Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-07-30
Democrat and 8 G. @. P.
Members of Board Duck
Out of Meeting.
ACTION IS REcoNSIDERED
Amended Later--Award Con-
tract for Repairs to Road
Roosevelt to Woodbridge.
By stan Correspondent.

By Stan Correspondent.
NEW BRUNSWICK, July s0:-
Dissension among the members of
the Board of Freeholders in regard
to the road-building program for
the year made itself apparent yes
terday, at which time the Democra-
tic minority and three Republican
members ducked out of the meeting
room in an apparent effort to save
themselves from recording vote
authorizing a new pavement. While
the performance yesterday was the
first public indication that all is not
harmony among the county fathers
regarding the subject, 1t is expected
the further utterances will be heard
next week.
Though the reason for the failure
OF the board to agree on the first
reading of a resolution providing
for the paving of the upper end of
George street in this city was not
given, it is generally understood to
be a difference of opinion among
the members as to just what should
be the amount of the bond limit for
road improvements this year. 1t is
well known fact that both County
Solicitor Frederick +. Richardson
and County Engineer Alvin b. Fox
are and have been unalterably op-
posed to any elaborate and unneces-
sary road building on account of
the extreme high cost of labor and
material.
1t was on a resolution presented
by director of the board. William S.
Dey, empowering the county en-
gineer to prepare the plans and spec
ifications for paving the three-quar-
ter-mile stretch of George street
from College avenue to the Landing
bridge. with sheet asphalt on a con-
crete base that Freeholder z. Leon
Loblein the only Democrat on the
board headed the procession, consist
ing of -Freeholders Haight, Belloff
ana Vandenberg, out fthe room to
escape registering a vote. Three
votes were registered in favor of the
resolution, by the remaining men,
bers. Dey, Applegate and Gebhardt.
On the return of the insurgents to
the meeting room F'reeholder Lob
lein movd to reconsider the resoIu-
ton, which was unanimously agreed
to, after which he moved to amend
the resolution calling for the paving
fthe road with type r surface on
stone base and the work to be done
under the direction of the county
and by county employees. eDey and
Applegate opposed the move but
Freeholder Gebhardt changed his
views and voted with the insurgents.
thereby putting the measure
the seven members the material
called 70 rim the amendment will be
used.
With new road work contemplate
ed under the schedule prepared
earlier in the year it was determined
that the cost would be about $780,
600 and with the money expected to-
be allotted from the state to assist
in defraying the cost, it would have
been necessary to issue county road
improvement bonds in the amount
of approximately 100000. While
contracts have ben let for a part of
the work. bids are now being sought
for others and plans now in the
course of preparation for the bal
ance of the work, the developments
of yesterday would seem to indicate
that any further expenditures for
new road work may cause split in
the board.
Work of resurfacing the concrete
road running from Woodbridge to
Roosevelt viii probably be started
in the very near future as the con-
tract for this work was awarded
vest erday. The lowest bid, which
was submitted at the bid opening
last week by the Standard Bitulithic
Company, was accepted, the price
for furnishing the labor and ma
terial to complete the job being
$42,969.09.
Following the proposals rendered
last week for paving the road be-
tween Jamesburg and Helmetta the
bids were forwarded to the state
highway commission at Trenton.
and though the bids have been
neither approved nor disapproved
by that body they have as much as
stated that they are opposed to the
award In connection with state
ments recently attributed to former
Chairman John w. Herbert, of the
recently ousted commission, that a
commission favoring patented pave
ments instead of concrete was pre-
ferred. it is singular fact that this
road practically disapproved was
specified concrete with no patent
surface dressing.
Though no action was taken by
the freeholders regarding the road 1t
is hardly expected that they will
proceed contrary to the recommends
tions contained in the following
letter, as there is strong possibility
that it might effect the financial aid
expected this year from the state.
The communication was to County
Solicitor Richardson and is as
follows:
II am enclosing the specifications
for the above named road which YOU
left here on Friday last. / consulted
aIr. McGee of the atsurncy generals
,sice and received from him a verbal
opinion to the effect that there would
- no legal obstacle to the awarding
cf this contract.
Continued on Page Five.)