The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-02
OUR INV JERSEY SUBURBS
IN THE FARMING COUNTRY OF
THE HAOKENSACK VALLEY.

hNoH hCRt AANAenA y ~ ~
Beauty-A River without Factories.
The New Jersey and New York Railroad
follows the valley Of the Haokensaok River
through New Jersey and across the State
line into Rockland county, its branches
extending far up behind Nyack and Rock
land Lake and the hills surrounding Haver-
straw. Throughout almost It's entire length
the railroad traverses a region Of wooded
hills and rolling farm land. The stations
are. with one or two exceptions. small
country villages with the quaint rural
features which one expects to find only
at a considerable distance from the city.
Clustering around the crossroads stop
ping places are a few general stores, an
occasional real estate Office and the post
masters quarters. Trees Utmost hide the
scattered houses from view and the spacious
plots Of grass in the main squares present
an odd mixture Of village and country
features. A short distance from the tracks
flows the Hackensack River, a picturesque,
winding stream whose clear placid waters
supply an ideal resort for the canoeist or
angler. Boat clubs are numerous in Hack
ensack and the smaller towns, and nearly
every summer home along the banks OF the
river has its landing place and at least one
canoe. The stream flows narrow and deep
between steep banks shaded by over
hanging elms and buttonwoods. In the
long quiet reaches above Hackensack
may paddle for twenty-five or thirty miles
before shallow water is reached.
TIT country bordering the Hackensack
River presents the unusual appearance OF
a region possessing good transit facilities
and yet retaining almost Inimpaired its
original rural simplicity. The great out OF
town movement Of New York's increasing
population has thus far followed other
channels, and the Hackensack Valley has
not been affected to any great extent. It's
growth has been slow and steady, IN re-
suit being the parcelling out OF lam in small
individual holdings. Small country homes
surrounded by good sized grounds and with
a sufficient number OF large trees to COM
fortably shade them from the summer heat
are the rule. Development companies have
not been able to obtain land here In single
tracts large enough TO make their opera
tons profitable. Very few big estates
nave been established along the river, as
the general preference OF rich lane owners
is for the higher and more rugged noun.
tains of the interior or the broad sweep Of
the ocean front along the lower New Jersey
coast.
After the long run across the meadows
the New Jersey and New York Railroad
branches of from the main line Of the Erie
near Rutherford and turns northward. fol-
lowing the base of the eastern slope Of a
high ridge. Carlstadt, Woodbridge and
Hasbrouck Heights, the first stops. are sim
ply extensions OF the town of Rutherford.
The same features which distinguish the
parent city are found in the smaller settle
ments. The ground is of considerable
height, sloping steeply TO the Passaic River
on one side and the Hackensack meadows
on the other. thus insuring good drainage.
City conveniences have been installed in
the towns. The streets are symmetrically
laid out and the houses are we'll constructed.
The most valuable feature Of the towns is
their ease of access from the city. the time
from Chambers street being only abou
thirty-fve minutes Commuters make up
a large part OF the population. Two trolley
lines furnish direct communication with
Passaic, Paterson, Newark and Hacken"
sack, while connection can be made by
trolley with Jersey City and the Fort Lee
ferry.
Hackensack is the largest and most access
sible town in the region. II ls served both
by the New Jersey and New York Railroad
and by the New York, Susquehanna and
Western, also under the control of the Erie.
Communication tickets are good on both roads
between New York and any one Of the five
stations maintained within the town limits.
TIL business section of the town lies along
the banks Of the Hackensack in the vicinity
OF the railroad stations and the interesectinR
trolley lines. The residential district has
spread out to the north and west on the slope
OF a high ridge which rises gradually from
the waterfront The town has been laid
out on a generous scale with ample space
between buildings and an abundance of
shade trees and grassy squares. This lib
eral allowance OF space creates an impress
sion that bellies the real size and Importance
OF Hackensack. A stranger would not sus-
pect from first appearance that the town con-
tanned over 10000 inhabitants.
The place has many interesting historical
associations which date back to it's occu-
panoy by the Dutch 'colonists. Facing a
public square, shaded by ancient elms and
~cottonwoods and fronting on the main
street., are two quaint relics, the Mansion
House, at one time the temporary head
quarters of George Washington, and the
old Dutch Church. HemminR in the quiet
square on all sides is the thriving business
district, modern in every particular. Fine
schools and churches, public buildings
and clubs Of every description are to be
found here, while all the indispensable
ledIuTCS Ol CITY ll0 laNe DCCu PIONluCu.
A fast electric road runs from the 125th
street ferry 10 Bogota, crosses a bridge
over the river and connects at Hacken-
sack with the trolley running northward
to Paramount.
A short distance above Hackensack the
railroad draws nearer TO the river and
frequent views of its winding course are
obtained from the car window. The stream
flows between grassy banks which rise
gently to a considerable altitude on the
west. Cherry Hill, now known as North
Hackensack, River Edge and New Milford,
all with stations on the railroad. are small
towns inhabited almost entirely by COM
muters. They have no business section
to speak Of, the greater part Of the town
marketing being done in Haokensack.
New Milford is the head OF sloop naviga-
ton on the Hackensack River. Above this
point the stream is not affected by the rising
and falling Of tides. The water has been
appropriated to supply the towns of Ora
def, New Milford, Hackensack and inter-
mediate towns as far south as Hoboken
and Ia carefully guarded from pollution.
The million dollar plant OF the Hackensaok
Water Company Ia located here, surrounded
on all sides by a loop OF the river.
Oradell, q modern committing settlement,
claims with no little justification to ba one