Anna Case Weds

The front page of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 18, 1931

It's been a long time since one of Hillsborough's hometown girls appeared on the front page of every daily newspaper in the United States - seventy-eight years, to be precise. On July 18, 1931, the national media reported the marriage of South Branch native and former Metropolitan Opera soprano Anna Case to telegraph tycoon Clarence H. Mackay.

Photo from the Muncie Post Democrat July 31, 1931

At the time of her marriage to C.H. Mackay, Anna had risen from shooing flies in her father's blacksmith shop, to earning money for clothes by driving passengers to and from the train station in a horse cart for 25 cents per trip, to singing in the South Branch Reformed Church choir, to appearing on stage as a member of the Metropolitan Opera.

Along the way, she found the time to date Enrico Caruso, record for Thomas Edison, become one of the 20th century's foremost concert performers, and even make one of the first sound movies.

There is much more to learn about Anna Case. I am hoping one of my readers - perhaps a longtime Hillsborough or South Branch resident - will be able to give me more info. Please leave a comment on this blog.

Before the Fall

"If we are heading for a fall, the reasons are many: rising taxes, increasing welfare, unsustainable debt, expanding government, state paternalism, apathy." I am writing these words today, but they could just as easily have been spoken on the floor of the Roman Senate in the second or third century AD.

The similarities between 21st century America and second century Rome are uncanny. We face every problem they faced, including near elimination of the middle class through ever increasing taxes, overflowing welfare rolls due to endless government dole of one form or another, even takeover of their once proud independent cities by the central government.

And you know what? No one cared. Citizens were happy to let the government take care of them, whatever the cost. Of course, the cost was the fall of the Roman Empire.

There is no doubt some saw it coming - knew it had to happen - knew it couldn't be fixed - couldn't wait for the whole thing to blow up so that Western civilization could begin anew.

I wonder if those people are around today, cheering Corzine and Obama at the PNC Bank Arts Center, perhaps.

Manville, NJ 08835

Things are looking up for Manville history buffs. Two recently announced projects are sure to inspire a new appreciation for the borough which split from Hillsborough in 1929.

The first is a history book being compiled by members of the Manville Library Board with help from former borough councilwoman and writer Kathye Quick. You can read more about the project here.

The second is a new blog started by Manville resident Mike Polnasek featuring photos and stories of the borough's past. This blog is truly interactive - some of the most interesting tidbits are to be found in the comments left by readers. If you are a long time resident of Manville or Hillsborough, or just someone who wants to learn more about our two towns and their shared history, I suggest you check it out here.

Drunken Brawl at Town Hall

Have you taken a walk through the municipal building on a Monday evening when court is in session? Much of the time you won't even know that anything is going on. It can be downright peaceful - serene, even.

21 December 1901 New York Tribune

Not so in Hillsborough's sometimes colorful past. Take the 1901 case of Brophy vs. Vandermark. Mr. Vandermark, who lived up on the Sourland Mountain, had a long overdue grocery bill at the store kept by Mr. Brophy. Unable to extract payment, Brophy sought to impose a levy on Vandermark's household goods - an action that Vandermark attempted to evade by claiming that everything in his home was actually owned by his wife.

12 June 1901 Hopewell Herald

Brophy engaged 33-year-old Nelson Dungan, a former Somerset County prosecutor from Rocky Hill, to represent him in a lawsuit against Vandermark. Subpoenas were sent out by both sides to thirteen "mountaineers" prepared to give testimony as to who held legal title to Vandermark's worldly goods.

On the day of the trial, Friday, December 20, 1901, Justice George Corle - himself a grocer - rode up from Neshanic Station to oversee the proceedings, and Constable Dennis Wyckoff made the long carriage ride from Bridgewater to keep the peace in the courtroom. It's a good thing he brought two associates with him.

Justice George S. Corle's own store in Neshanic Station

Hillsborough Town Hall  - likely at this time the Neshanic Hotel - was packed with hundreds of residents who apparently came out to see a good show. They got their money's worth. All thirteen of the witnesses came off the mountain dead drunk, and - according to a story which appeared the next day in the New York Daily Tribune - "proceeded to run the trial as they saw fit."

The first witness, Tom Johnson, was so drunk that he couldn't stay on his feet during the oath. When Constable Wyckoff attempted to help him up, Johnson started a fight - forcing the sixty-six-year-old Wyckoff to defend himself by striking Johnson a heavy blow to the head with the court Bible!

Nelson Y. Dungan for the defense

When Johnson was dragged from the room, a general melee ensued. Justice Corle, assisted by the three constables, was somehow able to regain control of the courtroom and determined to continue the trial, saying, "These mountaineers are as sober as they are ever likely to be".

Confused, incoherent testimony ensued, but it took the jury just ten minutes to return a verdict in favor of Mr. Brophy. The only possessions determined to be truly owned by Mrs. Vandermark were a bedroom set - and a lemon tree!

Neighborhood That Never Was

Today I present a real mystery. Pictured below is a portion of Hagstrom's 1945 map of Somerset County showing portions of Hillsborough and Manville. Route 206 - then designated as Route 31 - is at the left, and Manville's Main Street is at the right.

Just east of Route 206, south of Duke's Parkway, there appears a grid of streets with avenues named Hamilton, Sylvan, Roselynd, Frazee, and Garretson, along with Lewis Place, Ellis Place, Vance Place, and Jean Place. The east-west streets are extensions of Manville's Green Street and St. John Street.
 

An examination of aerial photographs taken both before and after this map was produced - in 1931 and 1956 - show nothing but cleared farmland on this tract. This parcel appears to have remained farmland until the Campbell Road/Nostrand Road development was built in the 90s.
 

Was this an early plan for a post-war Hillsborough housing development? If so, it would have predated Green Hills, its eventual neighbor to the west, by a decade, and New Jersey's famous cluster development, Village Green, by 15 years.

Ideas anyone?

Extarordinary Times - Extraordinary Budget

Hillsborough's 2009 budget is up for public comment at the next Township Committee meeting on Tuesday [July 14, 2009]. The $28 million budget, which includes a $36 annual tax increase for the average Hillsborough home, might be considered a decent budget under ordinary circumstances. Considering the national recession/depression, and the disastrous economic condition of New Jersey, this budget is extraordinary.

Going into the budget process this year, township officials had to find a way to make up for a $270,000 reduction in state aid - on top of a $600,000 decrease the previous year - as well as a decrease in interest earnings of $200,000. This was accomplished by reducing appropriations from 2008 levels for 34 separate budget line items - and holding steady 24 others - as well as eliminating 5 full-time positions, for a savings of over $800,000!

I would also characterize the budget as being employee-friendly - a worthy accomplishment in these hard times. Because the full-time staff reductions were accomplished by eliminating two positions through retirements, two by not filling vacant positions, and one through combining a vacant position with a current one, no one will be receiving pink slips this year. Compare that with Montgomery, which is eliminating 14 jobs, and Franklin Township which is negotiating with unions over layoffs and furloughs.

I believe the relatively good shape Hillsborough finds itself in is due to good fiscal management over the last several years. A useful example is the township's recent aversion to borrowing. Hillsborough's debt service this year is just $2 million, while Montgomery - which also has a $28 million budget - has a current annual debt service of $5 million! We can see how out-of-control borrowing severely limits budget flexibility by taking a look at each municipality's proposed capital budget. Hillsborough is spending a modest $800,000 in capital expenditures, while Montgomery is only able to budget $111,000.

Having said all of that, there are still more savings to be found. I am confident that in future years the Hillsborough Township Committee will find more ways to save through shared services, and will seriously consider using Somerset County for emergency dispatch services.

The Old Bridge

A few days ago I put up some photos of the new bridge over the Neshanic River on Amwell Road. My pics, taken from the passenger seat as we travelled east over the bridge, only presented the new road surface and guard rail. Nice and shiny new, yes, but that's not what a bridge is all about.

A bridge, above all else, is about structure. And boy, did the Amwell Road bridge need a new structure! It wasn't easy to see from your car as you sped to and from Hillsborough, but it was clear the entire bridge needed to go.

Hillsborough resident and super talented landscape artist Joe Kaz sent me some photos he took of the bridge in September and October of 2007.

I'm not sure what was holding up the bridge in the 18 months or so between the time these photos were taken and its demolition, but whatever it was, I'm glad it's gone.

Both Hands Blown Off

Like many of you, I received a donation request from the Hillsborough Rescue Squad this week. Thinking of taking a year off? Read this account from the New York Evening Telegram dated March 8, 1897.

BOTH HANDS BLOWN OFF

Remarkable Exhibition of Nerve Displayed
by a Wounded New
Jersey Sportsman.

SPECIAL DESPATCH TO THE EVENING TELEGRAM.

SOMERVILLE. N. J.. March 8.—B. S. Tollman, of Flagtown. who had both his hands shattered by the accidental discharge of a shotgun yesterday morning, is progressing favorably to-day and will recover. Meantime the entire district is discussing the extraordinary nerve displayed by the injured man after his terrible accident.

Mr. Tollman, who was formerly an inspector on the Central Railroad of New Jersey, now owns a large stock farm. He has already gained a reputation for bravery but his remarkable endurance of yesterday has stamped him as a man or iron nerve.

Stephen P. Tallman was an agent for the Burton Stock Car Company, and was an inventor who held many patents for stock car improvements. He later owned a large stock farm near Flagtown/Frankfort

When both hands were literally blown to pieces, he coolly walked into the bathroom and held his arms under a stream of water, without uttering a sound. James Painter, his manager, found him bathing his mutilated limbs, and was greeted with a smiling request that he would chop off four of his employer's fingers. This Painter did, and after the arteries had been bound up roughly Tollman and Painter drove seven miles to Somerville to secure medical assistance.

The blood Tollman lost on the journey was enough to kill any ordinary man. The trip lay across rough roads, and, with foaming horse and mud-covered wagon, the men eventually arrived at Dr. W. J. Swinton's office. More painful operations followed, which Tollman bore without wincing; and afterward was driven home smiling, minus one-half his usual complement of fingers
on each hand.

Tollman is a strong, powerful man, otherwise his constitution could not have withstood the shock.

[New York Evening Telegram, 8 March 1897]

The Plain Truth

What do New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and twenty-three other states have that New Jersey doesn't?


That's right. According to the most recent survey by the Young Center for Anabaptist [Amish] and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College, there isn't one Amish settlement in the Garden State.

The greatest number of Amish communities are in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, with lesser numbers spread throughout the Midwest and South - and there are even a few settlements in Colorado, Washington, and Maine! The Mid-Atlantic region is also well-represented by the previously mentioned states. In fact, New York has the sixth largest Amish population in the U.S.

Why no Amish in New Jersey? It would appear that our state, particularly right here in Somerset and Hunterdon Counties, would be a good fit for the Amish. Plenty of farmland, moderate weather, and sizable markets for produce and other Amish produced goods.

There seems to be only one major factor keeping the Amish from New Jersey. According to the Young Center, the number one enticement for Amish families to migrate to a new state is "fertile farmland at reasonable prices". Reasonable prices. Who would have guessed?

I suppose there is no COAH for the Amish.

You've Got to Be In It? You've Got to Be Kidding!

Let's get one thing straight - the New Jersey Lottery, in all of its forms, is a tax. And more than that, it's the worst kind of regressive tax, because it disproportionately hits the poor. A 2008 Carnegie Mellon University study on how poverty influences the decision to buy lottery tickets noted that, "lotteries set off a vicious cycle that not only exploits low-income individuals' desires to escape poverty but also directly prevents them from improving upon their financial situations".

This is why the recently enacted state law imposing an income tax up to 11% on lottery winnings is so puzzling. The lottery is, or should be, a revenue machine. If the state isn't making enough money from it, they need to adjust the variables - change the payouts, cut the overhead, whatever - not tax the few lucky ones that hit a prize over $10,000.

Hey Trenton, I've got an idea. Why not a $1 billion lottery? "Instant Billionaire". It would be the biggest game ever. All you need to do is enact a special 99% billionaire lottery tax.

Summer Arts Festival

Summer Arts Festival at Mountain View Plaza - July 19, 2009. Click on the image to view and print the flier.

Hillsborough Family Campout 2009

Click on the image to view and print the flier. See you there!

The New Amwell Road

Now that we are closer than ever to realizing the long-awaited Route 206 bypass, it may be a good time to pay tribute to Hillsborough's first bypass.

click on the map to see the big picture

In the beginning, there was the Amwell Road - an important highway going back to colonial times winding from New Brunswick to Amwell. At some point in the first half of the 19th century a new road was built paralleling Amwell Road between Millstone River Road and Beekman Lane.

That new, improved highway was called the New Amwell Road!

The 1860 Farm Map of Hillsboro shows both routes. I have traced the original Amwell Road in red, and the New Amwell Road in blue.

It is easy to see the advantages the new route had over the older in 1860. It was a more direct route, on a newer road, and only required a 2/10 of a mile jog at Beekman Lane to get back on Amwell Road.

So why didn't the New Amwell Road become the dominant East-West traverse through Hillsborough? Why didn't it become County Route 514? My guess is that it came down to business. We know Woods Tavern was on this stretch of Amwell Road, as were, undoubtedly, other businesses. Ultimately, it was the original Amwell Road that was continually improved and upgraded over the years, while New Amwell lagged behind.

This is conjecture, of course, but if any readers have other information or theories about Hillsborough's original bypass, I'd love to hear them.

[The 1860 New Amwell Road consisted of today's New Amwell Road and Hamilton Road. Before the construction of Route 206 split the road in two, this was one continuous route.]

The New Bridge

Motoring west on Amwell Road just got a whole lot easier now that the Neshanic River bridge has been completely rebuilt and opened for traffic. And heading back east is pretty good, too, as these photos attest.

Fireworks - Up Close

On Friday June 19, Hillsborough students from Sunnymead and Woodfern schools, along with about 8,000 other baseball fans, jammed TD Bank Ballpark for an exciting night of Somerset Patriots baseball.

Jeff Nettles made three amazing plays at third base in one inning, and the Patriots lit up the scoreboard.

But the real fireworks came after the game. What a show!

Fireworks - From a Distance

One of the advantages of living in my neighborhood - especially right on the corner of Beekman Lane - is that even if mommy is out of town and your daughter has the flu, you don't have to miss the fireworks!

Here are a few photos taken from the front lawn.

Distressing Death - and a Warning

There are no accidents in Hillsborough in 1835, only tragic consequences of sinful behavior! Read this 1835 newspaper story - especially the last line.

 

Distressing Death. - A melancholy occurrence took place on Wednesday the 4th inst. at a coal pit belonging to Mr. Henry Young, in the vicinity of Rock Mills, Sourland Mountains, 6 or 7 miles north of Princeton, New Jersey.

 

The particulars are briefly as follows: While one of the hands, a young man named John Hinckle, was lying asleep in the shed attached to the coal pit, the shed took fire, and was instantly enveloped in flames. Another of the hands at a short distance, perceiving the fire, ran to the assistance of the unfortunate man, waked him from his perilous slumber, who walked through the devouring element, being literally on fire. His clothing was almost consumed on him, and himself shockingly burnt. He suffered inexpressible agonies until the following Sunday, when death released him from his bodily pains. He is said to have presented a spectacle revolting to the feelings, and of inconceivable misery. It is also asserted that he was in a state of intoxication at the time he was burnt. An awful warning to the intemperate.

[Albany, NY Evening Journal, 2 February 1835]

New Day, New Blog Format

[I have a new blog format over at MyCentralJersey.com, and a new name for the blog - The View From Hillsborough. Here is the first post.]

Welcome to the third iteration of the “Hillsborough Blog” in thirteen months, aptly titled The View From Hillsborough.

To those readers who have made the journey from the old Blogger site past the MyCentralJersey site and finally here, THANK YOU!

It’s been quite a trip already, but there’s still more to see. What’s ahead for Hillsborough? How did we get here? I’ll give you my take on what’s happening - and I want to hear from you, too.

Come share the View.

Enough To Make You Sick

I can't take it anymore. I have to weigh in on the Health Care debate.

What is coming out of D.C is enough to make you sick. Proposals that will turn the nation with the BEST health care in the world for the vast majority of its citizens into a nation of poor health care for everyone are coming fast and furious.

What is wrong with the health care we have now? Simple answer - some people fall through the cracks. They aren't old enough for Medicare, not poor enough for Medicaid, or have lost the job that used to provide their coverage.

Simple solution. Since Medicare, for all of its faults, still seems to work, why not just extend Medicare to YOUNGER PEOPLE. Let's go all the way down to 55. Let's do it over a period of five to ten years. If you can make it to 55, you're set. Younger than 55, make sure that you or your spouse has a job that covers you. Over 55 - Hey! Your employer is now off the hook for that huge expense. Under 18? Let the states figure that out - most have programs for children.

That's it. My solution. Oh, by the way, every other "cost savings" that President Obama has spoken about - computerization of medical records and the like - can work under my plan also. And we won't need to bankrupt our country first, or kill a lot of citizens with crummy nationalized medicine first.

Wrong Way on Orchard Road

To the person who believes driving in reverse on Orchard Road allows one to travel the WRONG WAY on this ONE WAY STREET, I have news for you. You are plain wrong.

Furthermore, I didn't appreciate having to slam on the brakes as I made that left turn from South Branch River Road today and found myself about to be "front-ended" by the rear-end of your SUV!

I wonder how many residents of the west end of Orchard - or their guests - routinely sneak out the wrong way. Please, be lawful - or at least be careful.



View Larger Map

For Sale

" C R E S T L I N E F A R M"
Near Somervllle. N. J. (Duke's Park)
for Sale—To Close Estate.
Old, Pre-Revolutionary Homestead of 8
Generations of the QUICK Family.

Highest elevation of rolling farm land in
north central New Jersey, with panoramic
outlook over Somerset and Hunterdon
counties and the Rarltan River Valley for
20 miles. Wonderful view of Sourland
Mountain around and over which Washington
marched a handful of troops until
he convinced the British in New Brunswick
that he had a powerful army.

Large, 2-story, slate-roofed, modern-built
residence in excellent condition: 5 bedrooms,

4 rooms, 16x16 for library, living and
dining room, and kitchen, porches, wide
halls with open staircase. Lawn of several
acres, boxwood-bordered paths, shrubbery,
large old shade trees, garden, orchard,
fruit of all sorts. One of the best dairy,
grain and fruit farms, 130 acres in high
state of cultivation, well-drained and tiled,
never rented. 6 acres woodland, large new modern
farm and dairy barns, running
water, carriage, auto and machinery
houses. Also old Colonial-built farmhouse,
huge hand-hewn ceiling beams, wide 10-
foot fireplaces, crane and kettle, Dutch
doors with upper and lower halves and
hand-forged hinges.

Two miles north of Neshanic Station on
Lehigh Valley and N. J. Central lines.
40 miles from New York, 7 miles west of
Somerville and the wonderful Duke's Park.
2 miles from the old York-Philadelphia Post Road.

Exclusively old Colonial-American community.
Good stone roads. Telephones and electricity
for light and power available. Completely
stocked. Holstein dairy herd, horses,
full equipment machinery and tools. For
full details, photos and directions for inspection,
write
A. C. QUICK.
South Haven, Mich. (Executor).

[Brooklyn Daily Eagle 24 August 1928]

Hillsborough Fireworks FAQs

What: Fireworks and Family Fun Night

When: Saturday June 27, 4:30 p.m. Fireworks begin at approximately 9:15 (rain date June 28)

Where: Auten Road Intermediate School

Why: Refreshments - hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, desserts, etc. Entertainment - inflatable games for the kids including the big slide, Melzo the Clown, mr. Ray at 6:30, the CC Coletti Band at 8:00, fireworks at 9:15.

How: Free shuttle buses from the middle school and high school beginning at 4:30.

More Questions? Call the Parks and Recreation Department at 908-369-4832

Basilone Boro?

What do you think of the recent suggestion that the Borough of Raritan change its name? The idea was pooh-poohed in the pages of the Courier News, but I believe it has merit.

The borough is one of two remaining Raritans in New Jersey. The Middlesex County Township of Raritan changed its name to Edison in 1954 and the Monmouth County Raritan changed to Hazlet in 1967 - too late for the new high school built in 1962, which retains the former name. In each of these instances, the town took the name of a notable past resident. Would it be so unthinkable for Raritan Borough to do likewise?

South Belmar became Lake Como in 2004, and Dover Township changed to Toms River Township in 2006. The changes were made to end confusion and help differentiate each town from similarly named municipalities.

It hasn't been as easy for the six Washingtons (5 townships, 1 borough), or the five Franklins (4 townships, 1 borough) scattered throughout New Jersey. Each of those communities is ALREADY named for someone famous - and proud of it. Who would cast a vote against George Washington or Benjamin Franklin?

But Raritan? It's named after a river. Changing the name of the borough won't dishonor the river, but would instead honor a hometown hero who became a national hero.

What do you think?


#####

I wrote about Raritan's confusing name last year. Click here to read.

Rotary Fair July 20-25, 2009

Click on the picture to view and print the flier.

No Cover

Before I am pummeled for providing cover for my "political pals" or any other such nonsense, I want to make my opinion of the upcoming town-wide property revaluation perfectly clear.

I am in favor of a fair system for assessing property taxes. An all-at-once revaluation is the fairest system there is. Some will argue that a system of rolling reassessments, if conducted correctly, can work just as well. Maybe that's true in some locales - but it didn't work in Hillsborough.

Yes, the expense bothers me. Any time we are spending close to a million dollars we had better be sure we are getting something for it. In this case, I believe we are getting something - a level playing field that will wipe away years of unequal tax assessments.

There's Value in Revaluation

This week, the Hillsborough Township Committee awarded Appraisal Systems, Inc. a contract to perform the first town-wide property revaluation in more than a quarter century. A revaluation is a comprehensive assessment of every township property performed in one finite period, producing a "snapshot" of the value of each property. Previous methods of assessing property values used by the township, most notably the "rolling reassessment" program used through 2003, did not look at all properties - focusing on properties that had undergone improvements or areas of town that had significant resales.

A problem with rolling reassessments is that it is possible for inequities to build between frequently and infrequently assessed properties and neighborhoods. Although this happens rarely - and this program is used succesfully in most other towns - it did happen in Hillsborough. This led to Hillsborough stopping rolling reassessments in 2003.

The benefit of a revaluation is that it provides for a fair assessment of every property relative to every other property. In other words, when the project is completed in 2010, everyone will be paying their fair share of property tax!

The downside to the revaluation is that it is expensive. The rolling reassessments were conducted by township employees as part of their regular responsibilities. The marginal costs were minimal. The town-wide revaluation will be done by an outside company - and comes with an $800,000 price tag.

Still, that is $400,000 lower than the anticipated cost - and a whopping $1.2 million lower than the number being bandied about in some of the blogs. Also, Hillsborough can pay off this obligation interest-free over a five year period. And better still, this type of revaluation will be so all-encompassing that it probably won't need to be done for at least another ten years.

At the most, the revaluation will be costing Hillsborough $80,000 a year averaged over that ten year period. Not chicken feed, for sure, but well worth it to level the taxpayers playing field for the next decade - or longer.