The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1919-06-20

tIIdifS bit vi tBt iHNSN
and welcome facts to note in connec-
ton with this gIea, highway building
program is the fact that in all likeii-
hood 39,626 miles of the 81. 432 miles of
state highways now under way will re-
ceive $500 231.2S of assistance from
the federal government. This sum has
been apportioned from the $3.50, S3S3S
of funds available for New Jersey in
1919. In 1920 it is anticipated that this
state will receive approximately ST.
12S.000 of such federal assistance and
a similar sum in 1921.
Policy of the Commission.
So far as the new construction on
the state highway system during the
1920 building season is concerned. the
work program adopted by the commits
sion at its June meeting contemplates
the expenditure of S4,590,76S on total
of 1888 miles of the state highways.
one of the routes of the system except
Routes 3, {, II and 10 and has been Sc
lected with view, first of the compile
ton of the most important arteries of
traffic and the assumption of control
over them by the state, and, second.
with view to keeping the remaining
routes safe and comfortable for travel
until such time as the commission is
able 10 take them over completely I'M
der state control The estimates,
amounting TO $3.50. 76S, deemed neces-
sary for the execution of this 1920
work program includes OUTLAWS OF
rights of way, expenditures for heavy
excavation, grading and drainage prof.
ects. costs for bridge undertakings,
among which is preliminary work on
new Perth Amboy bridge, etc, all of
which have purposely been made high.
so that the commission in the midst OF
its activities next year may not by any
chance fiNd that the money at its dis
posal is inadequate to meet the prices
for highway work ruling then.
Not, only has the execution of the
1919 program and the preparation of
the 1920 work program for the state
highway system and the disposition of
federal aid money engaged the atttn-
ton of the Highway Commission, but
it has also been busy in supervising
the distribution of state aid to the
counties and municipalities in their
highway projects. These activities
have involved the direct control of
about S3,000,000 of the states money
and an even greater amount of that of
the subordinate jurisdictions. 1t can
be seen, therefore, that combining the
state highway tax, the federal aid and
the state aid and the expenditures
made by the counties and municipali-
ties on state aid projects the State
Highway Commission directs a public
business which annually involves the
iudicious spending of between $4,000
600 and s10000000
Oysters Will Be High.
With the oyster planting season now
under way for about month in the
famous Maurice river cove in the Della
ware bay, planters and shippers have
let it be known that the prospects are
not bright for cheaper oyster stews and
"raws" or fries in the city restaurants
next fall and winter.
The oysterrnon had expected the la
Dor situation to improve lot this sea-
son, but, while they have been able to
get fuller crews than they did a year
ago. the wages still keep high. Owners
of oyster beds now being replanted fig
ure that it costs more than twice as
much for the labor and "seed" as it did
before the war.
| On the larger boats, which carry ten
men crews, the monthly pay and grub
bills frequently top the $1,000 mark
Where plenty of men We're to be had
for oyster crews three or four years
ago at about $40 a month, the present
run of oyster boat hands are now aver
aging twice that much, and their board
represents an outlay of about ST day
per man.
Planters say that the trough cull'
law makes 1t necessary to carry bigger
crews than formerly. Three oyster
boat captains were fined $3.50 each this
season for violations of the trough
Gull" law, which requires that the
decks of the boats be kept clear of all
but 5 per cent of shells and rubbish.
! The intent of the law is to have the
culls and rubbish thrown back upon
the beds. as it is upon this material
that the oysters spawn.
OYSTER seed" dredged out by the
tongers from the creeks has reached a
record breaking price this season, SELL
ing for 80 cents a bushel, which is
three or four times as much as the
oyster bed owners paid for plants a
few years ago.
The oystermen say that these condi-
tons will have a tendency to keep up
the price of oysters even beyond next
winter as the oysters planted this sea-
son at such big expense will not be
ready to market for at least three
years.
Jersey Poverty Dying.
1t would seem that poverty is on the
decrease in New Jersey from unofficial
reports submitted by 90 delegates TO
the convention of the State Association
of Overseers of the Poor at Atlantic
! City.
The overseers admitted that their
job has developed into sort of sine
cure. for the reason that they cannot
/ find any poor to oversee. Unless Sc me-
/ thing is done pretty speedily to stop
I the alarming Spreal of prosperity in
the Garden State. they declared, their