USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > Historical sketch of the city of Newark, New Jersey; > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
17
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.
Hospitals and charitable institutions are plentiful and are cared for and supported from private and pub- lic funds. There are 9 public and private hospitals and about 25 to 30 orphan asylums, homes and other charita- ble institutions, each being equipped with a building of more or less magnitude, besides many societies doing charitable work to aid the poor and afflicted, which do not have a separate building in which to carry on their work. The city hospital is the largest and finest hospital build-
1
SAHNE
& co.
BROAD AND NEW STREETS-LOOKING SOUTH HAHNE & CO.'S OLD STORE
ing in the State. It has accommodations for over 300 patients, is new and equipped with the latest appliances, with fine training school and ambulance service. The present building, ground and equipment could not be duplicated for $500.000. Next in size is St. Mi- chaels, with 250 beds. The other hospitals are St. Barnabas, St. James, German, Babies', Women's and Children's, Emergency, and Eye and Ear Infirmary, to which should be added the Isolation Hospital, which is really a branch of the city hospital. The leading other charitable institutions are the Newark Orphan Asylum, Home for Crippled Children, Foster Home, Newark Fe- male Charitable Society, Krueger Home and Home for Aged Women. A list of the hospital facilities would not
18
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
be complete without the addition of the main plant of the Essex County Hospital for the Insane. While this is a county institution, it is located in the city and should be added to the list. This fine group of buildings and grounds furnish accommodation for 600, be- sides those cared for in the branch hospital at Over- brook. Training schools for nurses are maintained at the city, county and several other hospitals. The vari- ous hospitals have beds to accommodate about 1,000 pa-
MANNESCO
BROAD AND NEW STREETS-LOOKING NORTH HAHNE & CO.'S NEW STORE
tients, not including the county hospital, and the various charitable institutions and homes care for a large number of the unfortunate sick and poor.
HEALTH.
The Board of Health does efficient work in prevent- ing the spread of disease, and by its aggressive methods has handled contagious and other diseases and gotten rid of so many unsanitary conditions that the health of the city is improving all the time. The force under the Board is composed of capable and intelligent sanitary
19
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
police, inspectors and other employees. The Board is known far and wide for its progressive methods.
LIBRARIES-PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.
The city owns and maintains an excellent public li- brary. The new building, recently ereeted, is a model one and has few equals in the country. There are upwards of 80,000 books on its shelves and under the new librarian will be more useful than ever. The build- ing, site and contents are worth about $650,000. The fine collection of the New Jersey Historical Society, lo- cated in a good building in West Park Street, gives fa- cilities to those hunting for ancient history. Its collec- tion comprises 70,000 books, pamphlets and manuscripts, many of priceless value. The Prudential Insurance Company Law Library in the Prudential Building, is a fine collection of about 30,000 volumes of law books, to which can be added the library of the Lawyers' Club in the Post Office, a collection of nearly 10,000 volumes de- voted to law. Then there are in the libraries of the vari- ous public and private schools over 20,000 good whole- some books suited to school children, which number does not include the many thousand school text and ref- erence books. In the city are many private law and gen- eral libraries, some numbering thousands of volumes, and among these collections may be mentioned the fine statistical library in the actuarial department of the Pru- dential Insurance Company, presided over by Mr. Fred- erick Hoffman. This collection has no equal of its kind.
CITY HOME.
There is maintained at Verona, Essex County, a home for wayward boys and girls. This institution is supported from the public funds and provides a home where the incorrigible youth can be sent, where, under the care of an efficient superintendent and corps of teachers, they can be reformed and leave the home at the age of 21 years, in good shape to begin the battle of life. In this excellent institution they are taught farming, ยท printing and other trades, and an excellent common- school education is given. A series of new cottages have been recently constructed and the home is now one of the leading institutions of its kind in the country.
20
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
COUNTY JAIL.
We are to be congratulated that it is not necessary to be constantly enlarging the edifice for the safe keeping of those who violate our laws. The County of Essex maintains a jail in the city, which fills the needs of the community and is kept in good condition and its unfor- tunate inmates well and humanely cared for.
COURT HOUSE.
Little can be said about the present home of the county and state courts and county officers. The pres- ent building is to be torn down as soon as the new court house is erected. The county is to spend $1,200,000 for the erection of a building in keeping with the needs of the county and one which will be among the finest of its kind in the United States.
COURTS. LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
The city is well supplied with the necessary city, county. State and United States courts, and legal busi- ness is conducted with dignity and dispatch. There are 2 police courts of two parts each, 2 district courts ; County Circuit Court, Orphans' Court. Court of Com- mon Pleas. State Supreme, both civil and criminal side, branch of the Court of Chancery, and branch of the United States District Court, all ably conducted by judges and officials who understand their duty and per- form it well.
The city maintains a legal force to look after its business in the courts as elsewhere. The County of Es- sex also employs legal talent to protect the interests of the people and advise the officials when necessary.
CHARITY.
In addition to the hospitals and other charitable in- stitutions, the city maintains a dispensary where the needy may obtain medicine free and also a corps of 12 district physicians are employed to visit the sick who are too poor to pay for medicines and doctor's services.
FINANCIAL OFFICERS.
The financial affairs of the city are entrusted to the Comptroller, Auditor and Treasurer, who with a large force of clerks have charge of the receiving and disburs- ing of all the moneys used to run the city government.
21
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
MISCELLANEOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS, ETC.
There are a number of city departments, boards and bureaus that have charge of the cleaning, repaving and repairing of the streets, sewers, docks, public buildings, public lighting, construction and repair of bridges, build- ings and other public works, the assessment of taxes and other liens for paving and new sewers, the care of the water supply and the collection of the revenue derived therefrom, the control of the public liquor houses and the licensing of the street cars, venders and the general en- forcement of those laws which add to the comfort of a community.
WEALTH.
The total value of real and personal property within the limits of the city is from $275,000,000 to $300,000,- 000. Newark is among the leading cities of the country for aggregate wealth, and while the city does not contain many very wealthy men, on the other hand it does not contain a large number of the very poor. It is known that there are some 38 or 40 individuals and undivided estates that are valued at a million dollars and over and many others from $500,000 to $1,000,000. The property owned by the city is valued at between $25,- 000,000 and $30,000,000.
DEBT.
The net debt of Newark is $13,456,000 or about $51 per capita, and ample provision is made by sinking funds to so take care of this debt that the various installments will be paid off as they become due. After 1910 the debt will be largely paid off and unless something unforseen takes place, within a few years we shall find our debt much less than at present and many millions will have been spent in improvements.
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.
In 1901 the city received from all sources $4,950,- 653.43, of which $2,536,557.64 was appropriated by the tax levy, $427,140.00 was received from the school fund, $889,995.63 from the water rents, $467,746.22 from the contingent fund, $107,012.00 for the new city home, $205,839.63 from street pavings and the balance from some 20 different sources. The disbursements were $4,- 324,226.97' and there was a balance on hand of $626,-
22
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
426.04. The leading disbursements, including construc- tion and maintenance, were for the city home, $117,- 444.53; city hospital, $62,366.42; collecting taxes, $57,- 268.57 ; fire department, $308,165.11; free library, $40,- 585.00 ; hospitals, $16,500.00; police department, $425,710.90 ; poor and alms department, $36,292.33 ; pub- lic lighting. $202,946.02; public health $74,217.49; pub- lic schools, $826,836.00; scavenger contract, $69,791.70; cleaning and repairing sewers, $69,312.74; streets and highways, $126,977.62; department of water, interest on bonds, etc., $788,943.85; contingent fund, $441,993.79; sinking funds and interest, $465,513.50; repaving of streets, $77,294.80 and the balance disbursed to 20 different boards, etc. The contingent fund amount should properly be excluded as being merely cross entr- ies, the amounts have been distributed among a number of departments and the total is really included twice. This would make the actual expenses somewhat less than the figures given. Deducting the cross entries, the per capita expense last year was $15.53.
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS.
Within the past few years many improvements have been made in the city, among which may be mentioned the following: city hospital (cost and value in each case includes entire plant and is based on estimated cost to replace the same if necessary) $450.000 to $500,000 : high school, $315,000; school houses, $500,000 ; fire houses and appliances, $200,000; one police station; free library, $650,000; 50 miles of streets paved; three public baths; many miles of sewers and water mains; comple- tion of water plant and final payment; thousands of meters attached to water mains; new city stables con- structed and wagons and horses purchased. Post Office completed, value $1,000,000. Over $2,000,000 spent on new parks in city limits : 5,000 dwellings, stores, factories, churches, halls, theatres, clubs, schools and other build- ings constructed at a cost of not less than $30,000,000; finishing of the fine $6,000,000 plant of the Prudential Insurance Company and $2,500,000 store of Hahne & Co. besides many minor improvements to existing plants and city property. Never in the history of the city have so many improvements been finished as in the past five years.
23
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
PROJECTED IMPROVEMENTS.
While much has been done. much still remains to be done. There are projected and under way. the follow- ing improvements both public and private: New city hall to cost between $1.500.000 and $2,000.000; county court house. $1.200.000: elevation of railroad tracks to cost some millions of dollars : paving of 10 miles of streets and improvements to sewers and water mains and the construction of a $500.000 storage reservoir at Great Notch. The placing of many of the telephone and other wires underground and the construction of 1,000 more buildings of various kinds. including $160.000 worth of public schools. An addition to the post office is now under construction. Several new office buildings are projected, as well as another theatre, a modern hotel and four or five railroad stations. The electric street car company propose to add to the car equipment and to construct another power house. There will also be the usual improvement of the existing public and private property to meet new conditions and to keep them up to date.
IMPROVEMENTS DESIRED.
The various city officials have asked in their reports for the following: A new manual training high school: a mechanics art school; a number of additional school houses ; four fire engine houses; four hook and ladder houses, with men, horses and machinery to equip them ; a water-tower: 2 additional police stations and 100 more men to the police force; an emergency hospital and cen- tral ambulance station ; an isolation hospital: a conta- gious disease hospital: more market facilities : improve- ments to the streets, sewers. sidewalks and water supply and a large additional water main for fire purposes as well as a modern fire-boat. Branch libraries are also desired as well as $1.000.000 to construct parkways to connect the new parks, much of which would be in New- ark; the drainage of the meadows and the purification of the Passaic River.
SUMMARY.
The above set of statistics is intended to cover all that might be of interest to those persons who desire in- formation respecting our city and as far as possible every branch of the city government and the various public and private services have been covered. No at-
24
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
tempt has been made to get every set of figures down to an exact basis but under each heading is given, in as few words as possible, the exact standing of the subject treated, as far as information could be obtained in the time devoted to the preparation of the article.
WALTER A. LAWSON.
The mode of heating houses is so very different from that employed twenty-five years ago, and the absolute necessity which exists for the careful application of re- cent discoveries in this department is so very urgent that a new profession ealled heating engineering has sprung into existence.
It is a mistake to suppose that every plumber is a heating engineer, for, although there is some affinity between the two, they are as widely apart as are the car- penter or mason and the architect.
A heating engineer is really a " heating architect " and works on just as scientific lines and with just as careful measurements of parts and adjustments as does the architect of a building. He constructs his plans and regulates his work with due regard to the requirements of each individual case and carefully superintends its construction so that the sanitary conditions will be made as complete as possible.
Mr. Walter A. Lawson, the subject of this sketch, is very justly ranked as one of the foremost of modern heating engineers. He was born in Canada some thirty- six years ago, studied his profession in Detroit, Mich., and came to this city in the year 1889 thoroughly equipped for the work in which he is engaged.
Mr. Lawson is a student of the science of heating and devotes his entire mind to its perfection, being en- tirely wrapped up in the subject.
Conscientious, painstaking and thoroughly efficient he may safely be relied upon to accomplish successfully any desired result in the matter of sanitary heating and ventilating.
Mr. Lawson is a heating engineer and devotes him- self exclusively to the scientific arrangement and con- struction of heating apparatus.
He has earned a very enviable reputation both as an engineer and as a citizen. Upright, conscientious, genial and obliging-a strictly honorable man and excep- tionally proficient in his profession, he has made great strides towards popularity and success.
25
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
Mr. Lawson's place of business is at 93 Commerce street, this city, where he can be consulted at any time or by appointment on the important subject of heating.
He is a member of the Builders' and Traders' Ex- change.
H. BUCHLEIN.
The importance of engraving as a fine art cannot be overestimated. Foremost amongst the exponents in Newark of the art of engraving and die sinking we find the name of H. Buchlein.
He came to this city in 1868, commenced business in 1871, and one year later purchased the business of Dodd Bros., at 787 Broad street, which has since flour- ished to such an extent that he has been obliged to re- move to more modern and commodious premises at No. 12 William street, the ground floor of which he occupies as an office and workshop.
The success which Mr. Buchlein has achieved bears ample testimony to the excellence of his work, which he executes in a painstaking and workmanlike manner. He possesses all the facilities for satisfactorily performing any commissions entrusted to him.
Special attention is given to die sinking, particu- larly medal and embossing dies.
Mr. Buchlein is a man rich in mechanical and art- istic ideas, possesses rare genius, has had a great number of years of practical experience in every department of the business, and has achieved an enviable reputation.
He is also extensively engaged in the toolmaking in- dustry, for which he is fully equipped, having recently added special machinery applicable to this particular line.
His charges are uniform and moderate and his work can be fully relied upon.
Mr. Buchlein is a citizen of whom Newark is proud.
JOSHUA BRIERLY.
Probably the best-known funeral director in this vicinity is Joshua Brierly, " mortuarian," the subject of this sketch. He became the assistant of Mr. E. E. Starrs, whose office was located where Peddie Church now stands, about twenty years ago.
Three years later this connection was dissolved and Mr. Brierly opened an office at 364 Broad street. He attended strictly to business and in three years' time
26
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
the business had increased to such an extent that he was forced to move into larger quarters at 374 Broad street. There he had an office and a large room which would ac- commodate about twenty-five people, where they might hold funeral services over the remains of their friends. He had often felt that, in a growing city like Newark, it was necessary to provide a place where services could be held for those who could not accommodate a large number of persons in their own homes, and as there has never been a week in which he has had no funeral on the premises, and often could not accommodate the number who came he again moved, on May 1, 1901, to still larger quarters at 406 Broad street, corner of Grant street (op- posite the House of Prayer). Here, at great expense, he provided the best place of the kind in the State.
Fronting Broad street is a large reception room, handsomely furnished, and which gives no hint of the business conducted, besides which there is a general busi- ness office and a private office. Behind the general office is the mortuary chapel, carpeted and fitted with ma- hogany seats for one hundred people. The platform, which is enclosed by a brass rail, contains a reading desk and two chairs. The whole is lighted by both electricity and gas. There is also a private entrance on Grant street. Two hundred people can be accommodated if necessary by throwing open the reception room and offices.
Mr. Brierly is abreast of the times in all other mat- ters appertaining to the business and is deserving of great credit for his enterprise. Mr. Brierly is also noted for his vocal abilities, and he is a member of most of the prominent orders in the city.
DAVID HARPER.
Mr. David Harper started in the brownstone busi- ness in 1882. In about a year he entered into partner- ship with Wm. F. Rhodes in the old brownstone quarry at Parker street, near 5th avenue; while working in this quarry Mr. Rhodes was killed. In 1887 Mr. Harper went in with Wm. Righter, in his brownstone quarry, Clifton avenue, near Bloomfield avenue, under the name of the Newark Brownstone Quarry, David Harper, pro- prietor, he being the sole manager, paying Righter a royalty. At this time he did a very extensive business. At the end of about seven years, the stone being mostly
27
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
quarried. he purchased a large steam shovel and filled in the quarry. which is now covered with beautiful resi- dences. Then Mr. Harper took his brother Andrew into partnership, going under the name of Harper Brothers, and entered into the bluestone and general contracting business, opening an office and yard at 120 North 11th street. on the D. L. & W. R. R. In the year 1895 the partnership was dissolved, and since that time Mr. Har- per has been carrying on his business alone. He has laid bluestone in a large number of the towns and town- ships of Essex, Hudson. Union, Morris and Ocean coun- ties. Some of the principal streets that he has paved in Newark are Orange street, from High street to East Orange line, Walnut street, Lang street, Mcwhorter street. Lombardy street, Lombardy place, 3d street, Kos- suth street, Summit place, Atlantic street, Ward street, Lincoln avenue, Centre Market, Arlington avenue, Clif- ton avenue, 1st street. All of these being granite block except Lincoln avenue and Clifton avenues, which are brick, and Arlington avenue, which was curbed and flagged and a series of steps put in. He has put in a number of very difficult sewers, among which was the East Branch intercepting sewer, which amounted to about $100,000.
He recently purchased the best dock in Essex or Hudson counties, located at the corner of Bridge street and the Passaic river, Harrison, where he is expecting to more than double his trade, as his location will amply supply all his needs at a much less expense. His office is at 800 Broad street, Newark, N. J.
He has this year entered into the manuracturing of cement burial vaults, something that is entirely new and worthy of attention.
JACOB PETER.
Jacob Peter, a prominent business man, was born in Newark. April 22, 1852, and is the son of Jaeob and Mary (McFadden) Peter. His father was of German parentage, born in Alsace-Lorraine. His mother was the child of seotch parents, who removed to County Antrim. North of Ireland. Mr. Peter's father and mother. came to this country in early life. Jacob Peter, Sr., came direct to Newark and went to work for States Meade on Clinton place: later he located at Feltville Mountain and engaged in the hay business until his death in 1884. He was pioneer in hay dealing in New Jersey.
28
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
and, up to the time of his death, did more business than all the other dealers combined. Jacob Peter attended the Newark schools and, at the age of 14, commenced work in the hay business with his father. Four years later he commenced the masons' trade, serving a regu- lar apprenticeship. Subsequently he held positions in the hay and grain business until 1884, when he engaged in the contracting business. He is, to-day, one of the best known and most successful contractors of Newark. Among the prominent buildings of this city for which he made the excavations may be mentioned the Prudential Building, P. O. Building, Cold Storage Building, East- wood Building, Electric Light Building, Town Talk Building, Empire Theatre Building, Mutual Benefit Building, Howard Savings Bank Building and the Law- yers' Building. He has also executed many contracts in tearing down old buildings, etc. At the present time he is making excavations for the new Court House to be erected in this city.
Mr. Peters' reputation for successful work has placed him in a position with architects and builders where he has become a recognized authority on figures and requirements. He adheres closely to the plans and specifications and executes his contracts promptly. He employs large forces of laborers and carts and has every facility to expedite his work and thus keep well in ad- vance of his time limit. Mr. Peters also furnishes a fine quality of gravel, sand and crushed stone to builders, etc., the demand for which is steadily increasing among the trade.
Mr. Peters is a business man of the most sterling integrity and soundest judgment, the merit of which has achieved him the greatest success. He is also very popu- lar among his employees.
Mr. Peters' social life is one of deserved popularity. His sound judgment and business experience makes him advisor to many friends. He is an active member of the Order of Elks.
THE CONTINENTAL HOTEL.
" There is but one hotel in Newark, i. e., one worthy of the name. This is hardly credible of a city of such great commercial importance. Yet such is the case. The Continental Hotel is the only first-class hotel in the city ; but it is first class, and Newark need not blush for their single hotel.
29
HISTORICAL SKETCH CITY OF NEWARK
The Continental is a perfect exponent of the science of first-class hotel keeping and enjoys a splendid pat- ronage from both the traveling and the residential pub- lic. It was first opened about thirty-three years ago, since when quite a number of changes have occurred in the proprietorship.
The late Mr. C. H. Bartlett assumed control in 1888, in which year the hotel began a new era of prosperity, which has been maintained with unabated progress up to date. The business grew to such proportions that Mr. Bartlett was unable to attend to all the details, and
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.