New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-07
An OLD AND NEW SUBURB.

THE EXCLUSION OF THE VALLEY OF THE PAssAIC
INvADED-oLD COUNTRY ESTATES GIVING WAY
TO TIE MODERN VILLA
Within 20 miles, or, at the outside, half an
hour Of the North River ferries has been for
a seclusioD forbidden ground, which has been with
held from occupancy since pre-Revolutionary
times Crossing the Newark Meadows is bold ridge some
40 feet in hight with broad plateau upon the top, in
teryened stretch of perhaps ten miles between the
gray expanse OF the Meadows the east and the lovely
valley Of the Passaic the west The slope from the
Meadows gradual That the river side is bold and
commanding. or all pleasant spots about New-York it
was and Is OF the most charming, overlooking the
Bergen Nights the spires OF NewYork with long visas
over Long Island the waters of Newark Bay, and the
hills of Staten Island; it also commands on the Passaic
side the panorama of Newark the river and the chain
OF villages until the bold mountains back Of Orange and
of Paterson shut out the horizon. The traveller the
River road looked enyiously up the slopes OF wekept
lawns Swallowed by ancestral oaks to few scattered
country villas OF stately dimensions held by ancestral
families. There Is the Phil. kearney chateau, the man
sion OF Gen. Hastead. tho splendid estate Of Charles
KNAPP, the gun-mdker OF PlttsDurgh, then the ioVGy
place Of Capt Hervey OF Heather Chnee celebrity the
BellemOunt" chosen with an artists eye by the late
Lleweyn Haskell, ana now h part owned py Corneuus
Walsh and a succession or estates belonging 10
Stnyvesans Rutherfnrd Van Rennseaers, Schuy lers,
and Kingsands OF knckern0cker tame. Across th9
river lay the " COckloft Hall" of "samagundl" and
nestled down by the water-side, the "Cedars where
william Henry Herbert lived and wrote and met ms
DOOM 1t was and Is, an emnenty arlst0cfatc neigh
DOrhOOd.
home wealth and elegance in the good old country
STYLE 10 had no soil of commerce until the machinery
OF Robert FultOns first steamer, the ClermOnt, was
cared across the hill and placed in the boat built from
the timber of BelemOunt Why Llewelyn Haskell, noted
for apt rural nomenclature, should have chTistened
his home BelemOunt rather than by the historical and
appropriate Clermont, IS conundrum that cannot be
solved But Bellemonnt Tne panorama, however,
is fading. Old families viii break up OF perhaps yield
TO the urgent pressure of civilization. The first break
in this place OF beauty was made a few years ago at
Rutherfurd Park, where a company OF spectators
gured the title along the Erie Railway line and
started prosperous bunch OF villa sites. The same
GENERATORS are manpulatOrs Of Arlington ON the
same ridge and the OF the Phil Kearney estate,
their access being by the Midland Railroad. But the
Old stock have held firmly TO the ancient lands until
Mr. Walsh, newcomer and fresh from his unsuccessful
candidacy for Governor OF New-Jersey, broke In and
made a profitable sale OF hOme-ses. The doom Of the
places was impending lands which had been for more
than two the parks OF stately residences
mapped for streets, Kearuey-a laid along the
crest OF the h the Jersey CITY WaerwOrks acquired
lands by chartered privilege and others are pre-
pairing 70 sacrifice 70 MammOn not the beauty,
but the rich and rOOmy lawns, meadows, and
orchards and conservatorie Of their noble slopes Only
last week there big sale, with balloon and band
accompanmens, Rutherfurd, and others soon TO
be held in of the most beautiful portions or the
ridge, Irving and Padding 10 whom these lands
classic interest and the long line Of family incursOns,
must give way. The scream OF the locomotive Is fol
Of the band who he accompanies tirstclass lunch
with an ovation nnumerabe trains per diem, and
only twenty minutes from the ferries. The old land
marks falling but nothing ever rob the valley OF
the OF its native CHARM BeemOunt or It's pre-
emnenoe as a hill set among cities.