In the late Spring of the year 1895, a group of citizens from what was then the Town of Kearny's First Ward, dissatisfied with what they perceived as neglect of the interest of the taxpayers of that ward, set out to establish a separate borough government under the provisions of the Borough Laws of 1887.  Led by Edward Kenny, a lawyer, these citizens petitioned the Court of Common Pleas of Hudson County on June 4, 1895, to authorize a special election to establish the formation of a new borough government to be known as The Borough of East Newark.  By order of the Honorable Robert S. Hudspeth, President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, in and for the County of Hudson and State of New Jersey, dated June 20, 1895, approval was granted to hold an election within the limits and boundaries of the proposed borough on July 2, 1895, for the purpose of voting for or against incorporation of the new borough.  On July 2, 1895, residents took to the poles erected at John Keenan's store to forge the birth of The Borough of East Newark.  By vote of 276 in favor of incorporation to 57 against, The Borough of East Newark was born.  Newspaper accounts of the event revealed that as news of the succession from Kearny spread rapidly throughout East Newark, people took to the streets and cheered, hats were tossed high in the air, men hugged one another and a brass band paraded through The Borough's streets.

Reference: boroughofeastnewark.com