The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-06-14
Attorney General Says Former
Chairman Deposited Coupons
From Cannon Bonds.
LAND SALE TO BE CANCELLED
Lumber Company Agrees to Surrender
$4,000 Paid by State for Tract
Deal on Bridge Approach In
wolves ousted Officer.

4 counsel for the DOnnell Lumber Com
pany of its willingness to turn over to
the state $23O,000 received for land
purchased from the company for the
approach to the Perth Amboy bridge,
was followed by the disclosure that
George L. Burton, of South River,
chairman of the old Highway Com
mission, cashed bond coupons immedi-
ately after the Donnell company is al
legged to have delivered $4,000 in
bonds to Bernard Cannon, Democratic
leader in Middlesex county. The bonds
we're delivered to Cannon, officers of
the lumber company testified at
previous hearing, for his influence in
obtaining fair price for the land.
Attorney General McCran, counsel
for the Legislative Investigating Com
mittee, probing the purchase Of the
land, called the attention of the COM
mittee that Burton had cashed bond
coupons within two days after officers
of the lumber company testified they
had been delivered to Cannon.
Thomas j. Evans, vice president of
the lumber company" McCran said,
"had testified that he delivered
the bonds to Cannon on the first or
second of August, 1922. On August
4, we find deposit of bond coupons
by Burton, and again on August IL.
This leaves an implication impossible
OF escape, that Burton deposited cou-
pons from bonds delivered to Gan
non"
The Donnell Lumber Company
agreed to return to the state the
$3.50, 900 it received from the old High
way Commission from the lands. I'm
der the agreement the lands will be
restored to the company's possession
and a decree will be entered in the
Court of Chancery setting aside the
conveyance. This agreement will ter
inmate the suit brought by the state
at the direction Of Governor Silzer
against the company, but will not in
terrupt the investigation being made
by the legislative committee.
Cannon was expected to appear be-
fore the investigating committee, but
he reported at noon that he had been
unable to serve a subpoena upon him.
Commissioners told virtually the same
story of permitting the judgment of
Chairman Burton to prevail in the
purchase of the bridge lands. This,
the four members said, was in keep
| ing with the boards policy whereby
each commissioner was considered the
best judge of conditions. in the district
where he resided
Normal Crop of Peaches
Housewives may expect normal
crop of New Jersey peaches this year,
according to an intensive survey of
orchard conditions just completed by
the Jersey Fruit Growers Co-opera-
tive Association, which has six CO.
operative packing houses in the
peach belt of central and southwest
ern New Jersey. Killing frosts that
damaged fruit in southern and middle
| western peach areas, as confirmed in
late May by various state and federal
crop reports, did not come with suf-
Acient severity at the critical devei-
opment of New Jersey peaches to in
! lure the crop seriously, the association
reports. The late spring, however,
has retarded maturity of the peaches
/ by at least one week.
| Commenting upon the outlook of
/ the New Jersey peach crop which
/ normally comes upon northeastern
markets in quantity in late July and
! August between the marketing period
Of the southern and more northern
4 A lei, ocar Of
the association, said:
Consumers need have no doubt
about a crop of good New Jersey
peaches this season. Coupled with
the outlook for a crop Of normal size,
the cool spring, in fact, has prevented
the early infestation of insect pests,
and the quality of the fruit should be
| better than last year.
'tThe growers are spraying their or
chards under more effective system
than formerly The New Jersey Agri-
cultural Extension Service has been
cooperating with peach men through
| out the state by giving telephone and
| mail advice on the proper time to
! fight the fruit pests and on the proper
| control measures to follow. The re-
suits of proper spraying are very ap-
parent in the orchards of Burlington,
Camden and Cumberland counties,
| where rs per cent of New Jersey
peaches are produced.
"In conjunction with the better fruit
campaign being waged in this terri
tory, growers are being urged to thin
their fruit more closely. Transporta-
ton expenses, even the cost Of motor
truck hauls from the peach belt to
| northern New Jersey and metropoli-
tan markets, will be high, and fruit
of doubtful quality must not go to
market and be added to consumers
costs. Modern methods of production
and marketing are doing much to
eliminate waste in the process Of dis
| tribution."
The Jersey Fruit Growers Co-opera-
tive Association, with headquarters at
| Camden, is federation of local CO.
operative associations. owned and OPP