The Penn's Grove record., 1920-07-16
Heated Controversy on
Road EncrOachment
Financing Roads Becoming a
Great Problem. High
Licenses Needed

section of the Salem-Penns Grove
road finished this year went a-glim-
mering when the Board of Chosen
Freeholders adopted a resolution which
provides for a three-rod road in
Churchtown at st. Georges Episcopal
Church and instructed the county en-
gineer to take such proceedings as
may be nesessary to obtain from the
property owners the extra width of
highway that will be needed. This
means, according to some members,
that the section will not be completed
until next year, while others believe
it will take two years.
The representatives of st. Georges
P. E. Church, headed by their counsel,
Charles E. Sheppard, of Bridgeton,
forced the issue when they appeared
at the afternoon session of the regular
monthly meeting of the Board of
Freeholders and demanded that the
concrete road be built in the middle of
the highway as indicated by a stone
monument that is fifteen inches below
the surface and which had been over
looked when the survey for the i'm
provement had been made. Mr.. Shep-
pard very frankly stated that the con
gregation had determined to oppose
the plans as adopted by the Freehold
ers to build the concrete bed of 20 feet
in width bringing it close to the
Churchyard fence on n side and
of the Traction Company's roadbed on
the other. 1t was stated, but not in a
threatening manner, that steps had al
ready been taken to prepare the
papers necessary for an injunction to
stop the work unless the Freeholders
agreed to make the road three rods
wide and construct the concrete road
in the middle.
Besides Mr.. Sheppard the delegation
Hance Jaquett and Thomas Jaquett
and Hance Jaquett, Jr., and c. w.
Powers, all of whom addressed the
Board and told why the road should
be built with the stone marker IN the
middle as the line and why it should
be the original full width of three rods.
1t was recalled that in 1872 when the
hedge was set out it was run along a
line that was further in than the old
one and that this left some of the
graves outside of the burying ground.
They'd d not propose to run any risk
of repeating such a dissertation. They
declared that the property owners on
the other side had e~ncroached on the
road and Mr.. Sheppard had the rec
ords to show that the deed for these
properties all stipulated that their
lines should begin at the middle of the
road.
William A. Summerill, editor of the
Penns Grove Record, who is a survey
or, stated that he had been employed
by the Newcomb brothers to survey
their properties and had shown them
that their front fences were in the road
by measurements from the real stones
corners to their properties, from
twelve to fourteen feet. The county
record shows that the controversy as
to encroachments was up in 1872 and
Surveyors of the Highways had decld-
ed the Township of Lower Penns Neck
was entitled to a three rod road which
was put on record. AS the County
Board of Freeholders had taken over
the Townships right it was their duty
as custodians of County property to
take possession of what belongs to
them. Many such snags have been
met in Penns Grove during the past
twenty years with little difficulty and
the property owners soon acqulesced
after being shown what the public
rights we're. Messrs. Newcomb made
no strenuous objections when shown.
Thomas Jaquett, of Salem, said that
he was present in 1872, when the con-
troversey as to the encroachments OF
the road came up and knew of the
stone monument at the corner OF the
Hook road and the stone at the east
end of the cemetery. The hedge was
set IA inches in the cemetery from the
road line to allow a spread when
grown and the Wardens of the huron
were particular to have an iron fence
erected where the hedge was and avoid
future controversy. Hanc Jaqutt hh
future controversy. Hance Jaquett
Sr. and Jr., declared that to allow the
Law out by the County Engineer to eX-
ist would in time make further en-
croachments on the burial ground and
-necessitate a removal of the fence at
the expense of hundreds of dollars,
when the Entertainments are on the
opposite side. =,
Freebooter S. M. Layman presented
a resolution instructing the engineer
and the Road Committee to open the
road in Churchtown between st.
Georges Cemetery and the Newcomb
properties to the three rods width as
on the County records and that the
new concrete road be built : ~ -
ire of this road. 1t also provided that
the monument now existing be elevat-
ed to the surface and that the old ones
that had been removed be replaced.
Engineers H. B. Keasby and James
Sparks said they had taken the gener-
al fence lines in making the survey
without reference to these old monu-
ments. If their survey was changed
the road would be delayed and a leng-
thy litigation could be carried on. Mr.;
Keasby said by the resolution passed
he would need further instructions
from the Board.
Mr.. Borton moved to strike out that
portion of the resolution compelling
the engineer and the Road Committee
to build the roadway in the middle OF