The Monmouth inquirer., 1924-04-24
JERSEY ROAD
BOOMERS SCORE
State Commission Gives APP
proyal to Harding Highway
and DeISea Drive.
GOOD ROUTES TO RESORTS
Improvement, Soon to Be Started, VIII
involve Several MiIIions--Indus-
trial Building for State Hos
ptaI.


Trenton. The State Highway Com
mission voted to take over as part of
she State highway system and i'm
prove the roads between Pcnnsgroye
and Atlantic City, known as the Hard
ing highway, and also the roads be-
tween Westville and Millville, the So
called Delsea drive. The cost of inn
proving these roads will run into mill
ions and the money for the improve
anent will come from the State vehicle
FUNDS
Delegations from many South Jer-
sey towns appeared at Atlantic City
on behalf of the proposal. Especially
we'll represented were Gloucester and
Salem counties by reason of the fact
that the highways for which improve
ments are sought lie for the most part
within their limits. The section OF
Cumberland county around Vineland
and Millville also had good delega-
ton present.
All of the boards of freeholders of
the counties through which these
routes pass had adopted resolutions
requesting the commission to make
them State highways. The chief argu-
ment for the Delsea drive is the fact
that it requires only IL or IL miles
of paving between Glassboro and
Malaga and about miles from NAL
aga to Downstown, to provide fully
paved highway all the way from Cam
Iou {v+n Ci+ry TNho -
from Malaga to Millville would add
about 13 more miles to be improved
on the route to Cape May and the low
er coast resorts. The right of way on
this route is nearly so feet, and there
is already paving 20 feet wide from
Camden to Glassbofo.
On the Harding highway there Is
about 10 miles in Salem county and 7
miles in Gloucester county still un-
paved. The paving of the stretch be-
tween Downstown and Malaga would
Immediately benefit both routes. This
road also has broad right Of way
and the section near Malaga Is now in
very good condition. This strip is one
of the first pieces of roadway con-
structed by convict labor in this State
several years ago. 1t is gravel Inter
est in this route extends beyond the
borders of New Jersey, for when it is
fully paved it will be possible to ride
al, the way from Washington, D. c., to
Atlantic City over improved highways
Even che ferry trip between Whining
ton and Pennsgrove Is to be shortened
from IS to 20 minutes by the establish
ment Of new ferry slip for motorists
at the new Wilmington port near the
mouth of the Christiana River. This
has the further reputation Of being the
first memorial road dedicated to the
late President Harding in the whole
country.
Several hundred prominent resi-
dents CT South Jersey, including Sena-
tors. mayors, representatives Of
boards of freeholders, chambers of
commerce and county engineers. par
ticipated in the hearing.
General Hugh Schott, chairman of
the Highway Commission. presided at
the meeting, and President Firman
Reeves, of the Senate, was chairman
of the citizens delegation. State SEN
ators Borton, of Salem; Bright, of
Cape May, and Davis, of Gloucester,
made addresses urging the commits
sion to maintain and rebuild the unim-
proved portions of these roads. Sena-
tods Davis and Borton each headed
delegations of 200. At the close OF
the hearing General Scott. said that
the commission ha realized the impor-
lance of the two routes in South Jer-
sey since its visit here last June. He
said that the fact that the southern
part of the state has no member on
the commission has given its four
members"
Samuel P. Leeds, president of the
Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce,
quoted automobile statistics to show
the Importance of the undertakings.
He said that last year 100000 automo-
biles crossed the Pennsgrove ferry, as
against 900 in 1912. Walter j. Buzby,
president Of the Good Roads Associa-
ton, was another to make an eloquent
plea in behalf of the routes.
Miss Mable Clay, of Beesley's Point,
made an effective address urging the
adoption of the roads, the only woman
speaking before the commission. Miss
Clay is a daughter of the late Henry
Clay, zone, he Select Councilman and
political leader Of Philadelphia.
Half-MiII Tax to Meet Cost
Final approval was given to detailed
plans for improvements at the state
hospital at meeting Of the board of
managers in Morris Plains. The i'm
provemen. are to be paid for out OF
the half-miIl tax, which the Legisla-
ture of 1928 ordered collected for this
purpose.
To those who are familiar with the
state hopsitals needs, relief of exist
ing congestion is the most necessary
Improvement, and this is to be very
largely brought about by the plans as
approved, which likewise have the ap-
prevail of the State Board of Control.
But there Is surprise in the plans