The Penn's Grove record., 1923-03-23
Road Commissioners
Visit County
They Seek information For Econ
Omic State Road I'M
prOvementS

The new board of State Highway
Commissioners arrived in Salem at 3
o'clock Thursday and a conference was
held in the court room by the full
Board of Chosen FreehOlders, the
CountyEngineers and other officials, a
large delegation from the Salem and
Woodstown Chamber of Commerce,
Salem Woman's Club and citizens
from Salem, Elmer and other sections
of the county.
The members of the new board, APP
pointees of Governor Silzer, are:
General Hugh l.. Scott, of Princeton;
Walter Kidde, of Montclair, Republi-
cans, and Abraham Jelin, of New
Brunswick, and Percy II. Stewart, of
Plainfeld. Democrats. They were ac-
cOmpanied by Assistant Highway En-
gineer Edward E. Reed, District En-
gineer Williams, and Assistant Secfe-
tary Charles Fishberg. They came by
automobile from Bridgeton where they
had held a conference with the Cum
berland County Freeholders. The con-
ference was called to order by Dlrec-
tor Gray who, with the four commits
%sioners, occupied chairs on the bench.
The director in a few words welcomed
the visitors and then requested Cen
eral Scott to preside.
The business of the conference
opened with the reading of a brief
prepared by County Engineer H. b.
Keasbey, who gave a concise state
ment of the legal supervision of the
roads whether under State or County
control and expense and the needs for
future improvements and mainten-
ance. He particularly laid stress upon
the need of the completing the l4-m1le
link in the Delaware river drive from
Woodstown to near Malaga and said
that the county derived little or no
benefit from its seashore traffic. From
Penns Grove it should be done by the
State Highway Commission with the
assistance of the Federal aid, which
is already available.
When the reading of the brief was
finished General Scott and the other
members of the commission asked
many questions. General Scott asked
Mr.. Keasbey to state what were con-
sidered the more important projects
in their order. To this Mr.. Keasbey
replied:
First, approval of the Salem-Penns-
vile road contract; second, completion
of the Quinton-Marlboro road; third,
building the small piece of road, three
miles, between Pittsgrove and Elmer.
The commissioners also inquired as
to the road appropriation in this
years budget, which is approximately
$4,000 and the motor vehicle allot-
men, which was $78,150 in 1922.
To a question by General Scott, the
Board was assured that the whole
county was in accord with the projects
of the Freeholders and that there
were no dissensions. This seemed to
impress the State Board as did the
fact that the county had no permanent
Indebtedness.
Among those in the audience called
upon to give an opinion was Preston
Foster, of Elmer, who laid emphasis
on the necessity of building, by some
means, of the Pittsgrove-Elmer road.
Former Mayor Isaac C. Smshey
spoke for the completion of the Quin-
ton-Marlboro road, also for the small
piece of road at Norma, and made a
strong plea for aid to finish this link
in a very important road.
j. Gilbert Borton, former Freehol-
der and president of the County
Chamber of Commerce, made a plea
to have the Pittsgrove-Elemer road
constructed at once, provided the bill
making it a part of the State High
way is signed by the Governor.
MI. S. w. Wright, of Elmer, and
Mayor Acton, of Salem, also addressed
the Board. Freebooter Weldon ex-
tended an invitation to attend the an
nual shad dinner, on May 9th.
General Scott made a very pleasing
address in which he stated that they
would give the projects every consid-
Grafton. He said they were pleased
that there was harmony in the county
and that the finances were in such
good shape. He said that while they
were all from North Jersey, the Board
knew no section but was for the State
as a whole, to spend the public funds
in fair proportions. He said they
wanted to get acquainted with the
people and wanted the aid of the
Boards of Freeholders.
At the close of the conference a re-
ception was held and the commission
ers shook hands with all present.