The Penn's Grove record., 1920-11-12
Road Contractor
Reimbursed
War Increase To Road Building
Paid By Freeholders. Women
Increase Election Expenses

At the afternoon session of the No
vember meeting OF the Board of
Chosen Freehoiders Wednesday the
bill of Sutton Il Corson Co., of Ocean
City, for reimbursement, under the
Act of Legislature for payments in
excess of 1reights rates, labor and
materials in the construction of the
sixth section of the Malaga-Penns
Grove road, amounting to S~6,992.45,
was brought up for consideration.
This excess represents the increase in
rates of freight, labor and materials
incidental to the war and for which
the contractor could not provide in
his original bid as it was MED before
the breaking out of the war and the
contract was not awarded to the COM
pany until several days after the war
had started. In building this road the
company had to submit to 40 per cent.
increase in freight rates, the great in
crease in the costs of labor and ma
terials and also the losses entailed by
the failure of the railroads to handle
material promptly.
Recognizing that it was unjust
for road contractors to bear all of this
burden of wal that affected all the
people the last Legislature passed two
acts. One of those provided that
Boards of Freeholders may reimburse
contractors for all loss on contracts
by. reason of the war conditions and
the other provides that the boards
may make good to the contractor such
sums that were actually paid out in
excess of existing rates and prices
prior to the war.
This matter was first introduced in
the Board meeting of last September
and was taken under Amusement. Mr..
Sutton at that time claimed that his
company's total loss on the contract
was SIT 200, but he did not believe it
was equitable to expect the taxpayers
to make good anything over the
actual excess in freight rates, labor
and material, as the other loss might
have been through the bidder himself.
The Board had Assistant Engineer
James S. Sparks and H. Norris Man
gan go to Ocean City and audit the
books of the company. Their report
was submitted at the meeting on
Wednesday together with a certificate
from Mr.. Sparks and IN affidavit from
Mr.. Mangan as to the correctness OF
their findings. They also submitted
an affidavit from Henry w. Town
send, vice-president of the company.
The investigation had tailed exactly
with the detailed statement that had
been presented by Mr.. Sutton.
At the meeting statements were
made by Mr.. Sutton and also by Mr..
T. G. billiard, who had ben acting
solicitor when the contract was let
and during a portion of the time the
road was building. The Freeholders
then took a recess and retired to the
Grand Jury room together with their
solicitor and the representatives OF
the press for consultation. 1t was
the concensus of opinion that the
claim was just and that it should be
borne by all of the people rather than
by one party who had acted IN good
faith and had carried out the pro-
visions of the contract in the face OF
great loss and had given the County
a satisfactory piece of work. This,
however, is not a precedent, as it only
Affects contracts that were awarded
at the beginning of the war when It
was impossible for the bidders to tell
Show costs would be.
A resolution providing for the pay
ment of the claim was presented by
Mr.. Borton and unanimously adopted.
This resolution also provides for the
issuance of an emergency note to pro
vide the funds and the amount VIII
later be made UP in the 1921 budget
II x-a.,ol hxy on CO in tho raw
levy. 1t means to the taxpayers only
two cents on the hundred of taxation
and as it places Salem County in the
same class with all the other counties
that are taking the same course to
shoulder their share of this war debt
it will be eminently satisfactory to all
fairminded citizens.
Increase In Election Cost
Everyone was surprised to learn
that the cost of the recent election
was only $4,000 in xce of pre-
vious years. 1t was expected that the
increase would be much larger be-
cause of the woman vote. This sum
was provided in an emergency note.
Resolutions were also adopted to
raise $4,000 for County expenses,
the amount to be made up III the 1921
budget. Notes will be negotiated
with the following banks for the re-
spective amounts noted for each:
Woodstowr National Bank $4,000
Salem Co. Trust Co., Woods
town ,o..--.---.. 10000
Penns Grove Natl Bank .-....... 1880
list Natl Bank, Elmer...--..--. 10000
LIST Natl Bank, Ped~ricktown-.- 5000
City Natl Bank, Salem 10000
Salem Natl Banking Co... 1880
Last month a loan of $14,500 was
negotiated but Sd 1900 of this was paid
back with moneys received.
County's Insane In State Care
The Commute on Insane reported
having paid a visit to the State Hos
initial for the Insane at Trenton and
finding all the Salem County patients
in good condition as to health, cloth
ing and general welfare. They COM