The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 59

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220

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381

NAVIGATION AND SHIP-BUILDING.

loaded with produce from the various landings along the stream were floated down to the town of Philadelphia and loaded with merchandise for return trip. That vessels of considerable size were in use with masts before 1751 is evident, as the act of Legis- lature passed October 23d in that year pro- vided for a draw or swinging bridge. It was not built at the time, and an act having the same purpose, passed November 28, 1760, provided that a bridge at Spicers Ferry be built high enough to allow all boats that usually ply the stream to pass under. Boats were built at all landings up the stream as high as Oxfords Landing, having capacity of forty-five tons and less. In later years the landings along the creek, from Jonathan Atmores Landing, which was the head of nav- igation, were those of Benjamin B. Cooper, Philip Stoy, Josiah E. Cole, Jacob Troth, John Tanzey and Champions to Spicers Bridge. About 1837 Josiah Cole built at Coles Land- ing the "Caroline," a vessel of forty-five tons bnrden, which in 1839 was sent by him, in charge of his son, Jacob Stokes Cole, to Port Clinton, on the Schuylkill, for a load of coal; forty tons were purchased and brought to the landing. It was the first coal brought to the place in quantity and retailed at seven dollars per ton.

Many of the vessels built on the stream were later, when rendered useless, sunk at or near the landings, and used to extend the wharves, and their hulks are still to be seen at the old landings along the stream. Coopers Creek at present is navigable only for flat- hoats and vessels of light draft.

SHIP-BUILDING .- Gabriel Thomas, in his " History of West Jersey," speaks of a ship having been built upon Gloucester River (Timber Creek) for Governor Cox, and his language is such as to indicate that this was a sea-going vessel of a size that must have been turned out from a principal yard of the old country. It is a natural supposition, therefore, that the first English settlers, who

numbered several shipwrights, built other large craft, for they would not have gone to the expense of providing the costly appur- tenances of ship-building merely to send out one vessel ; but to Thomas alone can we turn for any record of their work, and he took note of nothing but the craft constructed for the Governor. After the founding of Phila- delphia, with its superior advantages of popu- lation, skilled industry and.capital, the busi- ness inevitably passed over to that side of the river, where Jersey artisans, in this special line, went to find employment. It is within the past quarter of a century that ship-building has originated in Camden, but it now contains yards that are putting afloat vessels which are a credit to their designers and builders.

Sloops and vessels of from twenty to forty- five tons burden were in use on Coopers Creek long before 1800, but they were probably built in Philadelphia, and in later years, from 1800 to 1840, were built at the month of the creek and on the creek as far up as Coles Landing. The "Lady Adams," a sloop owned by Captain J. H. Dougherty, was re- ported in the American Record for 1882 as built at Coopers Point in 1828, by whom is not known.

Burton & Davis were the earliest ship- builders at Coopers Point of whom any- thing definite is now known. They also had a marine railway. Their yard was near the Vine Street Ferry. Macy Mathis also had a ship-yard at the foot of York Street in 1852. In that year David Corson, with his brothers, Andrew and George, ship-builders at Mill- ville, came to Camden and opened a yard that then extended nearly from Shackamaxon Ferry to the rolling-mill. He remained in the business until 1868, when he sold to Bartlett & Tilton. It later became D. S. Risley & Co., and is now carried on by S. W. Tilton. Joseph Taylor and his son David early began a ship-yard below the old McKeen mill, near the foot of Penn Street,

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

where they also had a railway. Later, David Taylor and a gentleman by the name of Brown started a ship-yard on the site of Morris & Mathis' present yard. About 1855 Chalkley Mathis beeame interested with David Taylor and they continued until 1877, when they were succeeded by Morris & Mathis. Joseph Day and his son Benjamin also opened a yard for building and repairing vessels on the east end of Tilton's present yard. The business passed through the following changes : Tice & Carter, Day, Carter & Day, Day & Carter, Carter & Peale, Shoe, Chard & Chard. The latter, in 1855, sold to S. W. Tilton, who embraced it in his old yard.

In 1853 John Mattox began building vessels, and in time was a partner of D. S. Risley & Co. At Kaighns Point John Kaighn built small vessels.

In 1845 John R. Thompson established a ship-yard on the river-front above Kaighns Point, and for a time did an extensive busi- ness in the construction of wooden vessels, launching as many as seven in a season, ranging in size from sixty to three hundred tons; and during the ten years of its exist- enee over forty vessels were built in the yard; sloops, schooners, barques and tarns. The proprietor was an enterprising man and aetive in the municipal affairs of Camden. He was chosen president of the City Council in 1863, which honor was repeated in 1864 by a unanimous vote. He was born near Stoys Landing, on Coopers Creek, in Waterford (now Delaware) township, in 1816, and came to Camden in 1836.

Tilton's ship-yard comprises four acres of ground, bounded by Front, Point and Erie Streets, Coopers Point, and is the senior es- tablishment of the kind in continuous exist- ence in the city. It was begun by Corson & Co., from whom it was purchased, in 1860, by Samuel W. Tilton, who mueh enlarged it, adding two marine railways to the single one with which it was furnished when he took possession, A vessel of thirteen hundred tons

burden can be constructed in these yards, and several of that size have been sent out from them. Mr. Tilton builds mainly for . the coasting trade, with which he has exten- sive connections along the Atlantic seaboard. The usual foree of employees is about one hundred.

One of the principal ship-building firms in Camden is that of Morris & Mathis, whose yards are at the corner of Point and Erie Streets, Coopers Point. The business was begun in 1855 by Taylor & Mathis, who sold out in 1877 to Joseph J. Morris and J. S. Mathis. The yards and houses eover three acres of ground, and are fully equipped for the construction of sailing vessels of any size from a sloop up to a ship of one thousand tons. Most of the work of the firm has been done in coasters, and they have quite recently built a three-masted sehooner of seven hun- dred and fifty tons, a type of craft in the eon- struetion of which they have been very suc- cessful, and have also repaired the ferry-boat " Shaekamaxon " for the Vine Street Ferry. They employ from seventy-five to one hun- dred workmen, and the pay-roll averages fif- teen hundred dollars weekly.

B. G. Hillman & Co. established a ship- yard in 1880 at Coopers Point, between Front and Second Street. They build tugs, as well as wooden vessels, for the river and coastwise trade, and employ a numerous force of workmen. They constructed for Warner & Merritt, to be used in the fruit trade, the steamer " Ethel," which the Haytien gov- ernment bought and turned into a gunboat, and which has since figured conspicuously in the almost unceasing revolutions and eivil wars of the Black Republic.

J. Vanaman & Brother have their ship- yard on Delaware Avenue above Arch Street. The business was established in 1880 by John L. Vanaman, his brother Joseph H. Vana- man, and Mr. Burton, as the firm of Vana- man & Burton.

In 1882 Mr. Burton withidrew from the

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firm and David Vanaman, the father of the Vanaman brothers, became associated with them under the name of D. Vanaman & Sons. In March, 1884, the business came into the hands of the brothers by the with- drawal of the father, since which time the business has been conducted under the pre- sent name, Vanaman & Brother. The yard has one hundred feet front by six hundred feet deep to the riparian line. The dry dock is one hundred and fifteen feet long by thirty feet wide. With ample appliances, the yard is fitted for the construction and repair of the various kind of vessels for river and coast trade. Thirty workmen are employed.

Joseph Burk's ship-yard is at the foot of Cooper Street and it has been in operation since 1880, when it was started by the pre- sent proprietor. The yard occupies an area of one hundred and sixty by five hun- dred feet, and extends to low water mark. The docks are convenient, and the yard is equipped with the necessary appliances for building and repairing vessels engaged in the river and coasting trade. Forty workmen are employed.

DIALOGUE'S SHIP-YARDS .- John H. Dia- logue, the proprietor of the extensive ship- yards in South Camden, began business in the city of Camden in 1850, at Second Street and Bridge Avenue, on the premises pre- viously occupied by J. W. & John F. Starr. He was first engaged in doing general repair work of locomotives for the Camden and Am- boy Railroad Company, also the steamers of the Camden and Philadelphia and West Jer- sey Ferry Companies. At that time the railroad company had their shops at Borden- town, and Mr. Dialogue did the work at this end of the line, thus giving employment to about one hundred men. In 1854 he moved to the south west corner of Second and Stevens Streets, having purchased the foundry then owned by Elias Kaighn at that point, to which he made large additions, and there continued to do general machine-work and

the repairing of river steamers. Additions were made to the works, a large supply of new machinery was obtained, and in 1856 the construction of the celebrated Corliss stationary engines was begun by Mr. Dia- logue under a license from the inventor, George H. Corliss, of Providence, Rhode Island. In 1858 he began the erection of the present large works at Kaighns Point, and after their completion, in 1859, removed to them, and, with enlarged facilities, con- tinned the manufacture of Corliss engines aud did some marine work. In 1870 the name of the establishment was changed to the River Iron Works, with Dialogne & Wood as proprietors, who then engaged in the iron ship-building business. In 1871 the United States steamship "Colfax " was built at these works. This was one of the first iron vessels which the Revenue Marine Department of the government had ordered. The same year Mr. Dialogue constructed for the United States Coast Survey the iron steamer " Hassler," with a compound surface condensing engine, which was used for the purpose of taking Professor Louis Agassiz, the great American naturalist, on his Sonth American Scientific Expedition, and from thence to San Francisco, where the vessel is now in service. In 1873 he built the large iron double-engine steamer for the city of Philadelphia, styled " No. 3," used for break- ing the ice on the Delaware. It was then the most powerful steamboat that had been built on the Delaware River. Continuing the construction of large and small river craft, both of wood and iron, in 1874 he built the first compound-engine tug-boat, named the " George W. Childs," that ever was success- fully used on the Delaware, and then added the building of compound engines at his works as a leading branch of his business. In 1876 Mr. Dialogue received the contract from the government to reconstruct the United States frigate "Constitution," familiar to the annals of. American history, and in

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

1884 built the United States steamer " Mad- rono " for the Light-House Board, for ser- vice at. San Francisco. In the mean time he built a number of smaller vessels, mostly of iron, for Mexico, South America and various cities of the Union. His build of vessels may be seen in the harbors of Galveston, New Orleans, Mobile, Pensacola, Charleston, Bal- timore, Philadelphia, New York, Boston and Portland.

The number of men employed at these works varies from two hundred to eight hundred. The entire area of the ship-yards is thirty-four acres, with two thousand feet of river-front and twenty-eight feet depth of water at the wharf. The large business here done required the ereetion of costly buildings, wharfing and filling in of the river-front, together with the outlay of many thousands of dollars in the purchase of machinery. The various departments are the main build- ing, used as the engine machine shop and boiler works, four hundred and fifty feet in length ; the foundry, eighty-four by one hundred feet ; the steam forge, one hundred by sixty feet ; the iron ship yard shop, two hundred and sixty by fifty feet (destroyed by the cyclone in 1885 and the same year re- built); the joiner shop, sixty by forty-five feet, and two stories high ; pattern shop, sixty by thirty-five feet, and two stories high ; the mould loft building, one hundred and sixty by forty feet, and two stories high ; and the office, forty feet square.

John H. Dialogue, the originator and pro- prietor of so valuable an industry to the city of Camden, was born in Philadelphia May 13, 1828, and is of French-German ances- try. His father, Adam Dialogue, was the inventor and first manufacturer of the leatlı- er-riveted hose used for extinguishing fires. He had his factory in North Street, between Fifth and Sixth, Philadelphia, and there did a flourishing business until his death, in 1840, when it was continued by a brother. The son, John H. Dialogue, who lost his

mother when he was eight years old and his father when but twelve, lived afterward with his uncle. He attended the Central High School of Philadelphia, then held in a build- ing on the site of John Wanamaker's large store on Market Street, under the principal- ship of the learned edueator, Alexander Dal- las Bache, and was graduated in 1846, after pursuing a four years' course. Having then obtained a good education, he learned the trade of a machinist with his uncle. During the spare hours of the evening he educated himself as a draughtsman, and in 1850, when but twenty-two years old, moved to Camden and then began his prosperous business ca- reer. Mr. Dialogue is a gentleman of plain and unassuming manners, and social in his relations with his fellow-men, and careful and thorough in his business relation. He won his success by his own inherent energy, close application and undaunted perseverance. Be- ing a ship-builder and the proprietor of one of the fonr largest ship-building establish- ments in America engaged in the construc- tion of iron ships, and the only one in the State of New Jersey, he has made the subject of American commerce and our ship-building interests a careful study. He has broad and liberal views on national questions, is opposed to free ships and free trade, but persistent in advocating the American policy of protection, and at this time, when foreign powers are largely in possession of the carrying trade, is firm in the opposition to the free ship policy of some of onr American statesmen.

During his long residence in Camden, Mr. Dialogue has always manifested a great inter- est in the growth and development of the city and has frequently been elected to offi- cial positions. In 1875 he was elected a member of the Board of Education from the Sixth Ward of Camden, and was twice re- elected, serving three consecutive terms of two years each. While a member of that body he showed great practical forethought by advoeating the erection of two-story

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buildings for school purposes instead of high- er ones, and was chairman of a committee while superintending the erection of three such buildings. In 1878, while yet a mem- ber of the Board of Education, he was elect- ed to the City 'Council, was re-elected in 1881 and 1884, and, during the year 1883, was president of that body. In every posi- tion he thus filled he has been an energetic ad- vocate of all landable and economical meas- ures.

In politics he is a Democrat, and in 1880. was chosen by the Democratic party one of the electors-at-large on the Hancock and English Presidential ticket, and at the meet- ing in Trenton he was chosen president of the Electoral College. In 1881 he was nomi- nated as the Democratic candidate for State Senator for the Camden County District, which, though largely Republican, gave him an encouraging vote. Mr. Dialogue was married, in the year 1850, to Mary Easby, of Philadelphia, who died in 1882. He has one son-John H .-- engaged with his father in business, and three daughters-Adelaide, Stella and Lillie.

PORT OF CAMDEN .- The Port of Camden was established in 1834 and was attached to the Bridgeton Collection District, with a surveyor residing at Camden. Morris Crox- all, the lawyer, and afterwards prosecutor of the pleas, was the first surveyor, and had his office on Arch Street, above Second. He held the position but a year, when he was succeeded by Isaac Bullock, the noted school- teacher, who filled a term of four years, when Morris Croxall was again appointed and acted for two years. Philip J. Grey, the journalist, was made surveyor under Presi- dent Harrison, attending to the duties in the office of his paper, the West Jerseyman, but only for two years, when he was succeeded by Charles S. Garrett, afterwards sheriff. He was a harness-maker and the surveyor's of- fice was at his store, on Federal Street, be- low Second.

Philip J. Grey was again made surveyor of the port, under President Taylor, for four years, Isaac W. Mickle, the Mexican War veteran, being his successor, and the office, for a portion of his five years' service, was in the Camden Democrat office. Thomas B. Atkinson, the builder, who was after- wards mayor, was appointed in 1858, and held the office until Sylvester Birdsell was appointed, in 1861, by President Lincoln, and located the office at Fourth and Walunt Streets.

In 1867 Camden was taken from the Bridgeton District and attached to the Phila- delphia District, with Philip J. Grey as as- sistant collector. He held the position until his death, in 1875, when William P. Robe- son, brother of Hon. George M. Robeson, then Secretary of the Navy, was appointed, and, upon his death, in 1881, David S. Heyl succeeded. Hon. George D. Borton, the present incumbent, received his commis- sion in 1886. The office, for many years, has been at 211} Market Street.

These have been surveyors of the port,-

1834. Morris Croxall. 1849. Philip J. Grey.

1835. Isaac Bullock. 1853. Isaac W. Mickle.

1839. Morris Croxall. 1858. T. B. Atkinson.

1841. Philip J. Grey. 1861. Sylv. Birdsell.

1843. Chas. S. Garrett.

ASSISTANT COLLECTORS.

1867. Philip J. Grey. 1881. David S. Heyl.

1875. W. B. Robeson. 1886. Geo. B. Borton.

The last two incumbents are the only sur- vivors.

CHAPTER XX.

AGRICULTURE.

AGRICULTURE, as understood and practiced by the old folks hereabouts, would, in the present time of progress and improvement, be looked upon as one of the lost arts. Ro- tation in crops was the rule, that being rye and corn and corn and rye. When the

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

strength of the soil was nearly exhausted by many crops, another field would be cleared of the timber and on it the same rotation re- peated. The farmer who planted more than half an acre of potatoes or raised more than a small patch of cabbage was sure one-half his crop would go to waste. Meadow land was depended on for hay and the swamps looked to for pasture. Shelter and warmth were not thought of for stock and the cattle were dwarfed, poor and breachy. In " good old times " farmers had much leisure and the winters were spent in fox-hunting, sleigh- riding and visiting friends. The spring crops did not hurry them and for the autumn work they made no haste. The forest and streams furnished much of the food, the tim- ber the home supplies, and what care had they for the future. The use of fertilizers was not thought of, book farming was a re- proach and the use of machinery laughed at.

As time progressed, Philadelphia began to assume the proportions of a city and required increased supplies to feed its inhabitants ; farmers then obtained some profits coming out of the soil. Although the number of acres of tillable land was not materially in- creased, yet crops were made more productive by more care in farming and the application of manures to the land. The progress was slow and it was necessity or accident that in- duced advancement in modes of agriculture.

The following story will illustrate this statement : Anthony Warrich, a farmer near Chews Landing, owned large tracts of timber land and sent cord-wood and lumber to the Philadelphia market from his landing at the head of navigation on the north branch of Timber Creek. A brickmaker of the city, with whom he dealt, offered to load, free of cost, one of his vessels with wood ashes if the farmer would take them away from incum- brancing his brick yard. The farmer finally consented aud the ashes were landed on his wharf, and his sons hauled this valuable fertilizer to a field where it was spread on

land on which corn was to be planted. The effect it produced on the crop was magical and people came from far and near to see the result; for as much corn was raised by that process on five acres thus fertilized as prev- iously had grown on twenty acres of the same kind of land. The brick-makers, brewers and foundry men had no trouble thereafter in disposing of this heretofore troublesome commodity, and, in fact, soon be- gan to reap a revenue from it.

This is but one of the many traditions hanging about this important industry of early days, and fairly illustrates the hesitancy with which this class of men moved. Wood- en plows and brush harrows, with clumsy and ill-contrived tools, were put in the hands of laborers. But little care was taken in re- lation to seeds, and choice fruits or vegetables were seldom to be seen.

The discovery and use of marl as a fertil- izer certainly advanced husbandry in New Jersey more than any other means of im- proving the soil. Inexpensive and simple in its use, it came within the reach of all. If spread upon the most impoverished land, white clover will follow Indian grass and the product of an ordinary pasture will be large- ly increased where it is used. It is suitable to almost any crop and adapted to almost every kind of land. It needs no preparation, but can be taken from the pit and applied at once, and when these advantages appeared, farmers found winter work for their men and teams. The immediate outlay of money is so small and the return so quick that the land within and near the marl belt of New Jersey soon increased in value and product- iveness.

Of later years farmers are of opinion that its good effect is partially lost by continued use and in some sections much less is applied than formerly. The use of stone, oyster- shell and gas lime has been of great advant- age and are extensively used as fertilizers. The opportunities for obtaining these have so

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much improved of late years that much greater quantities are used than formerly. Patent fertilizers, like patent medicines, have found purchasers in all section of the country and many people have been defrauded thereby. Some are of much value, but the State Experi- mental Commission, which now makes a thorough analysis of such articles upon the market, publishes quarterly reports of the same. Credulous persons will, however, be found in every community and generally fall victims to such frauds, however much they may be cautioned against them.

The necessity for using meadow or tide marsh land to procure hay is shown in the location of one hundred acres at the mouth of Little Newton Creek (Kaighn8 Run) by the settlers at Newton, immediately upon their arrival. This was divided among them, and March 11, 1714, the Legislature passed an act to "enable the owners of the meadow adjoining to the lands of Sarah Mickle, John Dale, John Kaighn and Tobias Griscom, ad- jacent to the Delaware River in the township of Newton, to stop the tide from overflowing." This act was to allow a dam, with tide sluices and gates, to be built at the mouth of Kaighns Run, the better to protect the meadow and grass crop from the tide, and was the first law made to that end in this part of New Jersey. The navigable streams were banked along the sides with tide sluices and gates at proper intervals, with large open ditches leading to them.

December 5, 1760, an act was passed to "enable the owners of meadow on Little Timber Creek to support a bank or dam, lately erected across the creek in order to prevent the tide from overflowing," etc. March 10, 1762, an act was passed for the relief of meadow owners on a branch of Newton Creek, called Back Creek (in New- ton township), and June 20, 1765, an act was passed to allow the owners of meadows at the head of Newton Creek to maintain a bank and other water-works heretofore erected and

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 59

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards Number of Pages: 1220

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220