Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1923-04-12
LABOR
TOPAVE ROADS
IS DISCUSSED
Matter Taken up by Highway
Commission With Depart
ment of Institutions
DOUBT is EXPRESSED
New Road Action Taken by
SiIzer Granddaughter
at Work

TRENTON, April ia PROPOSE
ton to utilize convict labor on roads
was placed before the State High
way Commission at its meeting here
yesterday by Commissioner Burdette
G.. Lewis of the department OF in
stitutions and agencies. Lewis de-
clared there are between 800 and
$50 men at the prison now who
could be used to perform work on
tie New Jersey highway system.
One of the changes. however, in
the method of employing state labor
on roads, suggested by Mr.. Lewis,
was that there shall be no road
camps maintained, for a time at
least, but that the men be returned
t. the prison each night in trucks.
Assistant Sta-o Highway Engineer
Edward Reed suggested that the
state labor be first tried out on the
road to Leesburg, rear the site OF a
former prison labor camp, or on a
state highway in the vicinity of Bor-
dentown, Mercer county. 1t was de-
clared that the road commission has
found convict labor unsatisfactory in
the past
The commission, from the trend of
the remarks, appeared to be not
much impressed by the idea of us
ing state labor on ths roads. II was
decalred that if this class of labor
is utilized. the institutional depart
ment milst assume ali the responsi-
bility for the men ana their work.
The jobs will bs inspected by the
road departm III the same map
ner 40 private labor is looked over.
One of the difficulties put forward
by the board was tn edestruction
which state labor might do to ma
chine1y. Comm ssione- Lewis, how
ever, asserted tins could be worked
out to the satisfaction of the COM
mission. One of the plans sug-
gested was that the highway depart
ment maintain machine inspectors
en- jobs being done by state labor.
State Highway Engineer Sloan
was authorized by the board to con-
fer with Lewis with o view of map
ping cut program with respect to
convict labor.
The commission TUNED down the
recommendation that new car be
purchased for the use of the board.
The superintendent of equipment of
the highway department recon-
Inended that a new saven-passenger
car be bought and named a very ex-
pensive make of automobile. The
board, however, voted to use the
operated $4,000 miles
The board approved agreements
for township aid funds for Bulls
Ferry Road. Hudson county. The
road will be paved with sheet as
phalt on a concrete base.
The board also approved twelve
township aid contracts in South
Jersey. The approval led General
Hugh L. Scott, chairman of the
board, to remark that South Jersey
was being we'll taken care of, which
laid at rest the fears of certain legis-
lators in this respect because Cover
nor Silzer had not named South
Jerseyman to the board.
Asbury avenue, Shrewsbury Town
ship, Monmouth county, will be
graded and graveled, 1t was decided
today, when the commission author
lied the use of township aid funds
for the job.
The commission okehd a project
to prepare plans on the Midvale-
Greenwood Lake road, Passaic coun-
ty. The road will be built of con-
crete and will be financed from fed
eral aid funds. The route Is 5.3
miles long and is estimated to cost |
1.737.5O.