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Originally published in 1939
Some of this information may no longer be current and in that case is presented for historical interest only.
Edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2003
Impetus to industrialization came from New York in 1835 when a group of New York businessmen, aware of what the new railroads would mean to Elizabeth, bought a tract of land fronting for a half-mile on Staten Island Sound. They laid it out in long rectangular plots and named it "The New Manufacturing Town of Elizabeth Port."
During these years the water front was busy with fishermen and oystermen. It was called "downtown" as opposed to the "uptown" district around Broad Street, and there was violent antagonism between the two sections. The downtown men were known as "salt water boys." At irregular intervals they declared a "salt water day" that was celebrated by throwing every available uptowner off the dock.
Formation of volunteer fire companies in 1837 made for further breaches of the peace. There was sharp competition between the fire companies, not because of anxiety over the burning building, but to obtain a hydrant for the water fight that followed every fire. Downtown Red Jacket Engine Co. No. 4 had the jump in early morning blazes on its rivals in the uptown Hibernia Engine No. 5, for the Red jackets were up at 2 a.m. getting ready to sail for the Newark Bay oyster beds. Early evening fires provided the best competition ; the Hibernians armed a man with a poker to prevent the Red jackets from cutting their hose.
As a change from fighting with the uptowners, the oystermen used oars, oyster rakes, and boathooks in repelling Staten Island oystermen who ventured into Jersey waters. Every morning the fleets started up the bay,. returning at 5 p.m. At daybreak oyster dealers from Prince Bay, Staten Island, would arrive with a large basket at the masthead, a signal that oysters were being bought, whereupon the men would flock out to sell.
There was one downtowner who was welcome all over the city-the clam vendor who drove his little horse cart slowly through the streets, singing hoarsely:
Elizabeth now has 201 manufacturing plants. Products include Simmons beds, sewing machines, Kelly presses, refined petroleum, soap, chemicals, clothing, furniture, iron and steel machinery and other commodities to an annual value of more than $122,000,000.
In 1873 the first important industry, the Singer Sewing Machine Company, came to Elizabeth and "The New Manufacturing Town of Elizabeth Port" began to develop. Railroad extensions to the Pennsylvania coal fields resulted in the building of docks at the Elizabeth and Somerville Railroad Terminal, foot of Broadway, where freight and passengers were transferred to boats for New York. Coal was shipped to ports in New England and New York. The "Pig Iron Dock" was the center for pig iron brought in barges from northern New Jersey and New York and shipped by train to iron mills elsewhere in the country. The railroads stimulated the immigration of large numbers of Germans and Irish to the city. World War production brought thousands of Slavs and Italians to man Elizabeth factories.
Fine clams, fine clams,
Fine clams, I say,
They are good to stew,
And good to fry;
And are good to make
A good clam pie.
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