The Penn's Grove record., 1921-08-12
Slow Progress
On Road Work
State Authorities Want a Fine
Boarding House For
Criminals

road was the cause Of complaint and
much discussion at the regular meet
ing of the County Board of Freehol-
derS, which was held on Wednesday.
There were two sessions Of the meet
ing and all the members were present
with the exception of Mr. May
While the contractor has until No
Vember first to finish his contract, it
will be much longer before the road is
open to traffic, if he continues at the
rate he is now going. The clerk was
instructed to write +. A Corson, con-
tractor, that the Board is not salts
fled with the progress he is making and
that it is not the policy of the Board
/ to extend time for completion when
there seems to be no good reason why
work should net be pushed much fas
tea' than at present. He Will be asked
to speed up little.
Heavy Truck Through Bridge
1 Mr.. Patrick, who was late in arriv-
ing at the meeting, stated that his de
lay was because it was reported to him
that truck of the American Stores
Company had broken six 6-foot planks
in the bridge over the canal near the
/ Charles Z. Zelley farm, on the Salem
Sharptown road. The truck did not
/ go through the bridge, but the repairs
to the structure will mean an entire
new deck and one sleeper The bridge
/ was posted two ton capacity, but it is
! alleged the truck, loaded, weighed
/ 10000 pounds.
This road has been named as a de-
/ tour while the Woodstown- Salem road
is being constructed. and bridges must
be made strong enough to carry the
traffic In some counties, in fact
nearly all, where roads are being con-
structed along the State Highway
routes and detours are designated, the
State Commission has strengthened
the bridges.
The Board did not have sufficient
evidence to present claim against
the American Stores and it was not
decided whether to ask the Commits
sion to make the bridges stronger
The matter was left with the Bridge
Committee and F'reeholder Patrick
with power to act.
Bridgetender's Accident
Notice was received from Freehol-
der Samuel Shoulders, of Gloucester
County, that George Whitaker, tender
of the County line bridge, was seri-
ously injured by being struck by
lever that turns the draw, on the even
ing of July 28th, when a vessel ran
into the draw during a high wind.
The Jail and Road Camp Committee
reports as follows: Number of prison
ers in Jail, 7-13, 9; number on road,
%: total, 80. Number IN jail $40, Z
white and l black; number in Road
Camp. IS black and white; total 30
Cost of prisoners in Jail the past
months, 26 4-5 cents per day; in Road
Camp, 4712 cents per day.
Liability For Pauper's Burial
In matter of bill of Coroner Cole, of
Daretown, in the sudden death of Ray
mond Sally, the Board voted to elimi-
nate from the bill charges for en-
balming and burial lot, on the ground
that the new law does not warrant the
Board in paying more than $25.00 for
the burial of a pauper and that the re-
mains should have been buried in Pot
ter's field at the County Almshouse.
Preserving Old County Records
County Clerk Ballinger appeared
before the Board and asked that the
appropriation for rebinding and re-
covering record books in his office be
increased for 500 to S140O, and this
was granted, the matter being left in
the hands of the County Clerks office
committee Mr.. Ballinger that the
books are all valuable and that the at
tention is necessary to preserve them
for future years.
Condition of County Jail
The Solicitor also stated that COM
plant had been made by Burdette G.
Lewis, of the State Board Of Charities
and Corrections, about the condition
of the County jail; that upon report
of a recent inspection made by rep
resentative of his department there
was nothing at the Jail that should be;
that if everything was complied with
it would mean a new jail at a cost OF
probably 100000 or $300,0O0. The
letter intimated that Ocean County
had been forced to build jail. He
wanted a toilet in each cell. The gen
eral sanitation is unpleasant and cells
are dark and gloomy. He enclosed a
menu for the Sheriff to follow, which
prescribed different meals for each
day.
1t was the belief of many Freehol-
ders that the taxpayers are unwilling
to be saddled with the cost of new
Jail; that persons held for crime are
not such that are accustomed to toilets
in their own homes nor the benefits
of steam heat and city water; that the
Board should be allowed, since the law
designates to them the power, the
right to serve the meals as at present
without subscribing to menu and
that the meals served are much better
than the criminals probably enjoy at
home. :,
It was agreed that the matter would |
have to be handled with diplomacy or
else the State authorities might force
the County to build and the matter
was referred to the Solicitor to consult |
Mr.. Lewis and have him in turn take |
the matter up with the Jail Committee,
explaining that the Jail is really a
House of Detention, where defendants
are held awaiting bail or action OF the
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