New-York tribune., 1913-05-25
IN EARLIER TIMES
New Brunswick Was Once
Called Inian'S Ferry.
GOT CITY CHARTER IN 1880
Trustees of Rutgers College De.
cided in 1771 to Locate
Institution There.

Middlcsex County. There was IN the sev-
enteenth century a dense cedar forest
where the city now stands. John +. Wal,
a well known m mber Of the New Bruins
wick Historical Society. has put in book
form interesting data relating TO the Oh
days of this famous town.
According TO records. the first nhabi-
tant of the city OF New Brunswick was
Daniel Cooper. who Kept Il ferry which
crossed the Earitan River. Soon after
ward New Brunswick was called lniaa's
Ferry after John Inian. VINO. with his
associates. bought i'm 1851 two lot. which
comprised the area OF the present city.
/ AT that time the entire land between
South River and Bound Brook was laid
/ out into what was known as the Raritan
/ lots
/ The earliest use Of the name OF y "
| Brunswick is said to be found in the
minutes Of The County Court, from which
II is learned that on April :. 1921. two sur
veyors and two constables were appoint
ed by the Court of General Quartet Ses-
/ sions for New Brunswick. II was not
/ long after that New Brunswick began 20
grow At n very lively rate. In IVA John
Adams described the city as follows:
There are a Church Of England, Dutcn
! Church and a Presbyterian Church in
! the town. There IS some little trade here,
some craft can come up 10 the town. We
saw few small sloops. The river is
very beautiful There is a stone building
for barracks. which is tolerable hand
some. IL is about the size OF the Boston
jail Some OF the streets are paved. ana
there are three or four handsome houses,
only about one hundred and hfty families
/ in the town"
/ In 1920 some Dutch families moved from
Albany 10 the town and made their homes
along thoroughfare in New Brunswick
which has for years been called Albany
avenue.
! At Church and Peace streets was
stone edifce known as the Appleoy
| House Il was one Of the famous land-
marks OF the town for many years.
Where Rutgers now stands was large
apple orchard
/ New Brunswick was Incorporated as a
. city on December 20 1880 two weeks pre-
vious to the Incorporation OF the City CT
! New York. The city was rechartered IN
( 1863, and in 1884 obtained charter from
the State Of New Jersey.
| This event is described at length in the
book written about New Brunswick ny
John T. Wall. Mr. Wall says: The
granting of the charter was the first real
step in the reconstruction OF the city
after the Revolution. The task which
faced the citizens required good. clear
Judgment ard careful study OF the
needs and demands OF the city. The re-
sponsibiity of this task was given Ia
men Of such ability as Colonel John Nell
son. John Dennis. Azariah Dunham'
James Schureman, Henry Guest, Aora-
ham Elauvelt. Robert Eastburn and some
others. and they discharged their duty
exceedingly we'll"
In 1879 two important matters agitatod
the communicative proposed building Of
a bridge over the Rsritan River ana lhe
location OF a county courthouse
New Brunswick was at this time on'
Of the greatest agricultural stations oi
the North. The grain OF practically the
entire State Of New Jersey was conveyed
10 the town, where cash was paid for II
A tavern called Whitehall was the head
quarters where farmers and provision
men met and harterod and sold theli
goods II was the custom in those DAYS
for cities TO have market inr the sai'
and exchange of merchandise.
On June H. 1892, gas was first used FOL
lighting purposes in the city. The hrs'
sewer drain was laid in the fan of 1877
The first street Of the town to be paved
in 1901.
In 1856 the ferry service across the Rar-
itan River was abandoned, wooden
bridge having been built The county
becarne the owner of the bridge on July
3, 1915.
/ In ls3O the building OF the Delaware
and Rartan Canal was begun. the canal
being opened for traffic In 1888. In Has
the New Jersey Railroad was built be-
tween Jersey City and New Brunswick.
The old wooden bridge across the Rari'
tan River was destroyed by fire on March
8. 1878.
The town began to develop into an I'M
portant manufacturing centre In the late
s0s The New Jersey Rubber Shoe Com
pany was the first big industry started In
the town.
ON MAY :. III, at a meeting OF the
trustees Of Rutgers College, held at Hack
ensack. II WAS decided TO locate the in
stltution in New Brunswick
ON April %, 1851. the first board OF
schoo, trustees OF the city was organized.
Daniel Birdsall & Co. have been APP
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