Passaic, located on the Passaic River a few miles southeast of Paterson, is specially noted for its manufacture of woolen and worsted goods, in which it is the first city of the state. It has other extensive industries, including the manufacture of handkerchiefs and other cotton goods, rubber goods, belting and packing material, machinery, metal, leather and silk goods, and print and chemical works. Passaic is, besides, an attractive residential city.
Northeast of Passaic is Hackensack on the Hackensack River, which is a prosperous residential town. Between Paterson and Passaic are Clifton, a growing manufacturing town, Lodi, with its extensive dyeing industry, and Garfield with its large establishments for the manufacture of woolen and worsted goods, waxed paper, embroideries, and yarns. Southwest of Paterson is Little Falls, whose principal manufactures are carpets and rugs. Rutherford, Hasbrouck Heights, Ridgewood, and Westwood are towns in this section which are specially inviting to residents.
Elizabeth and Neighboring Towns.—Elizabeth is one of the oldest towns in the state. It was settled in 1664 and was the residence of Sir Philip Carteret, the first Governor of New Jersey. It is most favorably situated for both manufacturing and residential purposes. Its location on Arthur Kill and Newark Bay gives it deep water connection through Kill van Kull with New York Bay, and it has besides ample railroad facilities. It has many industries, the largest of which, and the largest of its kind in the world, is the manufacture of sewing machines. Other industries are the manufacture of iron and steel products of all kinds, and of electrical appliances, tanning, printing, and shipbuilding. It has always been popular as a place of residence with many whose business is in New York.
Rahway, a few miles southwest of Elizabeth, is a flourishing city whose chief industries are the manufacture of felt, cereals, steel products, clothing, music boxes, and printing and book binding. Roselle, Roselle Park, Cranford, and Westfield are attractive residential towns west of Elizabeth, with excellent educational facilities. Garwood, in this vicinity, is an important manufacturing town.
Perth Amboy and Neighboring Towns.—Perth Amboy was settled in 1684 and alternated with Burlington as the meeting place of the New Jersey assembly after the union of the provinces in 1702. Its great industrial activity has increased its population by more than 100 per cent in the last fifteen years. Its rapid industrial growth is due to its location at the mouth of the Raritan River and on Raritan Bay and Arthur Kill, as well as to its railroad facilities, and to the extensive deposits of clay which are found here. The development of these has led to the establishment of large manufacturing plants whose products are terra cotta, earthenware, and tile of all kinds. Other important industries are the refining of gold, silver, copper, and lead, the preparation of vaseline, boat building, the shipping of coal, and the manufacture of cigars, insulated wire, chemicals, and steel products. It is the fourth city in the state in the value of manufactured products.
Near Perth Amboy are Metuchen, Woodbridge, South Amboy, Sayreville, and South River, which are populous towns and have extensive industries similar to those of Perth Amboy. In Woodbridge the output of fire brick is specially important. In Sayreville and South River special attention is given to the manufacture of building brick. In all there is considerable shipping of clays to other points. Many varied industries are found in Carteret to the northeast of Woodbridge.
Places on the Outskirts of the Metropolitan District of New York.—Lying just beyond the New York City Metropolitan District, yet feeling its influence more and more as the facilities for communication are increased, are a number of important towns.
Morristown, in Morris County, is famous because of Its Revolutionary associations. It is distinctively a residential town, which possesses great municipal and educational advantages. Madison is another residential town, whose peculiar and most important industry is the cultivation of roses. Boonton and Dover have picturesque locations and are industrially active. Their chief products are boilers, furnaces, hosiery, iron, hats, and silk goods.
In Union County is Plainfield, which is well known on account of its residential advantages, its unexcelled schools, and its industrial importance. Its principal manufactures are printing presses, electrical appliances, garments, machine tools, and machine shop products. North Plainfield is a residential suburb.
Somerville is an attractive and prosperous town with industries which manufacture clothing, laces, and iron pipe. Bound Brook is at the junction of three trunk line railroads and is located on the Raritan Canal. It is therefore an active industrial center. At Finderne, between Somerville and Bound Brook, are large asbestos works.