The Lambertville Record

For The Record,
The Freeholder's Expenditures.

Mr. Editor:—I see a statement in your last week's paper, copied from the Flemington Democrat-Advertiser, that one fourth of the money expended by the County Freeholders for road and bridge work was for the benefit of Lambertville. Like yourself, I have not the means at hand of disproving this, but nevertheless am convinced that it is an exceedingly gross mistake. I do happen to have the County Treasurer's report for the year ending May 12, 1880, from which I take the following official figures:

Total amount of bridge orders, $20,293.85
Freeholder's bills for services, 2,893.00
$23,174.90

Here then we have a total of the above amount for the expense incurred by the County Freeholders for their work during that year, and as Lambertville pays between one tenth and one eleventh of the taxes, she furnished about $2,200 of the money. For this there was received in return as follows:

Bridge orders all 3 wards,... $26.96
Freeholder's services, 2 wards,. 100.00
$226.96

The bill for services of one freeholder does not appear in the report, but as he only expended $57.63, for his work (which is included) his bill for services could not have been large. And the total of all the benefit Lambertville received from her $2,200 paid, must have been less than $400. Thus paying her own way and furnishing $1,800, to pay, for bridge work for the townships.

It is true that it might be possible, if one had all the reports, to select a year when Lambertville may have had more than she paid, but I am convinced that a comparison of the last twenty or twenty-five years would show that our City has paid many thousands of dollars more than she has received. I am not complaining of the fact, but I do complain of the paltry jealousy and glaring injustice which carps at every bill from Lambertville, when she is continually paying her way to the county over and over again.

Yours,
S.