Si :#^ %m Author Title Imprint. Id — tTXTt-t •»• WM 5. ln-h,! poi^ C^e Place WELL Published Under Ausdiges of The Board of Trade Bound Brook, New Jersey. BOUND BROOK THE PLACE TO DWELL COPYRIGHT. 1909. THE NATCON PRESS 20 VESEY STREET. NEW YORK PUBLISHED BY BOARD OF TRADE BOUND BROOK, N. J. fn ^ 24642 2 SEP 8 1909 :ii'!:ii CD t: oa °= -=^:|S5 &S ^£5'3'5 ^ BOUND BROOK THE PLACE TO DWELL IX these days when new parks and manors and real estate schemes of various kinds are Ijcing- started with astonishing rapidity it is positively refreshing to come upon a place that has been upon the map long enough to have a history and a character of its own — a place of traditions and individuality. Residence in a new place means being a pioneer with all the discomforts that that word suggests. The wise man who wants to live in peace and comfort lets the other fellow do the pioneering and selects as the place for his home the town which is already settled, not a town which is going to be, but one which is, one which has been tried and found worthy. If he is a New York, or a Newark or a Philadelphia man, his home must be within easy reach of the city in which he does his business or carries on his profession. By easy he means within a reasonal)le distance and with a com- fortable means of transportation. He wants to live in a place that is well equipped with those facilities which make living easy. He wants good streets and sidewalks. He must have good lights and a good sanitary system. He wants shade trees and he wants an abundant water supply. Good schools, libraries and churches are a necessity. The wise man says, "My home must be where these things are established — I am willing to maintain, to ex- tend and to improve them, but life is too short for me to go to a new or raw place and establish them." A place that has these things established has shown that it has a reason to exist and is worth investigating and is worth living in. In addition to these things the wise man further requires that his home should be in a healthy neighborhood, that the landscape should be not only beautiful but varied and that the surrounding countrv be also attractive and suitable for the expansion of the town which he is selecting for his home. He wants to live in a place that not only was alive a hundred years ago but that is alive and growing to-day. One might well say that the wise man's quest was a ^•ain one if he expected to find all of these requirements combined in one community. Admit this but one must also ad- mit that if such places exist they are worth looking for and if found they are worthy of the search. This book is published to help the searchers and to be a guide to the wise. It cannot point out the way to all of the delectable places for fortunately there are many happy communities where men dwell together in comfort and happiness which meet some of the requirements set forth but the publishers know of none more worthy of the search or which unites so many of the advan- tages as the place whose name appears upon the title page "Bound Brook— the Place to Dzvell." In the first place Bound Brook is an old town. It was settled in 16S3. More than two hundred years ago the Sheriff of New York City had his farm on the Raritan River and his coun- try house stood upon the site now occupied by Mr. George La ]\Ionte whose beautiful home with its spacious lawms and garden is one of the most attractive places in the State. It presents more the air of a Virginia estate than of a suburban home, yet it is so near to New York that for more than two centuries it has siven rest and comfort to its various owners whose business lives have been spent in the metropolis. The La Tourette House, a view of which adorns this book as the frontispiece, is another of the old Bound Brook houses. This house was the headquarters of Baron Steuben during the Revolutionary War and is one of the most interesting and best preserved of the Colonial houses still in existence. The old Boise house on the Raritan Ri\er is a quaint specimen of Dutch architecture. The family bought the land from the Indians and has continued in uninterrupted posses- sion ever since. The old Fisher Ta\-ern in the western end of the town is another one of the Revolutionary buildings and has been visited by many antiquarians from all over the country. These places are only mentioned to show the unusual historic interest which attaches itself to Boimd Brook. This is not the time to recall the Revolutionary history of this reci'in but everv inch is historic ground. \\'ashington twice encamped with liis army uii the hillsitle jusl norlh i>\ \hc town and "the Revolutionary records contain many imporiani letters written by him while here. The site occupied by the Revolution- ary Army was ])urchase(l a few years ago l)v one of Bound Brook's patriotic citizens and deeded l)\ him to the W'ashino-ton Camp Ground Association, and here on each Fourth of July ixatriotic exercises are held which are largely attended bv people from all the surrounding country. Time and space will not per- mit further reference to the past, especially as this article is prepared for the present and hir the future. Judged by the requirements of the wise man. how does Bound Brook appeal to him? It is an established community; it has a history and traditions of its own : it is not like a thousand other places, but it possesses peculiar interest on account of its own past. It is accessible. The Central Railroad of New Tersey is known as the commuter's favorite road. The equipment of its trains is unsurpassed and they arrive and depart on time. Bound Brook is situated at the junction of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway with the New Tersey Central and has the full advantage of the express service by which New York City is reached in fifty minutes and Philadelphia in an hour and a quarter. Newark can not only be reached by the Central Railroad but also bv the Lehigh \'alley. and in this way Bound Brook to-dav has the use of the McAdoo tunnels and "three minutes from Jersev Citv to Broadw-ay" is a fact and not a dream. Eighty passenger trains a day means a practically unlimited service. The writer of this article recently made a study of the time tables of other railroads and they will convince the wise man that Bound Brook is more advantageously situated as far as train service is concerned than any other town w'ithin commuting distance of either New York or Philadelphia. The resident of Bound Brook can go and come when he chooses. How about those public utilities which make living easy, com- fortable and health)? A town two hundred years old must per- force have beautiful shade trees. The streets are established and I)y easy grades lead up from the depot to the hills and ])lateaus upon which the comfortal)le homes of tlie residents are Imilt. The natural formation of the ground made it possible a number of years ago to establish a perfect sewer system and the Bound Brook Water Company supplies an abundance of water from mountain springs supplemented by artesian wells. The Public Service Corporation provides gas and electricity and also trolley connections with all of the adjacent towns. More than one hundred years ago Michael Field left a sum of money for the free school system which is to-day one of Bound Brook's chief attractions. Four splendid school buildings includ- ing the magnificent new Washington High School on Union Ave- nue indicate Bovmd Brook's interest in education. Enough has been said to show that the Bound Brook of to- day is wide awake and fully alive to its present opportunities and the wise man can here find others of like mind ready to co-operate for the further development of its already existing- institutions. Nature has done nuich for Bound Brook situated as it is on the great bend of the Raritan River at the base of the Watchung Mountain. The Green Brook (or the Boundary Brook) on the east, the picturesque Chimney Rock Brook on the west make a beautiful setting. The drives in the immediate neighborhood through mountain gorges or along the river banks are of rare beauty and are continually luring the wise to establish their coun- try homes outside of the town limits. Where there are so many beautiful homes it would be in- vidious to make comparisons but the illustrations in this book will give a partial idea of what exists here. Bound Brook has only one invitation to the wise man, "Come and see" — and is willing to abide by his verdict. B THE IDEAL TOWN By Ex-Mayor Ricitard II. P.rokaw OUND BROOK is in ilic full enjoyment of all the neces- sary conveniences at a niiniiiuim cost of taxation, the rate this year heino- only $1.70 on the ^i(x\ while our neighboring mnnicipalities are being charged from 25 to 50 per cent. more. I most earnestly and conscienfiunsK- sav to the home-seeker who can api)reciale the ])nre air nf I leaxen, the j)ure water of the earth, and every facilit\' for ra])id transportation to stop and consider the cjuestion seriously, why not locate in liound Brook? Give our local advantages for a moment the same thought vou would your business affairs and consider thoughtfullv what we are prepared to ofifer: the purest water, best gas. electric light, sewer system, sanitary conditions, carefully supervised bv a most intelligent local board of health, which explains our healthful con- dition. Cluirches of all denominations with clergymen who are gentlemen of culture both socially and mentally. Public schools equal to any in the country. Parochial school equally as com- mendable. A country clul) owning its pretty club house, golf links, tennis courts, where these outdoor exercises may be in- dtilged, as well as indoor functions enjoved. Right here I feel proud in asserting that those who come here, remain, and those who find it necessary to go awa\' are glad to return. Nearly every day 1 have it repeated to me bv some one I happen to meet, ■"Well! 1 am glad to get back to Bound Brook," or "I made a mistake in moving away from Bound Brook." The facts are when you pay v'fi./O taxes on $100 assessed valuation of property in Bound Brook, you get $1.70 worth of actual results. Possessing, as we do, all the essentials of a thoroughly equipped borough, we invite the seeker of health, comfort and convenience to consider \ery intelligently what Bound Brook possesses before deciding upon a location, either residential or for manufacturing. BOUND BROOK AND THE YOUNG HOUSEHOLDER THE young married couple is proverl)ially supposed to find contentment with love in a cottage on a diet of bread and cheese and kisses — a euphemism for small income and large hopes Real estate promoters the country over are wont to prey upon these young- couples who in their eagerness to settle down hu\- houses that were merely made to sell. "Seven rooms and l>ath, electric lights, beamed ceiling and wainscoted dining-room, pergola-porch," etc., etc. — how familiar it all sounds to those who have hunted through the advertising Images of the Sunday papers; glittering bait, forsooth, to tempt the voung housekeepers. A pergola-porch if cleverly designed and rightlv placed is a joy; but it is not as essential as properly planned bedrooms, for examjile. But little cares the conscience- less builder whether there is space enough in which to put a bed without projecting over a window opening. What cares he if the rattling windows leak in cold air faster than the inadequate fur- nace supplies warm! He will put red burlap on the hall and showv chandeliers, and leaded glass in the front door — all of which costs less than careful building, and it sliozvs! Buying a readv-to-live-in house on the installment plan in a popular suburb is usually an expensive, often a ruinous, invest- ment. Buildiii!:: your cn^'ii lioiiic through the local building loan association is, in nine cases out of ten, the l)etter way. The wise young couple do not build or buy until they have lived in a town at least a season. It is better to lease for a year a not altogether adequate house by way of frying the place and during that year learn by actual experience the number and ar- rangement of rooms recjuired and the general character of archi- tecture that most appeals. Six months to test the town ; six months to build your home, isn't a bad plan to follow. In choosint;- a place of residence tlie first essentials to con- sider are : Distance from the husband's place of business, health fulness, the social aspect of the town, price of property, cost of building, and convenience in marketing. It is a large statement to make, yet easily demonstrated, thai Bound r>ro(ik lias more to offer youn^ housekeepers than any other town within commuting distance of New York. Bound Brook is a "slow" town in the better sense of the word. It has been slow and healUiful in its growth; and its growth has been in the right direction. The superb train service — the best that tajis Xew ^'ork, carries the Bound Brookers to and from the city in fifty-five minutes; the way trains take fifteen minutes longer. In these fifty-five minutes the New York business man is carried far to the southwest so that he gets an absolute change of air each night — fine dry air that has made this part of Jersey a Mecca for New York and Brooklyn people suffering with throat trouljle. Bound Brook is just ten minutes ride beyond Plainfield and in that extra ten minutes the commuter is carried beyond the mosquito zone. Immunity from the mosquito plague is not the least of Bound Brook's attractions. In that ten minutes ride. also, you are carried from a thicklv settled suburban district into real countr}-. Revolutionary Bound Brook, with its tree-arched streets, with W'atchung Mountain on the north and the Raritan River and Canal on the south and the four brooks that give it name, is as attractive as an old New England town. Like many another of the older towns, Bound Brook puts its worst foot foremost ; the shops center around the depot — an antique structure which the Central Railroad of New Jersey has promised to replace in the near future with something more be- fitting the attractiveness and importance of the town. There is nothing "swagger" about Bound Brook society, but the householders, very largely made up of }oung married people, are for the most part unusually desirable neighbors. Bound Brook is not a town to attract flashy peo])le. It is popular, how- GANO & BYER The Central Grocers Chase & Sanborn Teas and Coffees a Specialty Cor. Main St. and Maiden Lane Voorhees Bldg. Bound Brook, N. J. Telrphit,,,- o-L ever, with those who are en- gaged in the serious business of raising a family. Rents are unusuallv low in Bound Brook and desirable building lots are undoubtedly cheaper at this time than they ever will be again now that the influx to Jersey from New York has begun in earnest. Young housekeepers will tind many little luxuries cheaper here than in most places ; for example, hack service to any point in the borough is only fifteen cents a person. The markets are no cheaper than elsewhere, but as they are largely supplied by the farmers of the neighborhood, one gets native-grown fruits and vegetables that are fresher and usually better than in the city. So far building in Bound Brook has proved to be less expen ■ sive than most places in the East, the town not yet having become unionized to the extent of bigger places, like Plainfield, for example. As a rule, general living expenses, as well as the pre- \-ailing rate of wages, are determined by the average income of the inhabitants. As Bound Brook is largely populated by people of merelv moderate incomes the cost of living to-day is distinctly less than most towns of its size and importance. This advantage to present homeseekers cannot last much longer at the present rate of growth. Yet for those who settle and build in Bound Brook now will come substantial reward in the near future. A. S. DURLING CONTRACTOR FOR ARTESIAN WELLS AND WATER SUPPLY BOUND BROOK, N. J. THE DRILLED WELL IS THE ONLY SAFE AND SANITARY MEANS OF SECURING A NEVER FAILING SUPPLY OF WATER A superb liii^Ii school, just opcucd, has given ample school ;iccommodations. Tu addition there are several line private schools in Plaintield that may l)e (piickly reached hy team or trolley. As to table supplies, there is a model dairy farm on the edgx of the town, a large chicken farm, and one farm close by is noted for its superb strawberries, not to mention the up-to-date village shops. Outdoor diversions include Ixiating on the Raritan Ri\er and up and down the canal, with its quaint old locks. Everv fisher- man has heard of Raritan River shad ! There are no more beati- tiful drives near New York than one may find within ten miles of Bound Brook. The Middlebrook Countrv Club offers both eolf and tennis. An addition to the club building now under way will include bowling alleys and a large auditorium for big dances, amateur theatricals, etc. Every season the club gives a series of dances and a series of monthly entertainments, including lecture by men and women of note. In addition there are the Saturday afternoon teas. s POSTAL FACILITIES BOUND brook's Post Office is one of the institutions of which the townspeople are justly proud, it being centrallv located in a new building erected especially for the purpose and newly ecjuipped with every modern facility for the prompt hand- ling of mail. Seven mails are received daily from New York and nine are despatched to the same city, with frequent mails also between points south and west. City carriers make three collections and two deliveries dailv throughout the town, with a fourth collection and third deliverv in the so-called business section. Two rural routes extend for miles out into the country, so that whether you live in town or on a farm you have in Bound Brook and its vicinity the best that Uncle Sam gives to any communitv. riii'tos hti I\ 'V- Suttun, Hound Brook. (1) Runyon Field. (2) Est. W. B- Robeson. (3) A. S. Hearn. (4) Dr. J. T. Robinson. Photos by F. G. Sutton, Bound Brook. (1) L. 5. Soche. (2) G- M. La Monle. (3) Wenonah Drive. (4) C. W. Sweeny. WHAT WOMEN HAVE DONE FOR BOUND BROOK By Mrs. Gertrude L. Phelps THE advantages of Bound Brook as a place of residence can not be equalled by any town on the New Jersey Central R. R. It is an ideal place for families, as the public schools arc- good and are improving every year. A fine new high school costing over $60,000 has just been completed and there will now lie nothing to hinder the carrying out of the progressive plans of work in the minds of the principal and teachers. The new building has all the most approved appliances in ventilation, heating and plumbing, and the children who will use it are to be congratulated. Another educational feature of the town is the Free Library, owned and managed b\- the Woman's Literary Club and Free Librarv Association. The comfortable home of the library, pre- sented to the club and kept in repair by a generous and pulilic spirited citizen, is situated near the centre of the town and con tains pleasant, airy rooms in which an ever-increasing supply of books is to be found. The reading room is furnished with a good selection of periodicals, and is largely patronized, while the ad joining children's room, charmingly fitted up, and filled with books and pictures, the joy of many young people and little ones — is in constant use. Though the librar}- is the greatest responsibility which the members of the W. L. C. have to carry, they have various other interests of a literary and educational nature. Weekly meetings from November to May are well attended. At these meetings a AD _J R.„nlr P..>rr. Pn.. I^lo Bound Brook. N. J.. 199 88 acres $6000 Ready for DOUna DrOOK rarm ror Oaie. Cccupancy, Ea.y Term., two horses, 4 good ows; OUND BROOK, THE PLACE TO DWELL," is pub- U lished by citizens of Bound Brook for the purpose of advertising legitimately and truthfttlly their community life. The Board of Trade is the patron of the project, but the financial possibility was brought about through the enterprise and pttblic spirit of local merchants and those industries actually operating in Bound Brook. No better conception of the abiding faith and pride in this special locality can be derived than from a critical studv of the advertising' pages in this liook. Botmd Brook owes a debt of gratitude to these men and one w hich dotibt- less will eventuallv be repaid. The articles are from the pens of permanent resident.s — not real estate boomers, bttt citizens who reside here because they find herealiout an environment in keep- ing w'ith their home ideals. The illustrations are true in every detail — photographic reproductions of Bound Brook as it really is. In the compilation of this little volume there has never been an inleiuion of exaggeration — a visit to Bound Brook will bear wit- ness to this assertion. Bound I-Jrook is a good place to dwell in; those residing there api)reciate this and take this method of con- vincinsf others of their untlas'e'im'" devotion. Pliolos hti F. G. Button. Bound Bnotc. (I) IV. H. Dunham. (2) S. R. Kcho. (3) H. F. Gillespie. (4) E. H. Caslerlit I'holos hu F. <:. Sulloil. Bmiiiil ISi'u.l; (1) David Haslings. (2) W. H. Whiling. (3) Edward Clark- (4) E. H. Radel. pounti ^voak J^ational ^ank ON MAIN STREET Snbiteg ©our panfeing patronage 3^2 per cent. Compound Interest in Savings Department Open Monday Nights 7 to 8 O'clock The most liberal considera t i on givento all classes of depositors. Safe Deposit Boxes rented from one dollar a year up. A call will be appreci- ated. 1* W. H. BACHE, Pres. E. H. RADEL M. F. WIRTZ Vice-Pres. R. H. BROKAW, Cashier THEY COME, THEY SEE, THEY STAY By Geokcic M. La Monte, Esq. I 11. WE lived in I'.uuiul I'.rodk so lung' tliat i ihouglu I was l)rejiidiced in its favor. l)ut llic experiences which I have had latelv have shown nic that ni_\- fear of heing too enthnsiastic may ]ia\e led nie to he too conservative in e.\i)ressing- its advantages as a place in which to live. Last spring- a friend of mine (a confirmed urhanite) came to nie and said he was thinking of hecoming a suhurhanite if he could only find a place that suited his ])ecnliar reriuirements. He had been up to Connecticut, and had \isited \arious places in New Jersey (it would not be fair to say u|)on wliat railways) but he had not yet found the ideal i)lace. T saitl, "Come with me to Bound Brook."' So one da\- we walked to the foot of Libert \- Street, crossed the river on the ferryboat "Bound Brook" (and I did not miss the opportunity of calling his attention to the name), boarded one of the many express trains of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, and in fifty-three minutes from the time we left the New York side were at the station in r)Ound r>rook. W'c then took a little tour around Bound Brook in an automobile, and my friend was filled with enthusiasm with everything tli;il he saw. His wife, who was with us, shared this enthusiasm, and in less than an hour after reaching Bound Bri»ok ihey had made up their minds that this was the placf , of all others they had seen, in which thcv wished to live. The next question was to find a house, and here was the difficult}-. The demand for hou.'~es in Bound Brook for years has exceeded the supply. Just ar- fast as houses are built they are immediately occupied, either by comnuUers, who want to try the country for a while, or by those who are willing to purchase immediately. We called on every real estate agent in the place, and at the moment there was not a vacant house, but this did not ESTABLISHED 1888 THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOUND BROOK Capital, $50,000.00 Surplus and Undivided Profits '^"""^'- $65,000.00 Savings Department pays 3 '-' per cent, interest Safe Deposit Boxes for rent, $1.00 per year Open Tuesday evenings from 7 to 8 o'clock George La Monte, President w w « n ^'*^^ P""^^- H. G. Herbert, Cashier DIRECTORS George La Monte A. S. Coriell Gaius Hoffman W. W. Smalley Peter J. Staats H. G. Herbert Geo. M. La Monte David Hastings Samuel H. Miller Total Resources Feb. 6, 1905, $344,000.00 Total Resources Feb. 5, 1906, $422,000.00 Total Resources Feb. 5, 1907, $503,000.00 Total Resources Feb. 11, 1908, $575,000.00 Total Resources July 13, 1909, $700,000.00 daiiii)cn the ciuliusiasin of my friends, and when ihey left me llial day the parting- injunction was, ''Get any house you can for us and we will he satisiied, for we are going to live in Hound iirook and nowhere else." I llnall\- did get a house for them and they moved out. think- ing that the\- would he willing to try it until the fall of the year, rind then the\- would ha\e to go back to Xew \'ork for the winter. Well, thev went hack to New- ^'ork for the winter, and I ran across them everv once in a while, and the htirden of their song- was, "How soon can we get hack to Bound Ih-ook? We did not think we would want to go back there tmlil the middle of Ai)ril, and we have rented our house for the winter and if we cotild onh- get i)osscssion of it we would go there ;it once."" This is one case. Another case is of a voung man who visited Bound Brook for the tirst time with me receiuly. This young man has the Long Island hal)ii. In the summer time it takes him from an hour and three-quarters to two hours to reach his summer home. W'e arrived at Bound Brook, as usual, in less than an hour from New York. A short drive of one mile from the station brought us to the foot of the W'atchung Mountain, and we spent the day tramping over that beautiful hill. I did not have to supply him with any enthusiasm; he gave it to me. It was a revelation to him that within such a short distance of Xew York City you could be carried into so beautifitl a country, that you could really get into the mountains and enjoy genuine mountain scenery with the ease and luxury with which Bound Brook could be reached. In other words, my friends have just found out for me that when I live in Bound Brook I am living in Paradise and that [ travel on the cleanest and quickest road that leaves New York. When I get to the end of my journey I am in the midst of a beautiful rolling coitntry, l)acked by a beautiful mountain; the scenery is magnificent; the air is perfectly pure and sweet; the Raritan River drains the \-alle}- and affords opportunity for canoe- ing and boating, and everything that goes to make country life desirable and attractive is to be found here — and it is all less than sixty minutes from Broadway. rj?_-j ^^^^^^^^^^^1 '^'Pf^*^ ■Si ..^^ .,.&,- ^H ^^ i jmP^ ''««^ ^UrV^B^K^^^** ^^Pv^^^^^H W^^' ^H E ■■•ASw . .fihtjg ' Aa^^^^B ERAL Director, 24 MAIDKX LAN'E Bound Brook, X. .1. 'PnoNE 1.33-L ItEslDENCE, 338 MOUNTAIN AVE. •Phone 157. BELL PHONE No. U-J HOME PHONE No. 17 JAMES TAGGART LIVERY AND BOARDING STABLES COACHES, COUPES AND LIGHT CARRIAGES TO HIRE HamiUon St. cor. Second Rear of Berkeley Hotel BOUND BROOK, NEW JERSEY JOHN D. GILES Dealer in Choice Groceries and Provisions TEAS, COFFEES FLOUR, SPICES Specialties : Elgin Creamery Butter and Full Cream Cheese SOUTH BOUND BROOK, N. J. Telephone Connection iteon W. Jiujfour, ^rop. THE LEADING HOTEL BETWEEN NEW YORK AND EASTON Tel. 28 pounb iBroofe, M. f . BATTLE OF BOUND BROOK r.y the Rev. T. K. Davis Tl W. year of independence, 1776, was closing;- with dark jjros- ])ects for the vounj;- American Republic. The Briti.sh Army was niarcliins' on to Philadelphia with the intention of cap- turing- and holdinj;- the ca])ital of the nation. . . . Thus gdooniv and discoura^ins^- was the condition when Xew Jersey became the battle field of the Revolution. But there soon came a turn in the tide of affairs. New recruits in lart^e numbers joined the American Army. The battles of Trenton, December 26: Princeton, January 3; and Weston. January 20, in each of which the Americans were victorious, ""ave new hope and vigor to the patriots. Cornwallis, learning that Washington had secured all the boats on the Delaware River, so as to prevent the crossing of the British Army in its march to Philadelphia, decided to encamp for the winter at New Brunswick. W'ashington took the main part of his army, after the battle of Princeton, to their winter quar- ters in ]\Iorristown. Somerset County suffered severely during this winter from the depredations of the British foraging parties. All along the Raritan River, with its tributaries, the ?i[illstone and South Branch, were prosperous farmers whose well-filled barns and cellars tempted the British soldiers. To shield the people along the Raritan Walley from these marauders. Wash- ington ordered Gen. Benjamin Lincoln with a force of 500 American soldiers to guard the Raritan River. Lincoln was stationed at Bound Brook, his headquarters being in the house of Peter Williamson. A short distance south of this house Lin- coln built a block house, in which cannon were placed in a position to defend any approach of the enemy by the road leading from New Brunswick or the bridge across the Raritan River. There were earthworks surrounding this block house. . . . It was about ]vLarch i. 1777, that Lincoln with his small armv was stationed at Bound I.rook. Gen. Lincoln had a line ROOFING FOR Factories, Residences Churches Barns Auto Sheds Porches Boat Houses TRADE None Genuine Without TheseTrade Marks Roofing ^ ^^'^' MANUFACTURED BY ^^^ LINCOLN WATERPROOF "■^ CLDTH CO. BOUND BROOK.KJ USA Used for Gutters Instead of Metal Makes durable Floor Covering, Building Papers Water Proof Cloth, Paints, etc. : ::::::::: Ill' patrol, extcndini;- along' the norili bank of the Rarilan River, from \'an \'ei;liten's bridge down to the Ijcnd in the river, from which a view of the Raritan Landing bridge could be ol)tained. The whole line of patrol was live or six miles, and guarded the three bridges across the ri\-er, by which the British would be likely to cross, in marching to an attack on Washington's army. The British Army at New Brunswick consisted of 17,000 men, English and Hessians. These troops were under the command of Lords Howe and Cornwallis. Fortifications were thrown up on the high bank above the river, west of the city, near the present location of the Theological Seminary. An important outpost on an eminence at Raritan Landing was also erected, from which the upper valley of the Raritan could be seen for a long distance. The British commander, knowing the importance of Bound Brook as a military station, and the small American force defend- ing it, planned for its attack and capture. On Saturday night, April 1 2th, 1777, between 8 and 9 o'clock, a British force of about 4,000 soldiers started from New Brunswick for Bound Brook. Gen. Lord Cornwallis was in command, with Generals Grant and Matthews and Col. Donop. The troops consisted of one battalion of grenadiers, one battalion of light infantry, a detachment of the guards, the light horse, two battalions of Hessians and the Yagers. The expedition was planned and carried out with so much secrecy, that the rest of the army and the people of the city did not know of it until Sunday morning. Cornwallis divided his army into three detachments. One was to cross the bridge at Raritan Landing, and march to Bound Brook on the north side of the river. The other two detachments were to remain on the south side, and march to the attack on the enemy by w^ay of Van Veghten's bridge, and South Bound Brook. In marching they were to carefully avoid all roads, and move as quietly as possible, so as to be unobserved and thus prevent a warning being given to the American guards. The plan of Cornwallis evidently was to surround the Americans with two detachments of his army, thus preventing their escape to the mountains, and with the third detachment on the south side of the ri\-er, to capture or destroy Last Chance!!! BOUND BROOK PARK FULL SIZE LOTS $75.00 BOUND BROOK PARK has direct connection with Hudson tunnels, which opened on July 19. Prices will be nia- teriallv advanced after this sale, and you will be wise and Ho well to get in now. This delightlul residential park is only 42 minutes from New York and has graded streets, sidewalks and shade trees. ani is within 3 minutes' walk of the main station of the Jersey Central Railroad. Schools, churches, stores, clubs and lodges are in the immediate vicinity. You can start the home you have dreamed of right now and the rent you are paying will imy it. Live in the country, enjoy the pleasures nature aftords Everything is here, including boating, bathing and fishing. Every Lot Absolutely Guaranteed High. Dry and Level Free Deed in Case of Death Free Title Policy Guaranteed by N. J. Title & Abstract Co. r further p," or 'phone $2.50 Monthly Secures Any Lot The Equator Realty & ImproTement Co. Main Office, WORLD BUILDING. Suites SOS-lOg G3 Park Row 'Phone 3602— Beekman NVw \»rk Bound Brook Wants You. If this booklet accomplishes its pur- pose it will at least cause you to have an interest in Bound Brook as "A Place to Dwell." Don't let the matter rest there. You can best keep your interest alive by tak- ing a short time subscription with THE CHRONICLE , a newspaper that for more than 25 years, under its present management, has stood for everything that could possibly tend to make Bound Brook the fittest "place to dwell" within easy commut- ing distance of New York. Sl.Sn a Year. 75 Cents Six Months. Samples Free. Addri.ss W. B. R. MASON, Profirir/or, BOUND BROOK, N. J. Water Supply for Country and Suburban Homes That is what you want — A complete system of water supply for your home Every country and suburban home can be provided with all the sanitary conven- iences and comfo'rts of the best city water system by having installed a water system operated by Windmill, Gasoline Engine. Hot Air Engine or Electric Motor. Pumping Outfits are furnished for any requirements, Hand or Power; also Tanks and Substructures for factories. Let me give you a figure on your needs. Repairing a Specialty. i- ". Phone 120 J. 0. VAN MIDDLESWORTH 203 West Union Ave. BOUND BROOK, N. J. Bushels of Reasons Why Bound Brook Should Be Your Home Allover the New lersev Suburban Z.me in v. air interest we traveled and studied towns, raihi. ad c-nditinns rates, serviLe. commercial and natural advantaees. and THEN' selected beautiful BOUNL) BROOK a the PL.VCE with a QUICK FUTURE. WE S.WV IT FIRST-and CANCON\ l.NCE YOU that at PRESENT PRICES the BEST HOME, HE.VLTH and PROFIT making: investment m the New York Suburban Zone is located at beautiful WATCHUNG VIEW, BEECH WOOD HEIGHTS, EAST BOUND BROOK just 3 minutes bv electric cars from depots of Central R. R of N. J., the Philadelphia and ReadinK. the Baltimore and O'hio and (for good measure the Lehigh Valley R. R. and the McAdoo Tunnel to New- York. 100 trains a day-all thriving on SPEED, and LOW RATES unrirrirs^ T OTS- We will do our share bv letting you in on the ground. HlbH— Lb\ EL— ROLKl-t&s LO i » each ^5 by 125 feet, close to GREEN BROOK, Gas. Water and Electric Light, from 5100 to >200 per lot. 10 percent down and S5 per month— or ID p-r cent, discount for cash 30 days. To cap Uus generous offer we will GIVE FREE to the first FIFTY BUYERS in SEPTE.MBER a WARRANTY DEED to a fine 20x 100 Bungalow lot in Suffolk County. Long Island, worth iiO, just to advertise our holdings, and make friends. For free transportation, etc, call, write or telephone— LAND AND LIBRARY COMPANY, 32 PARK PLACE, N. Y. tliose who might aUcmpt to cross. The expedition was entirely successful, as far as the plan of march was concerned. Each de- tachment reached its destination without detection, and the sol- diers rested on their arms until morning. According to orders, the British waited until the American sentries' cry, "All's well," was heard and the morning gun had heen fired, and then the two detachments simultaneously rushed u|)on them. The guards were ([uicklv overpowered. Gen. Lincoln and his soldiers were startled hv the fierce cry of his sentries, "To arms!" Hastily arising, without time for dressing, they made a rapid retreat, passing- through the fast enclosing lines of the two detachments of the enemy's army, firing a few shots aimlessly as they ran. Had the sentries' alarm come only a few minutes later, or had Cornwallis's plan for surrounding the Americans been more speedily effected, the entire body of the Americans would surely have been captured b\- this superior force. It was in fact a very narrow escape from total destruction or capture. After reaching the higher ground, the Americans made a stand and began a brisk firing, but the British line reforming and returning the fire, they were compelled to fall back to the mountains in the rear of Bound Brook for safety- OXE of the most dashing and brilliant exploits in the history of Bound Brook during the Revolution was the raid of the Queen's Rangers, led by Lieut. Col. John Graves Simcoe, on the twenty-sixth of October, 1779. The start was made from Staten Island October 25, at eight o'clock, marching to Billop's Point, where they crossed to Perth Amboy by boat. It was daybreak on the morning of the 26th before this band of cavalry left Perth Amboy. Simcoe had a two-fold ol)ject in vie\\' — the capture of Governor Livingston, who he thought was at Bound Brook, and the destruction of fifty large flat boats at Wan \'eghten's bridge, \vhich had been built on the Delaware River and carried over- land to the Raritan, that Washington might use them in his attack on the Citv of New York, which he was now planning. Bound Brook was reached after a rapid march, where the Rangers halted for rest and plunder. Photos by F. G. Sutton, Bound Brook. {}) R. H. Brokaw. (2) /. /. Bach. (3) F. Benl. (4) W. W. Smalley. I-holOg (,J, >•. ,, .V„,,„„ ,;„„„,, „_,^^__,, (l)f..Ae.'.//„,e/. (2)0#ceo//y. C.P,„ce. (3) A/,l\()()K aj^'ain occupied an inipDrtant place in tlic War of the Revolution when W ashinglon. with the main Iwdv of American forces, encamjjed on the elevation of ground overlookiui;' tiie \'illa,yx' of rxnmd i'.rijok, and onl}- a mile di■^tant. Here an excellent view n\ the \'alley of the Raritan could he oh- tained.and from the true "Washington Rock"' on the summit of the hill, all the movements of the enemy at Xew llrnnswick could 1)6 seen. The American Army came from Morristown May _'S. 1777, and ])itched their tents on tlie Middlehrook. The enlire army numhered 8.30^^. including cavalry, artillery and infantry. Of these. 2,660 were sick or disahled. so the real strength of the armv was only 5,738 men. The lirst encampment was on the west Itranch of the [Middle- brook, in what is called W'ashington \'alley. between the first and second range of mountains. Three forts guarded this valley from anv rear attack by the enemy. One of these forts, still carefullv preserved, mav l)e seen on the farm and near the home of Mr. Kennedy Bolmer. Washington remained with his army in this valley onl\- seven- teen davs. moving on [une 14 to the south side of the mountain, where he took tip a very strong position on the elevated ground in full view of the British. It was his intention to make a strong line of fortifications here, but on June 30 Lord How^e with the British Army retreated from New Jersey to Staten Island, and two days after, on July 2, Washington moved his army to Pomp- ton Plains. Bound Brook was again the scene of military excitement, though of a far less dangerous character, when in May. 1779. it was visited Iw General [Maxwell's brigade of Xew Jersey soldiers. While encamped in the rear of Bound Brook, Wash- ington completed his plans for a campaign against the Indians in Pennsvlvania. Plwlos hij F a. Siillvn. nmmd Brook. (I) R. C. Parochial School. (2) Pierce School. (3) Public Library. Photos Dl/ F. O. f-ullon, Bnutul Ilm,,!;. (I ) South Bound Brook School. (2) IVcshinglon High School. (3) Lafayette School. Phone 9-R Bound Brook AVILLIAM GREASHEIMER WEST END HOTEL BOUND BROOK, NEW JERSEY ALSO FARMS, SUBURBAN RESIDENCES AND COUNTRY HOMES CLARKHURST FARMS HIGH GRADE HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN CERTIFIED r^AT^T^ii7 MILK CATTLE BOUND BROOK, N. J. LaRUE CS, BRO. DEALERS IN Gentlemen's Furnishings, Shoes, Hats, Clothing, Etc. BOUND BROOK, N. J. A CONSERVATIVE GROWTH AND ITS PRACTICAL RESULTS By Carroll C. Raw i.ings. BOUXD BROOK lies ui)on iIk' fooihills running; up from the Raritan River a distance of some two miles to the bottom of W'atchung- Mountain rang-e, wliicli rises with a picturesque sky line to a considerable elevation and se])arales the Raritan from Washington Valley. At the most commanding point on this range and immediately Ixick-of Bound Brook is the historical s]X)t "Washington's Camp Ground," the ownershij) of which is vested in a local patriotic society, ^^'hatever else may be said about the town it has the |)rou(l distinction oi" being the onl}- "Bound Brook" on the face of the earth. As to the place itself, it is no "mushroom" town, for it was "Bound Brook" in the days of the Revolutionary War. It has within the past quarter of a century become modernized and has taken to itself some of the airs and graces befitting a metropolitan suburlj — but there continues enough pleasant suggestion of the olden days of greater deliberation and nice dignity to make one feel that the old is not lost altogether in the new. so that its natural advantages of healthfulness. climate, landscape, as well as the attractiveness of its improvements have each in turn served as a maenet to draw an e\-er increasing number of Xew York and Brooklyn people to the place in search of homes, so that to-da>- there is a population of betw-een four and five thousand, including hundreds of Jersey Central commuters. One of the most suggestive and significant things about Bound Brook's make-up is that so many of its residents are people W'ho after having spent a few weeks or a summer boarding in the town or at some one of the numerous attractive farm houses or boarding houses in the vicinity have fallen in love with the neigh- borhood and come back the next year to settle down to live. In other words, the place seems to possess a power to advertise itself. R. A. ROSS COMPANY Builders' Supplies Sash, Blinds, Doors, Mouldings, Scroll Work, Columns, Window and Door Frames, Interior Trimmings, Plain and Ornamental Glass Hard Wood Flooring a Specialty SOUTH BOUND BROOK, N. J. Bell Telephone 26-R Home Telephone 110-A T. F. WILLIAMS PLUMBING HEATING TINNING 2nd St. and Maiden Lane Bound Brook, N. J. Established 1890 WM. SCHURE BAKER AND ICE CREAM MANUFACTURER 109 East Main Street BOUND BROOK, N. J. We try to have what you want and give you what you ask for. FETTERLY & LOREE The Druggists TWO STORES BOUND BROOK SOMERVILLE 411 East Main St. 0pp. 1st Natl. Bank Tel. 1837 Chelsea Tel. 76 Bound Brook AUGUST F. WINBERG MFG. CO. :Mamifactiirers un'i Patentee^ o! I mproved Awning Construction 522 HUDSON STREET, Nr io.hs,.N y and BOUND BROOK, N. J. All kinds o£ Awnings for Country Residences. Ter.ts. Canopies, Chairs. Tables, Camp Stools, Hat Racks, etc.. For Hire. Dr. H. D. POWELSON Bental burgeon OFFICE : 108 HAMILTON STREET Second Floor First National Bank Building L. D. Tel.83-L BOUND BROOK, N. J. H. 8. WARA\ ICK Builder of Fire Apparatus. Business Wagons Horse Shoeing, Auto Forgings :MA1N ST., REAR OF P. O. BOUND BROOK A. H. TIEDEMANN (3vocev7 Noted for;Best ValueTin] TEAS, COFFEES AND SPICES Elgin Creamery Butter a Specialty 405 MAIN STREET Bound Brook, N. J. While ihc town, therefore, has never l)een Ixmined in the stereotyped wa\-, its growth has been steady and continuous, and has therefore been substantial, also with respect to the character of its iniprovements, public buildings, paved streets, water supply, sewage disposal, electric lighting, lire department, police, etc.. it has been no less substantial and fortunate in the quality of its inhabitants. While there are not a few families of wealili and many more who own their own homes and are most admirably situated — professional and business men, local as well as comnutters, there are many prosperous skilled mechanics who tind Bound Brook "a place fit to live in," and it would be hard to find any community where there exists a finer spirit of general good will and cordial fraternal relations among the people at large. This is notably so in respect to the manner in which the various churches har- monize and work together, and the willingness to co-operate and contribute mutual support to all the institutions and interests of the community permeates the entire social fabric to a marked degree. This is one of the reasons why people like to come to Bound Brook and settle down and live in such an agreeable atmosphere rather than experiment elsewhere. As to the practical points of attraction it may first be said that next to the city of Elizabeth no other town in New Jersey possesses such admirable railroad facilities as Bound Brook. Hourly fast trains to Xew York and I^hiladelphia, cheap commu- tation and trip-ticket rates, and some of the trains making the run between Bound Brook and New York, a distance of thirty- one miles, in fifty-five minutes. When to these facts is added the statement that no railroad out of New York compares with the Jersey Central in the attractiveness and solid comfort both of roadbed and cars — it may be seen that convenience, ease and speed are fully realized. Then there is the charming Raritan River which winds its serpentine course right through the town and upon whose placid waters the launches, row boats and canoes of the Bound Brook Boat Club give life and gaiety to the scene from May to October. REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE THOMAS D. VAN SYCKEL 401 East Main St., Beautiful Suburban Homes g^y^^j Bi-qq^ N J Insurance in all its Country Kstates and ' ' ' Branches. Notary Pub- Splendid Farms ^" , He. Commissioner of „ „ , J D . f'2 VVilliam St., t^ /i^ For Sale and Rent Deeds New York City Money Loaned on Bond and Mortgage J. J. MAIER DEALER IN Wagons, Carriages and Agricultural Implements ENGINES, FERTILIZERS, CAST IRON PIPE, ETC. Strout's Real Estate Agency SOLE AGENT MILBURN WAGONS Long Distance 'Phone 70 Bound Brook, N. J. BOUND BROOK SUPPLY COMPANY JOHN P. KOEHLER, Manager Wholesale and Retail Dealers in COAL. FEED, FLOUR, HAY, STRAW, FERTI- LIZER, BRICK. LIME, CEMENT and STONE 34 \A/'est Main Street, BOUND BROOK, N. J. Phones— Bell. 9-J. Home, 174. while llic river and canal in ihc winter lime offer ideal fields for skating. There are nnniemns and attractive homes in the town and others cciualh worth seeing in the outlying suburbs, and they are mentioned here not to he invidious, hut as a basis for the question. "If the owners of these homes lind Bound Brook attractive enough to draw them to it why should not the reader of this sketch feel inclined to investigate?" Notable among these places may l)e menlionetl "'riie Ever- greens," the home of the Hon. George La Monte; "'Littlegrange," the residence of George M. La Monte, both on West High Street : "Mountain A'iew," the extensive and beautiful mansion erected on West L'nion Avenue by the late Commodore William B. Robe- son ; the equally beautiful and palatial town residence of Robert S. Kelso, as well as the commodious and imposing house of Samuel H. Miller, Cashier of the Chase National Bank of New York. In the other direction, running down the river from Bound Brook, the improvements made in the last two or three years have been remarkable. On the west side of the river two superb residences have been completed, one that of C. E. Sherin, the other that finished and occupied last summer by George Sweeney, proprietor of the Hotel Victoria and the Marlborough Hotel. New York City, while on the east side of the Raritan, on the line of the trolley leading to New Brunswick, the most conspicuous is the famous property known as "River Rest," owned and occupied the year around b>- Edward P. Bryan. Adjacent to it is "River Bend," the pretty home of J. xAugustus Smith, merchant and Mce-President of the First National Bank, Plainfield. Immediately south of that is the Bound Brook Boat Club house, while next is "River-Lawn," the residence of C. C. Rawlings. Further on is the extensive farm "Longacres," of J. H. Hendricks: then comes "Park View," the newly completed and elaborate house and grounds of Edward H. Radel, former President of the New Jersey Trolle_\- System, and now Vice-President of the Bound Brook National Bank, adjacent to which is the handsome residence of Benjamin B. Field, and opposite that, with ample river frontage, is Riverside Park. NEW BOUND BROOK Restricted Property All Improvements We have several houses like the above for sale at from $3200 to $3875. We are about to make a specialty of building bungalows to order, and selling them upon easy terms. Write for particulars to HUGH C. PIERCE, Bound Brook, N. J. AMERICAN ENGINE '' COMPANY BUILDERS OF AMERICAN - BALL ENGINES Simple and Compound and Electrical Machinery BOUND BROOK, N. J. OLD AND NEW IN ONE CORNER OF SOMERSET COUNTY By Mrs. Klizabktii 1). il. Stkvkiik IN the northern part of New Jersey, two little streams rise from the same source or within a very short distance of each other, and wandering in different directions, finally tmite to form the Raritan River. Seven or eight miles from this union, the river, winding through a heautiful countr_\-, runs toward the W'atchung range, and although over a mile away, viewed from a little dis- tance, it appears to run almost at the base of the niduntain. Such is the view which one gets in approaching Botmd Brook, via a Central Railroad train, or coming up from New Brunswick by the trolley. Some years back. Bound Brook (so named from the boundar}- brook ) was one of the conservative places where fczv commtiters dwelt, btit the majority of the inhabitants were merchants, farmers or tradespeople. Now there are factories, and two banks, while many suburbanites daily take the comfort- able and speedy trains to New York for business — returning in one hour or less to a healthful, beautiful home. Bound Brook is particularly adapted to families with young children. The schools are fine, especially in the principal borough of Bound Brook. The town has ex]:)anded across the Raritan so a borough of South Bound Brook has been formed. This is not at all new, howexer, for one of the houses was the headquarters of Baron Stetiben, and one is shown Lafayette's chau- and Wash- ington's cup (or vice versa, as the w^riter forgets which used which article) when visiting this old revolutionary homestead. Then across Green Brook, and in another county, is another good sized suburb of Bound Brook, called East Bound Brook, not yet a borough, but attractive and convenient, with all public utilities. After a residence of twelve years in Bound Brook, it is with great satisfaction I recall the home — simple, but roomv, with beautiful lawn, plots for flowers, and a spacious garden, where most delicious vegetables and fruits were raised, walnut trees just Mortgage Loans Negotiated Fire Insurance all Leading Companies Property and Fire Losses Appraised CENTRAL N. J. REALTY CO. 250 Bargains in Farms, Lots, Plots, Borotig-h Homes, Fac- tories, Factory Sites and De- velopment Properties : : 409 EAST MAIN ST., BOUND BROOK, N. J. We have associ- ated with us C. H. WILSON, a builder of 25 years' experience. Estimates given for all Branches of Building Yard on Delaware la, Raritan Canal, All Shipments must be via opposite the Lock. L. V. R. R. Delivery P. J. STAATS Lumber, Building Materials, Coal and Mill Work BOUND BROOK, N.J. JACOB BYER DEALER IN HOUSEFURNISHING GOODS SPORTING GOODS Wood and \A^illow Ware, Stationery and Music, Enamel and Nickel Ware, Crockery and Tinware. Table Oilcloth and Linoleum, Lamps and Lamp Chimneys, Pocket Cutlery and Shears, Ink, Paste and Mucilage, Souvenir Post Cards. WINDOW SHADES A SPECIALTY 302 EAST MAIN STREET OPP. MAIDEN LANE BOUND BROOK, N. J. coming- into l)earing- and a liulc chicken run, where a dozen Ply- mouth Rocks kei)t the I'amily of four more than sn])])lied with eggs, save in the coldest weather, when possibly economy had to be exercised in the number used. Such eggs are not to l)e had excepting- for fabulous sums, for the flavor of an egg laid by a chicken, kept in a clean, wholesome place, with nice, clean food is very different from the usual egg of commerce — no matter how fresh. It spoils one for ordinary markets to have such luxuries. One never gets peas and asparagus to taste like the home-grown, and asparagus growing at five o'clock in the afternoon and on the table at six-thirty is as different from market asparagus as an orange ripened on the tree and eaten at once, or a peach mellowed in the sunshine of the orchard. Bound Brook is essentially a town of moderate priced homes, the demand for hottses being much greater than the supply. Yet it is in such close proximity to Somerville and Plainheld by rail road, trolley or macadam highways, and New Brunswick by an electric line and two fine roads, on either side of the river, that what the markets and merchants of the town cannot su]iply, can easily be procured in one of these environs. Reference has been made to historical places in Bound Brook, and apropos of this, one of the oldest Presbyterian church organi zations in America is the Bound Brook Presbyterian Church. It was established under a charter and is still run under the pro- visions of that instrument. The old church building was burned by ivater, in 1896, for water set fire to lime in the lumber yard and the sparks flew into the belfry of the clnirch and ignited it. en- tirely destroying the structure. The old church was situated some distance from the main street and had two rows of trees along the walk, making a cool, restful approach to the front door. The new edifice is in the most central part of the town and the old site is now occupied by places of bttsiness, the trolley passing through both streets. This one fact would illustrate i)ossil)ly more forcibly than anything the advance the borotigh has made from the conserva- tive days of the past. J. E. RUTT (.Opposite Central Railroad Depot.) Groceries, Dry Goods, Bedding and General Merchan- dise. Agent Ostermoor Felt Mattresses. TELEPHONE CONNECTION. BOUND BROOK, N. J. WM. W. SMALLEY, President H. L. MOORE, Sec. and Treas. L. D. COOK COMPANY Lumber Dealers A Full Assortment of Lumber, Timber, Shingles, Coal and Masons' Material Be.. Telephone .7 = L BOUND BROOK, N. J. Loca. Te.ephone 1. ,^^^ -^ •. ■• .^ .^.-^ , Home Telephone No. 31 L. D. Telephone No. 30-J ELMERJ.MUNDY Dealer in Flour, Feed, Hay, Grain, Coal and Lime, Agricultural Imple- ments, Fertilizers, Manure. Etc. Harvesting Machinery. MAIN STREET, Foot Mountain Avenue BOUND BROOK, N.J. FROM AN INDUSTRIAL STANDPOINT I'.y W. 11. R. MasOxX /\ I.THOUGH Bound lirook is one of the oldest of New Jersey -^ *- towns, its commercial importance may be said to date hack