The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-09-12
NEW JERSEY EXHIBITS.

i HG tAliADlbb lAi HlSi4ttl bf Itlt Iot1bE vi
New Jersey to the general Government
and which are now displayed for public in.
spection in that great curiosity box, the
National Museum, will more than compare
in interest and variety with the exh ibts
furnished by any other State. The New
Jersey curios are mainly in the eastern
portion of the great decorated structure,
and they are nearly always surrounded by
an eager throng of sightseers.
The first exhibit received from the State
was the original old John Bull or To-
connective No. l. on the Camden and Am
boy Railroad, which was received at Bor-
dentosa after stormy passage across the
Atlantic, and first ran over the road in
September, 1881. Alongside of the grim
looking old John Bull" is an exhibit re-
Gently received from Essex County, which
is of absorbing interest. 1t is portion of
the cylinder of the first steam engine erect
ed on the Western Continent, and was
made at Belleville away back in 1903. This
rare exhibit was furnished by the New
Jersey Historical Society.
Another interesting relic Of the first
days of steam railroading, also furnished
by the New Jersey Historical Society, is an
original stone block and section of rail
from the Camden and Amboy Railroad,
which was laid in 1881. In those days the
rails were fastened securely to blocks Of
stone instead of wooden sleepers. large
spikes being used for this purpose. This
old section Of rail is in striking contrast
with the glistenng steel rails and solid
road beds of to-day.
PHIL KEARNY's SWORD
In large glass case in the main eorrid-
or is strikingly handsome exhibit from
the State. 1t is sword presented to the
gallant one armed Phil Kearny by the Of
ficers and men of the Twenty ninth Regi-
ment, New jersey Volunteers, as "a testi-
mony of their affectionate regard for the
hero who lost his life on the soil of old
Virginia. The s8 ord is a beautiful and
costly work of art. 1t is studded with
diamonds, rubies, pearls and other prec-
ious stones. The scat bard is Of solid sill
yer with the letters '.U s. y raised in dia-
monds, the whole being beautifully orna-
mented with gold designs.
In an adjoining case is the plaster cast
OF the skeleton of an immense kangaroo
lizard furnished by B. Waterhouse Haw-
kins. from bones discovered in a mari bed
at Haddonfield, the original being in the
Academy of Science at Philadelphia. This
monster reptile was fully thirty-four feet
high when i'll semi-upright position
like the kangaroo. after W hich it is named.
The tail vertebie is fully twenty feet in
length, and the hind legs are immense at
fairs.
Talk about Jersey mosquitoes, - said
one of the museum attendants to the Aetrs
correspondent, what must the State have
been when it was inhabited by such mon
sters as these?a
Displayed among the rare manuscripts
in the museum is the original of letter
from John Stevens to Robert Hare, Jr., Of
Philadelphia, dated November Is, 1905, in
reference to the fist steam engine which
was geared to screw propeller for a steam
ship. This is accompanied by model
and photographs of the steamer Phoenix.
built by Robert L. Stevens, alter whom
the Stevens Institute of lIoboken is named.
The Phoenix was launched two weeks after
Enftpn : ST.
into the water and was the first steam
boat to navigate the ocean, making a sue
cesslul trip from Sandy Hook to Cape
May.
SOME EARLY STEAMBOATS,
In the same case is photograph and
model OF the steamer Old Sal, built by
Stevens, at uoboken in 1878. This was an
historic old craft, and was run for many
years on the Delaware River betw cen
Philadelphia and Trenton. 1t somewhat
resembled scow with a 20 inted nose.
being covered from stern 10 stern with a
great stretch OF canvas as protection
from both sunshine and rain. This model
appears in strange contrast with those of
some of the present paiatial flyers, like the
Fall River steamers, which are exhibited
i'll adjoining cases.
There is also exposed the photograph of
the first steam engine geared TO propel-
er in 1904, Which was also designed and
constructed by Stevens, OF uoboken. the
original being in the Stevens Institute in
the latter city.
Among the insects is huge spider from
Atlantic County, almost as large as hum
ming bird, while the exhibit OF fishes and
sea curiosities is replele With specimens
from the New Jersey coast.
The life saving department contains the
original iron litecar, invented by the ven
cradle Joseph Francis. of Toms River,
which was Instrumental in saving over 100
passengers from the wrecked English ship
Ayrshire, during a great storm in 1880, be-
sides other relics OF the humane service in
question.
The accoutrements OF New Jersey vol
unteer. found in "a thicket on the Wilder
ness battlefield, are one Of the latest addi-
tions. The bones were also found and
inferred in the National Cemetry at his
.a,;a rf,,0too across the Potornae from