The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1891-11-17
Railroad Monument.

Sixty years ago on Thursday the nrst
movement by steam upon railroad In
New Jersey was witnessed near Borden
town on the old Camden and Amboy
railroad. The anniversary last week was
the occasion of the final ceremonies incl
dent to the completion of monument
erected to mark the spot where was LAID
the first piece of railroad track.
This HISTORIC spot, made more A1Ea1als'
nent by the election of this granite shaft,
is distant about a mile from the upper
Bordentown station, and the monument
is erected few feet from the roadbed on
an elevation graded and sodded and on a
level with the tracks.
The foundation for the large granite
shaft is built of the stones upon which
the rails were laid three-score years ago,
and is circular in form. The shaft con-
tains the following inscription:
"First movement by steam on rail-
road in the State of New Jersey, Novem-
Der IL, 1881, by the original locomotive
John Bull, now deposited in the United
States National musuem at Washington.
The first piece of railroad track in New
Jersey was laid by the Camden and Am
boy Railroad company, between this point
and the stone, $500 feet eastward, in
1881"
The Pennsylvania Railroad company
ran special trains from Camden and Jer-
sey City to convey the invited guests, the
trains arriving at the monument shortly
before o'clock. Many prominent men
were present.
Not only were men in railroad circles,
embraced in the gathering. but represen-
tatiye men from many of the walks of
life assembled as guests of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad company, to participate in
the final ceremonies incident to the COM
pletion of the monument erected to mark
the spot where was laid the first piece of
railroad track between New York and
Philadelphia by the Camden and Amboy
Railroad company in 1881.
The monument is the first of its char
acter in this country. In England two or
three monuments of this description have
been erected to commemorate the begin
ming of railroad enterprises, notably the
statue of Stephenson at Euston station,
London. The monument is & granite
cube feet square and feet high, the top
being shaped like pyramid. 1t rests on
an octagonal base of stone 8 feet in diam
eter and feet high. Around the base,
and resting on it at distance of Is inches
outside of the cube, are stones such as the
first iron railroad tracks were laid on be-
fore the adoption of wooden ties. On
these stones, forming girdle around the
cube, is rusty and worn section of the
first iron rails in use.
On the top border of the plate is rep
in relief of John Bull" the
first locomotive used on the road and
brought from England. The plate was
designed by Isaac Dripps, the first master
mechanic of the Camden and Amboy
now in his SD year. He was
present at the exercises, as was also John
Flynn, ST., the first machinist employed
by the road.
Below this there will be carved in
on the stone, which has not
been completed yet. 1t will say:
"These iron rails were first rolled with
a base, and were designed by Roger L. |
Stevens"
On the east side of the cube there will
be carved in the stone the inscription:
Erected by the Pennsylvania Railroad
company in 1891, to mark the oldest piece
of track in their system"
On behalf of the United railroads of
New Jersey Division of the Pennsylvania
railroad, Superintendent F. Wolcott Jack
son made the following address Of accept |
ance J