Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1880-01-08
THIRD EDITION..
A Trip Amongst our Jersey Neigh
bOrs.

1 LnOuRht IL mlRnt uot 10 upipt7Tostihk
to your readers, to give brief 40 cunt
Of Its appearance, its business, and its
general indications OF prosperity as a
growing city.
Bridgeton is port Of entry, as well
az the capitol of Cumberland county;
and is built on both sides Of the Conan
sey Creek, and connected by two draw
bridges. II is some twenty miles dis
tant from the creeks entrance into the
Delaware bay; and by which avenue, it
carries quite an extensive ana pros
porous trade. There is considerable
business done in the hoop manufacture,
which they ship to Cuba.
They have one steam propeller run
ming regularly between it and Phila-
delphia, which is mainly devoted to
carrying freight, although they have
accommodations for passengers as well.
My opportunities for visiting the dis-
farent places Of business were very linn
tied, and my visits brief; but l saw
enough to convince me that Bridgetop
for thrift and enterprise, was not a
place to be despised. 1t has a large
rolling mill and nail factory working
under the same management, which are
now running with their full force, em.
ployipg about FIVE hundred hands; with
wages ranging from sl.25 to 1915 per
day.
Upon inquiry, was informed that
the prospects were good for full work
for the entire winter.
II is expected that another furnace
will soon be started. the capacity of
which will be about three hundred
tons of iron per week.
The articles of production at the
foundry and nail factory, are entirely
confined to iron pipes and nails.
With the huga.machinery, ingenious
appliances and immense force, it was
extremely interesting to see how rapid
ly they could run the work through.
There are three glass factories in
operation, but did not get chance to
visit but one Of them, which was said
to bs the most extensive of the three.
was informed at this factory, that they
were running force of about three
hundred hands, with good prospect
Of work before them. !
In one part of the establishment
they were making window glass, where
everything seemed to be moving on
slowly and quietly, but Fastening on
TO another apartment where they we're
making bottles, all seemed excitement
and hustle, reminding me very much
of a hive of bees.
To me the sight was one Of deep in
terest, and l could with pleasure have
spent much more time there than my
allotted moments would afford. 1t was
really curious to see how quickly bot
tie all complete could be made. Twas
bewildered with the rapidity with
which the work was done. With |
tu. barely a glance | was compelled to
leave, regretting that could spare no
more time to see further through the
works.
There is one large and Furnishing
woollen mill which l understand em-
ploys about two hundred hands and |
which would suppose had been sue
cessful in netting liberal profits to those
carrying it on, judging from the fine
residence pointed out to me as belong
ing to one Of the parties.
There is one machine shop in which
is manufactured superior tools q am
told) for opening fruit cans and such
like and which has quite an extend
ed demand through diiferents parts of
the country. There are two fruit-can-
ming establishments, which in their
season carry ona large business, and
give employment to goodly number Of
hands.
There are two shirt factories, bat on
ly one is at the present time especially
busy. The one | visited is giving en-
ployment to about three hundred hands,
aud the proprietor assured me that he
could give employment to more, could
he obtain the right kind of help The
city is divided into three wards, and
has public school for each ward. Be-
side these schools, there are several
other respectable institutions of learn
ing, the largest of which is under the
management of the Baptist societies.
There is large amount of business
done by small establishments, such as
tin-smithipg, black-smithiDg, wheel
wright, carriage building, carpentering
and bodybuilding, in a small way, give
employment to large number of
hands.
Commelcs street, its principal thor
oughfare, makes fine display of al,
most every variety of goods, and the
general hustle and activity, indicates
healthy and prosperous business.
The city is lighted with gas, but
did not hear whether the inhabitants
We're as dissatisfied with its manage
,nent as they appear to be in other CT
ties or not. 1t has its water works, and
tue citizens are supplied with au abun-
dance of good water, from what they
call East Lake; not very large body
of water, but suppose sufficiently so,
to answer their demands for some time
to come.
II has but one bank, bu: that | be-
lieve, ia an old and time honortd inst
tuition, and as far as could learn, its
credit has never been impeached.
Bridgeton seems to he we'll favored
with religious privileges, as it has
eighteen or nineteen church edi6Ces,
all told, and some of them very large
and elegant structures.
1t has its courthouse, public library,
and supports five newspapers four
weeklies and one daily. Like our own
city, Bridgeton, is built upon ground
quite billy; but in rather sharper
ridges than those of Wilmington. The
houses are principally frame structures
but many of them are very pretty in
deed.