The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-11-22
STEAM RAILWAY.
"reminiscences of lis Inauguration
and Founders in New Jersey.

The recent celebration at Bordentown
under the auspices Of the Pennsylvania
Railroad. to commemorate the sixtieth
anniversary of the first operation of q
steam railway in the State by the old
Camden and Amboy Railroad, repro
duced many interesting "reminiscences OF
the early history of Hopoken in connec-
of the Camden and Amboy Railroad
scheme. Its organization and successful
completion were effected by the three
opulent n e~nterprizing brothers that
founded n made Hoboken what it Is to-
day, Robert L., John C. and Edwin A.
Stevens, the latter the father of Colonel
+. A. Stevens. the millionaire president
of the Hoboken Land and Improvement
Company. Robert l.. Stevens was the
engineer who planned and made all the
necessary designs n maps In an old
building, the headquarters of the road
that stood on Hudson street near the ferry.
The father of these men was Colonel
John /. Stevens, a capital mechanical
genius, who made several valuable and
useful inventions adopted in the construc-
tion of the rolling stock of the road In its
early stages. IL 1905 he established the
first steam ferry in the world between
New York and Hoboken. In 1926 he
erected a large circular railway at the
Elysian Fields, and constructed at his
own expense. a novel locomotive with a
multi-tubular boiler of his arrange
ment and gave public trials of its efficien-
cy. IL attracted daily a large numDer OF
people to witness the experiments, and
dubious ones pronounced the inventor
insane, to venture on the contrivance Of
a seemingly useless thing. 1t
proved . great mechanical achievement
and was made the design of the motive
power afterwards used on the new road.
THE TRIAL COACHES.
The three first coaches that comprised
the train that made the trial trip with
a gala demonstration IN November IL,
1881, when the Camden aud Amboy Rail-
road was first opened as an experiment.
were also made in Hoboken, at the car
rage mandatory of the late ex-Council-
man Mahlon T. Green, who was the father
of r X. Green, who is well known in this
county, and his brother. P. K. Green OF
Bergen. These coaches were of English
bling three carriage bodies Joined to-
gether. with seats facing each other.
They were upholstered handsomely and
finished with elaborate cabinet work.
When completed. aud before delivered to
the company, they were placed on public
exhibition ut Mr.. Green's factory and
attracted the curiosity and admiration of
lldu Nl9ltVlo IN GILL ga oNVA ph0
The shops OF the road were located
in Hoboken at which the locomotives and
cars used in the beginning of its oper-
ations were constructed and they fur
nished a lucrative and important indus
try for the residents of that period, and
of the employees, subsequently
by fortune, became rich aud
citizens OF the country, a few
of whom still survive to recall the M
bition and struggles of their youth when
Hoboken was q sparse, rustic, modest
hamlet with all its wealth ana prosperity
concentrated in the Stevens family. .
FROM HOBOKEN TO BORDENTOWN.
A little party left the old quaint
Atlantic Hotel with its shaded summer
garden on the Gov that divided
Jersey City and Hoboken. It was COM
posed of the State Legislators from North
New Jersey, the Stevens family, Mrs.
+. A. Stevens, and the young lady who
was the betrothed of Mr.. NJ. +. Green.
They rode from Hobokeu to BordentOwn,
and the entire journey was made in
stage coaches to attend the demonstra-
tion of the formal opening of the road
November IL, 1881. This event was like
wise made the occasion of much rejoicing
in Hoboken by its citizens on that par
ticular day, as many hau been employed
the road in its construction aud
watched with much interest the expert
ments and preliminary work that led to
it's final success.