B+W photo of men moving City of Hoboken records on Newark St. side of City Hall, ca. June, 1947.
Entry/Object ID
2007.038.0320
Description
Digital image of black-and-white photo of men moving City of Hoboken records on Newark St. side of Hoboken City Hall, probably June, 1947. Original print 8" x 10" wide. Reverse is blank. Photographer not indicated. None of the people have been identified.
View is northeast and the elevated perspective suggests it was taken from the Jersey Observer newspaper office building at the southeast corner of Newark and Bloomfield Streets.There is a large group of men, women and children showing interest in the activities. It is not apparent if the documents are being put in or being removed from the truck to be returned to City Hall.
This notorious episode occurred when Mayor Bernard N. McFeely (after seventeen years as Mayor; McFeely had been part of the City government as a Commissioner since 1915) and slate were defeated by Fred DeSapio and his reform slate in May of 1947. McFeely's administration and supporters took many of the City's documents from City Hall to a dump in an attempt to destroy them. It was to prevent their use by the incoming administration to determine the true state of city finances, contracts, etc. The McFeely administration was known have corrupt practices in many areas especially nepotism. The recovery of the records required a major effort by the new DeSapio administration.
Acquisition
Accession
2007.038
Source or Donor
Yaccarino, Mike
Acquisition Method
Gift
Credit Line
Gift of Mike Yaccarino.
Made/Created
Artist
n/a
Date made
1947
Place
Location
Hoboken
General Notes
Note
Original or Copy: Digital copy
Status: OK
Status By: dw
Status Date: 2007-06-19
