The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-01-25
OLD LIQUOR ROW.
"reminiscences of Old Jer-
seY City ApTopos Of the
P. r. r. Improve
Inents.


Exchange Place to make room for the
newAud elegant FIVE story Pennsylvania
Raiload Office has aroused interest in the
historical associations connected with 1t.
Mr.. John w. Harrison; the stationer,
who IS the only one Of the occupants of
any Of the original stores on the first floor
that enjoyed the busy traffic OF war times.
yesterday kept accounts OF customers ana
callers who remarked:-
Well, see they're tearing down the
old building over your head at last
After ne had scored eighty-three he got
tired and gave up the Job.
To Mr.. Henry Meyers, the present pro-
prIetor OF the saloon on The triangle on
posite the Academy Of Music, VINO was d
bartender for Otto Meyers, one OF the
original occupants, | am indebted for
lew scraps OF information concerning he
early history of the building. Mr..
Meyers was not positive about dates, but
Win his memory corrected In some in
sfnnces by Mr.. John Harrison, The Ex-
change place statiouer. | am finally en-
abteu to put forth these facts:--
LIQUOR ROW.
That the busy old mart still retains
some OF its old maritime traits of pros
perity, when fortunes were made in the
liquor business in the place. Is attested
by the fact that while was waiting an
hour for Mr.. Harrison Yesterday after
noon Our conversation was Interrupted
by no less than twenty odd customers.
who purchased stationery in amounts
varying from twenty-five cents to IS. aud
orders came all the way over from Ho-
hokcn.
The building was erected in 1859 by
Job Male, now ex-Mayor Of Plainfield.
NINE f1.<.sE ~sx1
New Jersey and Transportation Com
pany for ten years, and In 1859 he re-
leased it. The Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, which had leased the road.
bought the building aud took possession
on July l, 1871 As soon as the leases OF
the saioon Keepers expired they were
given notice to vacate.
Among the earliest occupants Of the
stores was Timothy began, who kept a
grocery store. with a big coffee mill as a
sign In window. at this corner of Hud-
son street aud Exchange place. Mr..
Degan was succeeded ia the early SIXTIES
BY Richard Taylor. q brother of Noah
Taylor, who built Taylor,s Hotel. Mr..
Taylorran this corner store as a saloon
and restaurant. He sold his business ont
TO Charles Tonner and Charles Follner.
John G. Bayley subsequently came into
possession and sold out 70 Dick Siege
man, the present proprietor OF the Road
business until the saloonkeepers were
driven from the premises He occupied
the two stores known as Nos. and 2 Ex-
change place. Joseph Meyer subse-
quently TAN cigar store on that corner.
He was succeeded by the Adams Express
Company, whose office yet remains there.
No s was originally held by Messrs. Ray
q Pollock, who established a branch
Office. with Thomas Hurd as superinten-
dent Mr. Hurd subsequently ran the
place on his own account.
Nos. 8 and 10 were originally held by
Henry S. Pape as q saloon aud restaurant
MIR. Pape was succeeded by Otto Meyer In
1861. at present living. IL was il war
times when troops were hurrying through
on their way South. and Meyers business
SO increased that he found IL necessary TO
acquire the two adjoining stores. No. 8
ana II. No. 10 WAS originally q seed
store. No. 4 was occupied BY Mr.. Bur
rougns. a fruit dealer and confectioner.
Mr.. Meyer occupied the rooms above his
four stores for hotel purposes, and during
the war amassed d considerable sum OF
money
HARRISON WILL STOP.
Henry s. Green established stationery
store in No. 10 in 1861 He was appolnted
Postmaster under Lincoln, aud held the
position for eighteen years. Shortly after
Mr.. Green was appointed Postmaster. Mr.
John w. Harrison. then clerk, pur-
chased the stock and has since driven a
lucrative trade as q staticner at the old
stand. Mr.. Harrison 10 fortunate in being
counted among those who will not have
to vacate to make room for the new build
ing, as the new structure Will only ex-
tend to the hallway adjoining the east
side Of Mr.. Harrison's store.
No. Is was originally Snowden's ex-
press office. john 2. HOPKINS. too. was
one of the first tenants of the lower floor
of the building. He opened q saloon. yet
remembered as 1.-The Union" Mr.. Hop
kins did a remarkable business among
the patrons and employees OF The road.
Herman Schierlock ran cigar store next
to the recently vacated baggage room. On
the other side of tine baggage room was a
restaurant run by a man named Grove.
Old Richard Mycocth kept q shoe shop
next to Hopkins when the latter first
opened but he gave way to the enlarge
ment OF Hopkins saloon. The Erie Rail
road also mad an Office In the building.
The changes that have taken place
among the firms occupying the lower floor
since the Pennsylvania Company took
possession have been slight. Some OF the
stores have renamed closed, but the ma
iority of the space has given way. to yari-
GUS departments of the road, while all the
upper rooms have been devoted to the use
OF the officials and clerks Of the United
Railways of New Jersey and those OF the
New York division.
THE OLD DEPOT.
When the building was hrst erected the
depot was Immediately behind it. IL had
an arched roof The entrances TO the
depot were on Hudson street. and Elk
change Place. Passengers landing at The
slips made hurried visits to the various
resorts along the row on their way 10
catch trains. The old depot was torn
down In 1872, q year after the property
came into the possession OF the Pennsyi-
vania Company It. was finished during
the Centennial year, 1876.
On the night of August 8, 1884, the
ferry house was fired BY SUPPOSED
leakage of gas that came in contact wiln
fame near the ticket sellers eHce IN
the ferry house. The flames quickly
spread and before Being extingnisheu mad
consumed the entire ferry house, the
slips, the waiting room, large portion
of the train shed aud nearly hail OF the
building now being torn down
All the structures burned were lniine-
diately rebuilt.
That all the gigantic improvements
which the railroad company nave at
present under full headway-fhe e.eva-
ton Of its tracks. the tearing away OF the
mammoth train Shed, without interfering
in the least with the schedule time OF It's
three hundred and odd daily trains
should have progressed thus far Is truly
. marvel and q triumph Of civil engineer
Ing.
THE GREAT TRUSS sgAFFoLD.
Today there stands erected an enot-
ninttus pnrta cfrtaa1tara on wheels Tor