The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-18
Primitive Railroading.

The Morris & Essex Railroad was b.
gun in 1885 and finished in 1928, being
among the fist steam railroads in the
country The first terminal at Nor
ristown was at Maple avenue anG De-
Hart street The rolling stock consist
ed of a few passenger and freight cars
and two small locomotives. which were
named the Orange and the Essex, says
the New York Tribune. Afterward an
other locomotive. named the Speedwell
was added. Trains We're made up Of
one and sometimes two cars, the bag
gage being carried in a bog or boat un
der the cars.
The building in Morristown which
served for a ticket Office and freight
shed had on it bell This was runC
half an hour before the train started,
and when the time was nearly up the
conductor would ring the last bell"
then look down the street and beckon
80 any tardy passengers he might see.
to hurry if they wanted to catch the
train.
At Summit there was a cOntrivanCe
for filling the tender with water A.
each end of the locomotive a strong iron
hook was fastened. to which was at
to post and prevented the engine from
moving either way; then a portion OF
the track under the single driving
wheel was depressed a few inches, and
n crank Connected with the pump in Il
we'll was hooked on a large wheel,
steam turned on. ana the driving wheel
kept revolving until the tender was
pumped full Of water.
% l.,
the road ran only from Morristown tn
Newark. At Newark it connected with
the old New Jersey Railroad, now the
Pennsylvania road. at Centre street
the cars being taken through Newark
with horses, and the passengers land
ed in New York al Cortlandt street. IN
1S47 the road was extended 70 Dover
in 1874 to Hackettstown. and in 1861
10 Phillirgburg. the present terminal
In 1852 the New Jersey Railroad built
a bridge over the Passaic near Rroad
street station. and cars were taken tC
Jersey City direct bv special engine
In the panic of 1887 the Eric Railroad
was engaged in building tunnc
through Bergen IIill Tho company bo
came involved in the panic and was
unable to complete the work. Edwin
a. Stevens Of Hoboken agreed 70 ad
vance tho necessary funds on condi
tion that the company would give hin
tho right Of way through the tunne
for any cars or trains he might wisl
TO run. As he then had no road, tht
Erie company readily granted the con
cessiOn Mr. Stevens then bought
controlling interest in the Morris {
Essex. and built a connecting road from
Hoboken to Newark through the tm
mel He afterward sold this brancl
to the Morris & Essex company.
In 1866 Sir Morton Peto, an enginec
and contractor with several CAPITALIST
came from England in search NJ flel,
for investment. They controlled tn
Atlantic & Great Western company
This company agreed to paw n 10 pc
cent. dividend on the Morris a. Esse,
stock. In 1866 the Atlantic & Grea
Western road failed. Sir Morton Pet
and his associates succeeded in unload
ing their Western securities before tn
crash came II was asserted that the
leased the Morris & Essex branch I
bolster up the Atlantic & Great West
ern stock.
In 1876 the Morris & Essex tunnt
under Bergen Hin was dug. and tn
right to run cars through the Fri
tunnel WAS given up. The road was al
terward merged with the Delawar,
LaclSwanna & Western system.