Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-05-27
ROAD
CASE IS AIRED
Roads Through Commission
er's Farm Are Repaired
With State Funds

TRENTON. May 27:-Considera-
BILE discussion has been evoked over
the information that a number Of
roads on the Seabrook Farms, in
Cumberland county, have been i'm
proved with state financial aid sine.
Charles Seabrook. the directing
head OF the farms. became a mem
Der of the State Highway Commits
sion. Most of the roads are regard
ed by Mr.. Seabrook a. public high
ways and he takes the position that
in the state improving them the
general public. as well as his farms.
is being benefited. The farms cover
more than 1900 acres and several
thousand persons are understood TO
be employed there.
Mr.. Seabrook became commits
sioner in 1920. Since that time five
gravel roads have been built across
his farm lands and a concrete road
is now in the course Of construction,
affording ccess to the principal
buildings from the two major high
ways. The Seabrook farms is a
business enterprise operated by a
stock company. It is located near
Bridgeton and is more or less a
show-place for tourists in hat part
of the state.
Officials of the highway depart
ment take the position that there S
nothing out of the way in the road
construction which has been done in
and about the Seabrook property.
The roads were built there with the
approval of the proper authorities,
according to State Highway Engi-
eer Thomas ]. Wasser. The state,
it is understood, contributed what is
known as state aid to the extent of
rs per cent of the cost. The opinion
of Commissioner Seabrook that the
particular roads are a general bene-
fit to the public as well as to his
property is c~oncurred in by the
highway engineer.
When Mr.. Seabrook became a
commissioner the department had
about 100000 state-aid money I'M
distributed. Townships in some
counties were unwilling to put up
the necessary rs per cent to meet
the states offer of rs per cen to
build roads. Seabrook interested
the Cumberland county officials to
accept the states offer. His ag-
gressiveness started the road build
ing.
Some of the five gravel roads
crossing the farm extend either cas-:
of the state road on the east or west
of Deerfield Turnpike. the gravel
road on the west. but the advant-
ages of all of them to the farm are
unquestioned. They cost more than
$4,000 and the state contributed rs
per cent of this cost. The concrete
road through the farm will cost
s43,S63. The state will pay 40 per
cent or about S17,544; Cumberland
Cnuntu will nav S0 nor rant anil
Seabrook's home township 10 per
cent.
Cumberland county since Sea-
brook has been in office. has decided
to build and eight-mtle stretch of
road using Warrenite, at a cost in
excess of concrete.
The state road, which is part of
Route No. 6 of the state highway
system Is beneficial TO the Seabrook
farm by providing a concrete road
way to Bridgeton. Its length Is
about s miles and cost S394,770. 1t
was built under the county re-im-
bursement act.
Roads are built for the people,
aren't they? Well. we are people"
is Commissioner Seabrook's explana-
ton of the highway improvements.
The roads have always been there,
for they are public highways. If you
could have seen them in the win
ter before they were improved, when
they were nothing but mudholes, you
would think they needed improve
ment."
Roscoe c. Ward, county counsel,
county prosecutor and former Re
publican chairman of Cumberland
county, said the road should be bullt
to aid a business development and
because the farms are a show place
for motorists of the stare. Cumber-
land taxpayers who have criticized
Commissioner Seabrook are branded
as kickers and knockers by Ward,
who claims the commissioners work
iS mot anpreciated-