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 32
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Carding-machines, spinning-jacks, looms, wool-pickers, and other machinery, are manufactured here to the value of five hun- dred thousand dollars annually. The Camden Iron Works pro- duce castings and apparatus used in the manufacture of gas. New York, Philadelphia, and thirty-four of the principal cities in the United States, have been supplied from this establishment. It consumes annually sixteen thousand tons of iron, and pro- duces one million dollars' worth of machinery .*
* There are forty-two forges and bloomeries in the State, nearly all of which are in the counties of Sussex and Morris. The oldest of these, the
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In 1866 the village of Marion was founded, and the United States Watch Company was established there. The company erected a large iron and glass building for the manufacture of watches, and dwellings for the accommodation of workmen. At this place six hundred hands are employed, producing one hun- dred and fifty watches a day, of fifty-six different styles, valued at eleven thousand two hundred and fifty dollars, and equal, in mechanism and finish, to any made in America.
The extensive marl-beds found along the coast, and in many places in the interior of the State, are sources of great wealth. The marl, when spread on the sandy soil of the lower counties, greatly increases its productiveness. Green-sand marl was first used as a fertilizer in Monmouth County, in 1768. An Irish- man employed in ditching a meadow on Peter Schenck's farm, near Marlboro', discovered a marl-bed. A small quantity was taken out and spread on a field, where it produced a marked effect in the growth of the crop. In 1795, marl was dug on Hop Brook, and used on the farm owned by John H. Smock, and soon came into general use in that neighborhood. It was not until about the beginning of the present century that the value of marl began to attract the attention of farmers in all the sandy regions of the State. Its use spread rapidly, until, in many places, the most sterile soils were made productive, and waste places were converted into vast fruit and vegetable gar- dens, that enriched their owners and added millions of dollars to the wealth of the State.
Petersburg Forge, near Milton, was erected about the year 1725. There are eleven blast-furnaces, as follows : In Sussex County there are 5; in Passaic, 3; Morris, I; Warren, I; Cumberland, I. There are fifteen rolling mills : In Morris County, 5; Mercer, 2; Passaic, 3; Hudson, 2; Warren, I; Cam- den, 1; Cumberland, I. There are seven steel works : In Essex, 3; Morris, 2; Passaic, 1; Mercer, I.
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CHAPTER XXXV.
1769-1834.
Steamboat of John Fitch, the first run in the world-Value of Continental currency-Copper coin issued by individuals and States-Sessions of the two Houses conducted with closed doors -Robbery of the Treasury-Partition line between East and West Jersey.
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'T has been claimed that Robert Fulton, of Lancaster, Penn-
sylvania, run the first steamboat in the world. But, upon examining into the matter, we find this claim to be erroneous. Fulton run the Clermont on the Hudson River in 1788, at the rate of five miles an hour. But, not wishing to detract any- thing from the genius of Fulton, we are prepared to show that John Fitch, a citizen of Trenton, in this State, was the first inventor, and run the first steamboat in the world, in the year 1785, about three years before Fulton undertook to navigate the Hudson.
. Fitch lived in Lamberton, then a suburb of Trenton, now the Sixth Ward. He boarded at a hotel kept by William Smith, and there carried on the business of silversmithing and the manu- facture of silver and brass buttons for peddling. During the Revolutionary War he rented a shop in the city, and repaired arms and manufactured bullets for the army. The British, while in the occupation of the city, found a large lot of arms at his shop, which they captured, set fire to his building, and burned it to the ground. He escaped into Pennsylvania just in time to prevent capture.
In 1786 Fitch sent a petition to the Legislature, setting forth his proposal of applying the force of a steam engine to the use of navigation, by impelling vessels to go through the water with considerable rapidity without the assistance of wind or current, and many other useful purposes ; and praying that a committee be appointed to examine his proposed plan, and grant him such
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encouragement, on the report of the committee, as his proposals may appear to deserve.
In accordance with his petition, the Legislature passed an act March 19, 1786, entitled, " An act for granting and securing to John Fitch the sole right and advantage of making and employing the steamboat, by him lately invented, for a limited time." This act provided that, "Whereas John Fitch hath represented to the Legislature that he has constructed an easy and expeditious method of impelling boats through the water by the force of steam, prays that an act may pass granting him and his legal representative the sole and exclusive right of making, employ- ing, and navigating, all boats impelled by the force of steam or fire within the jurisdiction of this State." In order to promote and encourage so useful an improvement and discovery, and as a reward for his ingenuity, application, and diligence, they en- acted that the said John Fitch, his heirs, executors, administra- tors, and assigns, shall be vested with the sole and exclusive right and privilege of constructing, making, using, employing, and navigating all and every species or kind of boat or water- craft which may be urged or impelled through the water by the force of fire or steam, in all creeks, rivers, bays, and waters whatsoever within the territory and jurisdiction of this State for . the term of fourteen years.
Fitch constructed his boat of considerable size, and run it on the Delaware ; but the greatest speed he was able to get out of it was four miles an hour.
John Fitch, the pioneer of steam navigation, was born in Windsor, Connecticut, January 21, 1743. He was the son of a farmer in good circumstances, and received as liberal an edu- cation as the schools of the district would afford. The bent of his mind from the earliest age was towards mechanics. In his youth he had some inclination for the sea, of which a few voy- ages effectually cured him, and he then gave himself up to the business of clock-making. He exchanged this for the trade of a brass founder, and made brass and silver buttons for peddling. He carried on the business of a silversmith at Trenton, when the British army entered the town in 1776. He was at that time repairing American arms, and had in his employ sixty men.
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The British, being aware of this, destroyed his shop, and cap- tured what arms he had in it; and he was compelled to flee into Pennsylvania to prevent being captured. He joined the army, and was with Washington at Valley Forge. From this district he set off for Kentucky in 1780, having been appointed Deputy Surveyor. He returned to Philadelphia in the following year, and on his journey back was made a prisoner by the Indians. Redeemed from captivity through the exertions of a British officer, he assumed the duties of his situation ; and while sailing on the great Western waters, he conceived the idea that boats might be impelled through the water, and carriages on land, by force of steam. In August, 1785, having prepared a plan and model of a steamboat driven by paddles, he presented the subject to Congress, and asked for aid to complete his experiments ; but the application was rejected. A controversy arose between Fitch and Rumsey, who had also made public a plan for steam naviga- tion ; and, ultimately, in the course of the years 1786 and 1787, Fitch obtained acts of the Legislatures of the States of New Jer- sey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, securing to him the exclusive privilege of propelling vessels by steam for fourteen years, while a similar privilege was conferred on Rumsey in Virginia, Mary- land, and New York. In 1786 Fitch succeeded in establishing a steamboat company. He substituted for paddle-wheels vertical oars worked by means of cranks, and with these he fitted out a small skiff, which was propelled by them; but it is not clear whether in this case a steam engine was used to move the pro- pellers. His first practical trial of his invention took place in August, 1787 ; this was followed by a second trial in July, 1788, with a vessel which plied for hire during the summer of 1790. A new steamboat of a larger size was now begun ; but as the undertaking failed to produce a profit, it was abandoned, and the vessel and machinery sold in 1795. Fitch afterwards visited Europe, but met with no encouragement, and, having returned to Kentucky, died in 1798. Although Fitch succeeded in 1787 to establish the fact of propelling boats by steam, which he run on the Delaware, Robert Fulton was the one who, in 1804, proved steam navigation to be an entire success-the steamboat Clermont running on the Hudson at the rate of five miles an hour, a greater speed than Fitch was enabled to obtain.
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By an act of Legislature of 1781, they fixed the value of Continental money in specie, as follows: September 1, 1777, one dollar in specie was worth one hundred cents in Con- tinental currency; January 1, 1778, sixty-eight dollars and fifty-two cents; January 1, 1779, thirteen dollars and forty- three cents; January 1, 1780, three dollars and thirty-six cents; January 1, 1781, one dollar and seven cents, and on the Ist of May, 1781, one hundred dollars in Continental money was worth only sixty cents in specie.
In order to meet the neccessity for small change the States had allowed individuals to issue copper coin, which contained very little value only as a circulating medium, and in 1786 the Legislature had determined to regulate it by enactment, and passed an act for the establishment of a coinage of copper in this State; in the preamble to which they set forth, that whereas the copper coin now current and passing in this State, consists mostly of base metal, and coppers so small and light as to be of very little real value, whereby the citizens of this State are subjected to manifest loss and inconvenience, and are liable to be greatly defrauded; for remedy whereof, Walter Mould, Thomas Goadsby, and Albion Cox, were authorized and empowered, from and after the publication of this act, to strike and coin in copper for this State, a sum equal in value to ten thousand pounds, at. fifteen coppers to the shilling. The coppers coined to be pure copper, and of the weight of six pennyweights and six grains; manufactured and coined within this State, and to have such marks and inscriptions as shall be directed by the Justices of the Supreme Court, or any one of them; and their value was to be so continued, until such times as the United States in Congress assembled, should, by public act, alter the valutation thereof, then they were to be subject . to that alteration. These men were required to give security in the sum of ten thousand pounds, that they would within two years from the passage of the act, strike and coin the above . amount in coppers, and deliver the same to the treasurer of the State, for the use of the State.
These copper cents bore the arms of the State, and were known as horsehead pennies.
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Previous to October 12, 1769, it had been the custom for Council and Assembly to transact their business with closed doors, but as Parliament had abolished the custom, at a session of the House held at Burlington, Mr. Hendrick Fisher, of Somerset, offered the following motion, which was unanimously agreed to:
" Mr. Speaker: Although it has been a custom of long stand- ing, for the House of Assembly of this Colony to transact public business with the doors of the House shut; yet, at this time particularly, a contrary practice will be more agreeable both to the custom of Parliament and the sentiments of the people of this Province; I move that the doors of this House, agreeable to the practice of the House of Commons, be opened, that all persons may, if they think proper, be present at any public debate, under the same orders and rules observed in the House of Commons."
This practice has ever since prevailed in both Houses.
At this time the State Treasury was kept at Perth Amboy. Stephen Skinner was the Treasurer, and on the 21st of July a robbery occurred, by which six thousand five hundred and seventy pounds nine shillings and four-pence were stolen.
At the following session, October 10, 1769, Governor Franklin, in his message to the House, calls their attention to this robbery in the following language :
" It gives me great concern to mention to you the robbery of the treasury of the Eastern Division ; and the more so, as it is not in my power, though so long a time has since elapsed, to inform you who were the perpetrators of that atrocious villainy, or what is become of the money. Every step, however, has been taken on the part of the Government, which had any chance of pro- ducing a discovery, as I believe you will do the justice to acknowledge, when you have perused the papers relative to that transaction. If any expedient can be suggested which may have a tendency to secure the Province from like disaster in future, it will not fail of meeting my most hearty concurrence."
The two Houses appointed a committee to investigate the matter, and on the 29th of November, 1769, Mr. Skinner appeared before the House, and addressed them as follows:
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"Mr. Speaker: Conscious that I have acted according to the best of my understanding, and with the greatest attention to honor and honesty, as one of the Treasurers of this Province, I have now come before you, gentlemen, for your examination respecting the treasury being robbed. There is nothing but the high opinion I have of this House, makes me easy in my present situation. I therefore humbly hope you will be indulgent to my errors, but desire no mercy for any guilt; and with these sentiments I submit myself to the House."
The committee reported that they had entered upon the con- sideration of the matter entrusted to them ; that the deposition of the said Treasurer, proving the said robbery, had been read, as likewise many other affidavits corroborating therewith, and tending to confirm the said robbery; but William Campbell, the principal evidence, and who first discovered the said robbery, not being here, and it being necessary to examine him and such other evidences as may be necessary, before the House, the said committee is of opinion, that it is proper to make further inquiry touching that matter, at the next sitting of the General Assembly at Amboy. And further, that through the course of the examination, not anything had appeared to im- peach the conduct or character of the said Treasurer.
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The further consideration was therefore postponed until the next session.
At a session held at Perth Amboy, October 15th, 1770, the House proceeded into the robbery of the Eastern Treasury ; and the members having previously viewed the Treasurer's house, and in particular the room where the money was deposited, and the witnesses being in attendance, the House proceeded to their examination.
From the evidence of John Smyth, Esq., it appeared that the east window of the house had been pried open with a chisel; that the escritoire had been opened, and an old key the Treasurer never used had been taken out, and with it the iron chest had been opened ; that he found the iron chest standing open upon his coming into the room, and a drawn sword on the table.
Thomas Ingliss testified that about eleven or twelve o'clock the night of the robbery, he heard a great barking of dogs, upon
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which he got up, when he saw his own dog run towards Mr. Skin- ner's house, and come back again several times with other dogs.
Richard Sharpless testified that in the night of the robbery, between twelve and one, his son waked him up, when he saw three men at the well ; that they went first towards Elias Marsh's shop, then came back again and went towards Mr. Skinner's house ; and in about three-quarters of an hour he heard some men return again, which he thought were the same; that he thought one of the men had a horse; he thinks it happened about the rising of the moon.
Samuel Skinner, the treasurer, made affidavit before Frederick Smyth, Esq., Chief Justice of the Province, substantially as fol- lows: That he was waked up about six o'clock on Friday morning, the 22d of July, 1768, by his negro boy, who told him his office window was broken open, the iron chest opened, and the money taken out, and that his sword was drawn and laid on the table in the same room; on going down stairs he found it as represented, with some marks of violence on the shutter ; the chest carried from its place to the window, and there opened with a key he never used, but always kept locked up in a private drawer of a desk in the same room ; the money in the chest amounted to about seven thousand eight hundred and fourteen pounds nine shillings, all in paper money, except about seven hundred dollars in two bags, all of which was carried off, except one hundred and seventy pounds left in said chest : And further, that the said desk, which stood in the same room, was broken open, and every drawer searched ; in the desk was about forty pounds in ragged money, and five or six half Johannes, which were also stolen.
Elizabeth Inglis swore that on the night of Thursday, the 21st, she went to bed at about nine o'clock at night ; that after she had been in bed about two hours or more she heard an uncom- mon barking of dogs, which was continued for a long time, and kept her awake, as she believes, until after midnight, when she heard the rowing of a small boat, and observed at the time that the rowing was very smart, and as she thought by the noise of the oars, like the rowing of a barge; that she judged that the boat was rowing up the river ; but she did not get up.
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The above evidence was confirmed by fifteen other witnesses. The committee having thoroughly examined into the matter, reported to the House, that in their opinion the robbery of the Eastern Treasury of six thousand five hundred and seventy pounds nine shillings and four-pence, which happened on the night of the 21st of July, 1768, was for want of that security and care that was necessary to keep it in safety.
The Treasurer having prayed an allowance of the amount stolen in the settlement of his accounts, the House refused to allow the same.
A second robbery of the treasury occurred in 1776, while the British troops were in the occupation of Trenton. The treasurer of the Colony at that time was Samuel Tucker, who, on being informed that the British army under General Howe was on their march through this Province, and that their design was to be at Trenton, thought it most prudent to remove all his papers with his most valuable effects out of Trenton, together with the unsigned public money, which he accordingly did on the 30th day of November, 1776, including all his bonds, deeds, books of accounts, together with those belonging to several estates in his hands as executor, with all his plate, his own and his wife's clothes, with other valuable effects, one horse and phaeton, some New Jersey and Maryland loan-office money, all of which he took to the house of Mr. John Abbott, about five miles from Trenton, in the County of Burlington, with about five thousand eight hundred and eighteen pounds sixteen shillings and three- pence of unsigned Congress money, which he left under the care of John and Samuel Abbott. General Howe and his army arrived at Trenton on Sunday, the 8th of December, and on Monday Lieutenant Hackshaw, with a detachment of British troops, by order of Lieutenant-Colonel Abercrombie, went to the house of Mr. John Abbott, in company with Mrs. Mary Pointing, an inhabitant of Trenton, and seized all the effects at Mr. Abbott's, the property of Mr. Tucker, with those in trust in his hands, together with the unsigned public money, and car- ried the same to the house of Mr. Randle Mitchell, showed the money to Mr. Mitchell, and afterwards carried the same, or part thereof, to Princeton, and from thence to New Brunswick.
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Part of the clothes and linen were sent home, and his wife's watch was delivered to her by Lieutenant-Colonel Abercrombie.
On the 8th of December he left Trenton, and took with him the unsigned public money, amounting to one thousand five hundred and four pounds and four shillings, with about one- thousand pounds more in trust in his hands as an executor. The public money he paid to the treasurer, Mr. Smith, and placed the other money in such secure places as were in his power, none of which was lost.
On Saturday, the 14th of December, he learned that his wife and family were in the most distressed condition with sickness ; his wife sent him word begging he would return home. He accordingly set out for home, and when about one mile from Crosswicks Bridge he was met by John Leonard, Anthony Wood- ward, and about twenty others on horseback. Leonard presented a pistol at his breast, and said he had General Howe's order to take him prisoner, and used very violent language toward him, and detained him until Mr. Robert Pearson gave his parole that he should remain on his farm until they gave further orders. He remained at Mr. Pearson's until ordered home by one Mr. Brown, a Hessian lieutenant. He applied for a protection, which was granted by Colonel Rahl, on the 17th of December. He then inquired after his papers, and found part of them in Colonel Abercrombie's lodgings in Princeton, and afterwards received a part of them found by one Mr. Lester, and carried to Philadelphia.
He sent a letter to Colonel Abercrombie, which was delivered by his niece, Elizabeth C. White, requesting he would return his property and papers, particularly those belonging to Ander- son's and other estates in trust in his hands, and received an answer that they could not be delivered with propriety until they knew the part he would take or act.
The above facts were affirmed to by Samuel Abbott, before Ephraim Harris, Esq., on the 17th day of January, 1777.
Randle Mitchell was also sworn, and upon his examination testified that Colonel Abercrombie, with five hundred men, came to his house on Sunday, the 8th of December, and stayed there until the Saturday following; on Tuesday or Wednesday after
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they first came, some officers in the room where he was showed him some letters directed to Mr. Tucker; he asked them where they got the letters, and they told him they had information of Mr. Tucker's goods, and that they were concealed in Trenton ; the same evening he was called into Colonel Abercrombie's room, who asked him if he knew one Samuel Tucker ; he answered he did; the Colonel then asked him about the character and situa- tion of Mr. Tucker, and whether he was not a violent rebel ; he answered that Mr. Tucker was a man of character and consider- able fortune as he understood; that he was a member of the Provincial Congress, and had been President thereof; that he had formerly been Sheriff of Hunterdon County, and a member of Assembly, but believed he had never been a violent rebel, for he understood he (Mr. Tucker) had been the chief cause of the last clause being inserted in the Constitution of New Jersey. The Colonel then showed him a square black trunk, with a great number of papers and parchment deeds, and said he must have been a man of considerable consequence.
They asked him to look at some of the deeds, etc; he told them there was no use in his looking at them; they then pointed to a large parcel of printed paper on the floor, and told him to look what a fine parcel of money they had got. It appeared to be about a ream of paper.
They then took up some half sheets and counted how much a sheet amounted to. They contained twenty pounds and two shillings each. They then gave him some of the money, and desired him to look at it, which he did, and found it signed by only two signers, and did not know it ought to be signed by more; they asked him what he would give for it, and he said he would not give anything for it, and looked on it as not worth anything. He asked what they intended to do with Mr. Tucker's papers and money; the Colonel answered he would pack them in the trunk again and send them to General Howe:
On the 7th of February, 1777, the House required the atten- dance of Mr. Tucker, Samuel Abbott, and Randle Mitchell, before them, to give information respecting the loss of the public money that was in the hand of said Tucker.
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Although strenuous efforts were made to bring to justice the perpetrators of this robbery, yet nothing was ever accomplished in the matter, although Mr. Tucker was exonorated from all blame.
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