At the election of 1878, Dr. Alfred J. Martin was elected Mayor by 1471 votes to 1199 for Daniel G. Gerhart and 200 for J. J. Buchmiller. He was of a long and distinguished line of physicians in Lehigh county, representatives of which are still engaged in active practice in the city. He was descended from Dr. Christian Frederick Martin, who came to America from Germany with the pioneer Lutheran clergyman, Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, and located at the Trappe. Dr. Martin was a son of Dr. Tilghman H. and Mary A. Martin and was born March 23, 1837. He took his degree at the University of Pennsylvania in I857. Dr. Martin was a member of the County, Valley and State Medical Societies. He was Prison Physician, Coroner's Physician, a director of the Allentown National Bank, a Trustee of St. Luke's Hospital at South Bethlehem, a founder of the Livingston Club and a Democratic candidate for Presidential elector in i88o. Dr. Martin died December 8, i896. Because of the hard times, a wave of economy swept over Allentown during his mayoralty and the number of policemen was reduced from twelve to eight. In 1879 the city discontinued the use of coal gas for street lights and adopted naphtha.