History of West Hoboken N.J./Chapter 4

by William H. Drescher

CHAPTER IV.

"Early Municipal Affairs."

The first members of the Township Committee of our town were Messrs. Sinclair, Cox and Aldcorn, three in all. Mr. W. Sinclair was the first chairman of the Township Committee, and Mr. John A. Freeland was the first Township Clerk. At that time the treasurer was elected from among the members of the Township Committee, and the first person elected to that position was Mr. Sinclair. The office of assessor and collector was combined in one, and Mr. Andrew Anderson was the first incumbent.

Mr. Anderson held the office for twenty-three years, and no person in our town has yet equalled his record as to the length of time in office.

The first meeting place of the Township Committee was in the office of Mr. John Hague, and after a while meetings were held at the houses of different citizens, but most of the meetings were held at Mrs. C. H. Piebes hotel, which was the old hotel on the Hillside road and Palisade avenue recently burnt down.

In 1868 the township erected a town hall on Palisade avenue, near High street. After a while they moved this building to Charles street, where it remained until 1888, when the present town hall was erected. The old building was purchased by Chas. E. Galbraith, who moved it to Clinton avenue, and uses it to this day as a real estate office.

The office of recorder was not created until the year 1875. Previous to this time the Justices of the Peace tried most of the cases. There were no policemen in those days, and on holidays and other extraordinary occasions, the Township Committee would engage the services of the constable to preserve the peace. After the office of recorder was created the first incumbent was Mr. W. E. Simms.

The offices of assessor and collector was separated in the year 1871, and our first assessor was Mr. Herman Brusing.

At the time of the incorporation of the township, the post office was situated on Paterson avenue, in a grocery store kept by John Freeland, who was also the postmaster.

PUBLIC SCHOOL No. 3, SUMMIT AVENUE AND ELM STREET.

PUBLIC SCHOOL No. 4, MALONE STREET.

Previous to the chartering of our town, the voting population were compelled to journey to one or the other of the following places to register their vote. To New Durham, the Five Corners in Jersey City, and sometimes to Seeley's hotel in North Bergen, there being no polling places nearer our town than the places above mentioned. When those in authority would designate the Five Corners as the polling place, it meant quite a journey to people living here, especially when you consider that in those days we had no rail transit falicities whatever, and people had to walk or else go by horse and wagon.

It would be a pleasant sight to look upon to see some of our present citizens trudging their way to one of these voting places, more especially those who to-day need a coach to carry them a few blocks, to exercise one of the highest privileges accorded to the citizens of this Grand Republic, the right of suffrage.

After the incorporation of the township the first polling place was established in Garry Van Vorst's hostelry on Paterson avenue, corner Clinton avenue, for spring elections, and the fall elections were held at Mrs. C. H. Piebe's hotel on Palisade avenue and the Hillside road.

The first street improvement made under the direction of the Township Committee was the grading of Washington street, which was done in the year 1868.

In the minutes of the Township Committee of April 25, 1870, I find a motion directing the street committee "to hire constables to remove the fences placed across Clinton avenue, below Paterson avenue," and on May 11, 1870, we find that "Mr. John Syms reported that a fine spring existed near Union street and Clinton avenue, and advised the placing of a public pump there." It is not recorded whether the Township Committee placed a pump here or not, but I might mention that a pump similar to the one suggested by Mr. Syms existed on Paterson avenue, where the people, who did not boast of a well of their own, were in the habit of procuring their supply of drinking water.

For the benefit of those people now living on Malone street, who only know that street as it exists to-day, let me state that on April 23, 1872, Mr. Herman Brusing informed the Township Committee that "the natural water course on Malone street was obstructed on account of a drove of cattle destroying its banks."

At this time another water course wended its way through the "commons" in a northeasterly direction, and passed on,

ST. MICHAEL'S SCHOOL, CLINTON AVENUE AND HIGH STREET.

down the Hillside, in the rear of Nienaber's hotel, in Weehawken, where, in stormy weather, it resembled a minature Niagara. From here it flowed through Frost's farm, and emptied into the Hudson River. With the establishment of the sewer system in our town the brook became a thing of the past.

The first record of a township election in the minutes of the Township Committee appear under date of April, 1863, which must have been the third election. Following is the record of this election:—

"The annual meeting for township election took place at Neptune Engine House, and from there adjourned to Garret Van Vorsts on Paterson avenue. The Board of Elections consisted of Aaron K. Nafey, judge; C. A. Buckbee, A. Anderson, and W. Sinclair, clerk.

After adjournment and the counting of the votes, the following citizens were declared elected.

Township clerk—Wm. Sinclair.

Judge of Elections—John M. Gardner.

Assessor and collector—Andrew Anderson.

Chosen freeholder—John Hague.

Surveyors of Highways—Andrew O'Keefe and Henry Wettig.

Commissioners of Appeals—Jacob Van Skiver and Joseph L. Picollo.

Overseer of Poor—Thos. Guinan.

Overseer of Highways—John P. Van Skiver.

Township Committee—Wm. Galbraith, Herman Stuckey and Jacob W. Freeland.

Constable—Jos. Everson and Thos. Brennan.

Appropriations—Schools. $1,600; roads, $1,400; fire department, $100; bounty for volunteers, $1,750; poor, $300."

A comparison might be made in regards the appropriations made at the above election, and those that are required to maintain our town to-day, if you take away the $1,750 bounty for volunteers, you will find that the total foots up $3,400, which was all that was required to maintain every department of the township. It takes this amount at the present date to maintain our fire department.

In the year 1884 the township assumed the title of town, but retained the old charter, and in that year the following citizens were elected to the town committee:— Mr. Alfred De Bevoise (who was chairman of the committee); Thos. Nolan (who was also treasurer); B. Fitzgerald, Rich E. Galbraith and Fred. Engeln. Mr. L. A. Farr was elected town clerk. In this year a regular paid police force was established, with Mr. Fred Seiler in command as sergeant. The only incumbent on the present force who was then a member is Mr. William Ludlow, who was first appointed to do police duty in the township in 1879. The special officers of the latter date were paid by the piecework system, receiving 15 cents for each hours work. In addition to this they received 75 cents for making an arrest; 50 cents for attending court; $1.48 for conveying a prisoner to Snake Hill (to which place they invariably had to walk), and $1.25 for lodging a prisoner in the County Jail.

ST. MARY'S HALL, 1861.

ST. MICHAEL'S LYCEUM, CLINTON AVENUE AND HIGH STREET.