The Penn's Grove record., 1920-04-16
Another Road
Contract Given
I County Freeh0lders Short of
Cash Because municipalities
and Government Are
Slow Pay

regular April meeting of the Board of
Chosen trechc4Ge-s on Wednesday.
The contractor is ready to start pn the
new section Ct the Salem-Penps Grove
road from Lower Canal bridge to
Churchtown and to contract was
awarded OF Wednesday for the build
ing of the gravel road on a section of
4.125 miles of the Pedricktown- Woods
town road.
Work ON all the bridges is progress
ing and the roads Oh the county have
been PIT in fairly good condition after
the long hard winter.
The contract for the Pedricktown-
Woodstown road was secured by Craig
milford, of Cedarville. Their bid
was $57,238.76. The next lowest bid
was that of j. E. Burke & Co., of Pat
erson, which was $78,913.09, or over
$4,000 higher than the successful bid.
The only ether bid, however, was the
most surprising. It was submitted by
Benjamin Franklin, Jr.,s of Philadel-
phia, and was for $~144,727.30. In
passing on the bids one Freholder said
that there should be no trouble in
young ~Ben's praeticing his ancestors
thrift rules provided he could command
such prices for his contracts.
A resolution was. adopted which au-
thorized the Director and Clerk to ex-
ecute the usual contract with the State
Highway Ieralment. for the county's
share of he motor-vehicle money. The
county will. receive -2.979 per cent of
the money collected, which the esti-
mates fix at about $4,000 for 1920.
Another important matter was the
fixing by resolution of the rates of,
wages to be paid for road work this
summer. 1t was decided to pay la
borers 40 cents an hour and teams 80
cents, while the supervisor is to re-
ceive five dollars. a day. The super
visor will be permitted to use his own
discretion whenever he finds it nee
essary to increase the rats of pay to
labor or teams for certain work.
The report of the Finance Commit
tee would confirm the prevalent opin-
ion that the national government sets
a poor example to its children in the
matter of Iiquidating honest debts.
According to the report the United
States Government still yves Salem
County approximately $1,000 Fed
eral Aid project No. l. By Federal
Aid project is meant the aid for high
way building, the cost of which was
divided between the State, the County
and the National Government.
County Engineer Keasbey has made
strenuous efforts to secure this money
as it is needed to pay road contractors.
The nearest he came to getting the
money is a promise that it will be
paid IN the NEAR future"
Penns Grove Borough also Owes
S4-329.29 in this project, which the
county could use to good advantage
lust now. Upper Penns Neck town
ship owes Sc, 969.99. Bills have been
rendered to both municipalities but the
checks have not been forthcoming. AS
a result of the laxity of the United
States and Penns Grove and Upper
Penns Neck township in this matter
the county is greatly embarrassed II
providing funds for contractors.
More Money Owing The County q
The county. according to the report,
is also held up by Warrington town
ship which owes $6,135.07 on the road
work on the Pointers-Auburn road
The township has provision for $4,000
in the 1920 budget will help some IT
the county can get it all. ltwould as
sist the Finance Committee IN prose
cutting the work on roads.
Bid Greater Than Budget
The committee reports that while
the budget for 1920 provided S55,0O0
for Pedricktown-Wo odstown road,
Section. the lowest bid was S57,238.76.
The contract cannot be awarded there
fore until an appropriation is made
sufficient to complete the work. The
report continues:
nYo,,r Committee are advised that B
nor cent of the. contract price will not
become due to the contractor until n
wear after the completion OF the WORK.
This will reduce the amount payap ae
to the contractor in the year Oh lSzo
to less than $55, 600, the amount APP
propriated. Your Committee are also
advised that the contract includes GER
tain work aggregating $4,4Oo, a por-
ton of which it may be possible 10
eliminate.
AShould you desire to award the ON
tract it will be necessary for you TO au-
tborize a bond issue and appropriate
the money therefrom arising to the
building of this road. As you have IN
vo,Ir budget $4,000 appropriated Tor
the building of this road, 1t VIII not
he necessary to sell any of the bonds
authorized until you have expended me
aforesaid S55, 900. 1t is extremely
probable that the amount to become
d,,e to the contractor in the year l920
viii exceed the amount of $4,000 n
fhe possibility of your being required
~ sell any of the bonds is extremely
small. Your Committee therefore
recommend, should you desire to ayard
the contract, the authorization OF the
bond issue Of $4,000. Attached to
th;s report is the resolution necessary
to authorize this bond issue, when
your Committee has directed your So
iicitor to prepare. 5no4
SIN preparing your budget for ~
Continued on pages