HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
Originally published in the Allentown Messenger, Albert Robinson’s open letter to the residents of Allentown upon his relinquishing his duties as mayor after 34 years follows. Longtime principal of the high school, Robinson reminisces about his many years of service.
January 1, 1934
To the People of Allentown:
The light system was at once very popular and the demand for current kept increasing until finally it outgrew the capacity of the storage equipment, and after several battery renewals, which were quite expensive, it was found that increasing business meant increasing loss and something had to be done. We turned to Public Service and invited them to bring their lines from Yardville, but they were not ready to do this.
The next step was to fall in line with the enlargement of the water plant and get a new engine and a new gas producer and an additional engineer and supply current without limit to all customers. For this purpose a new bond issue was floated. This was our fifth bond issue, and the people were patient. The first and second were for water, the third and fourth for lightall 4 per cent term bonds, maturing on or before 1942. We had been paying off these bonds pretty rapidly until 1918, when a Sinking Fund Commission became necessary, and then we kept paying into the Fund until the electric plant was sold.
This fifth bond issue was composed of serial bonds at 4 ¾ per cent, $1,000 coming due each year. We were then prepared to meet all demands for light and power. However, about 1923, Public Service notified us that they would bring their lines to us by way of Hamilton Square and Robbinsville and would sell us current at wholesale so that we could make some money. We accepted their terms, but our transmission lines had to be made over for the A. C. high voltage current. This required another bond issue, our sixth and last, which was at once granted. They too were serials at 4 ¾ per cent, $1,000 due yearly. We then commenced to make some profits.
Thus it may be seen that up to this time our electric system with its frequent "ups and downs" experienced rather rough sledding , while the water system with its low rates has generally paid its way, even helping to carry the light deficits.
However, in the summer of 1929, Public Service made us what seemed a tempting offer for the purchase of our electric system and since this would lift all our indebtedness, we felt we ought not refuse it, and we asked for an expression of the people through a referendum. They voted to sanction the sale, but in the meantime we became convinced that the price was too low, and we were not legally bound by the referendum, we decided not to complete the sale.
The matter was in litigation for two years, when an additional offer was made. We considered this a fair offer, so the sale was completed and the proceeds were placed in the hands of the Sinking Fund Commission to liquidate our outstanding bonds. This litigation yielded us a virtual increase of $18,000, for we retained the profits of those two years.
Since that time, the Sinking Fund Commission had paid off all the term bonds and all but $7,000 of our outstanding bonds. These are serial bonds not yet due, and they also have been provided for by depositing for the purpose the necessary funds in the savings department of the bank.
Thus virtually our entire debt is lifted, while there remains in the savings account several thousands of dollars as an emergency fund for the water system (see last year’s audit). Thus these utilities have more than paid for they have cost the municipality, and the water system continues with its balances on the right side of the ledger. And now, thanks to Public Service, we have their gas brought to our very doors, and we may in the future live like other folks in the enjoyment of modern improvements.
So much for the utilities. Now let us consider the schools. Previous to 1910, these had no official High School standing, though for several years before this our graduates received High School recognition by Rutgers and by the State Normal School.
Now our teaching force has been increased and we were officially registered as a two years High School. But our ultimate goal was the four years High School, and soon after the coming of our former supervising principal, Mr. F. A. Ebert, active plans were under way for reaching this goal. A site for the new High School was secured in 1923, the building was completed in 1924, and the four years High School was in full operation in 1925.
Thus have the fond hopes and high ideals of our people been realized in this splendid institution in our midst. Thus have the people of Upper Freehold shown by their works their liberal attitude towards education and the wisdom of their sacrifices toward this end by banking their treasure where moths do not corrupt.
And for all this we owe very much to Mr. Ebert, whose excellent skill in organization and fine executive ability were equal to the task. The Allentown High School will ever be a worthy and fitting monument to his memory.
Of course all this has increased our local school taxes, but these are the sacrifices you are making for our young people, and for the ultimate welfare of the State. You are getting "value received," and you have already passed the high mark of this taxation.
Indeed Allentown is not heavily taxed, as compared with other places. Out of fifty taxing districts, we are one of the three lowest. These three are Shrewsbury Borough, Upper Freehold and Allentown. The average rate in the county is $4.07 on the $100. Ours is $2.73, but our municipal rate is very small. It has been decreasing for several years, and is now but 57 cents on the $100.
Few boroughs in the State have so low a municipal rate; few townships can make so good a showing if they, like we, pay for extensive street lighting and fire protection.
Now, as I have said before, this desirable condition has not just happened. The credit belongs to your governing body, over which I have had the honor of presiding for more than thirty years. Of course in all these years the personnel of the Council has kept constantly changing, but there has been at all times a consistent aiming toward the desirable condition above mentioned. These men have been unduly criticized for whatever they have done of left undone. This is the American way, and when criticism is genuinely constructive it is helpful in the bettering of things, but when otherwise it tends to discourage good men from taking office.
When I became Mayor of the Borough, the Council was largely composed of elderly men near the seventy mark. They were fit, reliable men of sterling integrity, of good judgement, devoted to the interests of the Borough, and holding its purse strings with a firm grip.
However, lack of their enthusiasm for our utility propositions caused many to feel that younger men should fill their places, and gradually replacements were made of such until in time the greater part of the Council consisted of younger men, many of them old students from our school. These were active men of good judgment, liberal toward all necessary expenditures, but for all their else holding the purse strings, like their elders, with a firm grasp. Never in all the years of the my connection with the Borough Council have I known them to be extravagant in public expenditure, but, on the contrary, they have continuously persisted in the policy of keeping our taxation within proper limits. Let us give them credit for this.
Now in this rather prosy, somewhat historical outline, I have attempted nothing more then to help you visualize more fully some of the various stages of our development during the past three decades.
We may have lost something of the old-time charm, something of the peculiar pleasure of our former extreme isolation; but we have gained immeasurably in the comforts and value of living, and in the hopeful outlook for the coming years.
"But thisit seems as if this day might be. The day we somehow always thought to see, and that should come to bless us past the scope and measure of our farthest reaching hope."
Much more could be said of other lines of progress with which I have had less intimate connection, but for the present I shall be satisfied if I have helped you to realize how and why our Allentown is living in a better day.
In conclusion, permit me to express to you my grateful appreciation of the long continued and generous support which you have given my administration of your affairs, and let me wish for you that 1934 may be a happy new year. May all the years that follow deal kindly with you, and may you ever keep Allentown in the line of progress, so that the betterment of to-day may be as forward steps toward greater things for the morrow.
Sincerely,
A. Robinson, ex-Mayor
Historically Speaking is a regular column presented by John Fabiano, president of the Allentown-Upper Freehold Historical Society. For information about the historical society, call (609) 259-9127 or send e-mail to [email protected].

