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Metuchen Recorder

Saturday, March 24, 1900

Metuchen a Borough

The Bill Passed and Signed by Governor Voorhees - A Brief History of the Movement

As the bill for the incorporation of Metuchen as a borough has been passed by an almost unanimous vote of both branches of the Legislature, and has become a law, receiving the signature of the Governor, it may be of interest to our readers to have placed before them a brief history of the movement, thus brought to a successful close.

November 25th, 1899. A short editorial was published in the Recorder, urging that preliminary steps be taken to form a borough.

December 2nd. A short editorial claimed that a borough government would afford better protection from burglars.

December 16th. An editorial called attention to the fact that several towns in this part of the State were applying for borough incorporation, and urged that Metuchen should fall into line.

Dec. 30th. An editorial urged the importance of borough government and offered our columns for articles discussing the subject.

Jan. 6th, 1900. Legal notice, of application to the Legislature to pass a borough law, boundaries were defined, and the notice was signed by forty-two citizens.

Jan. 13th. "Legal Notice" was continued, an editorial discussed and urged its advantages, and the Recorder Map was published, on which the boundaries could be traced.

Jan. 18th. A meeting of citizens was held in Robins Hall to discuss the borough question. Remarks in favor of a borough were made by C.L. Corbin, Edward Burroughs and J.M. Connor, and by C.O. Poole in opposition. A resolution in favor of a borough was adopted by a vote of 73 to 50.

Jan. 20th. The Recorder contained another editorial reviewing the subject, and a full account of the public meeting held on the 18th.

Jan. 23rd. A bill creating the borough of Metuchen was introduced into the Assembly by Mr. Lyon, and scheduled No. 49.

Jan. 27th. Twenty-one additional names as signers of the borough petition were published.

Feb. 17th. An editorial urged the passage of the bill.

Feb. 19th. A hearing was given by the House Committee having the bill in charge. About thirty citizens of Metuchen and vicinity were present, and speeches were made in its favor, by Edward Burroughs, R.H. Wilson, J.M. Connor and A.C. Kelly, and against it by Charles Freeman and Luther Tappen.

March 7th. The bill having been passed on second reading, was, on motion of Mr. Lyon, reconsidered, and Mr. Campbell, of Essex, offered to amend by affixing a referendum. The motion to amend was lost by a vote of 32 to 3. The bill was then passed, by a vote of 49 to 1... [illegible] to the Senate favorably, by Senator Reid of Somerset, from the committee, and was passed by a vote of 11 to 2, Senators Van Cleef and Packer voting against it.

Governor Voorhees signed the bill at about 4:15 in the afternoon, in the presence of R.H. Wilson, Washington Wilson, Dr. A.C. Hunt and C.A. Prickitt, of the borough of Metuchen, and presented to Mr. R.H. Wilson the pen, with which he had written his signature. Mr. Wilson, no doubt, highly prizes the gift, and this pen, no doubt, is destined to become historic in connection with our borough.

Under the general law, the Secretary of State will send a certificate to the County Clerk, and it will then be his duty to call the first borough election, which will be done at an early date.

Brief Records

Mr. Menachios' house on William street is to be much improved, by the addition of all modern conveniences.

Three new fire plugs have been put in recently by the water company. One of these on Graham avenue, near Geo. Wilson's, another on Middlesex avenue, near Edward Burrough's and the other on Chestnut street near H.M. Alden's.

Mrs. Murray, of Norfolk, who was visiting her mother-in-law, Mrs. H.M. Alden, has returned to her home well pleased with Metuchen.

School Election

The annual school meeting was held in Washington Hall on Tuesday night. There was fair attendance and six members of the school board were elected, and the usual routine business was enacted. Dr. A.C. Hunt was called to preside and the District Clerk, R. Bruce Crowell read the financial report of last year. The estimated expenses for the ensuing school year were as follows:

For teachers salaries....$9,675.00

Additions and repairs...$600.00

Books...$600.00

Current Expenses...$2,000.00

Total .... $12,775.00

Of this sum, five thousand dollars could be expected from the State, leaving $7,733 to be raised by taxes.

Suppose! Your house is on fire, what is the easiest way to summon the fire department?

Suppose! A member of your household is suddenly and dangerously ill, immediate attendance of a Physician means Life or Death, how most quickly obtain that attendance?

Suppose! Any one of the many emergencies when police aid is desirable or virtually necessary, how may these guardians of life an property be instantly notified?

Suppose! Unexpected guests arrive, the larder is low and the dinner hour near - how connect with the butcher, the baker and the confectioner and hurriedly gather the supplies that shall make the dinner a credit to the housekeeper?

Suppose! You wish to gather a group of guests for an evening to do honor to an occasion or a friend - how most conveniently communicate with them and receive their acceptance or regrets?

Suppose! You are interested in the Stock Market or commercial matters of any sort, but desire to stop at your country house for a few days - how keep in constant touch with Wall Street and the market centres?

Suppose! You want seats for the Play, a box for the Opera, a carriage for a drive, to engage places at a restaurant - how in incredibly short time arrange it all?

Suppose! You are obliged to travel, leaving a member of your family ill at home - how then you receive news at any station from Boston to Omaha - from Montreal to Key West?

Suppose! You are worried and thurried and bored by the petty details of living - the marketing - the shopping and the annoyance of the hustling streets - how sit in your office or library and press a button which shall do it all for you?

Suppose! You would know the answers to the questions -

Here it is:

The greatest Luxury, Convenience and Necessity of the Century:

Telephone Service

The New York and New Jersey Telephone Company

Broad and East Jersey Streets, Elizabeth, N.J.

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