Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-07-14
From a Small Town Along the Water
Front With Clustering as the
Principal InduStry-N0
Is a Leading City.

Perth Amboy's industrial growth
has been of comparative recent years.
In its early days it had its small
factories the same as any ordinary
town, but it was not until after the
Lehigh Valley railroad brought its
coal TO tidewater here for shipment
and established the docks on Slater
Island sound that the town began tc
take the form of .an industrial center
Since that time the growth has beer
constant and yet in its infancy al
though the city has taken its place
among the second class cities of New
Jersey and now ranks as ono of the
leaders in manufacturing and com
merce.
1t has been Perth Amboy's natural
advantages that have brought manu-
facturies of all kinds here on such an
extensive scale. 1t does not take an
experienced mar long to realize these
advantages after once visiting the
city. In the first place the fine har-
Dor and water frontage commands at
tention and cannot help but be adj
mircd. The city is located on a point
extending out into Raritan bay with
the Staten Island sound extending the
full length of the eastern border and
the Raritan river flowing along the
south side. They extend the full
length of the city, and for miles be-
yond, alfording unsurpassed factory
sites where shipment by water is de-
sired. Mention should also be made
of Woodbridge creek, a navigablc
stream for several miles from its
mouth, which bounds the city on the
north and is destined to become an
important waterway, although but two
or three industries are located upon
its banks. These were sufficient,
however, to warrant the government
spending several thousand dollars in
dredging its channel. Thus, with
good water facilities oh three sides
and the open bay to Sandy Hook be
fore, Perth Amboy is admirably 10
Gated for industries Of all kinds.
Not only is there navigable water
on three sides Of the city, however,
but a very important feature is that,
With the EXCEPTION Of Woodbridge
creek, it is deep water. Along the
Staten Island sound ocean steam
ships dock without the slightest diff
Guilty The channel of the Raritan
river is deep and when the govern
ment finishes dredging the south cha
mel, a work which is now under way,
the river will be navigable for vessels
of the greatest draught. All the
streams including the Woodbridge
creek, are navigable for smaller size
schooners, tugboats and barges.
The harbor is unsurpassed for not
only is there plenty of water for
vessels of all sizes to ride at anchor,
but Staten Island is so situated that it
forms a natural protection for all east
and northeast storms which cause
such havoc to shipping. The Jersey
shore, for a part of the distance,
rises in a high bluff from the water
a[fording protection from the westcr-
ly gales.
As great a natural advantage as
are the water facilities for Perth Am
boy, they are not all that attracts in
dustry hither. The city is in the midst
of what is perhaps the greatest clay
deposit in the country. In fact, the
place itself is built on clay. The
heart Of this clay region is Wood
bridge township which adjoins the
city on the north and west and of
which Woodbridge creek is one Of
the main outlets. For years the
farmers 1abored hard for miles around
the city trying to exc out a living
and barely subsisting at that. For