History of West Hoboken N.J./Chapter 3

by William H. Drescher

CHAPTER III.

Streets and Improvements.

In the days above mentioned there were no streets running north and south through the town, except the Weavertown road (now Boulevard), until 1870, when Palisade avenue was opened, then there was so little traffic that this street became a sort of lane, and in wet weather it was axel deep in mud, and could not be used at all.

Imagine to yourself the looks of this place when I say that even as late as 1882 there were no side streets from Stevens street north to Angelique street, and no avenues except the two aforesaid.

This whole section was composed of a few homesteads, which were all west of the present line of Spring street. East of Spring street, this section boasted of two little huts that reminded you of some rancher's huts, surrounded as they were with vast plains, on which silently grazed the cattle of all the dairymen of this section.

All this land was owned by the Hoboken Land and Improvement Company and was known as the "commons." It was on these "commons" that the U.S. Government in 1861 maintained a camp for their soldiers.

When the car stables were erected the Railroad Company leased part of the commons from the owners, fenced it in, and used it for pasturage for their horses. The lake in our town park recently filled up, was in the corner of this pasture and served as a drinking place for the horses. Part of this tract (east of Clinton avenue) was still used for this purpose twelve years ago.

Spring street was opened in 1882, and the land from Oak street to Angelique street, was so low and swampy that the new street was raised 10 feet above the surrounding land, until it intersected Angelique street, when it again reached the level. None of the side streets in this district were opened previous to 1888, and then only a few, most of them leaving been laid out during the last ten years. All these streets had to be filled in and raised from 5 to 10 feet, and this filling was mostly all taken from the "commons," which, east of Clinton avenue, were

very high and hilly.

HOSE CARRIAGE, FRIENDSHIP HOSE CO. 1.

PROTECTION H. & L. CO. 3.

Clinton avenue was opened about five years after Spring

street, and previously to its being graded, it consisted of a high embankment placed there by the Railroad Company for its cars. It was only wide enough to accommodate one line of tracks, and could not be used for any other purpose.

From West street, west to Summit avenue, and from Oak street, north to Jane street, there was a large piece of woodland which was only cleared off and opened up in the spring of 1890. It was known by the name of "Drecher's Woods," and afforded the nimrods of these times many a happy hour as the place abounded with birds and rabbits. I have shot rabbits in these woods in 1890, a few months before it was cleared off.

The people who live in this district now, who have moved here from other places, know very little of the looks of this place a few years ago, and as I walk through it to-day, I cannot make myself believe that it is the same old town, where in so short a time I picked wild flowers and hunted rabbits and birds in its beautiful fields and woods.

The credit for making this place what it is to-day, must be given to a man who (since deceased) has been slandered by many of the people who were his best frinds while he was in the hey-dey of his career as a business man and builder.

This man was Otto Schultz. When the Hoboken Land Improvement Company and the Drescher estate in 1890 began breaking up their properties in building lots, Schultz began building houses on the properties. He had the backing of the Improvement Company, and, through them, most of the Hoboken Banks. With one exception the first houses on Spring street between Angelique street and Highpoint avenue was built by him. This was the row between Dodd and Shippen streets. To give an idea of what Schultz did, let me say that he built by actual count, not including Schwartzenbach's silk factory, and the Casino, one hundred and sixty-seven houses in the Third Ward of our town, and a great many of these are well built substantial three-story brick houses, as the stores on both sides of Spring street prove, most of which were built by him.

Considering this work is the reason why I give him space in these pages. Efforts like his should be encouraged and not allowed to pass by unnoticed. It was mainly through his efforts that we have so many street improvements in our town to-day, and if we had another Schultz it would be a blessing to us. After all this work Schultz died a poor man. He was robbed right and left by people whom he trusted, and in the end he was found dead one morning at the foot of Shippen street with

a bullet in his brain. It was the old story of wealth and

happiness lost through business reverse, and the resort of a desponding man to the only relief from his misfortune and ill-luck: the

revolver.

Let me say in behalf of Schultz that he was no coward, that he did not give up immediately, but on the contrary, strove hard to regain his lost fortune, but, as always happens in such cases, Schultz was down and his erstwhile friends were doing their best to keep him there. After his death, some people realizing what they had lost, spoke of erecting a monument to his memory but this only ended in talk, and now the name "Schultz" is but a memory.

When Schultz began building in 1889-90, lots on Spring street sold for seven and eight hundred dollars, and in side streets as low as three hundred dollars.

Another man who has done much, and is still doing so, for our town, is our present worthy mayor, Mr. Geo. B. Bergkamp. Many a fine residence in the Second Ward of our town owes its existence to his energy as a builder and business man. Up to date he has erected more than sixty houses in the Second Ward.

The part of the town near the present car stables was since 1857 known by the name of Bonnsville. It took its name from John H. Bonn, who purchased the tract and cut it up in building lots. When the car stables were erected many of the employers purchased these lots and erected small homes on them so as to be near their work.

PUBLIC SCHOOL No. 1. CLINTON AVENUE AND UNION STREET.

PUBLIC SCHOOL No. 2. CENTRAL AVENUE AND SYMS STREET.