Newark and its Environs.—Newark, in 1910, had a population of 347,469 and in 1920 of 414,216. It is the largest city in the state and fifteenth in the United States. It was settled in 1666 by settlers from Connecticut. It is located on the Passaic River and Newark Bay and has a frontage on the river and bay of eleven miles. It has water communication with New York Bay by way of Newark Bay and Kill van Kull. The United States government has dredged a channel in the bay three hundred fifty feet wide by twenty feet deep. This great improvement and improvements made by the city at great expense will greatly increase the commerce of the city. The city enjoys excellent railroad facilities. Nine railroads including the great trunk lines have fourteen stations in the city. It is directly connected with the city of New York by passenger trains which pass through the Hudson tunnels. It has numerous banks, fine office buildings, and large department stores. Many trolley lines which radiate from it bring to it the trade of the many neighboring cities.
Storage-battery factory, West Orange
Newark is the first city in the state in the variety of its manufactures and in the value of its manufactured products. It is eleventh among the cities of the United States in the value of such products. Its great progress in manufactures is due to an early start, to the stimulus given by the opening of the Morris Canal and by railroad and water transportation. It has a large number of important industries which include smelting and refining, the making of shoes, leather goods of all kinds, hats, jewelry, iron, steel, and brass products of all kinds, watch cases, paints and varnishes, clothing, electrical machinery and appliances, automobile supplies, tinware, advertising novelties, celluloid products, trunks, fertilizers, furs, brewery products, and cigars.
Newark has an excellent supply of water which is drawn from the valley of the Pequannock River in the northern part of the Passaic basin, twenty-six miles from the city.
Surrounding Newark are many important cities and towns which reflect the social, commercial, and industrial influences of that city as well as those of New York. Among these are Belleville, Nutley, Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, Orange, East Orange, West Orange, South Orange, Irvington, and Summit. These are all largely residential towns whose location and abundance of eligible sites for homes are attractive. They are all exceptionally active in providing educational facilities. They are all closely connected with Newark and the city of New York by many railroad and trolley lines. In most of them land is in such demand for residential purposes, that it cannot be used profitably for manufacturing purposes, so that this industry is naturally discouraged. In some of them, however, especially those nearest to Newark, large industrial establishments have grown up. Belleville, just north of Newark, has long been noted for its industrial activity and is rapidly growing in importance in this respect. Nutley, farther to the north, is well known as a town of beautiful homes. Montclair, located on the slope of the Orange Mountains, is noted for its beautiful scenery, its commanding view of many square miles of surrounding country with many populous cities, and its multitude of beautiful homes, and is the home of one of the state normal schools. Glen Ridge and Bloomfield, similarly situated, are also characterized by their fine dwellings. Bloomfield contains many extensive manufacturing establishments. Among the products are electrical lamps and appliances, woolen and worsted goods, colored labels, cream separators, chemicals, rubber goods, and iron and steel products. Besides being an attractive center for residences. Orange is a very productive industrial center. Its principal industry is the manufacture of hats. East Orange has long been famous because of its superior attractiveness for dwelling purposes and is filled with beautiful homes. While the high cost of land does not invite manufactures, several large industries are located here. Electrical motors and generators, surgical appliances, electrical appliances, machinery, lamps, and hats are manufactured in large quantities. West Orange is noted for the manufacture of phonographs, phonograph records, moving picture instruments and films, and storage batteries. Hats are also extensively manufactured. South Orange and Summit are most attractive residential places, and are developing rapidly along this line rather than in the line of manufactures. Summit has an important silk industry. Irvington, while long known as a town devoted to residences, is feeling the industrial impulse of Newark, of which it is a suburb, and is rapidly becoming a manufacturing center of great importance. Its industries are varied and include the production of castings, graphite products, tools, cutlery, and gold, silver, and platinum products. Across the Passaic River from Newark are East Newark, Harrison, and Kearney, the last including Arlington. These municipalities are located in Hudson County and are, therefore, officially connected with Jersey City as its county seat. But they are much nearer Newark, with which they are closely connected by industrial and commercial ties. They are prosperous manufacturing centers with industries of national importance. In East Newark the most important manufactures are sewing thread and shade rollers. In Harrison the industries are varied and the products include iron and steel, incandescent lamps, steam pumps, roller bearings, elevators, steel and tin toys, electric wire, trunks, brass products, tools, metal novelties, castings, and machinery. In Kearney the important manufactures are linoleums, yarns, twine, glue, oils, fertilizers, ships, and castings.
Jersey City as seen from the Hudson
Jersey City and its Environs.—A long narrow peninsula lies between the Hudson River and New York Bay on the east, and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay on the west. On this peninsula are located many prosperous cities. On the southern half, which is in Hudson County, is found the most densely populated part of the state, with many large cities of great industrial and commercial importance.
Jersey City, the largest of this group, had, in 1910, a population of 267,779, and in 1920, according to the United States Census, 297,864. It is the second city of the state in size, and twenty-first in the United States. Parts of it were occupied by the Dutch soon after New York was settled, but the first permanent government was established in 1660 at Bergen, which is now a part of the city. Here were also established the first school and the first church in the state. It is located on New York Bay and the Hudson River and extends westward from these waters to Newark Bay and the Hackensack River. It has a frontage on tidal waters of about twelve miles and has therefore unexcelled facilities for transportation by vessels of any size to all the seaports of the world. Thirteen railroads have terminals in the city. Besides these, there are eleven other passenger and freight stations in the city. Here the railroads bring the products of all parts of the country directly to the ships which sail to all parts of the world.