USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > A History of the city of Newark, New Jersey : embracing practically two and a half centuries, 1666-1913, Volume II > Part 27
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reasonably expect to find, inasmuch as the town on the Trent was particularly noted at that period for its famous brews of ales; but it may be assumed that some among the settlers were conversant with the processes of brewing, and that for the comfort of home, as well as cheer for the visitor, the brewing of a good mead or ale was attended to; otherwise, how shall we account for the reference contained in letters written by travelers that the drink of ale furnished was of fine flavor, and most excellent to the palate?
Underlying the range of hills on which the city of Newark is built, a discovery was made, in the early days of the colony, of a valuable strata of «leur brown stone which offered opportunity for quarrying, with one owner commencing operations in 1721; and others, finding that a ready market for this material could be had, also engaged in the business, it being related that many men were employed in this occupation. This stone was found to be susceptible of being worked and chiseled into beautiful designs for the facade of buildings, and admirably adapted for building purposes, and thus its use became popular with the building up of the city in later days. It was extensively used in the erection of high-class buildings for commercial and residential purposes; especially was this the case in the erection of a great number of beautiful structures in the city of New York. After serving its purposes in furnishing employment to many workers, it continued to be of importance as a source of revenue up to the close of the Civil War, when, like the production of cider, or the operation of grist mills, with the advent or other materials for building purposes, its use was discontinued and the quarrying of this material ceased as an industry.
Another such disappearance was brought about when steam began to take the place of sailcloth in the propelling of vessels. The natural advantages of location on the banks of the wide flowing and beautiful Passaic river, as well as in the supply of stout oak, hickory and chestnut timbers in the nearby woods, made Newark at a very early date a favorite place for the shipbuilder to ply his craft. The Town Annals tell us of the immense importance of the fisheries, of the ready spoil earned by men who engaged In the hazardous occupation of whaling, and mention is made of as many as one thousand vessels being engaged in these pursuits. In the occupation of shipbuilding, extensively carried on for many years, a large force of men found profitable occupation. This source of employment, which added materially to the increase of population as also to the success of the town, continued to be a factor to its success for over a period of a century, then becoming of minor importance with the establishment of other industries, until it finally disappeared, no one apparently knowing why, or being aware of the fact.
WHENCE THE NAME OF NEWARK.
This enumeration practically covers the inception of the primary occu- pations and industries in the village of Newark as it existed up to the close of the period when, with the freedom of the colonies from the rule of England, a new era commenced.
As a closing paragraph, an explanation as to the source from whence the name of Newark was derived will not be out of place; while a reference to the origin and temperament of the persons comprising the colony would seem to be desirable, furnishing as it does a clue as to whence was derived the spirit of industry coupled with a knowledge of the craft.
A research shows that these founders of what is now the "great industrial city of Newark" came from the shire of Nottingham, England, a province which was settled by Normans, following the conquest, who, to
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HISTORY OF NEWARK
protect themselves and their stock, erected a bulwark on the banks of the Trent river, which after a lapse of many years was replaced by a new bulwark at a point a mile above the "Old Wark," causing those who made reference to the same to differentiate between the two and refer to the new one as the "New Wark," hence, in the course of years, the name Newark.
Of the temperament of the settlers it may be surmised that they were of a different type than the descendants of the Angles or the Saxons from other sections of England which later settled among them. Skilled in the knowledge of the crafts and pursuits for which the old home was noted, such as the art of brewing, the carding and spinning of wool, the bleaching and dyeing of cloth, the tanning and curing of leather, it is conceivable that, coupled with a love of industry for which the Normans were noted, these men were able to provide many of their own necessaries, and in so doing were able to impart a technical knowledge to their children. There- fore it would seem that the spirit of thrift and progress inculcated by the first settlers was derived from and had its origin in a Norman-English ancestry.
THE BEGINNING OF INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY-1800-1860-TRANS- FORMATION FROM FARMSTEAD TO WORKSHOP.
A glimpse of history covering the period prior to the opening of the nineteenth century intervening between the recorded doings relating to industry, may only be attained from fragmentary sources, no authentic report or record existing. It may therefore be surmised that, with each succeeding generation, a gradual increase of population created a larger demand for all kind of necessaries, implements and tools for the farm workers, wearing apparel, footwear, and other articles for the individual, and the many wants of the household.
These, no doubt, wherever the handicraft of the townspeople were capable of producing, were made at home, so that we may not be surprised in reading an excerpt from a letter written by Rev. Aaron Burr, the father of the man who was to be honored with election as the vice-president of the United States, in which he says, "that the Settlement had attained an excel- lent reputation, and that it flourished extensively in trade, manufacture and agriculture."
It is to be anticipated where thrift went hand in hand with content, that with the coming of the year 1800 a goodly number would have taken up their abodes, and it is not astonishing to find that the population had at that date increased to over two thousand, or to find that the quiet of the farm lands had given place to the hum of industry which had become of first importance.
It is surprising, however, to read in turning over the pages from colonial days to the advent of industry, that a transformation marvelous in other ways had transpired. From a complacent, satisfied people, methodical in following the accepted order of affairs usually prevailing where farming or the care of stock is the chief occupation, we enter an open door and are amazed to find such a busy, active scene on every side, while upon the ear of the stranger entering the town, the ring of the sledge on the anvil, or the sound of the hammer in the hands of energetic workers employed in many crafts, is accompanied as if from every home by the tap, tap, tap, of the shoemaker.
In the setting apart of a place within the home, or, the home lot to be used for a workshop perhaps, no thought was given to the possible
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Influence such an action would have in the future building of the city, and yet it is historically worthy of recording that in the selection of a site near the home for the erection of a factory or workshop the example of the founders has continued through each succeeding generation even to this day. It has made Newark distinctive as a manufacturing city, and mayhap, as some claim, has had much to do with the building up of industry and the making of the Newark of to-day the wonderful workshop that it is. In every section of the city, go where one may, the workshop or factory will be found to have been originally located close by the place of domicile of the owner, making the city in this respect different from other industrial centres where industry appears to gravitate to a certain section. There are those among the manufacturers of Newark who believe that this scattering of Industry has conferred a large benefit, as it had unconsciously created an Influence of value to the youth of the city in the technical education dis- seminated among them.
It is well known that children are as adaptable as they are curious, and that curiosity is akin to desire, so that the child watching the processes of design, or the shaping of materials, not only absorbs the idea, but, finding pleasure in the knowledge, mayhap was influenced in his inclination or bent in the selection of occupation.
THE LEATHER INDUSTRY AND SHOEMAKING.
Prior to the advent of Moses Combs in 1790, and the establishment by him of a plant for the manufacture of leather, the industries of the town had been confined to primary occupations in which the immediate wants of the people were made. An excellent opportunity for profit consisted in the converting of the hides of domestic animals and the skins of the deer into leather, to supply the shoemaking industry then extensively carried on, as well as to make use of the tannage materials to be had for the hauling from the adjacent woodlands where the bark of the oak, chestnut and hemlock was to be had in abundance.
To him also may be credited the actual beginning of the manufacture of shoes for export, as it is a part of the town record that, in order to secure skilled help, he established a school in which all who would might learn the shoemaking trade, thus founding the first trade school. His success is noted in the fact that he had inspired many others to engage in the making of shoes to supply the people of colonies, which were fast building up; also, in the record which sets forth that he received the large sum of $9,000 in return for a single invoice of shoes shipped to a southern city, and that he was extending his trade to many distant points.
It is historical that at least one-third of the people of this time were engaged in the making of shoes, a fact commemorated by the topographer who made the plate for a map, known as the "Shoemakers' Map" of the town in 1806, on which there appears a seal representing the shoemaker at his last plying his trade, typifying in this unique manner as it did a veritable village of shoemakers.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.
Other craftsmen were busy in building up from an individual beginning industries which were ultimately to become of great importance. Among those who had taken up an abode in the town was a man by the name of Epaphras Hinsdale, who commenced the manufacture of jewelry, starting
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HISTORY OF NEWARK
with a small capital and employing a few men. His success, like that of Combs, soon became a matter of comment, attracting to the town other skilful designers who in time engaged also as manufacturers, each attracting others to the city and adding to its success.
Among those first to take advantage of the opening for trade in coaches were Stephen Wheeler, Cyrus Beach, Caleb Carter and Robert B. Canfield, who began the manufacture in 1804, and a few years later Willlam Rankin commenced the manufacture of hats from fur.
A foundry for the casting of articles from iron was in operation, but no record has been made of the name of the proprietor. In the making of chairs and in wood joinery, men had become expert almost from the found- ing of the town, but the first record of a shop being started for the business of chairmaking is noted during the year 1825, when David Alling began business. This industry expanded and furnished employment to a number of skilled workers, continuing successfully down to the time when, with the introduction of machinery, the old, substantial method of manufacture carried on by L. M. & D. B. Crane, John Jelliff, Muzzy & Merchant, Hall & Alling and others, gave place to the present-day vogue of low prices and the glue-pot or "hold together until sold" style of furniture, forced out those engaged in the real craft.
In the trade for fine coaches and carriages there were many men employed in the ten or more shops where these vehicles were being built, and that the business was profitable may be surmised from the constant increase of capital finding investment.
As an auxiliary to the carriage industry, the manufacture of fine harness and saddles was commenced, many finding employment in the occupation which, with the manufacture of coaches and carriages, assumed a position of importance second to none among the industrial interests of the city from their first establishment down to within recent date.
BANKING FACILITIES ENCOURAGE TRADE.
So with the coming of the year 1804 we find the first bank, known as the Nowark Banking and Insurance Company, with Silas Condit as president, established, having a capital of $400,000. This institution evidently cared for all business demands until 1812, when the State Bank, with Elias Van Arsdale as president, was chartered, with a paid-in capital of $400,000. To the facilities afforded by these institutions may be ascribed the addition of many small factories which commenced operations, while, thereafter, additional banking capital was provided as the needs of industry and trade required. The Mechanics' Bank was organized with William Pennington as president in 1831 with a capital of $500,000; and the Bank of New Jersey in 1837, capitalized at $1,000,000, the actual amount paid in being $200,000.
With the opening of the year 1811, the final steps to offset the hazard from fire were taken when a charter was procured from the legislature permit- ting the organization of the Newark Mutual Fire Insurance Company, which concern appears to have carried the hazard of risk up to 1824, when the Mechanics' Fire Insurance Company commenced, the New Jersey Fire Insurance Company being incorporated in 1834-a year potential in its influence upon the future city.
NEW ELEMENTS ADDED TO THE POPULATION.
Among those who were attracted to Newark by the opportunity of find- ing remunerative employment in the work of quarrying, shipbuilding, or in
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the fisheries, were a number of men from Ireland, some from Scotland, a few Germans, and many native descendants of the early Dutch settlers in the adjacent provinces.
It is to be noted in the first directory published in 1835, that of the Irish a number soon engaged in the various lines of trade; Daniel Lynch in iron working, David Quigley in carpet weaving, W. M. Darcy in the manu- facture of harness and trunks, Peter Ennis, brass founding, and John L. Gourley manufacturing coach lamps. Each of the nationalities represented appear to have had men among them who were capable of engaging suc- cessfully in business, some in trade, others in manufacture, and all contribut- ing equally with the native born to the steady progress which was fast shaping the destiny of the town.
To ascertain an approximate idea of the number of people living in the town, a committee undertook to make a canvass in the year 1810, when it was found that the population was not less than 8,000, the majority of whom were employed in the many industries for which at that date the place had become noted, but within the following year, owing to various canses, a serions falling off in industry had taken place, and a consequent decline in the number of inhabitants, which loss was to be again augmented by the war of 1812, after which date it is made a matter of record that business had begun to revive, population to increase, and a period of general prosperity enjoyed, a condition which continued without interruption up to the year 1830, at which period the population was rated to number 10,953 individuals.
WATER AND RAIL TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES AFFORDED.
Subsequent to this date several events of great moment were about to transpire, one of which, the completion of the Morris Canal, in the year 1832, connecting Newark with the iron mines at Dover and the coal mines at Mauch Chunk, opened up new possibilities, potential in their bearing upon the development of its industrial interests.
The use of coal as a fuel, its cheap cost and abundant supply, and the use of steam for power, gave to those whose industries were benefited a decided advantage, while those making use of the facilities afforded for transportation to the settlements in the northern section of the State, as well as to points in Pennsylvania, derived benefits in the broadening of a market for their wares.
In the year 1834 another impetus was added with the completion of the link of the New Jersey railroad between Newark and the Hudson river at Jersey City, giving rail connection to that point east, and to New Brunswick on the south, facilities which were taken advantage of, as evidenced by the statement of traffic showing that a total of 178,751 passengers were carried during the first twelve months between Newark and New York, and for the year ending April 9, 1837, a total of 339,351 passengers were carried between points. Of this number, 102,931 represented the number carried between Newark and New Brunswick or intermediate points, while, with the completion of the connecting links extending this railway to Camden and thence by boat to Philadelphia, new markets and the possibilities of an extended trade were opened.
One of the important effects of these happenings is noticeable in the civic spirit aroused among the men of affairs of the town, who met and agreed upon taking the initial steps for the building of the Morris and Essex railroad, completed at a later date, and now known as the Lacka-
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wanna; also in the making of an application to Congress for the recogni- tion of Newark as a maritime centre by the creating of a port of entry, at the session of 1834. In the following year application was made to the legislature for the granting of a charter changing the form of government from that of a town to a city, which act was enacted at the session of 1836.
THE FIRST CENSUS OF INDUSTRY.
The first authoritative record treating of the industries of the town is contained in a report giving the result of a survey made in 1830 by a committee with Charles H. Halsey, chairman. In the summary submitted it was shown that the city then consisted of a population of 19,732, of whom 3,624 were foreign aliens. The total number of buildings in the city was 2,300, of which 218 were workshops and factories.
The report enumerated that there were then sixteen establishments manufacturing harness and saddlery hardware, having a capital of $217,300, employing 272 men, paying in wages $70,000 annually, with an annual product valued at $346,280; 10 factories producing fine carriages, with an invested capital of $202,500, employing 779 men, and producing an annual value amounting to $593,000; 18 shoe factories employing 1,075 hands, paying in wages $175,000 yearly, with an invested capital of $300,000, the value of the output being $607,450; 9 hat factories, with a total capital of $106,000, employing 487 skilled workers at an annual wage of $142,000, with an annual product of $551,700; 13 leather factories, with an invested capital of $78,000, an annual payroll of $18,000 distributed among 103 employees, producing annually $503,000; 2 soap factories, with a capital of $21,000, and an annual product valued at $165,000.
In addition to those enumerated, it was represented that there were 7 iron and brass factories, employing 125 men; 2 malleable iron factories, giving work to sixty men; 2 spring factories, employing 150 men; 1 hard- ware manufacturer, with 50 hands. The report included as skilled labor then in town, 350 tailors, 140 carpenters, 26 sashi and blind makers, 100 masons, 60 cabinet makers, 51 coach lace weavers, 42 trunk makers, 9 looking-glass makers, 10 iron turners, and 50 jewelers, making an aggregate total of 3,179 persons employed in all branches of industry and trades.
Reference was also made to the fact that there were two grist mills, two breweries, one saw mill, one dyeing establishment, one silver plating plant, and one establishment each for the manufacture of mechanic tools, brushes, coopering, and four printing offices employing 22 men and publish- ing three weekly and one daily newspaper.
In the year 1836 it was agreed by resolution of the Common Council that a committee be appointed to make a canvass of the city for the purpose of securing an accurate report of the number of factories operating, the number of persons engaged in industrial pursuits, and such information as possible of the amount of capital invested, the extent of the markets for the goods made, and an approximate idea of the total value of manufactures yearly. This committee, of course, had to accept such information as was given them, no doubt in many cases meeting with a refusal, and being forced to use estimates on which to make up their reports. It was ascertained, however, that every workshop was being operated to its fullest capacity, and that a ready market existed for all the goods that could be produced. In almost all lines, the one great want consisted in the scarcity of skilled work- ers, for which condition it was suggested that the employers should add to the number of apprentices.
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HISTORY OF NEWARK
In the table here ( Returns of a Canvass made in 1836 by Jabez G. Goble to ascertain the condition of Industry in Newark) will be found a fairly accurate statement of the industries, the number of establishments, the number of employees, and the estimated value of finished product turned out.
INDUSTRIES
No. of Establish- ments
No. of Men Employed
Annual Product
Boots and Shoes
14
734
$1,523,000
Hats
8
610
1,055,000
Carriages
9
897
1,002,000
Saddles, Harness and Whips
11
590
885,500
Clothing for the South
25
1,591
840,000
Tanning and Currying.
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150
899,200
Axles and Springs
7
220
250,000
Coach-lace
3
112
80,000
Malleable Iron Castings, &c
2
125
225,060
Cabinet manufacturing goods.
6
145
180,000
Jewelry
4
100
225,000
Trunks and Chairs.
7
106
90,000
Silver.plating
6
100
100,000
Sashes and Blinds
5
107
70,000
Miscellaneous
15
500,000
Totals
146
5,587
$7,924,760
In comparing the figures contained in this statement, with those repre- senting the canvass made in 1830, the first item to be noted consists in the increase in the number of persons engaged in the various industries, from 3,179 to 5,587, a gain of 2,408, or 75 per cent. in six years; also the fact that no mention of the making of clothing was made in the report of the canvass taken in 1830, other than the statement that 350 persons were employed as tailors. The whole number of establishments reported in the canvass made in 1836 is 146, while in the report of 1830 it is represented that of the total number of buildings 218 were used as workshops and factories, indicating that there were many others engaged in a small way manufacturing various articles for the use of the larger establishments, or for other purposes.
The survey also noted "that the annual exports of the town to southern ports of the United States, South America and the West Indies exceeded the immense amount of eight million dollars; that its exports consisted chiefly of the manufactures produced in our factories; that besides the immense amount of goods of these descriptions manufactured for foreign markets, large quantities of various other kinds of goods are produced for consump- tion at home; that the returns from whaling voyages included 3,000 barrels of oil and 15,000 pounds of bone, and that the shipping interests between Newark and New York, and other northern and eastern ports in which nearly one hundred vessels were constantly employed, many exclusively in the coal trade, were constantly increasing the annual volume of their business."
The closing paragraph to the historical sketch included in Pearson's Directory, published in 1837, recites that "the increase in the population and business of the town has been much greater during the past year than
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within any corresponding period. New streets have been opened in every direction; large numbers of buildings of almost every description have gone up, including a number of the largest manufacturing establishments in the place; real estate has advanced beyond all former precedent, and every incident of society is springing forward with unexampled energy."
This survey appears to have made a very favorable impression on the citizens of the city, compelling their attention and thought to the value of industry, and the benefit to all which its success brought in the enhancing value of town lots and homesteads, through the increasing demand for habitation of those engaged in industrial pursuits, the number of whom was being augmented each year, and in the increase of the business of those engaged in supplying food stuffs, clothing, or household necessities, even reaching out and including every and all class of business or profession.
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