The Penn's Grove record., 1919-10-10
County Short of Money
Farm Demonstration Wanted.
Election Board Wants
Printers Money

- On "CNhSSuoJt II NOloCsb ody VI
this Fall to make the Chosen Freehol-
ders and the newspapermen realize that
the end of the year was near at hand.
The statement of the finances of the
County as submitted by County Collec-
tor Griscom at the regular onthfy
meeting of the Freeholders indicated
that several of the departments have
exhausted their funds and it was neces-
sary to negotiate a loan of 81, 600
from the Salem National Banking Com
pany to meet payments for work en-
bridges, while the County Almshouse
trustees will ave to depend on money
coming in from wheat and tomatoes to
tide them over for another month. The
Almhouse funds were exhausted last
month and with poor crops the trus-
tees were forced to ask for more money
from the Freeholders. There is auc
important work being done on bridges,
notably several contracts for new
bridges that has taken all of the money
appropriated for the year. Until next
month the Freeholders will not be able
to transfer funds from departments
that have a surplus.
The only MAJ who managed to keep
real warm in the Freeholders' room on
Wednesday was Clerk Smashey, and he
was kept on the jump during both ses-
sions. The most important business of
the day was listening to the reports of
the Bridge and Road Committees and
acting upon their recommendations.
In the report of the Road Committee
it was noticed that there was much dis
satisfaction with the Indifferent way in
which certain overseers have been at
tending to their duties. In one case
the Committee was particularly dis
tressed because the overseer had failed
to finish import repairs because he felt
to finish important repairs because he
felt obliged to give his time to filling
his silo.
During the afternoon session a dele
cation from Lower Alloway Greek
Township, made UP of Township COM
mitteemen and members OF the meadow
known as the Cantor Drain
age Company, was given a hearing on
the damage caused by the bank going
out at Sluice Race Bridge a month ago.
This has placed the bridge in a pre-
carious condition and has also flooded
the meadows. The breach is getting
worse all the time and the men inter-
ested are not a unit on what should be
done. The Township Committee say
that they have no funds to make re-
pairs but some think that the county
should help build a new bank on the
outside of the old one This the Free
holders could not see their way clear to
do.
Mr.. Rankin reported that he is max
ing daily visits to the bridge and ex-
poets to find it carried away at any
time. Afetr hearing all of the state
ments of the delegation it was decided
that the meado people and the Town
ship Committee should get together and
agree on some plan and then submit
their report to the Bridge Committee.
In the meantime if the bridge goes it
will be up to Mr.. Rankin to rebuild it
so that the people in that locality may
be Kept in touch with the outer woMd.
The farmers are against filling up
the bridge because they say that it will
only cause the water to back up over
their land.
Many in this delegation are members
of Fenwick Grange and they were also
there on a mission for that organiza-
ton. They had been instructed by the
Grange to make a plea for the reten-
ton of the Farm Demonstration for
1920. This year the Farm Dsmonstra-
tors office is costing the County $1,000,
but as there will be no more Federal
aid hereafter it is believed that it will
cost double that in 1920.
The delegation was assured that the
department would be kept up next year
if it did not cost too much, as it was
apparent that the farmers realized that
he was doing good work.
On motion of Mr.. Heron the Bridge
Committee was instructed to notify all
contractors that they would not ap-
prove any work done in the absence OF
the inspector. This motion was the re-
suit of unsatisfactory work having
been done by contractors when inspec-
tors were not there to oversee the
operations.
Mr.. Reeves, one of the new members
of the County Board of Elections, ap-
peared before the Freeholders and ask
ed that their compensation be raised.
They are now getting $50 with excep-
ton of the secretary who receives $40.
This is less than is paid in any other
county in the State.
When informed that the Board could
not make any further raise in 'alar1es,
Mr.. Reeves stated that his Board had
saved the County $500 by not publish
ing the election notices in the papers.
The election board claimed that they
were not supposed to do this. 1t was
found, however, that this advertising
is required by the law and it should
have been done this year as usual. 1t
was alleged that the County Board OF
Election had decided not to publish
the notices upon the advice of some one
from Atlantic County and because such
instructions did not appear in the cleo
ton pamphlet.
Even if they had hoped to profit by
saving his $500 they were doomed to
disappointment because the Freeholders
cannot divert the money to the purpoae
of raising salaries.
The reports of the Jail and Road
Camp Committees showed that there