Communications Regarding Township Division

In order to vote at this election citizens must register on Tuesday, April 18th, by appearing in person before the Board of Registry and Election in their respective districts, or by affidavit.

Notice of the Special Election and of the meeting of the registry Boards appeared in last week's issue of the Chronicle.

Last fall at a meeting of fifty or more representatives of the various church, fraternal and beneficial organizations of Moorestown, a committee of fifteen was appointed to thoroughly study the subject of the division of the township.

This committee has held many meetings has considered the subject from every angle, has held conferences with the representatives of various parts of the township, has carefully gone into the financial aspects of the question, both from the standpoint of Moorestown and from the standpoint of Maple Shade, and they have arrived at the unanimous conclusion that a division will be for the best interests of all sections of the township.

Much attention was given to the location of the division line, and the line finally unanimously decided upon by the committee mostly follows a natural water course, and by including the sewerage system and the water works in Moorestown, the proposed new township, it avoids complications as to ownership.

To carry this division into effect, an act providing for the incorporation of the Township of Moorestown was introduced in the New Jersey Senate, and was passed by both branches of the legislature without a dissenting vote. Opportunity was given for any citizen or group of citizens of Chester Township to appear before the Legislative Committee, and to present arguments for and against the separation as proposed. As no one appeared in person in opposition, the bill was passed after being amended by the Legislative Committee to provide for a referendum of the voters residing in the section to be set aside, which is the usual procedure followed by the legislature in similar cases.

The committee feel that the interests of the two sections of the township are so different that each should be allowed to guide its own development, that separation will be best for both, and therefore strongly urge the adoption of the provisions of the Act at the Special Election.

On the 25th an election is to be held to decide whether or not the Township of Moorestown will be created out of the present Township of Chester. The act as passed by the last Legislature was agreed upon by what has been styled the "Citizens' Committee," composed of fifteen residents of Moorestown. This Committee, which we understand was hand picked , and not vested with any power by the citizens of Moorestown or Chester Township, asked several citizens of Maple Shade to meet them on two occassions. The first time we were asked what proposition we had to offer. As the Question of the separation was inaugurated by the "Citizens' Committee," we felt that the initiative should be taken by them, and that they should come to us with their propositions. At the second meeting we were told of the proposed boundaries, and that they felt that Maple Shade could "go it alone." The only reason ever advanced by "The Fifteen," why a separation was desired was that Maple Shade would be better satisfied to govern itself and control its own finances; but we have reason to believe they thought that on account of rapid growth it might hold the balance of power politically, and therefore we are an undesirable community, no longer welcome within the same boundries, and for this reason they desire separation

At all the conferences held between "The Citizens' Committee" and individuals from Maple Shade we were assured that Moorestown desired to effect the division in an amicable manner, and intended to be perfectly frank and liberal. We were led to believe, in fact we were told that we would receive a pro rata share of whatever equity the Township possessed in all its public property, and it was explained to us that an inventory of all property would be made, appraised at its present value, against which would be placed the existing indebtedness, and the difference between the two would represent the Township equity in the properties (which equity would be divided between the two municipalities, based upon the assessed valuation in the respective districts).

As a matter of fact the law provides that any real estate belonging to a municipality shall be and remain the property of the municipality within whose limits it may lie after separation, and any indebtedness existing which was incurred for or on the account of the said property or indebtedness shall not be taken into account in making the division of assets.

One of two things must be apparent- we have either been deceived and misled, or the "Citizens' Committee" were as ignorant of the law in such cases as we were.

As above stated we relied entirely on what the "Citizens' Committee" told us, and did not go into the matter as we should have done; we supposed we were receiving correct and accurate information. We realized that ignorance of the law is no excuse but had we at any time, before the passage of the Act, known the law, we would have used our best efforts to have had it defeated in the Legislature.

Consider, if you please, the unfairness of the present law as applied to this Township:

In 1913 your High school was built for an estimated $95,000. There is at the present time outstanding bonds against all your schools (including three motor busses and a garage, for which bonds amounting to $12,000 were issued, and of which $6,400 still remains unpaid), the sum of $93,400. Eliminating the $6,400 leaves $87,000 against all your schools- High School (as fine as any in this section)., Number Nine, the Colored School and Stanwick.

In 1919 it was absolutely necessary to build a school at Maple Shade, which costs approximately $88,000. The present bonded indebtedness on our two schools is $88,500. Is there any justice in penalizing Maple Shade to the extent of being obliged to assume over fifty per cent. of the bonded indebtedness of the entire Township, and all of the schools in the Township to retain and hold only the two unsatisfactory schools within its limits? In other words, Moorestown would have school property whose bonded indebtedness is far in excess of its worth.

We would suggest if Moorestown desires separation, that a new bill be presented to the Legislative embodying therein authority to equitably apportion the Township's assets, which would be perfectly agreeable to us.

Moorestown Votes to Separate

The election on Thursday to decide the question of separating Moorestown from Chester Township as herefore consuituted,has resulted in very strong action, showing the voters to be nearly a unit for separation, there being more then twelve votes For separation to every one Against it. The vote by Districts was as follows:

The various real estate operations which were started soon brought some people from the city, and the number was soon increased more and more rapidly, until Moorestown residents began to realize the west end of the villiage of the township would before long, hold a larger population then Moorestown at the east end. Also at the same time came the natural demand for modern conveniences suited for a population becoming denser at a rapid rate, and needing many and expensive public improvements. The lots being generally quite small, there is already too much crowding in parts on account of there being no public supply of pure drinking water and no sewer system.

As a natural result of wells for drinking water being dug too close to cess- pools on small sized building lots, there is great danger of contamination, with the possibility of serious trouble arising at any time.

While the result of the election has made Moorestown in many ways independent of her sister town, it has also thrown on our community the responsibility for seeing that our neighbors do not breed pestilences for lack of proper sanitation, and with the present low per capita taxation values in Maple Shade it will need very careful and able handling of finances to secure public improvements. With a roadway mileage said to be even greater than Moorestown's, and almost none of it fit for travel in wet spells, except on the main road, which also has almost all the sidewalks laid in the town, there is great need for a commencement being made to provide both these facilties. The new large school house, built within a couple of years , is already becoming so filled that another one will be needed within three or four years more.

Pure drinking water and proper sewerage, however, are among the most pressing needs, and Moorestown still will have a serious responsibility to face in connection with the matter, especially if any epidemic because of lack of proper public sanitation should arise.

It will take some little time to arrange matters for the future, and Moorestown will need to move wisely deciding what to do and what to let alone, but Moorestown people will be in a safer position for action as a community in connection with whatever complications may come to call for action.