The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-04-10
TOWN OF HARRISON
Interesting Features of the
TranS-PassaiC Town, Its
Growth and Business
Interests.
A RAPID RISE TO PROSPERITY
How the Resources of a Thriving
Municipality We're Developed
From Its Early History.

lions of Hudson county thaI for years
has made untiring efforts to annex IL
self to Essex county, says the Newark
Daily advertiser of Saturday, April b.
1t was one of the prominent sons OF the
town, ex-Assemblyman John Kerr, VINO
last year nearly succeeded in accomplish
ing that result.
Harrison is a town of $500 population
and has within it's boundaries CONNER
cial interests OF large magnitude and Iaf-
reaching Importance. When the present
town was established its large water
front and contiguity to the factory IN
terests of Newark seemed to augur well
for its future prosperity. This eXpecta-
tion has been more than fulfilled, as a
journey through it's crowded streets ana
a view of its mammoth factories would
attest.
According to the annual report OF
Treasurer Edward Grace. completed with
in the current week, the total receipts
of last year were $156. 4S1. Al; disburse-
ments, s138. 7s6. rs; total assets. s465, 49,;
liabilities, s44e, 6s2.7 Is.
The principal thoroughfare of the town
is Harrison avenue, which was severed
in 1873 and well paved during the year
following.
It runs east and west, from the kearny
| township line to the Bridge street bridge,
through the heart of the city; both Sloss
of the t~horoughfare beng lined with puSl-
ness houses.
Communication with the parent city
of Newark by the trolley ears OF III
| Consolidated Traction Company is quick
TIE HEART OF THE city,
of ri Hhe .a CIV are Constructed. Near Fourth
street is the City Hall building, where
| the city government. including the Police
| Department. finds quarters. Nearly op-
| posite is the building recently finished by
| Peter ]. Goodman, Clarence d. van
| Deren and E. j. Grace, USED parity Tor
| Church of. the Holy Cross. of which the
Rev. Father Maurice P. O'Connor is pas
| soonest churches in Hudson County. and
| is a monument to the energy and enter
| prise of its pastor. ch,a
| of the Holy Cross the Davis Me-
mortal Chruc steeple points
This church was founded by alT Tnal,io W.;
J. Davis, who are spoken or
In these columns. In the rear OF the
church stin lies one OF the tb oia s nIyIeg
| steamer Lexington, by the founoer' Oh the
church. ,1,,,y
This Topography of Harrison is entirely
different from that of keaTny ToWnsnlp,
which lies directly north. It is largely q
fat & ne lsvelil na co ahs S;rst rise of aaaF ridge ige
Wbich extends northward through Kear-
ny township to the highlands of Orange
In Prehistoric days the site Of /, Harrison N
that had its headquarters near the pres
ent Hudson 1hH7 Z go W~afefsn on the in o eaaa and
north by Kearny Township. and on the
south and west by the Passa.c River.
an act of the Legislature. in 1859, two
years after the township Of Kearny mad
been organized. 1t is divided into -FOUR
sists of a Common Council of eight
members. four of whom are elected each
year. ~
following members. Alderman John Wade
being the President,
First ward-Joseph Carney, Democrat;
Z. j. Rice, Democrat: John Wade, Demo
publican; Henry ". Newbon, Repubn-
Democrat; p. J. Cairns. Democrat.
Politically, the town is strongly Demo
cratic. but when local affairs are TO the
front. the mass of the people treat the
questions submitted to them in a fair
and impartial manner. -
The other officials Of the town are:
Walsh, Town Clerk: Mart.n Lawless;
Police Justice; Philip Muiligan, Chief OF
Police: George b. Cooper Water Gom,
Counsel: r. ]. Goodman. Chief of Fire
pHH.ARRIsoN's RAPID GROWTH.
The growth OF Harrison has been Pine
nomenal. In 1884, when tine old, DIVING
Bell Hotel was in existence, much OF tine
present town was used for taTmllng pur,
poses, and at times herds OF Wesoeln
cattle. numbering 10000. were frequently
pastursd on the open ground ibaek on me
Davis homestead end present Ca1y Hali
In 1873 the town began WORKING clpdSf
the nroyisfons of IT'S charter. To show
the growth of the town since THAT period,
q -eomRarisotn q o Sfs the tb 5lrat s. Se go, w Tfde'R fhs
returns quoted for this year. Is signid1-
can't. nr,a
ed. curbed and tagged, and waiter mans
have been laid as street Improvements
were instituted.
In 1873. the "a "a, "a hu and ITa naa st& Streets IS.
Used for the Town Hall. In May, lSs2'
ing was destroyed by fire, of ~incendiary
origin. This Incident was the subject OF
much investigation, and d. was .mo w grsagly pIi IN.
t terfered with the prosperity Of the town.
THE BOOM OF 1856.
The year of 1886 marked a change, ano
was the turning point in the history 81
Harrison's growth. The water system
was completed. Many neW arrivals ans c Sns.
mess was booming in every direction
In 1889 a complete system OF Lighting
the streets by electric arc lights was IN,
stifuted. The present City Hail was Dull
in 1891. the opening taking place IN Lhe
early spring of the year following: me
Common Council held its first meeting. IN
March, John Wade then. as now, BEING
presiding officer. -,
The schools Of Harrison are of a high
standard, and 1893 one, the latest addition
"a their number, was opened with elabor-
ate EXERCISES over 400 scholars partlclpa,
ting. ,1 : Ann
New BarbadoesNeck, as the region was
called. was known to the Indians az
!. Mighgecticock, and was estimated. by
the early colonists to contain 5,3OS acres
3of upland, and $1,000 acres of meadow.
land cedar swamp.
July A, 1868, Captain William SANFORD
l{of the Island of Barbados, purchased tht
/, tract From the proprietors, on conditloI
! that he should colonize the TERRITORY
: within three years, and pay a yearly sun
OF f20 sterling. On July 20. of the sam
!. year, he purchased the claim of the In
Z | dians to the same tract, ITO goe up north
ward in the countrey about seayen Mile
: till it comes to a certain Brook or Sprin,
) now called Sanford SPRING
! Two-thirds of this purchase was shortl.
after turned over to Major Nathan1e
!. Kfpgsland.
On October ], 1873, the Dutch, having re