Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-01-10
OF BOARD
OF FREEHOLDERS

TO OrQ6I Dy OlIeCtOT RulucIIOIu
Of Cape May, at eleven O'Clock, a. M,
the very second. There was a rea-
for this very prompt beginning,
because the annual appropriation bud
get was to be passed that day, and this
meant a lengthy session. 1t was
nearly five p. M. before the board had
all business before it, in
this memorable first meeting OF the
new year. AS you enter the Freehold
ders' room the first mural adoinment
to greet your eager eyes is the county
clock securely fastened on the western
wall, high up above the directors
head. This valuable, ruddy timepiece,
with its cheerful oval face welcomes
you to the spacious hall; AID as the
meeting last Tuesday dragged its slow
along, not a few spectators
whiled away the time I'm watching
its pendulum swing to and fro"
Director Rutherford renders excel
lent service as the presiding officer,
being fair and impartial in his methods
and rulings, and manifestly devoted 10
the best interests of the people of the
county. Scarcely had his gavel fallen
and a quorum announced as present.
when Acting Clerk Irving Fitch, of
Sea Isle City, began to read the min
utes. There were two absentees, Otto
Koeneke and Gus Hilton, of Wild
wood. Bids for auditing the county
books and accounts having been solic-
tied these were opened, resulting as
follows: Clarence S. Scull, treasurer
of Ocean City, 1915; Harry A. Morris,
clerk of Ocean City, $500; Charles F.
Sanders, of Anglesea, $l75; ex-senator
Lewis T. Stevens, $3.50, with the pro-
viso that he be employed as auditor
for three consecutive years. The board
decided they could not accept any bid
with a string to it. The award went
to MI. Sanders, who was the next
lowest bidder. Two new roads will be
constructed this year. E. Kelley
Mixner, of Goshen, was the lower bid
der on the SchelleDger Landing road
at Cape May, his figures being set
down at $l2, O49. The other lid was
$13, Os7. 80, made by Charles w. Kee-
Ter, of Cape May. For the construc-
ton of the Tabernacle road ear Erma.
four bids had been submitted as fol-
lows: e. Riley Mixner, $1,000; w. H.
Powell, $685.; Israel 7. Woolson,
$S5O5; Charles w. Keller, 1886.
The latter being the lowest bidder he
was awarded the contract. Serious
complaint by many Cape May county
patrons Of the Bell telephone against
the unsatisfactory service of that sys-
tenn brought T. F. Swords, Of Atlantic
City, traffic superintendent for this
section, before the board to endeavor to
explain what his company is trying to
do to better the service. Explanations
are all very well in their way, but I'M
less the Bell company does something
soon to remedy the defects in service
complained of, all the explanations
will only excite more disgust. Indeed,
the service is so unsatisfactory that
Director Rutherford characterized it
by using the repulsive words "rotten,
rotten," and expressed surprise that
his colleagues permitted Swords and
Walker 10 get of so easy. Walker
resides at Wildwood and is traffic man.
ager for Cape May county, and has
has attended the last two Freeholder
meetings in the interests Of the Bell.
Leon Headley, of Trenton, state en-
tomologist, addressed the Freeholders
on behalf of the New Jersey State Mos
quito Commission and requested that
no decrease be made in the approprla'
ton this year. Last year the county
appropriation for the determination Of
mosquitoes was $4,000. This year IL
has peer cut to $4,000, aud If the truth
were known 1t is probable a majority
OF the people would like to see this
item cut out altogether. MI. Headley
stated, in answer 10 a question asked
him by Freebooter Young, of the
finance committee, how far swarms Of
mosquitoes can be- waited by warm,
dry, favoring gales, that they are fire.
quently blown as far as forty miles
Under these circumstances what good
does a little bit of local drainage do
when these summer pests are blown
la swarms for miles from other fertile
breeding grounds and streams? As
tonishment was visible on many faces
when Freebooter Young read Chic
Inspector Schellenger's report OF las
years mosquito disbursement o
$40, 900. The salaries of the insl ector'
and the clerks and Office rent at Gaps
May and other incidental expenses
amounted to $4,000. The amount o
49,