USA > New Jersey > Bergen County > Englewood > Englewood : its annals and reminiscences > Part 4
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The founders of golf in Englewood were Messrs. E. H. Jewett, E. H. Booth, W. W. Burnit, F. Enos, Herbert Copple, Charles Neave, H. M. Banks, Thomas Thatcher, and W. W. Mackay.
On the 28th of February, 1896, the
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club was regularly organized and a board of governors and officers duly elected.
A piece of land was leased for the pur- pose between Englewood and Nordhoff, a small clubhouse was erected, and a com- petent professional, Harry Stark, was engaged to lay out the course.
Sixty-one men and fifty-five women joined the club the first season.
In 1897 the grounds were enlarged by leasing about fifty acres of land south of the old course. A handsome clubhouse was erected at an expense of five thou- sand dollars and the grounds were put in a condition to compare with any nine hole in the vicinity of New York.
The club numbers at present one hun- dred and twenty-five men and one hun- dred women, and it has decided to increase the number to one hundred and seventy- five men and one hundred and fifty women. Forty-five acres has been leased by the club adjoining the present
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property, and a full eighteen whole course is now in process of completion. The clubhouse has recently been en- larged and improvements are constantly being made. This popular game from the land of tweeds and plaids is one of the features of Englewood and is very accessible to this city, as a trolley passes the grounds, and it is in easy walking distance. It is in a delightful retired situation on the western slope of the Palisades, surrounded by a forest on the east and peaceful farms sloping down to the valley on either side.
The clubhouse is on an elevation of about three hundred feet above the val- ley, and the view from its spacious piazzas looking west is magnificent, making it a delightful place for rest or recreation.
The present board of officers are: Thomas Thacher, president; A. T. Enos, vice-president; G. H. Burnit, secretary ; E. P. Ryder, treasurer.
THE HOSPITAL.
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XXXI.
MUSIC AND SONG.
IN the early days of this village enter- tainments were enjoyed within doors when music and song were heard in every dwelling. Nearly every house had a piano, and the air was vocal with music as you passed along the streets; family gatherings to listen to vocal or instru- mental music were a nightly occurrence. We had in our village many charming voices, both male and female.
Our churches were all supplied with volunteer choirs, and the music was never more appreciated than in those days when our houses were all concert halls.
Open air is the craze to-day, and every- body is on the run.
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A musical club was formed in the early days, which was presided over by Pro- fessor August Kursteiner, and became very popular. Concerts were frequently given in the old Atheneum and very much enjoyed.
Echoes of those fine voices often flash through the mind, calling back to memory Englewood's good old days of music and song.
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XXXII.
PLANTING TREES.
IN 1860 there were very few trees that were the result of chance, and the ab- sence of shade caused many to hesitate before deciding to locate here. Every farm included an apple orchard in full bearing, but these orchards soon disap- peared.
Nearly all the maples, evergreens and shrubs that give you summer shade were planted almost forty years ago. The beautiful trees that line our avenues and streets to-day are the forethought of Englewood's first inhabitants, and came from the nurseries of Mr. G. V. Zingsam near Hackensack.
Many of us will ever remember Mr.
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Zingsam's kind hospitality, as his cellar, stocked with foreign wines, was always open when we called, and he not only escorted us through his beautiful, highly cultivated grounds, but welcomed our families into his spacious mansion.
Mr. Zingsam lived to supply many towns throughout the county with shade and flowers, but through the devious changes of fortune died leaving very little to show for his labor.
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XXXIII.
FRUIT TREES.
WITH our many improvements we did not neglect the fruit tree. We planted many varieties, but early discovered that the pear, apple, and cherry were the only kind to succeed in this climate. Nearly all our fruit trees came from the Roches- ter nurseries.
There were a few large peach orchards near here in 1860, but they were in a de- cline, and that delicious fruit soon dis- appeared from this part of New Jersey.
Our enthusiasm led us to experiment in all kinds of fruits and flowers until ex- perience taught us which to choose and which to reject.
The absence of gardens and florists
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compelled us to rely upon our own
grounds for vegetables and flowers, whereas to-day we can purchase cheaper than we can produce, and our gardens are taken care of by nature.
Very few people realize what a native New Jersey Road is like, or the labor and expense it takes to transfer a sand founda- tion to one of crushed stone. With the ex- ception of the old country road following the creek along the valley there were no roads except imaginary ones as laid down on the first map filed in 1859. Our old road board must have expended a quarter of a million dollars on the streets of this town before it retired.
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XXXIV.
AN OLD ORCHARD.
WHAT delightful associations cluster around an old orchard. It is a wise law of nature that in looking back down the pathway of life we only see things in their most beautiful dress. One of the delightful spots I love to rehabilitate in memory is an old orchard of my father's. I never see it in its cold and leafless un- dress, when the chilling blasts of winter are sighing through its branches, but always in full bloom with their varied colors illuminated by the summer sun, the air fragrant with perfumed sweets, and the voice of a thousand insects. A boy who has not experienced this has missed much.
This same scene was re-enacted after
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I came to Englewood. All around us were old apple orchards. Just west of my house on Palisade Avenue an open field led to an orchard which extended to the present Hill Side Street. Under the shades of these old fruit trees we used to take our children and pass the hours away. The dying remains of these old orchards may be seen all over the vil- lage, but the gnawing tooth of time has nearly completed their destruction, as seen in their dead limbs and decayed trunks.
From my window I look out upon a half dozen of these old apple trees that have hardly life enough to throw out a leaf or cast a shadow, but the sight of them rings up memories of forty years ago.
" We have all grown old together- Those trees and I,
And shall depart forever- By and by."
THE FIELD CLUB.
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XXXV.
DRAINAGE.
THE drainage of Englewood was not neglected, and few people realize that a large sewer, built by the "Citizens' Sewer Company," passes under the avenue. This sewer runs from the Ly- ceum down the avenue to the canal or creek below Englewood Avenue. It was built many years ago, and has always been maintained by private parties, and the public know very little about it. It was constructed to drain the lands and cellars of business blocks on both sides of the avenue. Before it was built these lands and cellars were constantly flooded.
This sewer has been a great public benefit and ought to be purchased and kept in repair by the city.
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XXXVI.
ANTICIPATING WANTS.
THE active mind of the early settler led him to anticipate the wants of an in- creasing population long before there was a necessity for them. Early in the sixties a meeting was called to establish a bank. Twenty thousand dollars were subscribed when the subject was dropped. The propriety of establishing a paper was dis- cussed when there were but few people here. We were constantly anticipating enterprises that were sure to come, long before they could be supported.
Nearly every one carried a subscrip- tion paper for some enterprise, and no one felt offended if appealed to. Lands, houses and lots were purchased, sold and
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traded on our trains as readily as boys trade tops and toys. It was stated that one of our enterprising citizens who had an impediment in his speech would often raise the price of land while trying to articulate.
I will name one instance of rapid ad- vance in price of land in these days. A gentleman largely engaged in real estate purchased several acres in the valley for one hundred and fifty dollars per acre, and disposed of it within a week for nine hundred. Purchasers and those who wished to sell were about equally divided and a desire to do one or the other was shared by all.
To show the ups and downs of real estate before and after the panic of 1873 I will refer to two events. A party pur- chased a piece of land in 1864 on Dean Street for one thousand dollars. In less than a week. he sold it for two thou- sand. His conscience would give him no
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rest until he had searched out the party he purchased from and returned him one- half the profit. The writer sold a lot in inflated times for one thousand dollars, receiving five hundred cash. It was re- turned for the five hundred due; sold again for five hundred and returned again for two hundred and fifty, which would be a fair price for the lot at the present time.
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XXXVII.
"THE CANAL COMPANY."
A COMPANY Was formed in 1868, to build a canal from Palisade Avenue to Nordhoff, the head of tide water. The company fancied they saw in the near future ves- sels of every description, laden with lumber, coal and merchandise of all kinds, landing at the docks of the "Over- peck Canal Company Limited." Allin's mill stood in the way, and there was no law to compel the owner to yield his un- disputed right. Thirty thousand dollars were subscribed and twenty thousand ex- pended. The writer has before him the original subscription book, with the list of stockholders and the amounts stand- ing in their name.
The following is a list of stockholders:
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William Walter Phelps, Jacob S. Wet- more, David Hoadley, Francis Howland, W. R. Vermilye, George S. Coe, L. Chap- man, Jr., T. W. Demarest, N. T. John- son, H. J. DeMott, Daniel Drake Smith, General T. B. Van Buren, W. A. Booth, John Van Brunt, Cornelius Lydecker, Henry Jones, Patrick O'Tool, J. A. Humphrey. Jacob S. Wetmore was president; I. Smith Homans, Jr., secre- tary George H. Coffey treasurer.
Of this number there are but six living. The stream was dredged, widened, deep- ened and straightened. The money ex- pended has been returned to the public in the drainage of the village.
The old mill at Nordhoff has disap- peared, but too late for the canal. Annual meetings were held for several years to comply with the law and retain the charter, but the company has passed into the material that dreams are made of and will soon be forgotten.
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XXXVIII.
ROADS.
OUR roads in 1859 were roads of Jersey mud and sand. To improve their con- dition a road board was organized to lay out and macadamize new and old streets, lay walks, and improve the thoroughfares generally.
A large amount of money was voted every spring to be expended on roads. The township was divided into road dis- tricts, each district electing its own com- missioner. A chairman was elected from one of their number to preside over their meetings. We are indebted to these commissioners for the foundation of the roads in Englewood Township.
When the city government entered upon its duties the road board ceased to exist.
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XXXIX.
VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY.
A VILLAGE Improvement Society was formed in 1868 to take a general super- vision over the village, such as lighting the streets, planting trees and the re- moval of any unsightly refuse that might accumulate in the highways and unin- closed grounds.
This society accomplished much to im- prove the general appearance of the vil- lage during its existence. It assumed charge of the lighting of streets, to which the citizens contributed a certain amount each year. The society also purchased oil lamps, and attended to lighting and extinguishing the same.
About this time our fences began to
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exhibit evidence of decay, and to restore them would be quite an expense. For- tunately the custom of turning villages into parks had become general and the removal of inclosures was very popular, as fences made good kindling wood.
We must not forget to give much credit to the good ladies of our village, as they not only assisted in organizing these re- forms but often were instrumental in carrying them out. The Improvement Society and hospital if not inaugurated were greatly helped by them.
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XL.
THE PROTECTION SOCIETY.
THE unprotected condition of Engle- wood and its accessibility to New York attracted professional thieves and house breakers, as they could so easily escape into the forest and down the steep gorges of the Palisades to the Hudson River. A society for mutual protection was formed by an act of the Legislature in 1869, but many houses had been visited when this society was inaugurated. The dwellings of Colonel Vermilye, George S. Coe, and E. W. Andrews were the last entered before the organization of this society. At that time Mr. Andrews had an unpleasant experience. The burglar appeared at his bedside and hurled a
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steel jimmy at his head, just missing him. Securing a revolver Mr. Andrews sent a ball after the housebreaker as he retreated down the stairs.
The house of the writer had a mild ex- perience with a burglar, but as he was securely locked in his room and the burglar overturned a chair and retired in haste, upon entering the house, no loss or harm came to the owner. The affair was soon forgotten.
We had many experiences of this kind until an armed society arose and caused men of housebreaking tastes to disap- pear. We often armed our servants and placed them on guard. The house of William King on Chestnut Street had been entered several times. He made a bed of a lounge in a room just off from the hall on which his man servant slept with pistol in hand. A robber entered. The servant was too much frightened to move. The thief packed up his secu-
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rities in a sheet and threw them out of the parlor window. The servant was not tried for murder.
Mr. James McCulloh was the first president of the Protection Society. He was a man fearless of danger and had many personal encounters with men of all grades of thievish propensities. In one of his early experiences he arrested a thief one dark night, tied his hands to the stirrup of his saddle, as he was on horseback and marched him to the "lock- up." At another time he took two thieves to his house, placed them in his parlor, handcuffed them, armed his son and placed him in charge until morning.
Mr. McCulloh's exploits by night and day, in sunshine and fierce storms would fill a large volume.
William Hill was our chief marshal at that time, and as he had the acquaintance of many New York detectives and also on the police force, he was placed in a posi-
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tion to be informed in advance of in- tended visits from law breakers.
I will relate an instance where about thirty State Prison convicts were turned out of Sing Sing by two New York pals, and a number of them fell into the arms of our marshal.
A burglar by the name of Kingsland, sentenced to Sing Sing for several years, was released by his friends in the follow- ing manner. Two of them living in New York captured a tug with a pilot on board and at the point of revolvers compelled him to take them to the prison dock at Sing Sing. Kingsland, whose escape had been planned, boarded the boat, and be- fore they could leave the dock twenty- five convicts leaped into the tug, crossed the river and scattered to the woods. Big Kid and Kingsland, after securing a change of clothing, started to New York via Englewood. They appeared at Tay- lor's livery stable about 6 o'clock P.M.
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The marshal was informed that two men looking suspicious were at Taylor's stable with a jaded horse about to start to Fort Lee. Mr. Hill sent to Dr. Banks, a marshal of the society, who joined him and followed the convicts, drove past them near Fort Lee, alighted from their carriage and questioned them. Being satisfied that they were dangerous char- acters they arrested and returned with them to Englewood. Reports came from New York to hold them. They were locked up, and nine who had escaped with them appeared and were taken that night, and the next morning as they were trying to pass to New York from the Jersey side of the river.
Not caring to wait for extradition papers Mr. Hills and Dr. Banks went to Alpine, crossed the river and landed them in Sing Sing. Big Kid, the bandit of the tugboat, was an escaped convict.
This society became a terror to evil-
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doers far away, who notified their friends to keep out of Englewood. It cast a mantle of protection over all its mem- bers, which included nearly every family in the town.
It is still in existence, but at no ex- pense to any one at present through the kindness and liberality of its president, Mr. Donald Mackay. The present board of officers are: President, Donald Mackay ; vice-president, Clinton H. Blake; secre- tary, Charles F. Park.
The first board of officers in 1869: President, James W. McCulloh; vice- president, Dr. Hardy M. Banks ; treasurer, W. Hart Smith; secretary, Daniel W. Leeds.
Directors, James W. McCulloh, Cor- nelius Lydecker, Nathan T. Johnson, Lebbens Chapman, Jr., Hardy M. Banks, R. K. Cook, Daniel G. Bogart, W. P. Coe, W. Hart Smith.
The marshal of this society was invested
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with power to arrest any one within the limits of the State of New Jersey who shall have violated its laws within the township. This society was very useful and it was conceived and conducted by our best citizens.
It is hard for the residents of the city of Englewood to get a glimpse of the things which were so real to us who were here in the early days of its existence, but now have almost become shadows. I wish I could illuminate this page of his- tory with a light that would show Engle- wood as it appeared to us in those early years.
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XLI.
AN EXCITING INCIDENT.
IN the summer of 1862 I took an early morning drive to show the beauties of the Palisades to some friends who were spending a few days with us. We drove up the avenue to the river, then turned north in the direction of Alpine on a road at that time called Hudson Terrace. After driving about a mile we made a sudden turn in the road, nearly running down a suspicious-looking character with a large well-filled carpetbag in his hand. He passed in front of us like the wind, and disappeared down a thickly wooded gorge that led to the river among the bushes.
He appeared and disappeared so sud-
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denly that he seemed like a materialized shadow. His satchel dropped from his hand, and its gaping mouth showed conclusively that its contents came from some burglarized dwelling in the valley.
We were very much surprised, and did not stop to investigate the contents of the bag, but drove rapidly on until we thought it safe to return.
We retraced our steps back to the gorge, but the burglar and bag had dis- appeared, and all was quiet. After watching a short time we observed a boat pulling from the shore at the bottom of the ravine, with two men in charge, and move rapidly to the middle of the river.
It was reported that a house had been entered in the village the previous night.
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XLII.
THE OLD RAVINE.
FOR several years after the village was settled Palisade Avenue was divided by a beautiful wild ravine. It was a pictur- esque, romantic spot that rema a pretty picture in the memory of those who lived here at the time. It was directly opposite the Presbyterian Church, and was quite deep. A running stream entered it from the church grounds and after passing merrily through it disappeared under the avenue.
This stream reappears in view in Dr. Currie's grounds at the present time. The ravine was filled with chestnut trees, shrubs and wild flowers. This romantic
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spot had its day and remains a pleasant recollection. But its interment seemed like the burial of an old friend to many, but sentiment had to give way.
Many of our best citizens visited that spot as it was being obliterated and turned away with sadness. One of our best and most esteemed citizens was so grieved over it that he actually left En- glewood for a month to forget its destruc- tion.
One of our most esteemed ladies de- clared that she would leave Englewood and never return.
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XLIII.
THE LITTLE PARK NEAR THE DEPOT.
A WELL remembered spot was a small park-like inclosure in the center of the avenue opposite the present post office. It was filled with shade trees and sur- rounded by a railing where people could lounge, talk politics and fasten their horses while waiting for trains.
As the little frame depot was about the only building near it for some time it was like a small park in an old New England village, where people assembled from miles around the country to see friends off on the train or wait for their return. It was a pleasant meeting place, especially in summer, as it was delight- fully shaded with elms and maples. At
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that time this little park-like grove so near the depot was appreciated, as there were no trees bordering the streets or avenues. Many of our enterprising citi- zens while building new homes in the village were camping in hired farmhouses some distance out of the center of the village and drove to and from the trains, and this little park was a picnic ground, where people met their friends and neighbors.
Buildings began to arise around the park. The shadow of a city was appear- ing and the subject of removal began to be discussed. From that time its doom was sealed. It had many friends who were very much opposed to its destruc- tion, but a majority ruled and this pleas- ing picture was removed from the map of our village.
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XLIV.
"THE OLD SAWMILL."
IT was but a few years ago that an old sawmill, with its race of rapid running waters, occupied a beautiful site, lying among the shadows of overhanging trees, directly opposite the Brookside Ceme- tery, west of Engle Street. Its waters were supplied by two little laughing streams, whose eddies and dimples re- flected back the foliage that hung over their borders. These streams unite, after passing under two stone bridges on Engle Street. Many of us will remem- ber this old mill, as it was in full opera- tion long after the birth of Englewood, but was finally abandoned.
The dam was removed, its pent-up waters allowed to depart, and the old
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wheel has made its last revolution. This old mill after standing deserted and alone a few years was removed by the lighted torch of some bad boy or careless tramp. When I think of these old relics of the past I am reminded of the time when every village and hamlet supplied the people with mill products from the local "mill," and as a rule a distillery was supplied by the same pure water, and the farmer furnished the material. The miller received his pay or "toll" in grain. Do you remember the old mill, From the bridge we used to hear Waters that were never still,
Whose gentle murmur pleased the ear.
The wheel has ceased its merry round, The mill has fallen to decay, From the dam no pleasing sound Longer rises with the spray.
The stream has found its native bed, A solemn stillness all around,
The birds are silent overhead, On either hand a burying ground.
OLD MILL, ENGLE STREET.
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XLV.
AN OLD ICE POND.
IT is not generally known that the old ice houses that stood on the corner of Demorest Avenue and the railroad so many years after Englewood was settled were used for a year or two after we came as a gristmill, when the houses were transferred into ice houses for storing the ice that was taken from the pond. Our summer drinks were cooled with ice from that small body of water several years.
Finally public opinion and the press found a cause for its removal. This pond was supplied by two little streams that came down from the mountains, passed around and nearly encircled a
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beautiful wooded knoll. After passing under two stone bridges they united and danced in company down the valley as they had for centuries, all unconscious of the danger that was lurking in their smile.
This shady and retired spot around which these streams found their way was selected by the people of Englewood for a cemetery. It was soon whispered about that the two little streams that united their melody might be made im- pure by their association with the Brook- side cemetery. Ideas and emotions ac- quire contagious force by a whisper, and a hint from the press was sufficient to start a sentimental panic. From that time the ice pond was doomed. The dam was removed and the waters re- duced to a small stream. It was an un- sightly object until vegetation had clothed its muddy bottom and the sun had drawn its malarial fangs. Soon
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