Route 35 Road Work - Intersections Update

I discovered more details about the Cliffwood Avenue and Amboy Avenue intersection road work at the NJ Department of Transportation website tonight. It helps explain what the final outcome of the road work will be. The elaboration could have always been there, but I didn't notice it. If so, mea culpa.

So, on Cliffwood Avenue passing the A&P Shopping Center, entering Cliffwood Beach, they are adding a right turn lane. On the Goodwill side of the road, leaving Cliffwood Beach, they are adding a thru lane, resulting in a left turn lane, a thru lane, and a right turn lane.

Amboy Avenue will get an additional thru lane and improved traffic light sequencing to improve traffic flow onto southbound Route 35 (towards Hazlet). For safety reasons, they plan to close the road behind McDonald's that connects Amboy Avenue with Cliffwood Avenue.

A lot of the digging between Cliffwood Avenue and Amboy Avenue has been to add storm drainage. You can read the 2013 notice about the overall construction project here. They were calling for the work to be completed in 2015. The biggest part of the job, lifting Route 35 and adding new culverts through the area that routinely flooded, seems to be done. The intersection work at Cliffwood Avenue has quite a ways to go yet.

History: Trolley on Main Street, Matawan

Trolley days on Main Street in Matawan.

Aberdeen Transit Village Lot Cleared

The future Transit Village lot at Harrison Avenue and Atlantic Avenue, next to the Aberdeen-Matawan train station, is finally cleared. Over the last few months the construction crews have come in and leveled the old factory, sorted and chopped up the debris and hauled it away. Above is a shot of what the lot looked like a few months ago before the demolition, courtesy of Google Street View.

And this is what it looks like now.  

Below is some video of the final demo work.

Nice to see this long awaited project getting off the dime at last.

Cliffwood Avenue Construction Update

The construction crew has carved out the framework for an additional lane for northbound Cliffwood Avenue on the Cliffwood Beach side of the Route 35 intersection. The new lane will run from the traffic light to just past Sweetbriar Street.

The above Google Street View image is a useful Before image, probably from a few months ago. The cut away for the new lane goes as far as the telephone pole next to the light blue house in the image, leaving the nearby tree's roots exposed. Workers were up on a cherry picker on Saturday morning at the intersection, perhaps moving power or telephone lines.

The new lane matches work done last month on Cliffwood Avenue along the A&P Shopping Center side of the road. The shopping center has lost a good bit of the grassy margin, all the way up to the shrubs.

Presumably this new lane will make traversing this intersection a bit easier next school session.

History: Scotsman Marries Local Girl; Claims to be Oxford Grad and Play for Eagles (1935)

I came across an intriguing marriage announcement in the 5 Jul 1935 edition of The Matawan Journal. Mae Layton of Old Bridge, a grammar school graduate, would wed Neil O'Neil (sic), a Scot who had studied at Oxford. The son of Charles O'Neil (sic), Neil was a "professional soccer football player" working for the Philadelphia Eagles. I thought the whole thing curious, so I did some digging.

What I learned was that Neil O'Neill was born in Denny, Stirlingshire, Scotland on 3 March 1906, the son of John O'Neill. He emigrated to the US in early 1929 and made occasional trips back home to Scotland. I found a Neil O'Neill at the right age and birth place working as a factory machinist and boarding with a Scottish family in Detroit, MI in the 1930 Federal Census. By February 1935, Neil was a leather worker living with his Polish electrician friend, Frank Guscior, 101 South Walter Avenue, Trenton, NJ. The Scottish homestead between 1935 and 1960 was at 35 Rintoul Avenue, Blairhall, Fife, Scotland. By the 1950s, Neil had become a "fermenter operator." It must have been profitable work because he was took the kids (Maureen O'Neill DOB 21 Apr 1951 and John O'Neill DOB 12 Aug 1952) on the Queen Mary for a four-week stay in the United Kingdom.

-----------------------------

Neil O'Neill (33 Scotland) and his wife May (26 NJ) were in the 1940 Federal Census living in East Brunswick, NJ with children Neil Jr (4 NJ) and James (1 NJ). He was a cutter in a pocketbook factory. They both were living in Trenton, NJ five years earlier. She had completed 7th grade and he had completed four years of high school.

Mae Layton (5 6/12 NJ) was in the 1920 Federal Census living in East Brunswick, NJ in the household of her widowed father, Charles Layton, Jr (40 NJ). Her brother Charles (3 6/12 NJ) was also in the household. I found her father and brother in the 1930 Federal Census, but Mae wasn't in the household. Perhaps she was at boarding school?

Neil O'Neill (22 Scotland) was a miner from 32 Blairhall, East George, Fife when he sailed from Glasgow aboard the S S Cameronia on 23 Feb 1929. He was headed for New York and planned to reside in the US.

Neil O'Neill (28 Scotland) departed Glasgow, Scotland on 15 February 1935 aboard the S S Caledonia and arrived at New York on 27 February 1935. He was born in Denny, Scotland, the son of John O'Neill. Neil was a leather worker by profession and was being hosted by his friend, Frank Gusior (sic), 101 South Walter Avenue, Trenton, NJ.

-----------------------------

The only hint of European football, other than the marriage announcement, was when I looked up Denny in Wikipedia. Apparently the area has a team founded in 1888 called Dunipace Junior Football Club.  You can check out the club's history here.

So, if Neil played soccer in Scotland, he was very young, as he came to the US age 22, so he might have played a few years after high school. Whether or not he played professionally, I can't say. As a miner from Scotland with only four years of high school education, I doubt he attended Oxford. And making leather purses in Trenton, it seems unlikely he played professionally for the Eagles, but perhaps that was his hope. At 2 wins 9 losses, the Eagles had an abysmal 1935 NFL season, by the way.

If someone knows the back story on this, I'd be interested.

CORRECTION: I fixed the text to recognize that Maureen and John were children, not grandchildren, of Neil and Mae O'Neill. Thanks for the information.

Borough Seeks to Curtail Warehousing of Taxi Cabs in Lot

The Borough of Matawan continues to struggle with certain local businesses using up too many of the parking spaces in the municipal lot on Little Street between Main and Broad streets. Mayor Buccellato, who was interviewed on the subject in the 19 Jun 2014 edition of The Independent, said the spaces are meant for customers of businesses along Main Street, not for the warehousing of taxi cabs.

The mayor tried to generalize the issue, as if other businesses might also be abusing the privilege of parking in the lot. But this isn't the first time I've heard that one or more of the taxi services is the culprit. Patsy's Taxi and Costera are located right there on Little Street; however, the parking issue didn't seem to arise until Costera came along.

Costera uses all the kiss n ride spaces along the curb in front of the old Aberdeen station, so they've got one strike against them in my book. The other cab companies have nothing good to say about Costera, which has given them another strike. I don't know how accurate their claims against that company and its drivers are.

The public library had a problem with local residents using the library lot and using up spaces for patrons. Signs were eventually put up, but I suspect the abuse of the library lot continues.

Mayor Buccellato may deal with the parking issue by charging businesses a fee to use a controlled number of spaces in the lot. At least that's one of his ideas. He realizes the issue wasn't fully addressed last time it came up, so he plans to find a robust solution by the end of this summer.

Timber!

A tree has become uprooted over on Lakeshore Drive not far from the Kavanaugh Trail entrance and the Public Works Garage on Lenox Road. It is blocking the sidewalk completely.

History: Bull Run > Matawan Road > Heuser Boulevard > Matawan Avenue

As the result of some research I conducted this weekend, I have found a lot of interesting information about the history of Matawan Avenue.

Matawan Avenue appeared unlabeled in the 1873 and 1889 Monmouth County atlases following pretty much the same course that it does today. Rather than meeting Ravine Drive at Lake Lefferts, the two roads merged at Matawan Creek, which one had to cross to get to Main Street. There was no Garden State Parkway then, of course, so the road covered some territory that is now crossed by a bridge.

Through the early 1930s, the road was known locally as Bull Run for some reason. The local Civil War regiment fought at Bull Run, so perhaps there is a connection there?

In 1935, there was a reference to the road as Heuser Boulevard, perhaps after the local engineer, Richard Heuser, but the name never stuck as far as I can tell.

From the mid-1930's til the late 1950's, articles and notices in the Matawan Journal bounced back and forth between the names Matawan Road and Matawan Avenue. Matawan Road was more commonly used. There doesn't seem to have been any borough vs township association to the two names, but the road was in the area annexed by the Borough in the early 1930s, so maybe there is some rivalry involved in the use of the two names?

By the early 1960s, after a brief but awkward period of using "Old Matawan Road" and "New Matawan Avenue," usage settled on Matawan Avenue. The Garden State Parkway had taken quite a section of the town in the previous decade; the construction caused the diversion of the railroad, the displacement of homes and businesses, and a bridge had to be built over the parkway so Matawan Avenue could continue to link Cliffwood with Matawan.

The references below cover only thirty years but there was quite a bit of change in that short period of time.

The 18 Dec 1931 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 col 6):

     "Matawan Township started its emergency relief road program yesterday. . . Another program which is expected to put into operation, possibly tomorrow, is to grade Matawan Road, which is better known as Bull Run. The road is now being surveyed by Engineer Richard Heuser. It will be graded to its full width of 33 feet, ditches will be opened on either side and the road will be graveled. No attempt will be made this winter to raise the grade of the road in the hollow, according to Lewis H. Stemler, Chairman of the Township Committee. Mr. Stemler says to make a fill in the road at this time of the year would leave it in too bad a condition for winter travel."

The 3 Aug 1934 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 5 col 3):

     "The bridge, known by the New York and Long Branch Railroad Company as the "Mary Adams" bridge on Bull Run over the main line of the Company's tracks, is now thrown open to travel. It has practically been rebuilt. During this time the road has been closed to traffic."

The 13 Sep 1935 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 cols 4 - 5)

     "At the regular meeting of the Matawan Boro Council Tuesday nite held at the Boro Hall, it was decided that Matawan would prepare and submit applications for nine WPA projects. . . . After considerable discussion, the projects to be applied for, with the understanding the boro had the power to turn down the proposition later if it was so decided, included: Extending eight-inch water line along Atlantic Avenue to the water works; a six-inch water main tie up on Aberdeen Road to Heuser's corner; extending water main along Matawan Avenue, also known as Heuser Boulevard; resurfacing of Broad Street, Matawan Avenue, Church and Washington Streets; improvements to parks, such as reopening of public roads to water edge, and building tennis courts and play lots, if possible; cataloguing and rebinding of books in the library."

The 24 Feb 1949 edition of The Matawan Journal includes a legal notice "instituted for the purpose of foreclosing a certain certificate of tax sale affecting lands in the Township of Matawan, aforesaid and situate on the west side of Matawan Avenue, which tax certificate was executed by the plaintiff 's tax collecting official to the plaintiff and is dated December 2nd, 1940, and is unrecorded . . ."

The 7 Feb 1957 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 10 cols 5-6) reported road construction and repairs to a number of roads in Matawan Township, including the section of Matawan Avenue between Grove Street and the Garden State Parkway.

The 18 Sep 1958 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 14 col 2):

FIRST ELECTION DISTRICT

All that part of the Borough of Matawan, BEGINNING at a point where the center line of Main Street intersects the boundary line of the Township of Matawan, thence

• (1) along the said center line of Main Street in a southerly direction to the bridge on Main Street, south of South Street; thence 
• (2) along a line drawn down the center of the gulley crossed by the said bridge to Lake Lefferts; thence 
• (3) in a northerly direction along the easterly edge of Lake Lefferts to Prospect Point; thence
• (4) along a line drawn across Lake Lefferts from Prospect Point in a northeasterly direction to Ravine Drive; thence 
• (5) along a line drawn across the gulley to the left of Highland Avenue to a point at the end of Liberty Street, thence 
• (6) along a line parallel with Matawan Road to the gulley which runs along Aberdeen Road; thence
• (7) along a line down the center of this gulley to a point where same intersects with the center line of Matawan Road; thence 
• (8) along the said center line of Matawan Road in a northerly direction to the point where said center line of Matawan Road intersects the boundary line of the Township of Matawan; thence
• (9) along the said boundary line of the Township of Matawan to the point or place of Beginning. 

 Polling place: Hook & Ladder fire house, in back of Borough Hall.

The 24 Sep 1959 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 12 col 4) includes a public notice of sheriff's sale involving about 15 acres of land affected by the construction of the Garden State Parkway. The land description includes a mention of ". . . the road known as the public road from Cliffwood to Matawan, also known as Old Matawan Road, and sometimes called Matawan Avenue, as it was formerly located prior to its relocation by the New Jersey Highway Authority. . ."

The 1 Oct 1959 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 cols 6 - 8) includes legal notices involving over 9,000 acres of Matawan property affected by the construction of the Garden State Parkway. One of the legal notices appears to settle the above sheriff's sale as well as "[p]roperty located approximately 500 feet northeast of Aberdeen Road and the New Matawan Avenue [that] adjoins the southwesterly right of way of the Garden State Parkway, Borough of Matawan, New Jersey."

The 24 Aug 1961 edition of The Matawan Journal mentioned Matawan Avenue among a long list of Matawan Township roads to be repaved.

By the way, as a byproduct of working on the above, I noticed that "Origins of Aberdeen Street Names," by Aberdeen Historian Edward Fitzgerald, has disappeared from the Aberdeen Township website. I have relied on it quite a bit over the years, always finding it helpful, and I pointed to it on my blog's Research Tools tab for the benefit of fellow researchers. I hope it can either be restored to the Township page or added to the Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library's online resources.

High Tide at Cliffwood Beach on Friday the 13th

Tonight around 9 pm, my wife and I were heading home from dinner at Bertucci's. We needed gas, so we stopped in at Wawa off Cliffwood Avenue, but they waved us off, no gasoline for some reason. So we got on Route 35 North and picked up gas across from the 7 Eleven in Cliffwood Beach on the Old Bridge side of town. To get home, we took Ocean Parkway towards the Raritan Bay and crossed the Whale Creek bridge. From the heights we could see water covering the field in the park, but the roadway was clear, so we proceeded. But we could only go as far as the beginning of Lakeshore Drive, where we found waves of water approaching us. Tonight's full moon brought quite a high tide at Cliffwood Beach. The roadway and much of the park, and probably part of Greenwood Avenue, were all under 6 - 12 inches of water. A high pickup truck made it through, but we had to turn our car around.

This is the road that Aberdeen Township talked about in the 21 November 2013 edition of The Independent. They wanted to spend $180,000 to raise and repair it. The thinking was that if only the storm drains could be cleared of debris and the dunes repaired, the roadwork would revitalize the 65-acre park. Nice sentiments, but frankly, I think the Raritan Bay has other plans for these lowlands at Cliffwood Beach.

On a related note, check out Google Maps' idea of where the Cliffwood Beach Seawall is situated. They have it in the bay.

Cliffwood Beach lost power today and suffered some flash flooding due to a heavy rainstorm around dinnertime. The construction gullies along Cliffwood Avenue and Route 35 were full of rainwater tonight.

Route 35 North was reduced to a single lane through Hazlet tonight. Traffic was at a standstill. There were countless fire trucks and construction vehicles in the closed right lane from Hazlet Avenue to Holmdel Road. I assumed it was storm related, but who knows?

2014 Concert Buses to PNC Arts Center

The bus to the concert is back at Aberdeen-Matawan train station! Take a NJ Transit North Jersey Coast Line train from New York or Newark towards Long Branch and Bay Head, get off at Aberdeen and you can catch a free shuttle to the PNC Arts Center and back again. Watch yourself crossing the tracks and roadway. Obey the police if they show up for crowd control, something they do selectively based on the anticipated crowd. Have fun!

Matawan Man Extracted From Wreck Near High School; Taken by Medivac to RWJ

James R Burlew IV was flown by helicopter to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick after his vehicle went off the road about 3 am today near Matawan Regional High School, where it struck a utility pole, according to an article in The Asbury Park Press. The 21-year-old local man had to be extracted from his Subaru Forester by area fire and rescue personnel. Aberdeen PD is investigating the incident.

Aberdeen Transit Village Demolition Continues

I spoke too soon about the completion of demolition work by the train station. They've torn down two more buildings and are sorting the debris to haul it away. It should be an empty lot soon.

Construction Equipment & Rubble All That Remain At Demolition Site

The demolition team left only rubble to mark where part of the Transit Village will stand. How quick it will all proceed is anyone's guess but so far they're cruising along.

UPDATE: They've been demolishing two additional buildings on the lot and hauling debris away for the past few days.

Route 35 Improvement Project in Full Swing

The long-awaited road improvement project on Route 35 in Aberdeen Township and Old Bridge Township has been underway for over a year now. New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJ DOT) issued a press release in March 2013 announcing its imminent start, but it didn't specify when it would end nor did it describe the full extent of the project.

All I can say is that the project is in full swing. Cliffwood Avenue and Amboy Avenue intersections are the focus of attention at the moment, with new curbs installed, sidewalks torn up and being replaced, new storm drains and pipe installed, and new traffic lights hanging over the intersection but not yet operating. The school crossing guards must be having the devil of a time getting the kids safely across the intersection with the sidewalks gone.

Route 35 northbound commuter traffic is backed up most weekday mornings through Keyport due to a right-lane closure, which forces traffic to merge into a single lane at Prospect Avenue just east of Wendy's. Lots of traffic cones, barriers, flashing lights, etc, make it hard to find your way if you need to turn at Amboy or Cliffwood Avenue. I imagine the evening commute is just as messy southbound through Laurence Harbor. Lucky for me, I ride the train and have no children currently in school.

I've avoided Route 35 north of Cliffwood Avenue for the duration of the construction, so I don't know exactly how far they've gotten with raising the road surface and adding culverts under the roadway in the notorious flood plain at the county border. But I can say the stack of concrete culverts and pipe they piled at the corner of Route 35 and Cliffwood Avenue, where Burlew's Pizzeria used to stand, has all been used up and different supplies are now sitting there. It will be great when the mounds of tarp-covered materials are gone and the gateway to Cliffwood Beach can begin to look less like a war zone.

I'm anxious to see exactly what they plan to do with the north side of Route 35 at Cliffwood Avenue, where the traffic gets snarled every morning during the morning rush. They tore down Burlew's and Moore's Bar, presumably to make room for some aspect of this project, so they have plenty of land to develop a better intersection there. They've not started adding curbs on that side of the highway, so it is hard to say what is shaping up. They're doing the curb work on the south side of Route 35 at Amboy Avenue, across from McDonald's. I'm optimistic that vehicles exiting Route 35 North at Cliffwood Avenue will be able to make their way without a struggle, but we have no details on the state's intentions for the intersection so far.

I have to say it's amazing how long it takes for such an endeavor to get started. I first reported on the impending project in this blog four years ago this week, but planning had been underway since at least 2006.

As for when the roadwork will be completed, I expect the bulk of the project will be done by the end of summer. The state initially budgeted through FY 2013 for this project, I believe, so presumably they are already late getting this done.

If someone knows more details or can refer me to a website with the information I'm seeking on the project, please be in touch.

History: Matawan Creek Bridge (1915)

Profile and cross section of the proposed new Strauss Bascule Drawbridge over Matawan Creek.

On the occasion of the construction of a new bridge over Matawan Creek by the Monmouth County freeholders, the 22 Apr 1915 edition of The Matawan Journal discussed the history of transit over Matawan Creek between Matawan Point and Keyport and provided details about the then-current bridge project.

---------------------------------

The location over Matawan Creek, at which point the new bridge to be constructed by the Board of Chosen Freeholders of Monmouth County is to be placed, has been used as a crossing point for a very long time. It is understood that the Indians which inhabited this section of our county, were the first to use it in order to reach their brethren at Chingarora Point from Matawan Point.

Long after the Indians had been driven out a raft was used to transport persons from one side to the other. Along about the year 1854, the late John K. Kuhns, Cliffwood, started a ferry by which he could transport wagons and persons across the stream. This mode of transfer was in effect for a number of years, as the owners of the vessels sailing in and out of Matawan on Middletown Point Creek were successful in fighting off the efforts of the people of Keyport in having a charter granted for a pay drawbridge.

Keyport-Cliffwood Direct

The boatmen were aided in their efforts to hold up the charter by the merchants of then Middletown Point, now Matawan, as all wagon traffic was compelled to make the long drive around Matawan to Keyport via what is known as the P. V. Heyer farm at the upper end of Matawan Creek, at which place was the only bridge at that time.

At first when the question of a bridge was agitated, the owners of the sailing vessels, aided by the merchants of Middletown Point, were powerful enough to defeat legislation which would permit the construction of the bridge for a number of years. About the year 1858 the late Joseph Rose, who had moved from New York to the farm known as the Rose farm and who frequently went to New York City by boat from Keyport, became interested in the proposition and created such a sentiment for the building of the bridge that the "bridge party" were successful in electing members to the Senate and House from this county, who had a law enacted empowering the company to build a bridge and charge toll. This was in 1857.

Charged Tolls Then

The bridge, as a toll bridge, was maintained for a number of years and up until the county purchased it from the company and made it a free or county bridge.

The first bridge built was constructed of wood, and lasted until the year 1888 when it was replaced by the present iron bridge at a cost of about $19,000. At the time the trolley road was extended to South Amboy, an enlargement was made by the county, whereby the trolley company was permitted to use the bridge in connection with the county. As the iron bridge, when built, was not meant to carry the traffic to which it was then subjected, it soon began to show the strain which it was compelled to carry, and it has been necessary to do considerable work on the bridge to keep it in condition for use. For the use of the bridge the trolley company pays one-half the operating expenses, repairs and the cost of any new structures which the Board of Freeholders felt it necessary to erect.

Trolley Shared It

Several months ago the Board decided to replace tho present bridge with a new and modern structure, and the designers of what is known as Bascule, or "Jack Knife" bridge were requested to submit plans, specifications, and approximate prices for a new bridge.

Among the proposals submitted was one from the Strauss Bascule Trunnion Bridge Company, of Chicago, Ill. After the Board of Freeholders and the representatives of the Jersey Central Traction Company had gone over the various plans of bridges submitted by the competitors, it was the unanimous conclusion of the Board and the trolley company that the Strauss Bascule Trunnion Bridge was superior to any other style or type submitted, and a contract was made with this company to furnish the plans and specifications for same.

The preliminary drawings were completed and the specifications outlined, when it became necessary for the County Engineer to go to Chicago to go over same in conjunction with the Chief Engineer of the Strauss Bridge Company. The work of checking up the plans and specifications was done last week by the County Engineer, and we have been able to obtain the following facts in connection therewith.

Shift Location

The new bridge will be located directly along the present structure on.the southwest side of same. It will have a thirty foot roadway with a street car track in the center and will be built for traffic and in the most substantial manner. The trunnion pin will be 10 1/4 inches in diameter. The bridge will consist of three stationary spans, each about seventy feet long, and in addition a double leaf bascule span of the Strauss type, which will give a clear unobstructed channel for navigation of fifty feet. This type of "Jack-knife" or "bascule" bridge is recognized throughout the country as the best form of movable bridge and it is remarkable for its speed of operation, because it affords the best possible conditions for shipping and because the bridge itself acts as the most efficient safety gates for the roadway traffic, the leaves of the bascule span, closing up the roadways entirely when the bridge is partly or fully open. There are a1ready twelve of these bridges built for neighboring counties within the State of New Jersey.

Bascule Or Jack-knife

The characteristic feature of this particular type of lift bridge is the counterweights which balance the two leaves in the same manner as the ordinary railroad crossing rate is balanced. These counterweights are of concrete, are suspended as a pendulum from a rear extension of the carrying girder but, of course, these counterweights will not be seen, since they are below the bridge floor and confined entirely between the girders of the adjacent approach spans.

Altogether the appearance of the lift span will be very much the same as of a small plate girder arch, and it will be noted from the appended cut that the appearance of the structure will be very pleasng. That the structure is no small affair will be understood from the fact that each of the above mentioned counterweights will have a weight of more than 100,000 pounds.

The bridge will be operated by electricity by an operator stationed in the operator's cabin on one side of the bridge and all the latest safety devices will be employed in the electrical and machinery equipment of the bridge.

The bridge is being designed by The Strauss Basou1e Bridge Company of Chicago, which are specialists in this class of work, and tenders will probably be asked within a month or so.

The Quantities as estimated by the engineer are as follows:

Structural Steel, Gullace and Anchorage
Bascule span           100,500
Fixed span               235,800 lb
                                320,000

Cast shoes                   1,000
Trunnion and pins        3,000
Trunnion bearings,
   sleeves, etc               4,000
Operating and lock
    machinery              12,000
Counterweight, 50 cu. yds.
    concrete               200,000
Reinforcing basis         800
Electrical equipment:
    2714 hp. operating motors
Plant flooring about   33,000 ft
Operator's house, machinery,
     enclosures, navigation
     signals, etc               5,000
Trolley poles, wires
     and pins                  14,300
Substructure Excavation   150 cu. yds
Cofferdams, as needed
     concrete                       100 cu. yds
Reinforcing steel               1,000 1bs
Piling from 65 to 90 ft.         112 pts
Fender piles                           45 pcs
Timber in fenders,
    about                             6,000 ft

The whole machinery will be operated from the operator house, which shows in the cut.

The hand or guard rail will be 2 1/2 inch galvanized iron with globe fittings, and will give the structure a neat appearance.

Cost To Be $40,000

Because of the slight change in the location of the bridge about 10 feet south of the present structure, it will be necessary to straighten the road on both sides of the bridge, and the procuring of the necessary land, and permissions are now under way. It will take all the summer to put in the sub-structure, and the draw will probably be placed next winter when the creek is frozen, and navigation closed as it will be impossible to swing the present draw when the new one is being erected. It is estimated that the total cost of the structure will be about $40,000. When the lift is up it is a positive barrier to any vehicle which might, with the old style bridge, force its way into the creek as did the automobile on the Passaic Bridge recently, in which accident four persons were drowned.

--------------------------------- 

Bids to provide all labor, tools and materials for the construction of the bridge were to be submitted to the freeholders by 8 Sep 1915, according to a notice in the 2 Sep 1915 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 3 col 5).

The bids appeared in the 9 Sep 1915 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 col 5). A decision was postponed until 16 Sep 1915.

The 9 Sep 1915 article named the road where the bridge would be built as the Keyport-South Amboy road. It would be part of Route 4 when the latter was established by the Egan Bill in 1916, and in 1927 would become part of today's Route 35, established by Chapter 319 of New Jersey public law. (See Wikipedia's History of state highways in New Jersey before 1927 and 1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering.)

The bridge could have been part of a statewide plan to improve the roads system in New Jersey and certainly made a longer highway possible, whatever the intentions. Turnpikes between Middletown and Keyport, founded in the 1850s, would have stopped at Keyport because of the inadequate crossing at Matawan creek. The wooden bridge would have been inadequate, and the iron bridge, built in 1888 and replaced in 1916, was not built to sustain turnpike traffic.

The 16 Sep 1915 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 1 col 5) reported that the bridge over Matawan Creek failed on 12 Sep 1915 and was closed to both automobiles and trolley traffic. There was some debate whether the bridge would be closed until the new bridge could be built or if some temporary solution could be found. This article identified the bridge as a drawbridge between Cliffwood and Keyport.

History: The Iron Bridge, Matawan (1885-1887)

Little Street crossed the Mill Brook ravine using this iron bridge, which was built for the Monmouth County Freeholders by Dean & Westbrook in late 1887. It connected downtown Matawan with residents living to the east. (Photo: 1914)

Below are some news articles on the iron bridge built over the Mill Brook ravine in 1887.

The 13 Jun 1885 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 5) reported: "An iron bridge that was bought by the county but found too small for the place intended, is to be utilized by the careful forethought of Freeholder Dunlop, of this township, in being placed across the stream known as Mill Brook, east of Matawan on the continuation of Church street toward the water-power mill of Cartan & Co. The bridge will be placed on stone abutments and raised three or four feet higher than the present one, and the road graded up to it."

The 14 May 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 4) reported: By resolution passed by the Board of Chosen Freeholders on Thursday morning, the entire Board will meet at the Matawan House, in Matawan, on Wednesday next, May 18 at 2 PM, to take into consideration the iron bridge over the ravine east of town."

The 30 Jul 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal contained an advertisement for J S Harris' grocery store, located at Little and Main Streets, which announced: "The new iron bridge will be built at the foot of Little Street in Matawan. . . ." Week after week through the summer and fall, this ad would speak of the bridge's construction in the future tense.

The 6 Aug 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 4) reported: "Stone has been carted this week for the abutments for the new iron bridge over the marsh at Little street. E Sylvester has the contract for building them."

The 3 Dec 1887 edition of the Matawan Journal (pg 3 col 3) cited $5,000 as the amount of Monmouth County's first payment to Dean & Westbrook for the Matawan iron bridge, as per the county's semi-annual income and expense report as of 8 Nov 1887.

The 10 Dec 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 4) reported: "The first skating of the season was on the 2d inst on the marsh near the new iron bridge. It did not last long." (Reference was made to 2 Dec 1887.)

The 17 Dec 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 2 col 3) reported this item from the December 1887 meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders: "An invitation from Dean and Westbrook for the Board to meet at Matawan on the 10th of January next, to examine the new bridge, was accepted." The Harris grocery ad (pg 3 col 3) continued to say the bridge ". . . will be built . . ."

The 24 Dec 1887 edition of The Matawan Journal contained a revised advertisement for J S Harris' grocery store, which announced: "The new iron bridge has been built at the foot of Little Street in Matawan. . . ."

UPDATE: Bridgehunter.com added this bridge to its website about historic and notable bridges of the US on 6 June 2014.

History: Old Hotel Building, Matawan (1875 - 1919)

The "Old Hotel Building" at 127 Main Street in Matawan had multiple spaces for commercial tenants. The current building at this address (above) may be the original; it remains a multiple tenant building.

Below is a sampling of the Old Hotel Building's tenants from the archives of The Matawan Journal between 1875 and 1919. Each item referred to the Old Hotel Building connection. More research is warranted.

Mealio & Sickels Co, Grocers (Source: 8 Jan 1876 edition of The Matawan Journal)

Sidney Walling has begun the work of making ready to remove his harness business to the store once occupied by Mealio & Sickels in the old hotel building. He has painted the front and is making other changes.  (Source: 21 Feb 1880 edition of The Matawan Journal)

Joseph Radl, harness business, replaced George Pfeifer and his barber shop. (Source: 5 May 1883 edition of The Matawan Journal)

Frank A Miller, harness shop (Source: 19 Sep 1891 edition of The Matawan Journal)

The Edward Farry Supply Company (Source: 19 Jan 1899 edition of The Matawan Journal)

Charles J Matz, custom tailor (Ads appeared between 14 Mar 1901 - 29 Jan 1903)

White & Bennett (Alonzo White, Jr & Ashley K Bennett), plumbing and heating (19 Mar 1903 -  3 Dec 1903)

Alonzo White Jr was in business alone, offering sanitary plumbing and heating services (Ads appeared from 1 Dec 1904 - 5 Apr 1906)

"Jacob Garber has taken the store and rooms in the old Hotel Building lately occupied by Charles J Matz and will continue his shoe repairing business there." (Source: 6 May 1909 edition of The Matawan Journal, pg 5 col 1)

W A Fountain, real estate agent and insurance broker (Source: 16 Sep 1909)

"Edward Healey opened a grocery store in the old Hotel Building on Main Street last Saturday. Harold Conover is clerking for Mr Healey out of school hours." (Source: 8 Mar 1917 edition of The Matawan Journal)

"The store formerly occupied by Alonzo White in the old hotel building is being renovated for Alexander Jacobs of Keyport, who expects to open a fruit and vegetable market there the first of August." (Source: 24 Jul 1919 edition of The Matawan Journal) Alexander Jacobs's father, Abram Jacobs, was in the wholesale and retail fruit and vegetable markets in Keyport and Matawan. Alexander was in charge of his father's Matawan business. (Source: 18 Sep 1919 edition of The Matawan Journal. This article announced Alexander's marriage at City Hall in New York earlier in the month.)

History: Monmouth County and the Hudson Tubes (1903)

The 24 Dec 1903 edition of The Matawan Journal carried the following piece, attributed to The Freehold Transcript, predicting how ongoing construction of Hudson River tunnels would ease travel between Jersey City and New York City. These light rail tunnels, known as the Uptown Hudson Tubes, would benefit Monmouth County in many ways.

The first pair of tunnels were completed in 1906 and are part of today's PATH train system.


Bright Prospects Ahead

"The marvelous engineering enterprise now in progress in and about New York City may excite nothing more than a  passing interest in Monmouth County, but the Red Bank Register is quite right when, in looking ahead a bit it argued that one of them at least -- the tunnels connecting Jersey City and New York -- will prove a direct benefit to this county.  When it is realized that within the next three years any one may go from any one of the larger towns in the county to the heart of the city of New York practically without change of cars in perhaps less than an hour, it requires no imagination to understand just how much of an asset it will be in attracting outsiders to permanently locate here. Although it may be a harping upon the same old string, it is none the less true that there is no county in the State so fortunately situated so far as the future is concerned as Monmouth."

History: Main Street, Matawan (c 1905)

 What can we see in this post card image of Main Street, Matawan, New Jersey published as A6545 by the American News Company?

The turn in the road in the distance suggests that we are looking north from near Ravine Drive. Here's a roughly equivalent view in today's Matawan.

The chimney on the right in both images might lock the perspective of the old image.

The three story building on the right in the far distance is likely the Matawan House, which was located at the bend in the road at that point. It was torn down in 1930. See "Around Matawan and Aberdeen," page 102, to see an image of the Matawan House. The two-story A-frame building to the north of the Matawan House is large and distinctive but I cannot immediately identify it. Can you?

The Methodist Church steeple might be visible within the tree immediately to the right of the carriage on the right side of the street.

The presence of one or more horse-drawn carriages suggests this image is dated before 1908, when vehicles started to share local roads in earnest and cause some issues with horse-drawn vehicles.

Utility poles were installed in 1899, when Main Street received electric street lights, so the image could be after that date. Then again, no wires are visible, so the poles could be for kerosene lamps setting the date for the image prior to 1900. Thoughts?

I'd welcome any building identifications or thoughts on the date of the image.

History: Frelinghuyser Amendment to the Automobile Act of 1906 (1908)

The 13 Feb 1908 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 7) remarked that several NJ senators spoke ill of the prospects for the Ackerman Civil Service Act, being discussed in Trenton on 11 Feb 1908. (The bill passed the Senate as New Jersey's first civil service law, according to Scannell's New Jersey's First Citizens and State Guide (1917 - 1918), pg 1. Ernest R Ackerman (1863 - 1931) went on to serve in the US House of Representatives serving the NJ 5th District from 1919 until his death.)

The Journal (same article, pg 7) was much more interested in the NJ Senate's discussion of a proposed revision to fees associated with automobile inspection and registration and the licensing of drivers. (So that's when it started, eh?) Joseph S Frelinghuysen (1869 - 1948) proposed to amend the Automobile Act of 1906 to establish eight vehicle classes for vehicle registration and the licensing of drivers.

• First Class (1-10 horsepower) - $3.00 registration; $1.00 license
• Second Class (11-20 horsepower) - $5.00 registration; $2.00 license
• Third Class (21-25 horsepower) - $10.00 registration; $3.00 license
• Fourth Class (26-35 horsepower) - $15.00 registration; $4.00 license
• Fifth Class (36-50 horsepower) - $20.00 registration; $5.00 license
• Sixth Class (51-70 horsepower) - $25.00 registration; $10.00 license
• Seventh Class (71-90 horsepower) - $35.00 registration; $15.00 license
• Eighth Class (91-120 + horsepower) - $100.00 registration; $25.00 license

Cab companies could receive a blanket license if they served a ferry landing and they didn't travel more than a mile from the docks into the State.

The licensing of manufacturers would be eliminated because there was so much abuse of the law anyway. (What's the point if they won't adhere to the law? lol)

Motorcycles would have a $2.00 licensing fee.

Tourists would have to register their vehicles and pay for a license at 50 cents for each increment of six days they plan to visit, not to exceed thirty days in a year. (Can you imagine having to register your vehicle in every state you travel through? Now we just have tolls.)

The 9 Apr 1908 edition of The Matawan Journal praised Ackerman's honesty and his efforts to pass his Civil Service bill and condemned the evil machinations of bosses and their obstructionists inside the NJ Senate. Below is an excerpt from the Journal's editorial.

Ackerman'a Righteous Wrath

Senator Ackerman, of Union, an organization Republican but a clean man, is discouraged, disgusted, indignant and full of righteous wrath, because of the audacity, the insolent assumptions and the power of the bosses in matters of legislation. He declares that as things now stand at Trenton the Legislature might as well be abolished, for a commission of the political bosses could do the work just as well as the present body of lawmakers. In point of fact the bosses are legislating and the legislators are going through the motions like puppets, as the bosses pull the strings.

Senator Ackerman's indignation has been aroused primarily because of the treatment given his civil service bill. He spent much time and care in perfecting it, calling to his aid the best and most experienced counsel that could be obtained. No man sincerely desirous of abolishing tho iniquitous spoils system and establishing civil service in this State, as it has been established for many years in the United States Government, could find any fault with the Ackerman civil service bill. It was as nearly perfect as such a measure could be made; it was in direct fulfilment of the Republican platform p1edge, and the Senate passed it by an overwhelming vote.

But when it went to the House, "Davy" Baird and "Dory" Strong and the other Republican bosses began their iniquitous work. As Senator Ackerman says, it was impossible to find out just where they stood. They would say that if a certain provision was changed they would not oppose the bill, but when the suggested change was made they found other grounds for opposition, kept up an endless fight against the civil service policy, and finally defeated it.