USA > New Jersey > Bergen County > Ridgewood > Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, past and present > Part 5
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RIDGEWOOD, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
At least two sparrows are fairly common during migration; the Fox-known by its large size and fox-like color-and the white-throated -identified by its striped crown, white throat and faint wing bars.
Spring is, of course, the ideal time to see birds in greatest variety. At that time they all wear their fresh spring plumage and bridal colors. Fifty varieties of birds is a reasonable number to be identified on almost any day of the first two weeks of May. To make this record, however, one must be able to recognize a bird quickly and accurately, and should visit the highland and the lowland, the open field and the shady wood.
Only the bird lover knows how very favorable a time is the winter for bird study. At this season a blanket of snow often conceals the natural sources of bird food. One who at this time provides a bird feeding shelf at a sheltered window and watches the various speeies that avail themselves of his fare, will be surprised and delighted at the variety and friendliness of his bird guests.
Chickadees, downy woodpeckers, and white-breasted nuthatches will visit the feeding shelf quite regularly, and juncos, bluejays, goldfinches, and redpolls are pretty sure to appear occasionally. English sparrows will need no urging to attend the feast. Indeed there may be difficulty in keeping them from becoming so numerous that they drive away the other birds. Tree sparrows, winter wrens, and crows spend the winter with us; but they are inclined to be shy and it is not likely that any of them would patronize the window-shelf lunch counter.
Nearly every variety of bird visiting this section of the country is found in Ridgewood. The following list shows those which have been seen and identified by its residents :
Blackbird. Rod-winged ( Agelaius plini- cens )
Blackbird. Rusty ( Euphagus carolinus)
Bluebird ( Sialia sialis)
Bluejay ( Cyanocitta cristata)
Bobolink ( Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
Bunting, Indigo ( Passerina cyanea )
Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
Chickadee. Black-capped ( Penthestes atricapillus )
Cowbird ( Molothrus ater)
Creeper. Brown (Certhia familiaris Americana )
Crossbill. American ( Loxia curvirosta minor )
Crow. American (Corvus brachyrhyn- chos )
Cuckoo. Black-billed ( Coccyzus erythrop- thalmus)
Cuckoo. Yellow-billed ( Coceyzus Ameri- cams )
Finch, Pine or Siskin (Spinus pimis)
Finch. Purple ( Carpodacus purpureus )
Flicker or High Hole ( Colaptes auratus) Flycatcher. Crested ( Myiarchus erinitus) Flycatcher. Least ( Empidonax minimns ) Flycatcher. Yellow-bellied ( Empidonax flaviventris )
Goldfinch. American ( Astragalinus tris- tis) Grackle. Purple or Crow Blackbird ( Quisealus quiscula )
Grosbeak, Pine ( Pinicola enneleator leu- eura )
Grosbeak, Rose-breasted ( Zamelodia Indoviciana )
Hawk, Cooper ( Accipiter cooperi)
Hawk. Marsh ( Cirens hudsonius)
Hawk. Red-shouldered ( Butco lineatus)
Ilawk, Sparrow ( Falco sparverius)
Heron. Green ( Butorides virescens)
Hummingbird. Ruby-throated ( Archilo- (hus colibris )
Junco. Slate-colored (Junco hyemalis)
Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)
Kingfisher. Belted ( Ceryle aleyon)
Kinglet. Golden-crowned (Regulus satrapa )
Meadowlark ( Sturnella magna )
Nuthatch, Red-breasted (Sitia canaden- sis )
Nuthatch. White-breasted (Sitta caro linensis )
Nighthawk ( Chordeiles virginianus) Oriole, Baltimore ( Icterus galbula ) Oriole, Orchard ( Ieterus spurius)
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PAST AND PRESENT
Ovenbird ( Seiurus anrocapills) Owl, Screech ( Otus osio)
Pewee, Wood ( Myiochanes virens)
Phabe (Sayornis phobe)
Pipit, American, or Titlark (Anthus rubescens )
Redpoll ( Acanthis linaria)
Redstart, American (Setophaga ruti- eilla )
Robin, American ( Planesticus migra- torius )
Sparrow, Chipping ( Spizella passerina ) Sparrow, English ( Passer domesticus)
Sparrow. Fox ( Passerella ilica )
Sparrow, Field ( Spizella pusilla )
Sparrow, Song ( Melospiza melodia )
Sparrow, Swamp ( Melospiza georgiana)
Sparrow, Tree (Spizella monticola )
Sparrow, Vesper ( Poocates gramineus)
Sparrow. White-crowned ( Zonotrichia leucophrys )
Sparrow, White-throated ( Zonotrichia albicollis)
Starling (Sinrmus vulgaris)
Swallow, Bank ( Riparia riparia)
Swallow, Barn ( Hirundo erythrogastra)
Swallow. Tree ( Iridoprocne bicolor)
Swift. Chimney ( Chetura pelagica)
Tanager, Searlet ( Piranga erythromelas)
Thrasher. Brown ( Toxostoma rufum)
Thrush, Hermit (Hylocichla guttata pallasii )
Thrush, Water ( Seirns noveboracensis) Thrush, Wilson, or Veery ( Hylocichla fuseescens )
Thrush, Wood ( Hylocichla mustelina)
Towhee or Chewink ( Pipilo erythroph- thalmus)
Titmouse, Tufted ( Borolophus bicolor )
Vireo, Red-eyed (Vireosylva olivacea )
Vireo, White-eyed (Vireo grisens)
Vireo, Yellow-throated ( Lanivereo flavi-
Warbler, Bay-breasted ( Dendroica cas- tanea ) Warbler, Blackburnian (Dendroica fusca )
Warbler, Black Poll ( Dendroica striata) Warbler, Black-throated BIne ( Dendroica carnlescens)
Warbler. Black and White Creeping (Miotilta varia )
Warbler, Black-throated Green ( Den- droica virens)
Warbler, Blue-winged (Vermivora pimis) Warbler, Canadian ( Wilsonia canaden- sis )
Warbler, Cape May ( Dendroica tigrina) Warbler. Chestnut-sided ( Dendroica pennsylvanica )
Warbler. Magnolia ( Dendroica mag- nolia )
Warbler, Myrtle ( Dendroica coronata )
Warbler, Parula (Compsothlypis ameri- cana )
Warbler, Northern Parula ( Compsoth- lypis usnea )
Warbler, Tennessee ( Vermivora pere- grina )
Warbler, Worm-eating ( Helmintheros vermivora )
Warbler, Yellow ( Dendroica astiva)
Warbler, Yellow-Palm ( Dendroica pal- marum hypochrysea )
Wax Wing, Cedar ( Bombycilla cedro-
Whip-Poor-Will ( Antrostomus vociferus) Woodpecker, Downy ( Dryobates pubes- cons medianns )
Woodpecker, Hairy ( Dryobates villosus) Woodpecker, Red-Headed ( Melanerpes erythrocephahis)
Wren, House ( Troglodytes ædon) Wren, Winter ( Nannus hiemalis)
Yellow-throat, Maryland (Geothlypis frons)
trichas )
A bird census, taken on Christmas Day, 1915. at a feeding station on the grounds of Carl M. Vail, Ridgewood, N. J., with sky overcast, ground snow-covered, light south-west winds, temperature 40 degrees to 45 degrees, from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. shows the following birds :
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay
Several
Purple Finch 2 (Male and Female)
American Goldfinch 1
English Sparrow . Many Chipping Sparrow
Tree Sparrow 1 Several
White-breasted Nuthatch
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Downy Woodpecker
Several
Starling Many Redpoll 1 Pine Finch Several
1
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RIDGEWOOD, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
White-throated Sparrow 2 Slate-colored Junco .Many Titlark .Several Black-capped Chickadee . Many 1
Hermit Thrush
TOTAL-Eighteen species : individuals too numerous to count.
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CHAPTER III CIVIL ORGANIZATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
POLITICAL DIVISIONS
O N March 12, 1663, Charles II. granted to James, Duke of York, a large tract, including the present State of New Jersey.
In 1664, on the 24th day of June, the Duke of York made a con- veyance to John Berkely and George Carteret of the entire Province of New Jersey. This instrument was the first wherein the boundaries of the present State were defined. The consideration for the convey- ance was ten shillings. The conveyance defined the property as being all that traet of land adjacent to New England and lying and being to the westward of Long Island and Manhattan Island: bounded on the east, part by the main sea and part by the Hudson River; and hath upon the west, Delaware Bay or River and extendeth southward to the main ocean as far as Cape May at the mouth of Delaware Bay; and to the northward as far as the northermost branch of said bay or river of Delaware, which is forty-one degrees and forty minutes of latitude, and worketh over thence in a straight line to Hudson's River; which said traet of land is hereafter to be called by the name or names of "Nova Cesarea" or New Jersey.
In 1675, John Berkely offered his half interest in the Province of New Jersey for sale and the same was purchased by John Fenwick, in trust for Edward Byllinge, for one thousand pounds.
The title of the whole of New Jersey was thus vested in George Carteret and Edward Byllinge. They agreed upon a partition of it, July the first, 1676. The trustees of Byllinge conveyed to Cartaret their interest in all the land lying east of a line drawn "from the East side of Little Egg Harbor, straight North through the Country, to the utmost branch of the Delaware River; thus dividing the Province into two parts, known as East and West Jersey."
Carteret by this conveyance became the sole owner of East Jersey.
Carteret died in 1679 and left a will, dated December 5, 1678. whereby he ordered that the Province of East Jersey should be sold to pay his debts. This conveyance was made by his widow and execu- tors, February 1, 1682, to twelve individuals styled as the Twelve Proprietors. Subsequently during the same year the Twelve Proprie- tors each took a partner and conveyanees were made vesting the title in them common with the original twelve. These with the other twelve were the Twenty-four Proprietors, or the Proprietors or owners of East Jersey.
The Province of East Jersey was divided into four counties, March 7, 1682, viz. : Bergen, Essex, Middlesex, and Monmouth.
Bergen County at this time extended from the Hudson River to the Hackensack River, and the Town of Bergen, now a part of Hudson County and situated in the vicinity of the Dutch Reformed Church of Bergen on Bergen Avenue, was the seat of government.
37
RIDGEWOOD, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
The division of counties in 1682 caused great dissatisfaction among the people. They complained that the counties were too large, that the distances between their homes and the county seat were too great, and that traveling such long distances over bad roads in all sorts of weather interfered with their pursuits and subjected them to great expense and bodily discomfort. They petitioned the legislature from time to time for relief, and on January 21, 1709, the legislature passed an act entitled "An Act for dividing and ascertaining the boundaries of all the Counties in the Province."
The bounds of Bergen County in this act were described as follows: "That in the eastern division, the County of Bergen shall begin at Constable's Hook and so run up along the Bay and Hudson's River to the partition point between New Jersey and Province of New York; and so run along the partition line between the provinces, and the division line of the eastern and western division of this Province to Pequaneck River, and so to run down to the Pequaneck and Pessaick River to the Sound, and so to follow the Sound to Constable's Hook where it began."
By this act the entire section of the county west of the Hackensack River, which had been previously a part of Essex County, including the Village of Ridgewood. became a part of Bergen County. The county at this time was divided into two townships: Hackensack Town- ship, including the portion of the county between the Hudson and Hackensack Rivers, and New Barbadoes Township, the balance of the county, including the Village of Ridgewood.
Franklin Township was formed from New Barbadoes about the year 1767. Ridgewood Township was formed from Franklin Township on March 30, 1876. It then covered an area of three square miles, the population of which was about twelve hundred.
In 1894 the Village of Ridgewood was incorporated. At the same time the municipalities of Midland Park and Glen Rock were formed into boroughs, thereby making the village and township lines of Ridge- wood coextensive. Effective July 1, 1902, a part of Orvil Township was added to the northeastern portion of Ridgewood, while in 1915 a portion of the northwestern territory of Ridgewood towards Waldwick was annexed to Orvil Township.
RELATION BETWEEN VILLAGE, COUNTY AND STATE
When we say that we live in the Village of Ridgewood, County of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, the statement includes more than a designation of the place where we reside. It also means that the municipal or local government under which we live is that of a village, that the corporation having charge of the county affairs is the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Bergen, and that our state government is that of the State of New Jersey.
The State is supreme, and the powers of the legislature are limited only by the Constitution of the State and the Constitution of the United States.
Its legislature at its pleasure can, by the enactment of laws, create
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PAST AND PRESENT
or destroy counties and municipalities and change and alter their boundaries and the powers of their governing bodies.
Villages are now formed by the passing of a special act of the legislature, designating the name of the village and describing the boundaries of the territory of which it is to be composed. This char- acter of legislation requires public notice prior to the enaetment. Upon the passage of such an act the laws relating to the government of villages apply to the territory affected. The governing body of the village has no power except such as is authorized by laws enacted by the legislature.
In the matter of raising the revenues of the state, the village is both directly and indirectly affected. The revenues of the state are derived largely from taxes upon corporations, railroads, franchises, and decedents' estates, income from riparian lands, and automobile licenses. Whether any of these taxes affect the residents of the village depends upon their interest in the subject matter of such taxation. A portion of the state school tax is raised by a direct tax on all the taxable property in the state and, therefore, affects every owner of taxable property in the village. The village receives in return from . the states its portion of the state school moneys, which are derived by the state from railroad tax, rentals of riparian lands, the income from moneys derived from the sale of riparian lands, and the state school tax. The state distributes these moneys through the county col- lectors of the several counties to the custodian of the school moneys of the several municipalities in the county. The Custodian of the School Funds in the Village of Ridgewood is the village Collector. The apportionment of the state school moneys is based on attendance at the public schools.
The business of our county is transacted by a Board called "The Board of Chosen Frecholders of the County of Bergen," which is a corporation of the county. It was formerly composed of members elected by the cities and townships of the county, the boroughs and villages joining in the election with the township from which the larger part of such boroughs or villages were formed. Since January 1, 1916, the Board has been composed of seven members elected by the voters of the county at large. The principal officers of the Board of Chosen Freeholders are Director, Clerk, County Collector, Counsel, County Engineer, and County Road Supervisor. The Sheriff, County Clerk, and Surrogate are county officers independent of the Board of Chosen Freeholders, but accountable to the Board for all moneys or property coming into their hands or custody and belonging to the county. The members of the Board of Chosen Frecholders act as the directors of a corporation in the management of the county affairs. The powers of the Board are ministerial. It is the custodian of the property of the county. It is charged with the management of the Poor House, Jail, and Court House, and with the construction and maintenance of bridges and eulverts. It has power to require all publie officers of the county to account for the moneys and property belonging to the county and entrusted to such officers. These powers and duties have
39
RIDGEWOOD, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
been commonly held and exercised by the Board of Chosen Freeholders from its earliest existence.
Until about 1890 the roads were maintained by the inhabitants of the several municipalities. Many of these roads were main thorough- fares through the county and state and were of more importance for travel to the county or state at large than to the inhabitants of the particular municipalities. About this time the state began to realize that the burden of constructing and maintaining these main thorough- fares belonged more properly to the county and state, and in 1891 the legislature authorized the Boards of Chosen Freeholders of the several counties to adopt county roads and to improve the same with state aid. About the same time laws were passed authorizing the Board of Freeholders to adopt county roads and to improve them with- out state aid. The state and counties are now bearing a large part of the burden of the construction and maintenance of public roads.
The Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Bergen was slow in adopting county roads. The first road improved by the Board with state aid in this county was the Paterson Plank Road, in the year 1909. Since that time, and especially about the beginning of the year 1912, the Board of Chosen Freeholders adopted a large number of county roads and improved the same, some with and others without state aid.
In our village two of the main thoroughfares, Maple Avenue and Paramus Road, were improved by the county Board without state aid and, between the boundaries of the curb lines, are now county roads, under the jurisdiction of the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Nearly all the revenues of the county are derived from direct taxa- tion. The Board of Chosen Freeholders is required not later than the first Tuesday of August in each year to make out a budget of the moneys which have been appropriated and which are to be raised by taxes for county purposes. This budget is sent to the County Board of Taxation before the second Tuesday in August in each year. The County Board apportions the taxes among the taxing districts of the county. Other moneys received by the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the county are the fees collected by the Surrogate and County Clerk, and fines and penalties collected by the Sheriff. In addition to this, a portion of the automobile license money collected by the state is given to the Board for repair of county roads.
The management of county affairs is closely related to the welfare of each municipality. Economy and efficiency are shown by a com- parison of the amount of taxes raised with the improvements made by the Board. In every direction the activities of the village are inter- woven with those of the county. The Assessor of the village assesses the property for the state and county taxes as well as for the taxes of the village. The Collector of the village collects the state school and county taxes as well as the taxes for village purposes. The village government fixes the amount of the village taxes. The first two are determined respectively by the state legislature and by the Board of Chosen Freeholders. The Overseer of the Poor, a village officer, fur- nishes temporary relief for the poor of the village. Permanent relief
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PAST AND PRESENT
is provided by the county. The insane, tubercular, and criminal de- pendents are provided for by the state and county through the Board of Chosen Frecholders. The bridges and culverts on all of the public roads in the village are constructed and cared for by the same Board. County roads through the villages also are maintained by them.
The state, county, and village are so closely related in the manage- ment of the business relating to the public welfare that every citizen should take an active interest in the manner in which such business is conducted by the state and county, as well as by the village.
RIDGEWOOD'S FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Township Commillee
In 1876, when the Township of Ridgewood was set off from Franklin Township, Bergen County was composed largely of farming communi- ties. The nearness of its fertile acres to the cities of New York, Jersey City, Newark and Paterson made farming the chief pursuit of its citizens. There were no cities and the local governments were townships.
The original township government in this state was elementary in form and adapted to rural communities.
. The most important political event in the township government was the town meeting, which was held annually on the second Monday of April. Between the hours of eleven and twelve of that day the electors assembled and chose some person to preside at the meeting. His duty was to conduct the business thereof in a regular and orderly manner and in case of dispute to determine who had the right to vote.
The law directed that if any person should behave in a disorderly manner or interrupt the person speaking by unnecessary noise or con- versation, and if such person should, after notice from the presiding officer, persist in disorderly behavior, then it was the duty of the presiding officer to direct that such disorderly person withdraw from the meeting and forfeit one dollar for such offense. If he refused or neglected to withdraw from the meeting, the constables of the town- ship were directed by the chairman of the meeting to put such person in a place of confinement where he would be detained until the meet- ing was ended.
Prior to 1841 the vote at the town meeting was taken by the rais- ing of hands, separating the voters, or viva voce. In that year the legislature directed, by special act, that the voting in Franklin Town- ship should be by ballot.
The principal objects for which money was ordered raised by the voters at the town meeting were for the support of the poor, the building and repairing of pounds, the destruction of noxious wild animals and birds, the opening, making, working and repairing of roads, and prosecuting and defending the common rights of the town- ship.
The qualified voters of the town meeting made and ordered such regulations and by-laws as a majority of them so assembled might think proper for the improving of their common land in tillage, pastur- age or in any other way, and directed the use, management and times
41
RIDGEWOOD, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
of using their common lands, and elected five "Judicious Freeholders" (property owners of judgment) as the township committee, which upon the first election (1876) consisted of Cornelius J. Bogert, N. R. Bunce, Peter G. Hopper, Albert P. Hopper and Thomas Terhune. The other original officers elected were Township Clerk, N. R. Bunce; Assessor, John A. Marinus; Collector, James Zabriskie; Chosen Frecholder, G. G. Van Dien; two Surveyors of the Highway, Overseers of the Poor, Constables, three judicious Frecholders of good character as Commis- sioners of Appeal in matters of taxation, and one reputable Free- holder as Judge of Election. In some townships the Overseers of the Highway were elected at the town meeting and in other townships by the several road districts.
The Township Committee was the governing body of the township. Its members were required to be property owners and their duties were largely ministerial. They examined, inspected and reported at the town meetings the accounts and vouchers of township officers, superintended the expending of moneys raised by taxation for the use of the township, read at the town meeting the statement of the accounts of the money expended in the township by the county Board of Chosen Freeholders, and settled disputes in reference to partition fences.
The duties of the Assessor and of the Collector were practically the same as today. The Assessor was a member of the county Board of Assessors, and as such adjusted the assessment between the various municipalities and fixed the tax rate for county and state taxes. These duties of the Assessor have in recent years been taken over by the county Board of Taxation.
The roads at this time were laid out or altered by surveyors of highways. On application to the Court of Common Pleas of ten or more freeholders, the Court appointed six surveyors of highways. These surveyors or a majority of them met and determined upon the necessity of the road and assessed the damages or benefits resulting from the laying out or altering of the road, and directed the time when the road should be opened or altered. Roads were opened and repaired by the Overseers of the Highways. The Township Committee assigned and appointed in writing to the Overseers of the Highway their several limits and division of the highways within the township for opening, working and repairing. Every person assessed for the raising of money to open or repair the highways could work out his tax or any part of it on giving notice to the Overseers within whose limits or division he resided.
The powers and duties of the township officers were such as the government of a farming community would require.
Village Trustees
The development of railroads changed the character of these com- munities in Bergen County from farming to suburban. from sparsely settled districts to thiekly settled communities. These changes brought with them many and difficult municipal problems for solution, among which were street improvements, water supply, sewerage, police and fire protection. Although the township laws were amended from time
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