The Penn's Grove record., 1916-04-21
PENNS GROVE THE HUB
GOOD ROADS WANTED EVEN AT BIG
BOND ISSUE

ponds upon the making of powder at
Carney Point. Not only labor but bust
ness men are anxious to get here, get
their goods here, or get in line of the
golden stream paid in wages for max
ing powder. The citizens of Salem now
being assured of a trolley line to Penns
Grove, the citizens of Woodstown and
Elmer a an improved road to Penns
Grove. And they mean to have it at
any cost, if we judge by their action be-
fore the Board of Freeholders on the
18th, when a large delegation presented
a petition numerously signed as follows
I'VE petition your honorable body to
at once build a stone and macadam road
from Penns Grove to Woodstown, to
connect with the Pole Tavern and Elmer
road, and if the county is unable to do
this work with it's present resources, that
bonds be issued to provide the necessary
money!
The petition was received and ordered
Il ed.
The petition was presented by William
Richman, of Sharptown, who spoke,
urging the Board to grant the request.
He was followed by George NJ. Andrews
Of Woodstown, who spoke in favor not
only of building this road, but also all
of the others asked for and needed, and
to do it at once. Judge E. G. Wadding-
ton said that something must be done
and done at once to take care of the
extra business brought to the county by
the powder works, and that a wise course
would be to improve all of the roads
leading to Penns Grove. He said these
roads are needed at once, but if the
Board waits and builds them at the
same rate as in the past, it would be
several years before the roads are i'm
proved. He advised that bonds be is
sued, if necessary, to get all of these
roads and said that the increased reven-
use from increased taxes would be enough
to pay the interest on the bonds and
to provide a sinking fund to retire them
as they fall due.
NJ. F. Riley, of Elmer, a former mem
Der of the Board, said that he had
circulated his petition but one half day
and that he could secure many more
names of good taxpayers and not the
kind that pay poll-tax only. Not one
man had refused to sign the petition.
He said the Chambers of Commerce. of
Elmer and Woodstown, meant business
I and that if the Board will not go to the
State Road Commissioner, the two
Chambers will. Messrs. A. d. Snelbak-
er, G. l.. Stratton, n. T.. Bell, S. H.
Wright and Benjamin Patterson all
spoke in favor Of granting the request
in the petition, telling the members that
the time for delay had passed, and that
there is a wide sentiment among the best
taxpayers to bond the county and get
good roads now when they are so much
needed. They declared that prosperity
would follow the good roads and that
the people all over the county would
benefit by a bond issue to provide these
good avenues of
After the visitors had spoken the mem
bers of the Board were called on indi
vidually for their opinions. Mr.. Borton
said he did not fear criticism for issuing
bonds for this purpose as he had been
shown that the people want the roads.
Mr.. Burk said he had alweys been oppos-
ed to a bond issue, but felt free to change
his mind since he realized that the peo-
pie want it. Mr.. Smith declared he has
always been in favor of it and Mr..
Reeves said he is in sympathy with the
movement. Mr.. CARL had also been
opposed but was ready to change his
mind. Mr.. Heron was loudly applauded
when he declared this to be the best
and biggest day the Freeholders had
ever spent, that the visitors had opened
the eyes of the members of the Board
and he thanked them for coming before
the meeting and waking them up, for
otherwise the members might have gone
on sleeping in the same old way.
Director Gray said he is in favor of the
bond issue if necessary, as it was shown
that his constituents are DESTROYS of
the good roads. The meeting did not
end until $50 O'Clock in the afternoon
and it seemed to be the general opinion
that the roads must be built, bonds or
no bonds.
1t has been the policy of Salem County
Board of Freeholders to pay for the
state and county aid roads as built and
avoid bond issues. but the citizens have
become so anxious to reach Penns Grove
that debt has ceased to be feared and the
Board will probably bond the county for
about $25O,000 to meet the desire of the
people.
Before the Penns Grove-Pittsgrove
road is built Lower Penns Neck wants
a stone road from Pennsville to Salem.
An oyster shell road was built across
SOhC z years dSO, Dut
the need of constant patching with shells
has made travel very unsatisfactory.
LOWER NECK WANTS ROAD.
Mr.. Heron introduced a resolution call
ing for the building of a permanent stone
road from Pennsville to Salem and auth
Orizing the survey to be made at once.
He told Of the cost of keeping this road
in repair and said that it is sorely needed
at once. After some argument pro and
con the resolution was laid over until the
next meeting.
The committee reported that it had re-
ceived bids for the LIST section of the
Penns Grove-P ennsville road (Penns
Grove to Plant No. p but two Of them
were defective and the State, Commits
sioner had thrown out all of the bids and
advised that they be again advertised