: "-^^0^ 
 
 o V 
 
 A 
 
 ^^ 
 
 
 A 
 
 "-^^0^ 
 
 o V 
 
 ^^-^^^ ' 
 
 <*^ 
 
 
 V" 
 
 ^* 
 
 **'% 
 

 
 ''^^■ 
 
 
 
 
 ^. 
 
 
 -n^-o^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 <t. 
 
 0^ 
 
 
 V'-3"'* y' 
 

 15 he 
 
 I 
 
 OLD MARKETS 
 
 OF 
 
 NEW BRUNSWICK 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN P. WALL 
 
 19 14 
 
COMPLIMENTS OF — . 
 
 John P. Wall, 
 
 NEW^ BRUNSWICK. N. J. 
 
 - - . ^ ^ PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE 
 
 • ^ ^ " ^ RECEIPT. 
 
 O F 
 
 Ne\A/ Bruns\A/ick 
 
 B Y 
 
 JOHN P. WALL 
 
 PRINTED PRIVATELY 
 
 100 COPIES 
 
 NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J. 
 
 The Home News Publishing Co. 
 
 1 914 
 
The Old Markets 
 
 O F 
 
 New Brunswick 
 
 B Y 
 
 JOHN P. WALL 
 
 PRINTED PRIVATELY 
 100 COPIES 
 
 NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J. 
 
 The Homk News Publtshing Co. 
 
 1014 
 

THE OLD MARKETS 
 
 OF 
 
 NEW BRUNSWCIK 
 
 The early settlers of New Bruns- 
 wick brought with them many of the 
 traits and customs ol their old home 
 towns, among these being the nabit 
 of trading at a central place and 
 bartering with the farmer for his 
 produce. At firet the business was 
 done in the open field, but as the 
 townsfolks prospered they built at 
 first covered sheds, and later on 
 good, substantial buildings with 
 stalls, which took the place of so 
 many small store?;. 
 
 A market for the citizens of New 
 Brunswick was one of the firet ac- 
 commodations looked after by these 
 sturdy old settlers. The earliest rec- 
 ord we have in reference to this mat- 
 ter is the following ordinance: 
 
 •tResulations ior the Market. 
 
 •'Be itt ordained by the Mayor, Re- 
 corder, Aldermen and Assistants in 
 Common Council convened, and by 
 the authority of the same itts or- 
 dained, that the market place under 
 the Court room be ar-d is hereby ap- 
 pointed to be the publick Market 
 place of this City, and that all flech. 
 poultry. Eggs, butter, Cheese, herbs, 
 roots, fruits, &c., ihit shall be ex- 
 posed to sale on the markett days in 
 any other place in this City, than in 
 the public markett aforesuid, shall 
 be forfeited to the poor of this City, 
 whether found in the hands of the 
 buyer or seller; and that itt shall 
 and may be lawful for the Clerk of 
 the market. Sheriff, or any other 
 magistrate of the said City, the same 
 to seize and thereof dispose to the 
 poor as aforesaid. 
 
 "No Huckster to Buy Till Two Hours 
 in the Markett. 
 
 "And be it further ordained by the 
 authority aforesaid, that no person 
 or Huckster to sell again shall buy 
 any flesh, fish, fowl, butter, Cheese, 
 Eggs, heibs, rooto, &^ , or any other 
 sort of provisions, saleable till it 
 iiath been two hours in the markett 
 upon forfeiture of Six Shillings, and 
 also what shall oe so sold or bought. 
 And be it further ordained, by the 
 authorities aforesaid. That on Mar- 
 kett days no person shall buy or 
 cheapen any provisions going to mar- 
 kett, upon the forfeiture of Six Shil- 
 ling'3. And be it ordained by the 
 authority aforesaid. That no un- 
 wholefrome or Stale Victuals be sold 
 in the markett under the penalty of 
 forty shillings." 
 
 Thif^ must have been adopte,! on 
 the receipt of the city charter on 
 December 30, 1730, or very shortly 
 thereafter, as on Novemuer 12, 1733, 
 "The former Law relating to the 
 Markett is renewed and confirmed," 
 which is proof that the law was in 
 force for some time previous. 
 
 The ordinance under which the 
 first market was built was pas'sed at 
 a meeting of Common Council held 
 at the Court House May 3, 1743, the 
 preamble of which is as follows: 
 
 "Whereas Lawrence Williamson 
 bv Deed bearing Date the Sixth Day 
 of February 174 2 hath granted and 
 Conveyed unto Dirck Van Aesdalen 
 and William Duke a Certain Lot of 
 Land Scituate Lying in Trust and 
 for the use and benefit of the In- 
 habitants of this City to and for the 
 
THE OLD MARKETS OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 
 
 Greeting and l)uilding of a Market 
 House in this City. And whereas it 
 appears to tliis Common Council that 
 Divers of the Freemen and Inhabi- 
 tants of this city have Subscribed 
 Sundry Sums of Money for and to- 
 ward building of the said Market 
 House on the Lot afore'said, and have 
 also Exhibited a petition to this 
 Common Council approving of the 
 Situation of the place and Judging 
 it Highly reasonable and necessary 
 that a market house should be built 
 on said Lot and the Market kept 
 under proper Regulations." 
 
 The Market House was to be 
 "thirty foot in Length and fourteen 
 foot in Breadth and to stand on a 
 stone foundation, and the Roof to be 
 supported by brick pillar-o, the roof 
 to project at least two foot over on 
 Every side, the same to be placed in 
 the most commodious and uniform 
 manner that the said Ground can or 
 will admit of." The full ordinance 
 will be found in the "Charter and 
 Ordinances" issued by the New 
 Brunswick Historical Society. 
 
 The last market the city had stood 
 on Hiram street, between Neilson 
 and Dennis streets, on the site now 
 occupied by the office of the city 
 weigher. This is the market place 
 shown in the accompanying picture. 
 The early minutes of Common Coun- 
 cil gives a very complete account of 
 the agitation for and building of the 
 Hiram street market. 
 
 At the town meeting held at the 
 Court House, April 5, 1796, it was 
 voted that a market house be built 
 by the inhabitants at a cost of 120 
 pounds ($600). and that the choice 
 of the house and lot be decided by 
 vote. No tax levy was made for this 
 appropriation. On April 19, Councu 
 men Hardenbergh, Neilson and 
 Schureman were appointed a com- 
 mittee to select a site for a market 
 lot, and this was all that was done 
 in the matter until the annual meet- 
 ing held at the old market house on 
 April 4, 1797, when it was voted 
 that the old market house be re 
 paired or torn down and a new one 
 l)ui.lt on the old site. 
 
 The matter ended up in the old 
 market having some slight repaii-s 
 
 made to it, as Common Council did 
 not feel that the Corporation could 
 afford to expend the necessary money 
 for a new one. The agitation died 
 out, and it was not until early in 
 1810 that "New Market" talk broke 
 out again. On June 8 of that year 
 Mr. Boggs, for the committee on 
 market, which had been appointed 
 at a previous meeting, reported the 
 following: 
 
 "That they had visited two sites, 
 one at the corner of Richmond and 
 Queen streets and the other on the 
 south side of Hiram street. The 
 committee recommended the pur- 
 chase by the corporation of 30 feet 
 on Hiram street, which, with the 
 present width of the street, would 
 give them a space of 70 feet in width 
 and 2 00 feet in length, upon which 
 a long market house could be built 
 and yet leave a good driveway at 
 each side. 
 
 The report was received and 
 adopted, and Messrs. Boggs and 
 Paterson were appointed a commit- 
 tee to buy the lot. At the next meet- 
 inu of the Council, held June 25, a 
 petition was received from a num- 
 ber of citizens asking that the market 
 house be built at the north end of 
 the town, at no cost to the c^'ty, the 
 petitioners agreeing to guarantee the 
 money for the payments of the same. 
 The petition was laid on the table 
 and no further action was taken up- 
 on it. The committee reported at 
 this meeting that they had contract- 
 ed with Ezekiel Kennen for thirty 
 feet on Queen street along the south 
 side of Hiram into Dennis street, at 
 a cost of $450. 
 
 The next move was made on May 
 22. 1812, when $200 was voted for 
 the new market house. The commit- 
 tee in charge had plans prepared and 
 submitted them at the meeting of 
 Council on August 28, and Council 
 adopted them. They provided for 
 a house one hundred and fifty feet 
 lonu' and twenty-five feet in width, 
 with watch tower over the end of 
 ^he pier adjoining Queen street. 
 Councilmen Dennis, Hardenbergh 
 and Hance were appointed a com- 
 mittee to contract for the erection 
 of the house on the submitted plans. 
 
THE OLD MARKETS OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 
 
 On Nov. 6 the committee reported 
 that they had let the contract, but 
 could not agree in regard to the sale 
 of the old building and lot. After a 
 long discussion it was decided to 
 make the ground a public square, 
 and on April 29, 1813, the bill de- 
 claring the ground at the junction 
 of Peace and Burnet streets a public 
 square forever, was taken up, and 
 after a hot debate was adopted. An 
 appropriation of $200 was made at 
 the meeting of Aug. 23 for the pur- 
 pose of paving the same. 
 
 The contractors for the new mar- 
 ket building were John L. Voorhees 
 and William Lowe. They were paid 
 the first installment of $200 for work 
 on March 29, 1813. On May 7 it was 
 decided to have $85 voted for at 
 the annual meeting, for the purpose 
 of completing the new market. This 
 w^s not done, but instead $500, the 
 balance due Lowe and Voorhees, and 
 $740, the amount estimated it would 
 cost to finish the market, was voted. 
 
 On July 9. the Council notified the 
 contractors "that unless they began 
 work at once and completed the 
 market before August the first, they 
 would be compelled to take the con- 
 tracts from them and have the work 
 done by other men." 
 
 Jacob Wykoff was paid on Nov. 19, 
 $60,621/2 for lathino- the market. On 
 Jan. 14, 1814, Lowe and Voorhees 
 presented their account, which was 
 referred to the mayor, and on his 
 recommendation the claim, amount- 
 ing to $1,100, and an extra one of 
 $53.86 for material, and work on 
 watch house, was allowed at the 
 meeting of Feb. 14, 1814; also one 
 of $75.75 from Peter Wykoff for 
 extra work and materials; also one 
 for $14 m favor of James Williams, 
 for gilding and painting the market. 
 The mayor was instructed to draw 
 h's order in favor of Lowe and Voor- 
 hees for the full amount due them. 
 
 At tho meeting of Council held 
 March 25, it was decided that the 
 floor of the market should be laid 
 with good hard bricks, and that 
 eight extra shambles or stalls be built 
 at the expense of the corporation. 
 The committee had the work done at 
 a cost of $130. Councilmen Hence, 
 
 Taylor and Potts had the matter in 
 hand when the project of a new 
 market was launched. 
 
 On July 5th, 1814, the sale of the 
 stalls at auction took place, two having 
 been previously sold at private sale: 
 No. 1 to Jane Boor.for $11.50.and No, 2 
 to Joseph E. Tunison, for $9.50; No. 3 
 to Ambrose Stell, brought $10 annual- 
 ly; No. 4 to David Stell, $10; No. 5 to 
 Joseph Runyon, $10; No. 6 to John 
 Green, $10; No. 7 to Benj. Dunham, 
 $10; No. 8 to John Boice, Jr., $10; No. 
 9 to John Van Liew, $10; No. 29 to 
 James Fisher, $10. No more leaders 
 appearing the vendue was closed. The 
 city watch occupied the watch house 
 or tower above the market and Council 
 later purchased a bell for it. 
 
 The market ran along causing all 
 kinds of trouble to the city, and tne 
 following proceedings of Common 
 Council tells fully the story of our city 
 market's rise and fall: 
 
 Common Council Proceedings. 
 
 Market House Proposition. 
 
 On Monday evening, March 3d, 18r.^;, 
 the Committee on Public Buildings, 
 presented the following reports for tne 
 sonsideration of Common (^ouncil and 
 the citizens of New Brunswick: — 
 To the Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen, 
 
 and C^ommon Councilmen of the City 
 
 of New Brunswick. 
 
 The Committee to whom was re- 
 ferred for examination the condition 
 of the Market House, respectfully sub- 
 mit the following report and recom- 
 mendations: 
 
 They have examined the condition 
 and location of the Market- House, and 
 find the building in a very poor condi- 
 tion, and not at all calculated in its 
 appearance or convenience to add any 
 credit to the city. They believe that 
 the location is very good, but that 
 there is not sufficient room. 
 
 They therefore recommend that 
 Bayard st' eet be opened through to 
 Dennis street; that all the buildings 
 and land between Bayard street and 
 the Market be purchased by the civ>, 
 which purchase will take three dwell- 
 ing houses and one store on Neilson 
 street, two dwelling houses, black- 
 smith and wheelwright shops in front 
 of the Market, and part of a small 
 house in Dennis street. This will 
 make a square two hundred and eight 
 
THE OLD MARKETS OF NEW BRUNSWICK, 
 
 feet, from the Middlesex Hotel to Mr. 
 Vandeventer's grocery store, and two 
 hundred and ninety-five feet from the 
 fence of the First Refornied Dutcn 
 Church, to the dining- rooms of Mr. R. 
 M. Clare. This would make a large 
 and handsome square, capable of con- 
 taining a Market House, City Hall, or 
 other public buildings that may be de- 
 sired and decided upon by the citizens 
 of New Brunswick hereafter. 
 
 Your committee would suggest, that 
 the amount required to purchase the 
 land and buildings be ascertained, and 
 the amount per centage of tax be 
 made known to the public for at least 
 ■two months, at the end of which time 
 an election be held, so that the citizens 
 of New Brunswick may decide for 
 themselves if they are willing to make 
 the improvements. 
 
 Your committee also suggest that 
 Dennis street be opened through to 
 New street, believing that it would add 
 much to the convenience and improve- 
 ment of the city. 
 
 A good market place and Lhe changes 
 in the streets above recommended, 
 would well repay the citizens for th<3 
 expense it would put them to, in Lhe 
 convenience, beauty and business it 
 would add to the city. 
 
 Your committee recommend that 
 this report be published in the papers 
 of the city for the space of one month, 
 in, order that the citizens may con- 
 sider the propriety of these recommen- 
 dations, and make any suggestions in 
 reference thereto that they may think 
 would be desirable. 
 
 All of which is respectfully submit- 
 ted. 
 
 E. B. WRIGHT, 
 H. M. PRICE. 
 
 This is remarkable for its reference 
 to the opening of Dennis street, to 
 New, and Bayard to Dennis. 
 
 New Brunswick, March 17, 18 62. 
 
 The Committee on Public Buildings, 
 at the request of many citizens of New 
 Brunswick, beg leave to offer the fol- 
 lowing report and recommendations 
 concerning the Market : First, that 
 the city purchase the prop^^rty be- 
 longing to the Neilson estate fronting 
 on Burnet street and Dennis street. 
 Said lot is about 80 feet on Burnet 
 street, from Mr. J. Danberry's store 
 to Mr. C. McGinnis's house; from Bur- 
 net street to Dennis street about 335 
 
 feet, and about 84 feet on Dennis 
 street. They would recomiuend that 
 Bayard and Dennis streets be opened 
 as described in their report, they be- 
 lieve that this would make a good and 
 convenient Market place. The old 
 Market could be taken down, and the 
 square kept for scales, hay, wod, and 
 cattle. They have been informed that 
 some fifteen hundred dollars will be 
 given by parties in the immediate 
 neighborhood . If the Board think 
 best to adopt this plan, the committee 
 recommend that the same course be 
 taken before purchasing as recom- 
 mended in their other report. 
 
 EDWARD B. V/RIGHT. 
 March 7, 1862. 
 
 Monday Evening, March 17, 1862. 
 
 The Board met pursuant to ad- 
 journment of March 3d. All the 
 members were present except Coun- 
 cilman Price. 
 
 The following recommendations 
 and resolutions were presented and 
 read to the Board, and after a brief 
 discussion were laid on the table, 
 for the purpose of giving i^ie mem- 
 bers time to think about them before 
 acting upon them: 
 
 Deeming- the Public Market House 
 in this city (because of its ruinous 
 and dilapidated appearance, and for 
 many other causes), a public nuis- 
 ance, and comparing the benefits 
 arising from a continuance of the 
 old market system with the impos- 
 sibility almost of keeping the Market 
 House and adjacent streets cleanly 
 and in order, collecting dues, etc., 
 and finding many large cities, viz., 
 New Haven, Bridgeport, Newport, 
 etc., neither of which have a market 
 or any other people could desire, 
 without the expense of building, or 
 any of the attending difficulties. 
 
 I would respectfully suggest the 
 propriety and expediency of remov- 
 ing the old market house entirely, as 
 soon aftei- the first day of May next 
 as possible, by sale at auction to the 
 highest bidder, and I would recom- 
 mend the conditions to be the re- 
 moval of the house, and all rubbish 
 caused by taking down the same from 
 the street, as clean as it can be swept, 
 in ten days from the time of sale. 
 
 Sale to be for cash, or approved 
 
THE OLD MARKETS OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 
 
 short note to the city treasurer, im- 
 mediately after sale, or property at 
 once to be put up again; which con- 
 dition shall be made known before 
 the sale. 
 
 And I would further recommend 
 the removal of the city scales from 
 the present site to the square op- 
 posite the Second Presbyterian 
 Church, at or near the east end of 
 Livingston avenue, trusting thereby 
 that the city may avoid the expense 
 of keeping- up a sewer to drain the 
 pit in which the scales must be lo- 
 cated. 
 
 And I would recommend placing 
 two rows of nicely turned and white 
 painted posts, with a space of three 
 or four feet between the rows, in 
 Market square, extending from Neil- 
 son to Dennis streets, with a con- 
 tinuous chain attached, for the ac- 
 commodation of two rows of wagons, 
 standing back to back against said 
 chains, for sale of vegetables, fruit, 
 fish, etc., etc.; the square to be so 
 occupied without charge, and kept 
 clean by direction of the city mar- 
 shal, as inspector or overseer of 
 streets; and the ordinance prohibit- 
 ing the sale of fish, meats, etc., in 
 wagons throughout the streets of the 
 city, to be hereafter stricly enforced 
 by the marslial 
 
 I would add that all market rents 
 due the city have now been paid up 
 to the first of May next, to the city 
 treasurer, as required by ordinance. 
 In accordance with the recommenda- 
 tions 1 would offer the following reso- 
 lutions, and move their adoption, be- 
 lieving they will meet the approba- 
 tion of nine-tenths of our citizens. 
 LYLB VAN NUIS. 
 Monday Evening, May 29, 1865. 
 The Board met pursuant to adjourn- 
 ment — all the members present. 
 
 Alderman Henry offered the follow- 
 ing preamble and resolution in refer- 
 ence to the old Market House: — 
 Whereas, The present Market House 
 is a nuisance as well as a disgrace 
 to the City of New Brunswick; and 
 whereas, all appeals for the erection 
 of a suitable building for a public 
 Market have been voted down by 
 our citizens; and whereas, this 
 Board have ascertained that the 
 present occupants of stalls therein 
 
 are gradually giving up the same, 
 thereby making the said Market 
 House a bill of expense, instead of 
 a source of revenue to the City; 
 therefore. 
 
 Resolved, That the City Clerk notify 
 the occupants of stalls in the Market 
 House that it is the intention of The 
 Mayor and Common Council of the 
 City of New Brunswick to cause the 
 same to be removed on or before the 
 1st day of July, 1865. 
 
 Resolved, That the Committee on 
 Public Buildings be directed to adver- 
 tise the said public Market House at 
 public auction to the highest cash bid- 
 der who will remove the same with- 
 in fifteen days from the date of sale. 
 
 Resolved, That from and after the 
 date of the sale the office of Clerk of 
 the Market be abolished, and that the 
 President of the Board together with 
 the Committee on Markets be directed 
 to revise the Market Oixlinance and 
 Supplement, and report the same to 
 Common Council. 
 
 Resolved, That the Committee on 
 Markets Le directed at once to cause 
 the 25th section of the Ordinance con- 
 cerning Markets, relative to the sale 
 of fish in the public streets, to be 
 strictly enforced. 
 
 On motion of Alderman Jenkins, it 
 was agreed that the public sale of the 
 Market House should take place on the 
 15th of June. The preamble and res- 
 olutions were then adopted by the fol- 
 lowing vote: Ayes — ^Castner, Chees- 
 man, Grover, Henry, Jenkins, O'Gor- 
 man, J. Runyon, Walling. Nays — An- 
 nin. Cook, Dunham. 
 
 Monday Evening, July 17. 
 
 A regular meeting of Common Coun- 
 cil was held, pursuant to adjourn- 
 ment, on the above mentioned evening 
 — all the members present except Al- 
 derman O'Gorman. 
 
 The Committee on Public Buildings 
 reported as follows in reference to the 
 sale of Old Market House: Cash re- 
 ceived for the building above ground, 
 $59; for the bell, $10.50; for the brick 
 on floor, $30; total, $99.50. Less com- 
 mission for selling the Market House, 
 $5; leaving balance of $94.50. The 
 Committee thought proper to reserve 
 the curbing for the use of the city, and 
 have put said curbing in the charge of 
 the Street Commissioner. The report 
 was accepted and ordered on file. 
 
THE OLD MARKETS OF NEW BRUNSWICK. 
 
 The auctioneer was A. P. Provost, 
 and the purchaser Nicholas Stobbe. 
 
 Market Boomed Again in 1912. 
 
 On July 8, 1912, the New Brunswick 
 Public Market was incorporated with 
 a capital stock of $50,000, the share- 
 holders and the ainounts subscribed 
 were. Alvin A. Hastings, $100; Isidor 
 P. Hirsh, $200; Theodore Cohn, $100; 
 
 Julius D. Posner, $100; Henry B. Zim- 
 merman, $150; Edwin R. Van Pelt, 
 $100; William F. Schlosser, $200; Wil- 
 liam C. Jacques, $100; Morris Fischler, 
 $125. 
 
 The funds were returned some time 
 after and the corporation dissolved. 
 The building- this corporation had un- 
 der consideration was King Block, on 
 Burnet street, with an entrance on 
 Dennis street. 
 
 A LAMENT FOR THE OLD MARKET 
 
 (By a Former Lodger.) 
 
 O. where are the fondly loved scenes of 
 
 my childhood. 
 The place where so oft I have lain me 
 
 to rest. 
 What to me is the rose-scent and 
 
 and sweets of the wild-wood. 
 When inhaling the scent of the market 
 
 with zest. 
 
 As I lie on a stall in the summer eve 
 dozing, 
 
 Soothed to slumber by rats at their in- 
 nocent play; 
 
 With the odor of half-decayed mutton 
 my nose in, — 
 
 Alas! all these pleasures have vanish- 
 ed away. 
 
 O Bob, my old chuin, we are exiled 
 
 forever. 
 And gaze on those ruins with tears of 
 
 regret ; 
 But tears can't restore, though they 
 
 flow like a river. 
 Those times of enjoyment we ne'er can 
 
 forget. 
 
 Now, turning away with a sigh of 
 deep feeling, 
 
 And hearts sore oppressed with the 
 weight of our woe, 
 
 The thought to my mind rises silently 
 stealing — - 
 
 "O, where will poor Bob and his Theo- 
 dore go?" 
 
 — Daily Fredonian. 
 July 18, 1865. 
 
H 254 79 
 

 
 ^ -n^o^ 
 
 
 
 v^ 
 
 
 "V. • o M ' 
 
 'o 
 
 .0^ 
 
 :^ ^^0^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 <^. 
 
 O^ 
 
 "-^^o^ 
 
 vO 
 

 
 
 
 
 v^^^ 
 
 v^^ \^^*" ^^^^\. ^^y^S '^^''\ "'^^S ^<^^''\ -.-^< 
 
 ,0.