The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-06-11

of the rumors and charges that have
been made from time to time con-
corning their activities.
One of the disclosures was the first
public announcements of the reason
why the commission annulled $115.-
O24 contract for road construction
through Alpine, Bergen county, Oc-
tober last.
At the time the commission refused
to give its reasons, and nothing more
was said or done so far as the public
knew In response to an inquiry from
Assemblyman Hurd, of Bergen coun-
ty, the commission told that John j..
McGarry, of Edgewater, had been de-
prived of the contract, even after he
had started work, because the com
mission decided there had been col
fusion in the bidding.
Long discussions between the COM
fications, the use Of certain types Of
bridges and the cost of cement re-
called Legislative fights and charges
involving these subjects. Mr.. Simp-
son urged the commission and it's en-
gineer to explain freely their views
on these topics for, he said, this was
the boards opportunity to answer the
charges made in the Legislature.
The committee learned that on the
lrst road job given the Department
of Institutions and Agencies for road
work that department lost $4,000, but
that it made up the deficit on its sec
ond job The committee also was told
that ineficiency among the convicts
and the necessary employment OF
guards to watch them, makes the cost
of building road by convict labor as
much as If the work was let to a con-
tractor. The latter has to pay labor
ers, but the state does not save by
the use of prisoners, who are not paid
the equivalent, 1t was explained.
A few months ago, State Senator
Richards, of Atlantic county, made a
speech on the floor Of the Senate in
which he alleged that the road board
had switched from closed specifica-
tions on paving material to closed
specifications on bridges. Major
Sloan apparently expected some ref
erences to this, and he was prepared
with an answer. He declared 1t was
untrue that the bridges built by the
board have been limited to one type
supplied by one concern.
Mr.. Richards inference had been
that the board favored the bascule
bridge and the Strauss Bascule
Bridge Company, of Chicago. Major
Sloan explained to the committee that
the bascule was type of bridgea
jackknife- particularly applicable to
certain needs in New Jersey. 1t Is
not a patented bridge. he said, and
is designed by seven or more compa-
MES in the country.
The designing and building are
separate and apart. The designing
companies do not build the bridges.
After the plans and supervision have
been bought by the board, after open
bidding, Major Sloan explained, every
bridge building company in the coun-
try Is free to bid for the construction
work, and there are always from six
to ten bids received by the state.
Taxes Total $3,712,892
Taxes Of $3,712,892 have been levied
for 1925 upon gross receipts of pub
lie utilities corporations, aggregating
$99,594,751. Certifcation Of this gross
sonal property tax on such corpora
tions, has been made by the State
Board of Taxes and Assessments, with
respect to seventy-four utilities cor
porations coming under the act.
The tax this year is an increase OF
$252,5S7 over the assessment OF 1924
and is levied on sixteen street railway
and fifty-eight electric and gas COM
panies. 1t is based upon the average
tax rate for the current year, which
is $3728 per 800 Of valuation.
The Public Service Corporation will
pay $2,9S7,049 or 80 per cent of the
total Receipts OF the Public Service
Railway Company. for the year
amounted to $22, 106,318, an increase
of 81 ,O78, 9S5 over the preceding year.
The tax on the railway this year is
1924 1923, an increase OF $52,21O. Re-
ceipts OF the Public Service Electric
and Gas Company amounted to $751;
01S, 403.33, an Increase of $3,510,079.
The tax on the Public Service Elec-
trio and Gas Company is $2,162,926,
an increase of $161,925.
The law providing for the present
gross receipts tax was passed in 1919
and was advocated as providing a
more equitable scheme for taxing
personal property of the corporations
to which it applies than the old plan
Of allowing utilities property to be
valued for taxing purposes by local
assessors. The tax is paid to the tax
ing district In which the property Of
the corporation is located. No part Of
it goes for state purposes.
County Primary Fights
Members Of the retiring Republican
State Committee held their last meet
ing at the Republican Club In this
city recently. There was little actual
business to be transacted. All ques-
tions relating to the fall campaign
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