned, but he kept his eye open on
all points of the compass.
The first business was the announce
ment of the death of Harry y. Dubell
formerly member from Westampton
The director said he made this announce
ment with deep regret. He considered
Mr.. Duhell one of the most valuable
members of the board and he felt that
the Iatter's death would be felt in many
ways. The director appointed Messrs
Hill, Birkhead and Hart committee to
draft resolutions of respect to the mem
DRY of the deceased member.
Oscar w. Pew, who had been appoint
ed by the township committee of West
ampton township to fill the vacancy
caused by Mr.. Dubell's death, presented
his credentials and was qualified.
| Then the consideration of bills was
taken up and there was the usual shift
ing from one appropriation to another to
make the way clear for paying the claims
presented
In 1912 traction engine belonging to
Howard c. Poinsett went through the
Jones Mill bridge, near Wrightstown.
and the owner claimed the county owed
him $72 for damages sustained by the
machine. There is regulation by the
county that before a traction engine
crosses bridge the driver must lay a
plank on the bridge. This was not done
in the case under consideration and the
bridge gave way. This bill has been be-
fore the board continuously since 1912,
and has been turned down as soon as
presented, and it went the way of the
others this time, the county claiming
that all damage sustained was through
the neglect of the owner.
When the personal bills were brought
up there was objection to that of Ed
ward A. Couples, who was indicted for
failing to file statement Of his election
expenses, and who pleaded guilty and
was fined Notwithstanding the law
plainly says that any candidate who
violates the law under which this indict-
ment was found. shall forfeit any office
to which he may be elected, the Board
decided that Couples was legal mem
Der and pays his claim.
At the last meeting there was dis
cussion whether the county should in
stitute quo warranto proceedings to GUST
Couples and Solicitor Rigg was called
upon to give an opinion on the subject.
He said he did not believe the Board, as
a body, could take such step, but that
it belonged to an individual. He did
not think the Board could declare the
office vacant and thus make it necessary
for the township committee of Taber-
nacle to appoint successor to Couples,
but the members did not take to this
and as there was not any individual who
felt like going down in his pocket to pay
for the quo warranto proceedings the
bill of Couples was paid, regardless of
any law to the contrary.
The next matter to call forth discus
sion was the bill of Solicitor Rigg for
1920 for special services in defending two
suits-one to GUST Samuel C. Roberts
from the Office of Supervisor of Roads,
the other suit by George and Charles
Chase for damages caused by the collaps-
ing of bridge at Burlington. Free
holder Hart started the ball rolling by
stating that Rigg was to be paid extra
only in cases where the damages amount
ed to more than 81 900. Mr.. Hart said
the sum involved in the Roberts case
was less than 81, 900 and in the other suit
the information was all in the hands of
County Engineer Logan, who could
easily have presented it and Mr.. Hart
did not think it was proper to pay the
solicitor extra money to get evidence
that was already in hand. This bill was
ordered paid at previous meeting and
after it had been acted upon some of the
members had change of heart and had
attempted to have the check held up,
but the solicitor was on the job and got
there first. After some of the members
had aired their idea on the subject it was
referred to the finance committee with
directions to report at the next meeting.
Some of the members thought Mr.. Rigg
ought to be given chance to explain
but as he was engaged in court on case
in which the county was interested-the
Chase case, which wasIone of the bones
of contention-it was decided to leave
the matter with the finance committee.
That there will be a spicy report and
some fireworks on the subject is the con-
lecture, but the possibility is that it will
all end in smoke. 1t seems rather
peculiar that the Board, with the law
that members bill and then bubble over
a charge on which there is no question
of illegaIity but simply difference of
opinion ON the point of conditions of a
contract.
AS disputed matters seem to have the
right of way the next to take attention
was communication from p. A. Hen
messy who seems to think he is the con-
tractor on the Broad street bridge, Bur
lington. The Board thought this incl
dent was closed long ago and declined to
reopen it.
Then there came another subject with
whiskers on it. 1t was the repair of
roads in BordentoWn. Samuel f. Gar
rison, city commissioner, sent a com
munication in which he stated that
there had been promises galore that the
the county roads would be repaired but
| it had long since been discovered that
promises do not repair roads. The people
of Bordentown are tired of paying taxes
and getting no returns, and intimated
that If the roads in Bordentown were
not given attention soon there would be
something doing.
Mr.. Bright, chairman of the road com.
mittee, said that work on the Park road
would certainly be started within few
days. There had been delay in this
matter because the road committee haC
been waiting to get state money to aie