USA > New Jersey > The history of New Jersey : from its earliest settlement to the present time : including a brief historical account of the first discoveries and settlement of the country, Vol. II > Part 29
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five years; to prevent its "falling into decay." The sum required annually to keep this road in repair at that time was only ten pounds.
An opposition road was opened by the proprietors, in the hopes of drawing the principal part of the travelling to their seat of government, but without success. They expressed a wish to Deputy-Governor Lawrie, in July, 1683, that " it might be dis- covered whether there may not a convenient road be found betwixt Perthtown (Perth Amboy) and Burlington, for the enter- taining of a land conveyance that way." This was done by Lawrie the ensuing year, and he connected with the road a ferry- boat to run between Amboy and New York, "to entertain travellers."
Finding, however, that the other road continued to be pre- ferred, Governor Basse, in 1698, was directed to bring the mat- ter before the Assembly and have an act passed that would " cause the public road to pass through the post-town of Perth Amboy, from New York and New England to West Jersey and Pennsylvania ;" but Basse's authority was of such limited dura- tion that nothing was done.
Such were the two routes travelled between New York and Philadelphia, under the Proprietory Government ; but no public conveyance for the transportation of either goods or passengers existed on either.
One Dellaman was permitted by Governor Hamilton to drive a wagon on the Amboy road, but had no regular prices or set time for his trips.
Previous to the year 1707, an express wagon had been run between New York and Philadelphia, to carry produce and mer- chandise. A few years later a "stage-wagon " for passengers and freight was put on the road from Burlington to Perth Amboy, another on the New Brunswick road, and a third by the way of Bordentown.
A mail system was devised by Colonel John Hamilton, of this State, afterwards Governor, in 1694, being the first established in the country. This system was reported to and adopted by the English Government. In 1729 the mail passed once a week between New York and Philadelphia in summer, and once a
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fortnight in winter. This schedule was continued till 1754, a period of twenty-five years. From 1754 the mail system was rapidly improved, and in 1764 the carriers passed over the route three times a week, and made the trip from city to city in twenty- four hours. The plan of transporting the mails was in canvas bags, and on the backs of horses, the express rider, as it was then termed, changing horses about every twenty miles. There were in 1791 six post-offices in this State; these were at Newark, Elizabeth, Bridgeton (now Rahway), New Brunswick, Princeton, and Trenton.
In 1707 the Assembly, enumerating their grievances to Lord Cornbury (at that time Governor of the Province of New Jersey, under the crown), complained that patents had been granted to individuals to transport goods on the road from Burlington to Amboy, for a certain number of years, to the exclusion of others, which was deemed not only contrary to the statute respecting monopolies, but also destructive of that freedom which trade and commerce ought to have.
The Governor, in his reply, gives us an insight into the facili- ties afforded by this wagon. After stating the difficulties which had previously attended the carriage of goods upon the road, he says : " At present everybody is sure, once a fortnight, to have an opportunity of sending any quantity of goods, great or small, at reasonable rates, without being in danger of imposition ; and the settling of this wagon is so far from being a grievance or a monopoly, that by this means, and no other, a trade has been carried on between Philadelphia, Burlington, Amboy, and New York, which was never known before, and in all probability never would have been."
As none of the grievances suffered under Lord Cornbury's administration were removed until his recall in 1710, it is prob- able this wagon continued to perform its journey " once a fort- night" till then, if no longer. Soon after, however, the road seems to have been more open to competition.
In Andrew Bradford's Philadelphia Mercury of March, 1732- 33, is the following advertisement respecting the transportation on this route :
"This is to give notice unto Gentlemen, Merchants, Trades-
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men, Travellers, and others, that Solomon Smith and Thomas Moore, of Burlington, keepeth two stage wagons, intending to go from Burlington to Amboy, and back from Amboy to Burlington again, Once every Week, or offt'er if that Business presents ; they have also a very good store-house, very Commodious for the storing of any sort of Merchants' Goods, free from any Charges, where good care will be taken of all sorts of goods."
About this time, also, a line ran by the way of New Bruns- wick ; and in 1734 the first line via Bordentown was established from South River,* the proprietor of which would be at York "once a week, if wind and weather permit, and come to the Old-Slip."
In 1744 the stage wagons between New Brunswick and Tren- ton ran twice a week.
In October, 1750, a new line was established, the owner of which resided at Perth Amboy. He informed all gentlemen and ladies " who have occasion to transport themselves, goods, · wares, or merchandise, from New York to Philadelphia," that he had a "stage-boat," well fitted for the purpose, which, "wind and weather permitting" (that never forgotten proviso), would leave New York every Wednesday for the ferry at Amboy on Thursday, where, on Friday, a stage wagon would be ready to proceed immediately to Bordentown, where they would take another stage boat to Philadelphia; nothing being said (very wisely) of the time they might expect to arrive there. He states, however, that the passages are made in " forty-eight hours' less time than by any other line." This was probably the case, for the route was so well patronized that in 1752 they carried passen- gers twice a week, instead of once, "endeavoring to use the · people in the best manner ;" keeping them, be it observed, from five to seven days on the route.
The success of this line seems to have led to an opposition in 1751, originating in Philadelphia, which professed to go through in twenty-five or thirty hours, but which, nevertheless, appears to have required the same number of days as the other. Great dependence was placed upon the attractions of the passage-boat
* Delaware River.
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between Amboy and New York, described as having a fine com- modious cabin, fitted up with tea-table and sundry other articles of convenience, to add to the comfort of the passengers.
In 1756 a stage line between Philadelphia and New York via Trenton and Perth Amboy was established, intended to run through in three days. This was followed in 1765 by another, to start twice a week ; but nine years had worked no increase of speed.
The following year a third line of "good stage-wagons, with the seats set on springs," was set up, to go through in two days in summer and three in winter. These wagons were modestly called " flying machines," and the title soon became a favorite with all the stage proprietors.
These lines ran by the way of " Blazing Star," or Continental Ferry,* as it was afterwards called, that being preferable to the old Amboy route, thereby putting an end to the transportation of passengers by that route.
From 1765 to 1768 attempts were made by the Legislature to raise funds by lottery for shortening and improving the great thoroughfares, but without success, Governor Franklin, alluding to them in a speech to the Assembly in 1768, states that " even those which lie between the two principal trading cities in North America are seldom passable without danger or difficulty." Such being the condition of the roads, it was a great improvement to have John Mersereau's " flying machine," in 1722, leave Paulus Hook (now Jersey City) three times a week, with a reasonable expectation that passengers would arrive in Philadelphia in one day and a half. This time, however, was probably found too short, for two days were required by him in 1773-74.
The mails being carried on horseback, moved at this time with greater speed than passengers, but they had been a long time acquiring it.
As previously stated, to Colonel John Hamilton, son of Gov- ernor Andrew Hamilton, of New Jersey (himself at one time Acting-Governor, as President of Council), were the Colonies, as well as Great Britain itself, indebted for devising the scheme
* At New Brunswick.
-
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by which the post-office was established. This was about the year 1694. He obtained a patent for it, and afterwards sold his right to the crown. It is presumed that an attempt was soon made to carry the mails regularly ; but speed was little regarded.
In 1704, says a New York paper, "in the pleasant month of May, the last storm put our Pennsylvania post a week behind, and is not yet com'd in."
In 1777 advices from Boston to Williamsburg, in Virginia, were completed in four weeks, from March to December, and in double that time in the other months of the year ; but there is some probability that the mails south of Philadelphia did not continue to be carried regularly for some time thereafter.
About 1720, the post set out from Philadelphia every Friday, left letters at Burlington and Perth Amboy, and arrived at New York on Sunday night, leaving there Monday morning on its peregrinations eastward.
In 1722 a Philadelphia paper states that the New York post was " three days behind his time, and not yet arrived."
In 1729 the mail between the two cities went once a week in summer, and once a fortnight in winter; this continued to be the case till 1754, when Dr. Franklin became Superintendent, and improved the condition of the post-office materially.
In October notice was given that until Christmas the post would leave the two cities three times a week, at eight o'clock A.M., and arrive the next day at about five o'clock P.M., making thirty-three hours. After Christmas, "being frequently delayed in crossing New York Bay,"* it would leave only once a week. Further improvements were made in the following years, and in 1764, "if weather permitted," the mails were to leave every alternate day, and go through in less than twenty-four hours ; and such was the rate at which they travelled until the Revolu- tionary War put a stop to their regular transmission.
From this time up to 1800 we have no records we can rely upon as being accurate. But up to that date it does not appear that much advance was made in travelling.
* The route was via Lower Ferry, at Trenton, to the Sandtown road, and from thence to South Amboy, and across the Bay to New York.
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We, however, find an advertisement in 1778, where Joseph Borden begs leave to inform the public that his stage-boat will sail from the Crooked Billet* wharf, at Philadelphia, every Saturday evening or Sunday morning (as the tide may serve), for Borden-Town; and that a wagon will proceed from thence to Brunswick, on Monday morning, and return to Borden-Town the day following, from whence the stage-boat will proceed on Wednesday to the Crooked Billet wharf. Goods and passengers will be conveyed with care and convenience as heretofore.
In the New Jersey Gazette, published by Isaac Collins, at Trenton, we find the following advertisement in 1780 :
"The public are hereby informed that the Continental Ferryt across the Delaware at Trenton, is removed from the upper to the lower ferry ; of which all persons in public employ having occasion to pass the said ferry are to take notice-where good boats and careful attendance is continued for the convenience of private travellers also."
Edward Young and Ichabod Grummond, of Philadelphia, advertise as follows :
"The subscribers take this method to inform the publick, that they have erected a compleat stage-waggon, to go from this city to Trenton and Elizabeth-Town, passing through Bristol ; they flatter themselves that the mode they have taken to com- pleat the journey, with ease and despatch, cannot fail giving satisfaction to those who please to favor them with their custom. The stage to set off from the Conestogoe-Waggon, in Market street, betwixt Fourth and Fifth streets, Philadelphia, every
* Named from a crooked stick of wood on the sign.
t This ferry was at first located a short distance above Calhoun's lane, but removed in 17So a short distance below where the old Delaware Bridge now stands. The old ferry houses are still standing. The one on the east side of the river was the large brick building now used as a hotel, while the one on the Pennsylvania side was the large brick house directly opposite the latter. In the time of the Revolution (when the river was clear of ice) the troops and others coming from Philadelphia, would cross the lower ferry, and proceed eastward to the Eagle Hotel, on Mill Hill, to the old York road (now Greene street), and thus to New York. This ferry was the great thoroughfare between Philadelphia and New York, until the Delaware Bridge was completed in 1805, when persons and merchandise were transported over the bridge.
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Monday and Thursday mornings, precisely at six o'clock, and to reach Princeton the same day, there to meet another stage, change passengers, and reach Elizabeth-Town the next day, and so compleat the journey in two days.
"The price for each passenger is thirty shillings specie, or the value in other money, and the same for any baggage weighing one hundred and fifty pounds.
" N. B. No run goods to be admitted in this stage, nor sealed letters, unless directed to gentlemen of the army of the United States."
We find in 1781 another stage running to the same place ..
"Gershom Johnson and James Drake inform the PUBLICK, that they have provided a convenient FLYING STAGE WAGGON, with four horses at the end of every twenty miles, suitable for carrying passengers and their baggage ; and to engage to go two trips in every week from Philadelphia to Elizabeth-Town, with this flying stage, after the 20th of May, 1781, and so continue till timely notice is given to the publick-will set out from the Bunch of Grapes, in Third street, between Market and Arch streets, in the rising of the sun, breakfast at Four-Lanes-End, shift horses, cross the new ferry just above Trenton falls, dine at Jacob Bergen's at Princeton, shift horses, lodge at Brunswick ; the next day at Elizabeth-Town at ten o'clock in the forenoon.
" The same every Tuesday and Friday, will set out from Doc- tor Winan's tavern at Elizabeth-Town, precisely at three o'clock in the afternoon for Brunswick; the next days, every Wednes- day and Saturday, will breakfast at Princeton, dine at the Four- Lanes-End, from thence to Philadelphia.
" The price for each passenger, from Philadelphia to Elizabeth- Town, to be forty shillings in GOLD OR SILVER, or the value thereof in other money ; and the like sum for one hundred and fifty weight of baggage ; and the same sum from Elizabeth-Town to Philadelphia, and so in proportion according to the length of the way and weight.
" The subscribers beg leave to return their thanks to all gen- tlemen and ladies who have been pleased to favor them with their custom, and hope for a continuance of the same, and they may depend on punctual attendance of their humble servants."
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Thus under the then existing mode of travel, two entire days were consumed between Trenton and Elizabeth.
Very little was done in the improvement of travel until 1801, when legislation was commenced for the building of turnpikes. A charter was granted in that year to the Morris Turnpike Com- pany for a turnpike from Elizabeth, through Morristown to the Delaware. During the period of seventy-one years, from 1801 to 1872, two hundred and fifty turnpikes and plank-roads have been incorporated, but only about one-half of them have been built.
John Stevens, a citizen of this State, was one of the early advocates of railroad-building in the United States. At his solicitation the Legislature granted a charter in 1815 for the construction of a railroad, either of wood or iron, from the Del- aware River, near Trenton, to the Raritan River, at or near New Brunswick. The capital stock was to be five hundred thousand dollars, divided into shares of one hundred dollars each. The charter was granted. for fifty years, with a proviso that if the road was not built in ten years the charter became void. The charter was forfeited, as the road was never built. The name was the New Jersey Railroad Company. This was probably the first railroad charter granted in America.
The Morris and Essex Canal Company was chartered in 1824, with a capital of one million dollars. The attempt to connect the waters of the Hudson with those of the Delaware River, by the construction of this canal was at the time by far the most stupendous project undertaken on this Continent. The work was begun in 1825, and was completed, so as to admit of the passage of boats carrying twenty-five tons, from Newark to Phillipsburg in 1831. The work was afterwards extended to Jersey City. The cost of the whole line, completed in 1836, exceeded two million dollars.
The first canal company chartered in our State was the canal to shorten the navigation of Salem Creek, in 1800. In 1811 the canal in the County of Cumberland was chartered. In 1816, Clay Pitt Creek and Canal Company, and Canal through Manasquan Beach. In 1820, New Jersey, Delaware and Raritan Canal Company. In 1822, Washington Canal Company. In
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1823, Orange and Sussex Canal Company. In 1824, Delaware and Raritan Company. In 1825, Salem Creek Canal Company. In 1828, Canal from Newark Bay to New York Bay. In 1830, Delaware and Raritan Canal Company. In 1833, Manasquan River and Barnegat Bay Canal Company. In 1834, Bottle Hill and Montville Canal Company. In 1835, Wading River Man- ufacturing Company. In 1837, Bergen Port Company. In 1847, Manasquan River and Barnegat Bay Canal Company. In 1856, Union Canal Company. In 1860, Morristown, Hanover and Barnegat Bay Canal Company ; Salem Creek and Woods- town Canal Company. In 1866, New York and Newark Bay Ship Canal Company. In 1868, Salem Creek and Woodstown Canal Company. In 1869, Boundbrook and Plainfield Canal Company. In 1870, Overpeck Creek Canal Company ; and in 1871, the New Jersey Coast Canal Company, with a capital stock of ten million dollars, divided in shares of one hundred dollars each, with the privilege of increasing their capital stock to such amount as may be deemed necessary, provided the same does not exceed fifteen million dollars, for the purpose of build- ing a ship canal to connect the waters of Raritan Bay with the navigable waters of Delaware Bay. They were allowed five years to commence the work, and fifteen years to complete it. In 1872 a supplement to the charter was passed, allowing the company to increase their capital stock to such amount as the Board of Directors might deem necessary and expedient, and extend their works to the New York State Line. -
In the message of Governor Mahlon Dickerson to the two Houses of the Legislature, January 12th, 1816, he uses the fol- lowing language :
: "I must beg leave to call attention to a projected improve- ment of great national importance. I mean the construction of a canal to connect the waters of the Delaware River with those of the Raritan.
" We have the most satisfactory evidence that the expense of constructing such a canal, on the most practicable route, would bear but a small proportion to the immense advantages to be derived from it. It would form an important link in that vast chain of internal navigation which our country admits of, and
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which will, at some future period, afford us security in war and an abundant source of wealth in peace, while it will form a per- manent bond of union among the Atlantic States.
" All local considerations should yield when put in competi- tion with an object so highly interesting, not only to this State, but to the Union at large."
This part of the Governor's message was referred to a special committee, who on the 25th of January reported in favor of the project, and the Legislature appointed John Rutherford, John N. Simpson, and Doctor George Holcombe, commissioners to make an estimate of the probable expense of digging, locks, water rights, and any other charge incident to the completion of such canal, and report to the Legislature.
Upon the report of the commissioners, the Legislature author- ized, in 1820, books to be opened at Philadelphia, New York, Newark, New Brunswick, and Trenton, to receive subscriptions by the United States or body corporate or individual, to the amount of eight hundred thousand dollars, in shares of one hun- dred dollars each.
Subscriptions were subsequently opened for the capital stock in this State, as well as in Philadelphia and New York. But partly from the extensive improvements then in progress, par- ticularly in the erection of turnpike roads, partly from a convic- tion that the plan in contemplation, of using the beds of the several . intervening streams, would, upon experiment, prove unavailing, and partly from a belief that the country was not yet prepared for the commencement of such great national objects, and that the tolls would pay but a very inadequate interest on the capital required, but few shares were subscribed, and the work was never commenced.
In 1823 Silas Condict, George Holcombe, and Lucius Q. C. Elmer were appointed commissioners for the purpose of ascer- taining the practicability and expediency of building the canal, and report to the next session the probable expense, and the revenue to be derived therefrom ; as also upon any arrangement to be made with the United States in respect to said canal, and upon the ways and means proper to be adopted for executing the same, and generally on every other matter which in their
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opinion would be useful to be understood by the Legislature in the premises.
At the next session in the same year the committee reported, " that we have considered the subject with all that attention which its great importance demands, and are of opinion that such a canal, if it could be effected at an expense not too great for the resources of the State, and without imposing a burden- some weight of taxation, ought to be carried into execution by the State itself.
" But, that in order to obtain further information before this plan is acted upon, it is expedient that the present Legislature appoint commissioners, whose duty it shall be to report to the next Legislature upon all matters connected with the practica- bility of said canal, its probable expense, and the revenue to be derived therefrom, as also upon any arrangement which might be made with the United States in respect to said canal, and upon the ways and means proper to be adopted for executing the same, and generally to report on every other matter which, in their opinion, would be useful to be understood by the Legislature in the premises. That in order to give some public information of the method by which the New York and Erie Canal has been constructed by that State, the committee beg leave to report a bill on similar principles in relation to the Delaware and Raritan Canal, to be laid over, nevertheless, after being printed, to the next Legislature and then to be acted upon, adopted, modified, or rejected, as may be deemed expedient."
.
The report having been read, a bill was presented to provide for the internal navigation of this State, which was ordered to lie on the table and be printed.
In 1824 an act was passed incorporating said company, and John N. Simpson, James Neilson and Floyd S. Bailey were the incorporators. It stipulated that the road was to be built in six years. A resolution was also passed that George Holcombe, Lucius Q. C. Elmer and Peter Kean, be commissioners, and that the Governor be requested to transmit to Hon. John C. Calhoun, Secretary of War, his Excellency the Governor of New York, Stephen Van Rensselaer, President of the Board of
22
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Canal Commissioners of New York, to General Bernard, Colonel Joseph Totten and John L. Sullivan, members of the board for internal improvements, five copies of the report of the commis- sioners appointed for the purpose of ascertaining the expediency and practicability of a canal from the Delaware to the Raritan River.
In 1826 an act was passed authorizing the Governor to receive a surrender of the charter to the State, upon the payment to them of ninety thousand dollars, such amount having been paid into the State treasury, and in 1828 the treasurer was authorized to pay the managers ten thousand dollars, they to execute a good and sufficient acquittance and discharge to the State.
Thus after a period of twelve years in attempts on the part of the State to get sufficient amounts subscribed to warrant the undertaking, and failing therein, the project was abandoned.
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