The Penn's Grove record., 1917-12-14
A NEW COUNTY COLLECTOR
A Move To Abolish Almshouse
Trustees

~ IllC IlCCJlllS VI Iile DOd1u VI
Freeholders on Wednesday morning,
Richard B. Griscom presented his
resignation as a member of that body
and he was then unanimously elected
County Collector for the unexpired
term of the late County Collector, A.
Smith Reeves, who passed away last
Saturday morning. He assumed the
duties of the office at once.
The Board adopted the following
resolution of sympathy and respect:
Whereas, it being reported to the
Board that death had claimed A.
Smith Reeves, County Collector, who
passed away Saturday, December 9Th,
and
Whereas, the Board wishes to take
some action to record it's appreciation
of his work in the service of the
county, A
Therefore, Be it Resolved, that Will
we bow in humble submission to the
Divine will in removing from our fell
lowship and the service of the county,
our fellow citizen, A. Smith Reeves,
we record our estimate of his worth as
a citizen and his integrity as a public
official, having served most faithfully
as County Collector for the past six
years, and be it further
Resolved, that these resolutions be
spread on the minutes of the Board,
published in the papers and a copy
sent to the family of the deceased.
The Jail Committee reported that
there are now 20 in the Jail and 7 in
the road camp. The total cost of sup
plies for the Jail from November Ia
to December II, was $80.44, an aver
age cost per prisoner per day of 20
$40 cents.
The road camp supplies for the
same period were $291.12, an average
cost per prisoner per day of go ITO
cents.
Attorney Charles Mecum addressed
the meeting saying he was n of a
committee of the County Red Cross
appointed to appear before the Free
holders and ask them to make some
provision for aiding the needy families
of soldiers now in the service. 1t was
suggested that he get an estimate of
the amount of money that would be
needed for this purpose next year and
he promised to so. The amount will
then be placed in the budget to be
adopted January LIST next.
Mr.. Smith reported that the addi-
tional weight on the Lower Canal
bridge has caused a crack in it's
foundation and Engineer Sparks ex-
planned how it happened and present
ed plans for repairing it by replacing
braces. He said the original cause of
the trouble is the trolley company but
the bridge had better be repaired as
500 as possible and the responsibility
for the damage thrashed out later. A
motion vas made and adopted placing
the repair work in the hands of the
committee to act with Mr.. Sparks.
Mr.. Heron told of the damage to
the Penns Neck causeway by the high
tide last Saturday and said the trolley
company had made a proposition to
pay one half the cost of having an
engineer give an estimate of the cost
of widening and building up the cause
way by a crib of pilings on the creek
side. He made a motion that the
County accept the offer and the motion
was adopted.
The Board adopted a resolution re-
lating that as the State owes the
County money for it's share of roads
under construction and as the County
needs this money, that the County
Collector be authorized to borrow
against this sum as much as may be
necessary. Another resolution was
then adopted authorizing the County
Collector to borrow $500 from the
Salem National Bank in anticipation
of taxes for the various County de-
partmentS.
Attorney J.. Forman Sinnickson re-
ported that the DUPONT Company de-
sires permission to place a steam pipe
front of the Y. M. C.. A. building and
OnFpoiScinn xro or,~onfnd Tho h,,;1l
ing has been heated by an under
ground pipe and this has been ~unsatis-
factory.
A motion was adopted approving
the style of signs to be placed on all
County bridges showing the carrying
capacity of the bridges.
A letter was read from the State
Charities and Prison Reform Commits
sion asking that the Board cause the
management of the County almshouse
to be taken from the Board of Trus-
tees of that institution and placed in
the hands of a committee of the
Freeholders. 1t recited the injustice
to the taxpayers of the habit of the
Trustees in giving big feasts three
times a year to the Board of Trustees,
their families and friends to the num-
Der of SO or 100 guests, all at the ex-
pense of the County, and of the men,
bers of the Board getting 50 per visit
to that institution. The latter sug-
gested that as the Board of Almshouse
Trustees is holding office under an old
act of the Legislature passed in 1916,
that the Freeholders use their influ-
ence in having that act repealed, a
matter easily accomplished if the
representatives from this County
would ask for it. No definite action
was taken. Morris Reeves, who
was not present at the meeting, was
to have taken up the matter and pre-
sented it in the same light at the meet
ing Wednesday. There seemed to be
a general opinion that the act should be
repealed and that the suggestion be
complied with.
Il waS annnnncod that Nh Rorton