USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of the county of Hudson, New Jersey : from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 30
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PREVIOUS to the settlement of Philadelphia, in 1682, com- munication between Manhattan Island and the South river was by water. Occasionally messages were sent overland by means of Indian runners bearing them from tribe to tribe. The first post route seems to have been established about the year 1693. It was yet a long while after this, however, before any road was laid out for through travel.
The first road in the county of Hudson was the one leading from Communipaw to the village of Bergen. This was over the present Communipaw avenue to Palisade avenue, thence north- erly along Palisade avenue to Academy street, thenee westerly to the village. It was probably laid out in the latter part of the year 1660, by authority. In 1679 it was described as " a fine, broad wagon road."1
It was not until September 18, 1765, that Communipaw avenue was extended from the Bergen Point plank road to Bergen ave- nne, although there was an old private road on nearly the same line, connecting the king's highway with Communipaw avenue.
In 1682, by act of the General Assembly, John Berry, Law- rence Andries (Van Boskerck). Enoch Michielsen (Vreeland), Hans Diedrieks, Michael Smith, Hendrick Van Ostrum and Claes Jansen Van Purmerendt were appointed commissioners of highways for Bergen County, with full power to lay out, con-
Long Isl. Hist. Soc., i., 155. The old people were accustomed to speak of this road as the " off-fall road." This name was derived from a stream of water which, taking its rise in Tuers' pond, near the intersection of Montgomery street and Palisade avenue, passed southerly, tumbled over a ledge of rock at the intersection of Grand street and Communipaw avenue, and emptied into Sycan's Creek, near the canal bridge.
357
358
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
struct and repair roads at the expense of the county. This was the first " street commission " in the State of New Jersey! In 1694 Gerbrand Claesen was appointed in the place of Van Pur- merendt.
On September 9, 1704, the General Assembly " Resolved, That ye Grand Jury of each & every Respective County shall yearly in ye February and March Court, wth ye Approba'on of ye Bench, appoint two persons in Each County, precinct, district or Township to lay out all other necessary cross Roads & by Roads wch are to Consist of ye Width of four Rods, & also settle what is proper to be allow'd to those who shall be appointed. for their Service in Laying out ye said Roads."
On the 3d of June, 1718, a road was laid from " Crom-kill to Whehocken " ferry. What place was then known as Crom-kill is not certain, but probably it was the English Neighborhood. The road then laid must be in part the present Hackensack turnpike.
At an early day the dwellers at Harsimus laid out a road by the way of Prior's mill to Bergen. The following return. with- out date, when compared with the Field Map, will give a general idea of its course, as well as show that some of the residents pre- ferred the war path to a highway : " By ye Surveyors of re Highways for ye County of Bergen. Application having been made to us by Archibald Kennedy, Esq"., of some hardships & trespasses he meets with from his Neighbor Mattys De Mot for want of particular fenees, and We having heard the Allegations of both parties, & having Viewed the Premises, doe order that partition fences be forthwith put up round ye six aeres belonging to Mattys De Mot, as it is now marked out by us, ye North Easterly one half to be fenced & Kept up by ve said Archi- bald Kennedy, and ye South Westerly other half to be fenced and Kept by ye said Mattys De Mot.
" As also that ye Rhoad for ye Use of ye plantations at Pavonia or Ahasimus to ye Mill & Church shall be for ye future to begin at ye North East Corner of ye barn belonging to ye said Archi- bald Kennedy, and to run through ye said Six Acres one Rodd and a half wide, to be supported and fenced of by said Archibald
359
THE OLD ROADS.
Kennedy, where, if he pleases, they may have Swinging Gates. allowing to ye said de Mot So much out of his land as is taken out of ye Six Acres of ye Rhoad, all which we have Determined and Staked out, of which you are to take Notice as you will Answer ye contrary. We have, according to the best of our Judgments, allowed ye said de Mot an Equivalent for ye Rhoad upon ye South Side of his Six Acres out of land belonging to ve said Archibald Kennedy."
On January 12, 1753, the above road was widened to four rods. It came to the shore just south of Kennedy's orchard, at about the corner of Second and Henderson streets, thenee passed up by Van Vorst's to a place on Kennedy's land called " Sand Point."
At what time the road from Bergen to Bergen Point was laid it is now difficult to tell. On the 2d of November, 1743, James Alexander, of the Council, reported a bill " for continuing the King's Highway, which leads from Bergen Point to Bergen Town, to some convenient place on Hudson's River, for crossing that River to New York." The bill " passed in the negative." On October 10, 1764, a King's Highway was laid out from Hen- drick Sickles' barn to a point opposite the Dutch Church on Staten Island, and the old road was vacated. The reasons for this vacation were that in part it was through a swamp, and if laid along the bay it would be over sandy soil. This road then became a part of the great stage route between New York and Philadelphia. It is probable that this road was not then con- structed in such manner as to meet the requirements of travel. On June 28, 1766, an aet passed the Legislature providing for a road four rods wide from " the most convenient and suitable Place from the Southwest Point of Bergen aforesaid along up Newark Bay,"1 and from thence over to Paulns Hoeck. This road was laid September 12, 1766. The causeway between Har- simus and Panlus Hoeck, at present Newark avenue, was to be " cleared and maintained " by the owner of the ferry.
Allison's Laws, 288. Originally the road at Bergen Point was on the west side of the " Ferry Lot." It was changed February 17, 1801, to unite this lot with land belonging to the same owner on the west side.
360
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
The road from the intersection of Waverly avenue and the New Bergen road to Bergen Point, and recently known as the Bergen Point plank road, from Currie's Woods southwardly, was laid June 29, 1796.
On June 20. 1765, on petition of the people of Morris and Essex counties, an act was passed by the Legislature providing for the construction of a road from " the lower end of the Great Neck belonging to Newark " to the public road leading from Bergen Point to Paulus Hoeck. Nine men were named as The Trustees of the road and Ferries from Newark to the Road leading from Bergen Point to Paulus Hoeck. It was soon afterward constructed on the ground now occupied by the New- ark plank road,1 except east of the Hackensack, where it lay further to the south. This part of it was known as Brown's Ferry Road. It was vacated April 29, 1799, and the road laid in its present position.
On the 24th of November, 1790, the Legislature provided for locating and building bridges over the Hackensack and Passaie rivers and laying out a road four rods wide from the court house in Newark to Panlus Hoeck. On the meadows the width was afterward changed to six rods. By the act five commissioners were appointed and authorized to raise by lottery £4,000, after- ward increased to £27,000, part of which was to aid in complet- ing the road, part in building a bridge over the Raritan and part in providing suitable buildings for the Legislature.
Surveys were then made to ascertain the most practicable ronte. The map of these surveys, a reduced copy of which is here inserted, is taken from the New York Magazine, rol. ii., 367 (July, 1791). as also the explanations :
" The courses described in the map are the several routes pro- posed to lead to different stations on the rivers, at one of which it may be judged most advantageous to erect the bridges. The distance from Newark court house to Powles Hook, by the sev- eral routes, is as follows :
1 This Company was incorporated as The Newark Plank Road and Ferry Company, February 24, 1849.
361
THE OLD ROADS.
Miles. Chains. Links.
No. 1 Camp's Dock
Ronte, - 9 13 76
No. 2 Hedden's
Doek Route, - 7 65 86
No. : Beef-Point
Route, - S 18
41
No. + Present Road. S 59 7 No. 5
-hortened. 7 6
" The length of causeway re- quired over the meadows is as follows :
Miles. Chains. Links.
No. 1 Camp's Dock
Route, -
4 1 62
No. 2 Hedden's
Dock Route, - 3 55 40
No. 3 Beef-Point
Route. 3 5 42
No. 4 Present Road, 2 26 75
No. 5
shortened. 2 44 77
" The breadth and depth of the rivers is as follows :
Hackensack River.
1 At the place where the present ferry is established,
Feet. Inches.
Breadtlı. - 1,448
Depth at eastern shore, S S western 11
Greatest Depth in the channel, - 25
NORTH RIVER
.. PAULES HOOK
VAN VORSTS
5
1
E EK
MILL
PRIORS VILL
PRESENT ROAD
BERGEN
.. .....
AT PRESENT ROAD
DOUWS FERRY
PRESENT ROAD
5
CAUSEWAY
HICKINSACK
2
3
NUTMANS
12
PRESENT ROAD
2
1
NEWTONS DOC)
CAMPS
OOCH
..
NEWARK
...
PRIVER
1
d
362
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
2 At the place more northerly, called Douw's Ferry, Feet. Inches.
Breadth, - - 846
Depth at eastern shore, - 19
10
western 12
Greatest depth in channel, 35 S.
Passaic River.
1 At the place where the present ferry is established, 676
Breadth, -
Depth at eastern shore, - S
ti
western 9
Greatest depth in channel, -
17
2 At a place more northerly, called Beef-Point, Breadth, - - 799
Depth at eastern shore, 11 western 4
Greatest depth in channel, 13
1
3 At a place more northerly, called Hedden's Dock, in the town of Newark,
Breadth, - - 526
Depth at eastern shore, 4
5
western .. "
10
Greatest depth in channel, 15 11"
On February 19, 1793, the commissioners contracted with Samuel Ogden and thirty-six others to build the bridges, and gave them a lease thereof for ninety-seven years from Nov. 24, 1792. On March 7, 1797, the stockholders under the lease were incorporated The Proprietors of the Bridges over the Rivers Passuic and Hackensack. The bridges were completed in the summer of 1795. The company thenceforth elaimed a monopoly of the right to erect bridges over these rivers. Their claim was adjudicated in The Bridge Co. vs. The Hoboken Land and Im- provement Co., 13 N. J. Chuncery Reports, 81, 503.
" The Newark Turnpike Company " was incorporated Decem- ber 1, 1804. The State took two hundred and fifty shares of
363
THE OLD ROADS.
the capital stock. The company was authorized to construct a road from the westerly line of the Jersey Associates' land (now Warren street, Jersey City) to the east side of the Hackensack river. It was constructed in 1805. Through Harsimus the company was required to make their road conform to the line of the streets laid down on Coles' Map. This requirement was dis- regarded, the road laid diagonally across the blocks, and Newark avenue became a permanent nuisance.
The road from the Five Corners to Hoboken Ferry was author- ized February 17 and laid April 9, 1794. On the 10th of June following the commissioners were authorized to construct an em- bankment along the road over the Hoboken meadow, and lay the road six rods wide at the same place. From Central avenue to the brow of the hill the road bore to the east more than now, or took a straight line from the Corners to the hill on the line of the present Hoboken avenue, west of Central avenue. From Central avenue eastward the road was changed to its present position March 30, 1848.
The Bergen Turnpike Company was incorporated November 30, 1802, for the purpose of constructing a road " from the town of Hackensack to Hoboken." It was constructed in 1804, and is known as the Hackensack turnpike.
During the last French war, Colonel John Schuyler con- structed the causeway from the upland near Belleville to the Hackensack river at Douw's Ferry, "at a very great expense." It was at first a corduroy road. In April, 1774, an act was ap- proved to enable certain persons to ercet and draw a lottery for raising £1,050 to cover this causeway with gravel. The cause- way is said to have been made by sailors, whose vessels were blockaded in the harbor of New York. In 1784 Arent J. Schuyler complained that too much of the repair of this cause- way fell upon him. Thereupon the Legislature enacted that he should keep in repair the causeway thirty-three chains and thirty- eight links east from the Passaic river, and also the ferry stairs. and that Archibald Kennedy should keep in repair the balance of the causeway to the Hackensack river and the ferry stairs there.
·
364
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
Prior to 1848 all travel from Bergen and the lower part of the county to Panlus Hoeck was around by the Five Corners and Newark avenue, or by the Mill road ria Prior's mill. Even the residents at Communipaw were obliged to take this roundabout way. But in 1848 Grand street was extended from Jersey City across the meadows.
The foregoing list includes the principal roads in the county of ancient date. There were others, as the Middle road, which was approached through the northwest gate of the village of Bergen, and the Bergen Woods road, which opened into the woods through the northeast gate. There are also the Dally- town and Bull's Ferry roads. But the dates of their laying out or construction have not been ascertained. For convenience in keeping the roads in repair the township was divided into dis- triets, which bore the following names, viz. : Bergen Town, Gomnnipa, Pamerpugh, Bergen Point, Wehawk, Maisland, Bull's Ferry, Sekakes, and Bergen Woods.
TRAVELING FACILITIES.
In 1764 stages were first "set up" to start from Paulus Hoeck for Philadelphia, via Bergen Point and Blazing Star ferries. The vehicle used was a covered Jersey wagon withont springs. Three days were consumed in dragging it to Phila- delphia. It was modestly called a " Flying Machine !"
In the fall of the same year Sovereign Sybrant gave notice that he had fitted up and completed in the neatest manner a new and genteel stage wagon, which was to set out from Philadelphia on Monday, and get to Trenton that day ; the next day to Sy- brant's house, " known by the sign of the Roebuck," two miles and a half from Elizabethtown, where, with a good assortment of wines and liquors, and by " Assidnity, Care and Despatch," he hoped for the " Favour and Esteem of the Public." On Wednesday the stage reached " Powless's Hook," by the new post road over Bergen and return to the Roebnek. Thence it would start on Thursday, and reach its destination on Friday.
365
TRAVELING BY STAGES.
In 1772 John Merserean appeared with his " Machines." He left Paulus Hoeck three times a week, and went through to Philadelphia in a day and a half. In 1773 he established a line of stage coaches which left Paulus Hoeck on Tuesday and Friday, " at or before sunrise," and went as far as " Prince-town " the same night. Here they exchanged passengers with the coach from Philadelphia, and returned the next day. Inside passen- gers paid thirty shillings fare ; outside passengers twenty shil- lings. Each passenger was allowed fourteen pounds of baggage : beyond that weight the charge was two-pence a pound.
In 1769 a new route from Paulus Hoeck to Philadelphia was selected by Joseph Crane and Josiah F. Davenport, rid Newark, Elizabeth, Boundbrook and the north branch of the Raritan, to Corriell's ferry on the Delaware. They proposed to leave the Hoeck every Tuesday morning by sunrise. Passengers were re- quested to cross over from New York the night before. The stages met at the South Branch, exchanged passengers and re- turned.
In 1771 Abraham Skillman started his " Flying Machine " to Philadelphia, via Newark, Elizabeth, Woodbridge, New Bruns- wick, Princeton, Trenton and Bristol. Time, one day and a half ; fare, twenty shillings proclamation money : " a good wagon, sober drivers and able horses."
In 1767 Matthias Ward informed the public that he had for some time kept a stage wagon from Newark to " Powlas Hook." Having met with some encouragement, he proposed to make the round trip each day, leaving Newark at sunrise and Paulus Hoeck "sun 2 hours high." All persons might expect the " best Usage at 18. 6 each for coming and going, or 3 Shillings for both."
In 1768 Andrew Van Buskirk gave notice that he would erect a " Stage Wagon " in Hackensack at the New Bridge, to set out for Paulus Hoeck on September 17, to go twice a week ; fare, 28. 6d. In 1775 he changed the terminus from Paulus Hoeck to Hoboken, and named his vehicle a " Flying Machine."
In the same year and year following, some proprietors adopted the system of having their stages on each side of the Hacken-
366
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
sack river, where they would exchange passengers, " which en- tirely takes off the Inconveniency of detaining Passengers by ferrying of the Wagon over said River."
For some years prior to 1774, Peter Stuyvesant ran a stage from the Hoeck to Brown's ferry, where he met Josiah Crane with a stage from Newark, and exchanged passengers.
In 1770 a stage was run from Morristown to the Hoeck by Daniel and Silas Burnet,and from Hanover in 1775 by Constant Cooper.
In 1775 Abraham Goodwin ran a stage from the Great Falls (Paterson) to the Hoeck twice a week. In May of the same vear Thomas Douglas erected his stage to run from Hacketstown once a week, via Flanders, Black River, Mendham and Morris- town, consuming two days en route.
In the same year Verdine Elsworth brought out his " new caravan " between the Hoeck and New Bridge. He informed the public that his horses were " very quiet, and the caravan new and in excellent order."
In 1783 Adam Boyd " established a stage waggon to run be- tween Hackinsack and Hoebuck ferry." He boasted that the roads were very good, his wagon and horses in prime order, and hoped that such a useful institution would be encouraged.
From almost every direction in the interior part of the State stage lines were organized, and all sorts of vehicles started to- ward Paulus Hoeck to accommodate the public. To such an extent did this system of travel increase, that before the construe- tion of the New Jersey Railroad, as many as twenty regular stages would daily leave the ferry for different parts.
The Morris Canal. - The Morris Canal and Banking Company was incorporated December 31, 1824. Banking privileges were not in the charter. It was authorized to con- struct a canal from the Delaware to the Passaic. The canal was completed in 1831. On January 28, 1828, authority was given to extend the canal to Hudson's River at or near Jersey City. This extension was completed in 1836. The canal and its appur- tenances, with the chartered rights of the company, were sold under a decree of the Court of Chancery, October 21, 1844. By
367
TRAVELING BY RAILROAD.
an act of the Legislature, February 9, 1849, the banking privi- leges were taken from the company. The following table exhibits the extent of the traffie on this canal since the organiza- tion of the new company :
Year
Tons.
Year.
Tons.
Year.
Tons.
1845
58,259
1855
553,204
1865
716,587
1846
109,505
1856
563,413
1866
889,220
1847
155,559
1857
536,362
1867
822,741
1848
204,682
1858
554,034
1868
744,412
1849
23,305
1859
638,019
1869
650,200
1850
239,689
1860
707,631
1870
707,572
1851
281,707
1861
619,369
1871
629,044
1852
358,797
1862
612,018
1872
685,191
1853
467,288
1863
718,519
1854
543,269
1864
723,927
The Paterson and Hudson River Railroad Company was incorporated January 21. 1831. The road went into operation between Paterson and Aquackanonck (now Passaic) June 22, 1832. The rolling stock at that time consisted of " three splen- did and commodious cars, each capable of accommodating thirty passengers," which were drawn by " fleet and gentle horses." It was thought to be a " rapid and delightful mode of traveling." The trial trip over that part of the road was June 7, 1832. It connected with the New Jersey Railroad at West End. The road was leased to the Union Railroad Company September 9, 1852. This lease was assigned to and the road now forms part of the main line of the Erie Railway. Both the lease and assignment were confirmed by the Legislature March 14, 1853.
The New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Company was incorporated March 7, 1832. The first excursion over the road was on September 1, 1834. in the " passenger car Washington." "a splendid and beautiful specimen of workmanship, containing three apartments. besides seats on top." Regular trips began September 15, 1834. Eight trips a day were made. The cars were drawn by horses, stopped at the hotels to receive passengers, and ran from Newark to Jersey City in one hour and a half. At that time, and up to January 1, 1838, when the Bergen cut was com-
368
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
pleted, the cars were drawn over the hill. The first engine passed over the road from Jersey City to Newark December 2, 1835. " Newark " was the name of this pioneer locomotive. This road consolidated with the Camden and Amboy Railroad, under authority given by the Legislature, February 27. 1867. and the consolidation was leased to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in 1870.
The following table will show the growth of business upon this road. It is to be regretted that more complete statistics could not be obtained :
Passengers.
1835
102,359
1860
2,833,113
1836
293,559
1861
2,322,5984
1852
1,592,070
1862
2,394,625
1853
2,170,243
1863
2,989,1774
1854
2,433,715J
1864
3,310,940±
1855
2,164,471
1865
3,684,992}
1856
2,278,913₺
1866
3,568,191
1857
2,238,130
1867
5,153,543 2,674,722
1858
2,110,993
1872
1859
2,501,124
Freight-(tons).
1852
34,656₺
1861
99,550
1853
48,167
1862
110,215}
1854
56,9194
1863
167,118
1855
64,049
1864
165,773
1856
68,688
1865
230,280
1857
80,872}
1866
256,534
1858
85,460}
1867
272,168
1859
98,007
1872
324,861
1860
115,653
The Morris and Essex Railroad Company was incorporated January 29, 1835. At first this was connected with the New Jersey Railroad at Newark. It was extended to Hoboken November 19, 1862, by the completion of the Newark and Hobo- ken Railroad; leased to the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Company December 10, 1868.
1 464,087 tons of freight were moved from New York in 1872. It is estimated that 30 per cent. of this was taken ria Amboy.
369
TRAVELING BY RAILROAD.
The following table shows the mimber of passengers carried over this road from 1853 until it was leased :
1853
238,901₺
1861
455,107
1854
267,241
186:
473,205
1855
266,850
1863
590 773
1856
998,922
1864
1,032,973
1857
289,751
1865
1,025,498
1858
945,186
1866
1,066,179
1859
404,936
1867
1,173,398
1860
490,871
1868
1,444,549
The Erie Railway Company was first recognized by the laws of New Jersey March 14, 1853, as the New York and Erie Rail- roud Company, then as the Erie Railway Company. After leasing the Paterson and Hudson River Railroad and the Paterson and Ramapo Railroad, which two roads formed a direct line from Jersey City to Sufferns, Piermont was aban- doned as a terminus, and the cars were run to the depot of the New Jersey Railroad Company in Jersey City, until May. 1861. " The Long Dock Company," incorporated February 26. 1856, in the interest of the Erie Railway, completed the Bergen tunnel January 28, 1861. The first passenger train passed through it May 1, 1861. Then the Erie traffic was transferred to its present terminus at the Long Dock.
The Central Railroad of New Jersey for many years terminated at Elizabethport. In 1860 an act was passed authorizing the company to bridge Newark Bay and extend the road to Jersey City. This extension was completed and opened for travel August 1, 1864. Since its termination in this county. its traffic has been as follows :
Year.
Passengers.
Merchan lise.
Coal.
1865
928,806
392,650 tons.
1,004,506 tons.
1866
1,083,592
537,010
"
1,289,249
1867
1,204,130
566,480
1,369,045
1868
1,441,992}
659,471
1,618,845
1869
2,296,864
705,611
1,556,052
1870
3,291,034
702,529
66
2,052,184
1871
3,944,103
990,591
1,877,064
1872
4,478,513
1,490,689
2,228,217
24
370
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
TABLE showing the live stock brought to and slaughtered at the Abattoir, Communipaw.
CATTLE.
HOGs.
SHEEP.
Arrived.
Slaugh tered.
Arrived.
Slaugh- tered.
Arrived.
Slaugh- tered.
18661
4,707
470
65,798
59,333
29,871
11,061
1867
79,829
16,791
456,939
423,512
160,247
143,639
1868
75,226
12,379
500,546
490,319
267,315
266,293
1869
134,229
20,084
453,508
452,335
444,706
438,114
1870
93,257
29,398
404,242
400,282
480,758
470 717
1871
160,487
33,379
514,980
474,737
439,563
395,567
1872
246,323
29,532
701,025
685,614
401,476
400,660
18732
231,138
34,596
709,168
697,712
263,638
262,110
Total. .
1,025,196
176,629
3,806,206
3,683,844
2,487,574
2,388,161
Besides the foregoing, this company are bringing over their road to the National Storage Oil Yards about 1,500,000 barrels of petroleum annually.
The Northern Railroad Company of New Jersey was incor- porated February 9, 1854; completed October 1, 1859. It was leased to the Erie Railway Company in 1869. The following table shows the amount of business done from 1861 to 1869:
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