Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-06-29
TAKE UP REPLY
OF FREEHOLDERS
TO ROAD SURVEY
Report Will Come Before Well
fare Committee Probers
Today.

ter's methods.
ihese criticisms, setforth in re-
port submitted last week to the free
holders by the welfare committee,
which is the Jersey branch of the
New York bureau of municipal re-
search. embodied ten questions main
~ IN the nature of suggestions
toward lettering the conditions criti-
eized.
In the reply of the freeholders it is
stated that conditions were not of the
best when the small body took office,
but that since then many changes
mad been made, antiquated methods
OF keeping records had been done
away with and that the freeholders
would shortly be in position to show
just what had been done since the
small body took control.
d. H. Smith, Office manager of the
welfare committee, says that he had
only today received the reply sent by
Director Walter A. Evans of the
Beard of Freeholders, and Freebooter
William Cardwell, chairman of the
road committee, and had not had
time to analyze it.
r. thinE however, from a cursory
perusal of the reply" added Mr..
Smith that the freeholders desire to
cooperate with us in inaugurating a
better system in their department.
Their answer certainly indicates fair
ness, and l hope we have convinced
them that our criticisms were de-
signed to be constructive and not at
all destructive. What we seek is "A
better Essex county,, if [ may express
II in the form of a slogan"
At the meeting this afternoon, pre-
sided over by Or. Laban Dennis, pres
tdent of the welfare committee, the
answers by the freeholders are to be
taken up in detail. The questions, in
brief, are as follows:
l. Is 1t not a fact that the
high maintenance costs on certain
roads are attribute BILE to the lack of
I engineering supervision of the main
y AAance work? Would it not be de-
&WQle to utilize the services of the
county>a&gineer on that part of the
. road problem?
,. The annual reports of the road
committee fail to contain compare
tive statements of amounts eXpend-
ed for maintenance and improve
ment, the cost per square yard, the
type of pavement used on a certain
stretch of road or the relative dem
sity of traffic on these roads. Would
1t not be desirable to present such
information to the citizens of Essex
county?
3. That normal avenue is shown on
the State geological map as passing
through a section which has been oc-
cupied for several years by reser-
voir,
4. The lack of separate accounts,
itemizing the separate maintenance
costs, traffic on roads repaired, types
of pavement used, section of roads
, improved, resulted in no accurate in
formation being available at the time
survey was made relative to mileage
of roads, or area of roadways Such
data of proper costs and expense ac-
counts are admittedly of invaluable
aids in controlling any business. and
the lack of such records is in itself a
serious reflection on the county gov
eminent. Would it not be desira BILE
to install such records?
5. That in the 1912 report of the road
committee the length of Gregory ave-
nue. is given as 81 miles? That the
State geological survey map shows a
length of approximately 164 miles?
8. The Jumping of expenditures on
Bloomefild avenue, such as "stone and
steam roller hire and where several
styles of pavement are used; would it
not be desirable to substitute for such
Valueless records other records of
proved administrative value?
I. The subdivision of reports to
show the names of contractors who
received the payments, which is not
as interesting tod the citizen or eff
ficient official as the knowledge
whether the work was properly
planned and whether the county OBJ
tanned q dollars xunrth of
each dollar expended, calls forth the
question: Would 1t not be desira BILE
to compile the kind of information
which affords the taxpayer a basis
for judging the efficiency of the of
fetal?
8. Records, which are claimed to
show lack of efficiency in the road
maintenance forces, are quoted as
sfalloWs: Centre street, Nutley, per
Square yard. 1912-1913 1858; 19l1-1912,
$07SS; 1910-1911, $.304; during 1912
1913, Springfield avenue, s2225; South
Orange avenue, S.2026; West Passaic
avenue, $.242, and Bay avenue, S.314.
II is asked: If more detailed records
were installed to STOP the waste be-
fore the end of the current year,
would it not be desirable?
n 9. As to the cost of new pavement
constructed, the annual reports do
not give definite information regard
. ing the location, type or yardage of
:, work. These data are so entered as
, ffoAbe confused with maintenance eX-
penditures This confusion is charged
to Interfere with the proper consid-
Grafton of the problem, and it is
{ asked Would 1t not be desirable to
correct this procedure?
10. The increased expenditures and
the disproportionately small increase
of mileage brings 1orth the question
Does not the citizen of Essex county
expect increased road facilities for in
creased expenditures?
In the reply by the freeholders it
is first noted that the present board
did not take Office until January, 1912,
when referendum vote ousted the
former large board. Therefore they
disclaim any responsibility for ques-
tions relating to a period before that
date
When the new board took office,
the statement says, many methods in
vogue were found to be old and cum
hersome. and since that time con-
tinued efforts have been and are be-
ing made in recognizing every de-
i, partment of the county government.
Practically no records We're avail
able in the county engineers office in
1912, according to the reply, and an
assistant county engineer was en-
ployed to compile a complete statis-
tical record of every county road,
cu1vert and bridge in Essex.