THE SUPERVISORS.

New York, 1895

A New County Road Law Adopted.

INCORPORATED VILLAGES INCLUDED

Everything Looks Well at Barnum Island.

TOLL BRIDGE AT LAWRENCE

The Sheriff's Bill for Clubs and Badges Referred to it a Committee — Counselor Van Vechten Wins a $27,000 Law Suit — A Complaint from Little Neck — Audit Refused a Bill for Electric Power at the Hunter's Point Bridge — Counselor Wallace Prepares a New Apportionment Certificate to Correct an Error

The board of Supervisors met at Barnum Island on Tuesday and made an inspection of the county buildings, which were found clean and in good order. Everything about the place looked shipshape, and the growing crops are very promising. The new building for the keeper and the administrative officers is progressing. There is an absence of trees, a fact which did not escape the attention of the Supervisors, and these will probably be supplied. Some time ago Supervisor Denton set out a couple of young silver maples that he grew from the seed, and they are doing finely. The Rev. Dr. Smith, of St. George's church at Flushing, was present as the county's guest, on the invitation of Supervisor Pople. Dr. Smith was interested in the development of Barnum Island as a home for the poor years ago, and he was much pleased with what has been accomplished. Charles L. Phipps and Judge-elect Wheeler were also present. Mr. Phipps received a pleasant greeting from everybody.

The full board was present. Supervisor Koehler opened the proceedings by inquiring what action had been taken on a bill for badges and clubs, purchased by Sheriff Doht for the use of his deputies, amounting to about $200. The bill was presented in January, and referred to the committee on Sheriff's and Constables' bills, but seemed to have gone astray. Supervisor Koehler presented duplicate bills, and they were referred to the proper committee.

Counselor Wallace presented a bill for $500 for fourth months' legal services, and it was audited.

Counselor Ingraham, of Hempstead, presented a petition for the board's approval, having relation to the construction of a bridge across Rockaway inlet at Lawrence. A number of gentlemen having summer houses at Lawrence leased a piece of ocean beach from the town of Hempstead, to enjoy surf bathing, but to reach the beach they had to build a road and a bridge, at their own expense. The bridge has a draw, and is completed, and the road is nearly completed. The War Department has orally consented to the bridging of the channel, but requested that the consent of the Supervisors be obtained, as the statute requires, before giving written approval. A toll of five cents a person is to be charged to defray the expense of maintaining the bridge and paying a keeper; but vehicles may cross free.

Supervisor Wood said there was no objection to granting all that Counselor Ingraham asked of the board, and on his motion, seconded by Supervisor Underhill, the necessary resolution was unanimously adopted.

Supervisor Koehler called attention to the insurance on the county court house, which had been effected by Mr. Quinlan, of Flushing, the premium being something over $600. Mr. Koehler said that the building being in Long Island City, and the insurance companies having agents there, one of them should have the business, and it would be better for the county. He believed that Mr. Quinlan would gladly relinquish the business. The matter was referred to the Court House committee.

Supervisor Pople called to the attention of the board a complaint of a nuisance that had been made to him by Mr. Hewlett, of Little Neck, whose land is flooded with water at every storm from the county road that runs past his door. Mr. Hewlett threatened to throw up an embankment to protect his property, and if he did so the water would flood the premises of David L. Van Nostrand. Mr. Pople had called County Engineer McLaughlin's attention to it, and he had made an inspection of the road with a view to providing a remedy. Mr. McLaughlin said that it would be necessary to lay an 18-inch cement pipe a distance of 600 feet to carry off the water and it would cost $450. That would give complete relief. The County Road committee were directed to take the matter in charge.

Supervisor Denton offered a resolution directing the county treasurer to pay on July 2d the salaries of the superintendents of the poor for the quarter's services ending June 30th. It was adopted.

Supervisor Koehler called up the bills of the Long Island City electric illuminating company, and asked for action one way or the other on them. The bills had been referred to Counselor Wallace for his opinion as to the county's liability. The county entered into a contract with the company to supply electric power for operating the draw-bridge over Newtown Creek at Hunter's Point, the county having previously put in a motor at an expense of $2,000. The first time that power was applied to the motor it sent the bridge spinning around at a 2.40 clip, and so much damage was done that the motor has never been used since. The company claims $769.77. President Tyrrell said that the company had supplied the power right along as required by the contract.

Counselor Wallace said he was not in possession of sufficient information to enable him to give an opinion as to the county's liability. The contract was binding on the county if the company had lived up to its conditions. Mr. Wallace could not decide that question. It would be an easy and cheap way of settling the question for the company to sue out a mandamus against the Supervisors, but before that could be done, the board must reject the claim. Acting on this advice, Supervisor Denton moved to disallow the company's claim, and the motion was seconded by Supervisor Underhill, and carried.

Counselor Wallace, in response to a resolution adopted by the board at its last meeting, presented a draft of an act defining the highways that are to be embraced in the county road system under the new county road law. The list includes all of the highways heretofore taken in, and adds thereto the North turnpike in North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, the Merrick road, Broadway and Flushing avenues in the village of Jamaica, and that part of the Merrick road in the village of Rockville Centre, roads within incorporated villages being no longer exempt.

Supervisor Koehler said he could not vote intelligently on the resolution without having before him a map showing the lines of the roads and their relative importance to public travel. He understood that some roads, so-called, but which were mere lanes, were included as county roads, and he wanted to object to it. Supervisor Wood said he believed that some of the roads specified were not properly county roads, and he instanced Flushing avenue and Locust avenue in Jamaica. Supervisor Koehler wanted action deferred on the resolution for a week, by which time the County Engineer could have a proper map prepared, and he made a motion to that effect, amending the original resolution, which Supervisor Denton seconded, saying that no harm could follow a week's delay.

Supervisor Everitt objected to delay. He said that Broadway, in the village of Richmond Hill, was in such bad shape as to need instant attention. No work had been done on that particular piece of road for some time, the incorporation of Richmond Hill as a village having taken it out of the county road system. The new resolution and the new county law restores the road to the county system, and it should be put in order at once.

A vote was taken on Mr. Koehler's amendment and it was lost — 4 to 3. The original resolution offered by Mr. Denton was then adopted by a vote of 5 to 2.

A communication was received from the Secretary of State saying that the certificate apportioning the county into assembly districts was defective in that it did not state the population of each district. Counselor Wallace had already prepared a new certificate correcting the error, and, on motion of Supervisor Denton, seconded by Supervisor Underhill, the now certificate was adopted and substituted for the old one, Supervisors Everitt and Siebs voting in the negative.

Counselor Van Vechten notified the board that he had won for the county the suit brought against it by Dean & Westbrook, under the contract to build the Meeker avenue bridge, to recover $44,917.20 balance claimed to be due under the contract, and also to recover the sum of $13,719.39 damages. In the same action they also sought to recover $11,000 damages for being prevented from building the bridge expeditiously. Interest was also claimed by the contractors, and the whole amount involved in the suit was about $75,000, including interest. The issues were tried before Judge Allison as referee, and the testimony covers 466 type-written pages. On the second and third causes of action, involving $27,000, Judge Allison has given judgment for the county. The action to recover $44,917.20 balance due under the contract is still pending and will be tried in October. Mr. Van Vechten expects to win this case for the county also. In all of the actions brought against the county, involving over $350,000, Mr. Van Vechten lost but one, that of Myers, who sued for $10,000 and got a verdict for but $250.

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, NY, June 28, 1895, p. 1.