This photo from the NPL's New Jersey Collection is undated but probably from the '50s and shows Mayor Leo P. Carlin arriving to cut the ribbon at the new BOAC office at 762 Broad St. Next to him is some English guy.
I dont know where you people were in the fifties but my personal opinion is Newark was a pretty good city to live in Leo Carlin was elected mayor in 1953 during his term he was accused of being part of a corrupt political machine but nobody could prove anything against him. for a mayor who was accused of being a crook he was one of the best mayors we ever had. this photo shows him bringing a NEWARK TO LONDON connection. Mayor Carlin called together the CEOs of 18 largest corporations to stem the outward of their companies from going to the suburbs when in office the population was at its peak over 400;000 ranking 30th in U.S.cities today its about 275;000 ranking 65th. from the pen of City Historian Charles Cummings "the development of the 'new' Newark movement in the 1950s by Mutual Benefit; Prudential and Mayor Leo P. Carlin was a godsend when it was announced on the pages of the Newark Evening News. At last,two of Newarks commerical giants had taken a stand and began to rebuild their downtown headquaters. the airport and seaport expanded the university complex got off to an energetic start,and reinvestment became a reality in many industrial facilities." Not too shabby he was a first class crook
.The first mayor I remember was Ellenstein. I don't know if Carlin was a crook or not, but I liked him. I remember the last time he ran for mayor (and lost to Addonizio), he claimed that Addonizio was controlled by the Mob. How right he was!
It is also interesting to see how many of the early mayors had streets named after them. As a kid I wanted to be the first female Mayor of Newark. If I had, maybe they would have renamed Orange St, Flatley St!
"The mayor resembles Mr. Baxter, the man of the house on the TV show...Hazel"
Yup, and apparently - as per this photo - all Englishmen look like Prince Charles!
I'll take Mr. Baxter any day over that ! : - )
It is my understanding, as I noted, that Carlin was not a crook, which point is debatable, to say the least, regarding his successors, the current mayor, of course, being a notable exception to that rule. If anyone can bring the city back, Booker would be the guy.
The beginning of the end indeed ocurred during Carlin's time in office, but frankly there were forces at work beyond his or anyone else's control that caused the end of Newark as we knew it.
The first mayor I remember was Villani, back in the days when local campaign headquarters used to hand out buttons for everyone running for anything. Ellenstein had a very rough row to hoe, being mayor during the depression.
My dad used to tell me that the "City Fathers" used billboards down South to advertise for unskilled laborers to move to Newark in the 30's. It was a way of getting more registered democratic voters. I read in a book on the Newark Eagles and their female owners that the predominantly black newcomers were sprinkled around the then sixteen wards of the city, so as not to get a political stronghold in any one area. I don't think there was a black councilman till Irvine Turner in the late 1950's.
I know we don't have 16 wards now. Could it have been 16 districts.? My dad played baseball for a team known as the Cardinals in the 30's. He told me there was 16 teams, just like in the major leagues of the era, one for each ward or district. I remember pins saying "Farco", "Franklin" and "Melillo". Wasn't there a guy named Terry Reilley who died just before the election and still was voted in.
