The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-01
OUR NEW JERSEY SUBURBS
on THE PALISADES AND IN
THE HUDSON HIGHLANDS.
4 Remarkable SERIES % Projected Public
Improvements II introducing q New
IRA % Development fer suburbs OF
the Northern Railroad q New Jersey

improvement II introducing q New
FRA OG Development for suburbs on
the Northern Railroad u New Jersey
A generation ago when the Northern
Railroad Ol New Jersey vas built a real
estate boom notable in its day developed
GA the Palisades The region tTaverssd
by the railway was a sparsely settled
farming community The ridge Of tho
Palisades was covered With a heavy
growth u forest Here and there small
clearings had been made. but the PROS
porous farms we're on the western slope
overlooking the Hackensack Valley. On
this slope too we're the villages that served
a. centpM Of distribution 10 the local
farming Population. In q few Instances
crossroads hamlets existed on OF near the
crest % the Palisades wherever II had
been found possible 10 establish roads
down the face Of the cliffs to the Hudson.
primitive mountain roads used mainly
by timber cutters aud fishermen
The railway opened up a new future for
thu Palisades country. Sites on the crest
u the ridge commanding views u the
HudsOn,were bought up by wealthy New
York people who built costly mansard
roof country hOuess In the fashion Of the
period. The timber holdings Wers trans
formed into estates. extending generally
in a somewhat narrow width from the
edge Of the Palisades down the slope
toward the Hackensack Valley II was
believed that the wet bank Of the Hudson
would quickly become a fashionable
suburban centre leCause Of its wonderful
scenery and the absence of Industrial
towns Fashion went elsewhere. however.
and with II went most ~ the wealthy
owners Of country places on the Palisades.
The service provided Nv the railway
proved insufficient for the realization Of
the great prospects entertained for the
dev~loument Of the highland region
which u traversed. However. the - peg
;atlOn Of a great future for the region
persisted, and az no time since the real
estate boom of generation AGO have
land values there been anything hut
high
A second period Of growth wis intro
duCed nv the trolley, which practically
annexed the district below EnglewOod
10 New YORK city line now follows the
river front from the railroad terminals
to Engle wood on the north. connecting
with all the intermediate ferries. ana
another trolley extends back from the
Edgewater ferry TO Hackensack The in
PRODUCTION Of the trolley gave rise to a
notable suburban growth The older
ettlemen u entered upon a remarkable
period u prosperity and many new
suburbs were established
NOTABLE SERIES or PUBLIC IMPROVE
IENTs
The PALISADES regian. then. has passed
through two phases Of development
A third IL foreshhdow-d by remarkable
series Of projected public improvements
The beginning Of the series was the OPEN
ing Of the McAdoo tunnels Commuters
on the Northern Railroad Of New Jersey
coming down 10 do their shopping in
%" midtown section Of Manhattan save
about twenty-five minutes by Transferring
a. the tunnel cars Another saving will
be made as soon a. the new Bergen Hall
cut is ready for use. probably some time
this summer The Limited trackage IN
the old Bergen H.H tInnel. which now
forms the only entrance 10 Jersey city
for the tremendous and growing freight
and passenger 'rafic On the Enr system.
has long prevented any effective Increase
Ia service Oh tn many branches q tho
Ere Whatever Increase has been possible
has necessarily been gwen 20 tue through
lines leaving the schedules 81 N. Jess
important looll branch lines untouChed
The new tunnel however. will provide
ample trlckaEe for the eatirs Fire system
and viii enable the officials 10 rearrauRe
completely the service On the suburban
branches
A still further saving II time vii -
achieved through the cleotrhtarion Of
the system within the suburban zone
An electric train - able 20 slow down
and 10 start quicker than steam train
economiying about two minutes at each
station u will be seen therefore that
a very important reduction IN the time
oi travel on the Northern Railroad u
New Jersey may he expected from the
opening Of the Bergen Hin tunnel and
the liberalization Of the road
Of not less importance 10 tho Palisades
region will be- the new Interstate Hudson
River bridge. at i7Sth street opposite
Fort lee The interstate bridge Is in
line with the Washington Bridge over the
Harlem River % The Bronx Il will pro-
vide for trolley traffic a. we'll A. for We
hicular and pedestrian travel As the
trolley system on the Jersey eide IN 90
he extended presently 70 NyAck the bridge
will permit trolley cars from the north
a. veil a. from the south 10 enter Man
haitian and The Bronx
The interstate bridge will also form
an objective pcin; for the good roads
system Of tho States Of New Jersey and
New York west Of the Hudson. One
branch 81 this systep h the Hendrirk
Hudson Drive. by which the bridge will
be- connected With the ocean resorts
toward the south and with the hill country
20 the west For thus drive an appro-
priAtion u t5OO.OoO has just been made
by the New jersey Legislature Another
branch will be the boulevard along the
base 81 the Palisades. extending through
the Interstate Palisades Park. a highway
which will connect with the new road
along the west bank Of the river from
Cornwall 20 Stony Point,
A. present all motor car routes leading
up the west bank of the Hudson turn
sharply 70 the left at about Nyack or
HavsrNtraw They run thsnre far hack
into the country 10 the line Of the Erie
railroad and return 10 the river only
a, Newburgh and Cornwall. The detOurs