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68 


ANNALS  OF  Camden 

No.  3 


I  92  I 


BY 

CHARLES   S.  BOYER 


Wonoj^raph 


ANNALS  OF  CAMDEN 

No.  3 
OLD     FERRIES 

CAMDEN,  NEW  JERSEY 


AN  ADDRESS 
DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE  CAMDEN  COUNTY  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


CHARLES  S.  BOYER 

OCTOBER  II,  1911 


PRIVATELY   PRINTED 
I  9  2  I 


Edition  limited  to  250  copies 

This  is  No.  *< 


©CIA630889 


Copyrighted  by  the  Author 
1921 


DEC  19 '2 


OLD    FERRIES 

CAMDEN,    N.    J. 


In  this  age  of  inventions,  improvements  and  ever-changing  modes 
of  transportation,  the  ferry  boat  is  still  an  important  factor  in  carry- 
ing the  traveller  across  that  "goodly  and  noble"  river  which  forms  the 
boundary  between  the  two  Quaker  Colonies  of  New  Jersey  and  Penn- 
sylvania. Philadelphia,  although  founded  several  years  after  the  first 
settlers  had  arrived  in  West  Jersey,  soon  became  the  chief  town  in  the 
Western  World  and  the  trend  of  travel,  which  it  was  originally  ex- 
pected would  be  towards  Burlington,  soon  led  in  that  direction.  The 
demand  for  transportation  facilities  over  the  Delaware  river  was  a 
natural  sequence  of  the  influx  of  settlers  into  the  lower  part  of  West 
Jersey;  many  of  the  newer  arrivals  had  friends,  or  relatives  in  the 
metropolis  and  all  of  them  had  business  relations  with  its  merchants. 
Animated  by  the  same  spirit  which  led  these  yeomen  of  Yorkshire  and 
London  to  forsake  their  comfortable  homes  and  seek  new  habitations 
in  the  wilderness  of  America,  they  attacked  the  problem  and  found  its 
solution  in  a  legally  sanctioned  ferry,  which,  while  privately  operated, 
was  even  at  this  early  day  subject  to  public  regulation. 

The  first  ferry  between  New  Jersey  and  Philadelphia  was  sanc- 
tioned in  1688  by  the  County  Court  of  Gloucester.  The  order  of  the 
Court  was : 

"Therefore  we  permit  and  appoint  that  a  common  passage  or 
ferry  for  man  and  beast  be  provided,  fixed  and  settled  in  some 
convenient  and  proper  place  between  ye  mouths  or  entrance  of 
Cooper's  creek  and  Newton  creek,  and  that  the  government, 
managing  and  keeping  of  ye  same  be  committed  to  ye  said 
William  Roydon  and  his  assigns,  who  are  hereby  empowered  and 
appointed  to  establish,  fix  and  settle  ye  same  within  ye  limits 
aforesaid,  wherein  all  other  persons  are  desired  and  requested  to 
keep  no  other  common  or  public  passage  or  ferry." 

William  Roydon,  the  first  ferryman,  was  enjoined  to  provide  good 
and  sufficient  boats  which  were  "to  be  in  readiness  at  all  times  to  ac- 
commodate people's  actions."  The  rates  were  fixed  at  six  pence  per 
head  for  each  person,  twelve  pence  for  man  and  horse,  or  other  beast, 
and  six  pence  per  head  for  swine,  cattle  and  sheep. 


There  is  a  great  deal  of  confusion  in  tracing  the  various  ferries 
between  Camden  and  Philadelphia.  In  Pennsylvania,  the  Proprietary 
Governor,  at  first,  claimed  the  right  of  granting  ferry  privileges,  but 
this  was  steadily  resisted  by  the  City  Council  of  Philadelphia,  and 
the  latter  was  finally  conceded  the  authority.  In  West  Jersey,  the 
Gloucester  County  Court  early  exercised  the  prerogative,  as  has  been 
noted  in  the  authority  given  William  Roydon.  Since  the  ferries  re- 
quired landings  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  each  State  exercised 
the  right  within  its  own  limits,  it  very  often  happened  that  the  ferry 
was  known  by  one  name  in  Pennsylvania  and  by  another  in  New 
Jersey.  They  most  often  took  the  names  of  the  proprietors  of  the 
hotels  adjacent  to  their  landings,  for  it  should  be  remembered  that 
ferry  rights  were  considered  a  profitable  adjunct  to  the  hotels,  which 
on  the  Camden  side,  were  all  located  on  the  river  bank.  Another 
factor  causing  confusion  in  distinguishing  between  the  ferries  was 
the  similarity  of  names  of  the  several  ferry  masters. 

The  first  ferry  slips  were  very  primitive  affairs,  without  waiting 
rooms  for  the  accommodation  of  the  public,  or  coverings  of  any 
kind  over  the  slips.  In  later  years,  rough  board  sheds  were  erected 
and  provided  with  a  stove  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  around  which 
the  half  frozen  ferrymen  with  their  strong  cigars,  or  rank  pipes,  would 
huddle.  It  was,  therefore,  easy  to  understand  why  the  old  hotels 
became  so  popular  and  left  such  an  indelible  impression  upon  the  early 
travelers  who  were  compelled  to  wait  for  the  arrival  or  departure  of 
one  of  the  ferry  boats. 

Connected  with  each  ferry,  and  about  midway  between  the  slips 
and  hotels,  were  large  stables  and  sheds  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  farmers  when  bringing  their  products  to  the  Philadelphia  markets, 
for  at  first  the  ferry  facilities  for  horses  and  wagons  were  crude, 
uncertain  and  expensive  and  this  marketing  was  usually  carried  across 
the  river  in  baskets.  There  was  at  each  ferry  also  a  large  piece  of 
ground  covered  with  shade  trees  and  fitted  up  with  various  sorts 
of  amusements  and  the  indispensable  bar  or  bars,  at  which  both  soft 
and  hard  drinks  could  be  obtained  on  tickets  furnished  by  the  pro- 
prietor, or  assistant,  upon  the  payment  of  a  fee  for  the  privilege  of 
playing  at  any  one  of  the  games  then  in  vogue  at  such  places. 

When  the  original  ferry  privilege  was  granted,  the  Gloucester 
Court  as  already  noted,  established  the  rates  to  be  charged,  but  these 
were  soon  ignored  and  the  ferryman  exacted  all  he  could  out  of  his 
passengers. 

From  a  charge  of  six  pence  for  a  single  passenger  and  twelve 


5 

pence  for  a  man  and  horse,  the  toll  was  gradually  raised  to  nine  pence 
and  two-shillings-six  pence  respectively.  These  advances  caused  a 
protest  from  the  traveling  public  without  securing  any  relief  from 
the  ferry  masters.  The  matter  was  then  taken  to  the  Legislature, 
but  the  ferry  interests  were  powerful  enough  to  prevent  any  immediate 
action  being  taken.  The  ferry  situation  is  interestingly  shown  in 
the  letter  addressed  by  Samuel  and  William  Cooper,  in  1782,  to  the 
members  of  the  Legislature  from  Gloucester  County  in  defense  of 
their  position.*  In  this  letter  are  given  the  old  and  new  rates  of 
fare  and  the  former  and  present  cost  of  operation,  as  follows : 

Rates  of  Fare  Present         Formerly 

A  single  passenger £0-0-9  £0-0-6 

Two  or  more  passengers,  each 0-6  0-4 

A  single  man  and  horse 2-6  1-6 

Two  or  more  men  and  horses,  each  2-0  1-0 

Single  cattle   3-0  1-6 

Two  or  more  cattle,  each 2-6  1-0 

Dead   "Hoggs"    0-6  0-4 

Sheep,  each 0-4  0-2 

Live  "Hoggs,"  each 0-8  0-4 

Calves,  each 0-6  0-4 

Beef  per  quarter 0-6  0-4 

A  two  horse  load  of  fish 3-9  2-6 

All  empty  carriages  per  wheel 1-6  1-0 

Lumber  per  thousand 6-0  6-0 

A  full  barrel  or  chest 1-0  0-8 

A  full  hogshead 3-9  2-6 

Grain  or  salt  per  bushel 0-4  0-2 

Flour  per  centum 0-6  0-4 

Iron  per  ton 7-6  5-0 

Hen  "coobs"  in  proportion  to  size 

Expenses  £  S  D  £  S  D 

Ferrymen's  wages  per  month 5  0  0  2  0  0 

New  horse  boat 60  0  0  28  0  0 

New  wherry 40  0  0  22  0  0 

Oars  per  feet 0  1  0  0  0  4 

Sails  per  "sute,"  wherry 7  0  10  2  0  0 

Sails  per  "sute,"  horse  boat   18  0  0  6  0  0 

Boat  builders  wages  per  day 0  15  0  0  6  0 

*  See  Dr.  C.  E.  Godfrey  in  Pennsylvania  Magazine,  Vol.  XXIX  (1905),  p.  503. 


No  immediate  action  was  taken  by  the  Legislature  towards  regu- 
lating the  ferry  charges,  but  in  1799  the  entire  question  of  supervision 
and  control  over  the  ferries  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  local 
Boards  of  Chosen  Freeholders.  As  the  latter  bodies  were  even  more 
susceptible  to  manipulation  and  influence  by  the  ferry  masters  and 
hotel  keepers,  a  long-suffering  public  was  compelled  to  wait  for  many 
years  before  any  relief  was  secured,  at  least  in  Gloucester  County. 
In  the  meantime,  the  ferry  charges  had  been  gradually  increased 
without  any  material  increase  in  the  service  rendered.  So  arbitrary 
and  grasping,  however,  did  the  ferry  masters  become,  that,  on  May 
9,  1821,  the  Board  of  Freeholders  of  Gloucester  County  was  forced 
to  take  notice  of  the  many  protests  and  did  finally  pass  a  law  minutely 
regulating  the  maximum  rates  which  could  be  legally  collected  by  the 
ferrymen.  Among  the  rates  specified  was  a  charge  of  six  and  one- 
quarter  cents  "for  each  passenger,  including  the  privilege  of  carrying 
three  baskets,  or  what  is  equivalent  thereto."  The  ferrymen  were 
permitted  to  collect  double  this  rate  between  the  first  day  of  December 
and  the  first  day  of  March.  These  charges  were  also  soon  forgotten 
and  the  rate  of  fare  became  twelve  and  one-half  cents  in  the  Summer 
and  twenty-five  cents  in  Winter.  About  1830,  the  seasons  were  fur- 
ther divided  and  the  Summer  rate  was  made  six  and  one-quarter  cents, 
the  Spring  and  Fall  charge  was  twelve  and  one-half  cents,  while  in 
Winter  the  rate  was  twenty-five  cents,  but  for  those  persons  living  in 
Camden,  or  for  any  one  living  in  Philadelphia  and  following  a  regular 
business  in  Camden,  the  fare  was  one  dollar  per  quarter.  These 
persons  were  known  as  "Quarterly  Passengers."  The  crafty  ferry- 
men always  collected  the  fares  from  his  passengers  before  the  boat 
left  its  landing.  "Quarterly  Passengers"  were  compelled  to  wait  until 
-some  countryman  came  along  with  marketing  and  the  cash  fare  before 
the  ferryman  would  start  a  boat.  After  the  cash  passenger  was 
aboard  the  quarterly  passengers  in  sufficient  numbers  to  fill  the  boat 
would  be  accommodated. 

The  travel  across  the  Delaware  in  these  early  days  was  carried 
on  in  long  wherries,  holding  twelve  to  fifteen  persons,  and  propelled 
by  sails  and  oars.  The  boats  had  sharp  bows  decked  over  for  a 
few  feet  back  from  the  stem  and  provided  with  iron  shod  "skids," 
or  runners,  on  either  side  of  the  keel,  and  in  every  case  with  a  long 
rope  attached  to  the  bow.  During  the  Winter  Season,  the  passage 
across  the  river  was  often  a  long,  tedious  and  laborious  trip.  At  that 
season  of  the  year  the  boats  were  usually  maneuvered  by  four  men, 
one  sitting  on  the  deck  with  a  boat  hook  in  hand,  two  others  at  the 


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oars  and  the  fourth  man  at  the  helm.  If  the  ice  in  the  river  was 
strong  enough  to  bear  the  boats,  they  were,  with  the  assistance  of 
the  male  passengers,  who  were  pressed  into  service,  pulled  out  of  the 
water  and  dragged  along  over  the  ice.  This  was  a  more  or  less 
dangerous  operation,  the  boatmen  frequently  getting  an  unwelcome 
plunge  into  the  icy  water,  while  sometimes  a  passenger,  or  boatman, 
or  both,  were  drowned.  Elizabeth  Drinker  cites  an  accident  of  this 
sort  which  occurred  on  February  10,  1782,  when  "four  or  five  persons 
were  drowned  crossing  ye  River,  pushing  ye  Boat  off  ye  Ice  into  ye 
water." 

There  was  also  another  class  of  boats,  called  "horse  boats."  These 
were  much  larger  than  the  wherries,  more  like  the  present-day  scows, 
and  were  for  the  transportation  of  horses,  carriages  and  cattle.  It 
was  only  under  favorable  conditions  that  these  crafts  made  the  trips, 
as  they  were  very  unwieldy  and  could  be  operated  only  when  the 
wind  was  favorable. 

The  next  advancement  was  the  "team  boat,"  a  much  larger  craft, 
in  which  horses  or  mules  furnished  the  motive  power.  They  were  of 
two  kinds.  In  one,  four  or  five  horses  were  placed  on  each  side  of  the 
boat  on  a  circular  tread  wheel,  and  the  paddle  wheels,  arranged  like 
the  "side  wheel"  steamboat  of  later  days,  were  turned  by  means  of  cogs 
and  gearing  connected  with  other  cogs  on  the  shaft  of  the  paddle 
wheels.  The  horses  were  hitched  to  strong  timbers  and  by  a  forward 
movement  of  the  feet  caused  the  tread  wheel  upon  which  they  stood  to 
revolve  and  thus  operate  the  gear  wheels.  The  other  type  of  "team 
boat"  had  a  large  revolving  wheel  in  the  middle  and  the  horses,  which 
were  attached  to  it,  by  walking  around  in  a  circle,  caused  this  wheel  to 
revolve  and  through  gears  rotated  the  paddle,  or  bucket,  wheels.  The 
"team  boat"  of  this  style  consisted  of  two  complete  hulls,  united  by 
a  deck  or  bridge,  but  separated  far  enough  apart  to  allow  the  paddle 
wheel  to  be  set  between  them.  They  were  sharp  at  both  ends  and 
could  be  propelled  either  backward  or  forward  with  equal  ease.  The 
"team  boat"  ferries  were  very  popular  and  received  the  greater  at- 
tention, first,  because  they  were  thought  to  be  more  economical  to 
operate  than  any  other  type  of  ferry  boat ;  and  second,  because  of  the 
exclusive  rights  to  steam  as  the  motive  power  claimed  under  the 
Fulton-Livingston  patents. 

The  first  steamboat  to  be  propelled  by  steam  to  cross  the  Delaware 
river  was  the  "Camden,"  built  in  1810.*     Her  engine,  a  horizontal 

*  Fisler,  p.  23,  Wescott  &  Scharf,  Vol.  in,  p.  2137;  Judge  P.  J.  Gray  in  "The 
Camden  Mail,"  July  23,   1845. 


one,  was  built  by  Daniel  Large,  of  Philadelphia,  who  with  Joseph 
Bispham  and  several  others  operated  the  boat  from  the  Middle  Ferry 
(at  the  foot  of  Cooper  street)  to  the  slip  at  the  lower  side  of  High 
(Market)  street,  Philadelphia.  It  was  a  small  undecked  boat  with 
side  wheels,  or  paddles,  and  was  used  for  passengers  only.  This 
was  followed  by  others  as  will  be  noted  later  on. 

All  of  these  early  steam-boats  were  without  cabins  and  were 
very  small  and  of  slow  speed.  Wood  was  used  to  generate  steam, 
the  boilers  being  exposed  to  the  weather  at  all  times.  The  pilot,  or 
steersman,  as  he  was  then  called,  stood  upon  an  elevated  bench  on 
the  deck  so  as  to  enable  him  to  see  over  the  heads  of  the  passengers, 
and  controlled  the  boat  by  a  long  wooden,  or  iron,  tiller.  It  was  not 
until  about  1835  that  any  of  the  ferry  boats  were  provided  with  cabins. 

These  primitive  crafts  used  to  come  to  the  landing  places  "side- 
wise"  instead  of  "end  to,"  as  is  now  the  case. 

The  following  notice  which  appeared  in  "The  Pennsylvania  Ga- 
zette" of  March  5,  1761,  will  give  a  good  idea  of  the  means  of  com- 
munication between  West  Jersey  and  Philadelphia  in  the  early  days : 

"As  the  Mayor  and  Corporation  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia 
have  been  pleased  to  grant  me  the  Privilege  of  a  FERRY,  now 
carried  on  from  the  lower  end  of  Arch-Street,  at  the  Sign  of 
The  BOY  AND  BOAT,  to  the  two  Ferries  of  Messieurs 
COOPER'S,  in  New-Jersey,  directly  opposite  to  this,  I  beg  leave 
to  inform  the  PUBLIC,  that  I  have  built  a  large,  commodious 
House  for  the  Entertainment  of  all  Travellers,  with  Out-houses 
and  Stores;  also  a  Number  of  well  built  Boats,  calculated  and 
fitted  for  a  Ferry.  And  for  accommodation  of  those  who  shall 
be  pleased  to  favour  me  with  their  Custom,  I  have  also  added 
to  my  old  Wharff  a  new  Shp,  which  extends  between  40  and  50 
Feet  out  in  Delaware,  to  Low-water  Mark,  and  have  fixed  a  Pair 
of  Steps  to  the  Side  of  my  Wharff,  which  makes  Landing,  any 
Time  of  Tide,  safe  and  pleasant  for  Passengers,  easy  for  Car- 
riages, Horses,  Hogsheads,  Barrels,  or  any  Merchandize.  The 
Out-houses  and  Stores  are  particularly  intended  for  the  Use  and 
Security  of  the  Goods  of  Market  People.  Dispatch,  Industry 
and  great  Care,  with  due  Attendance,  will  be  given  by  SAMUEL 
AUSTIN,  at  the  NEW  FERRY-HOUSE." 

Samuel  Austin  was   succeeded   by   his   son,   William*   described 


*  Samuel  Cooper  of  Cooper's  Point  gives  an  interesting  account  of  "Bill"  Austin 
and  23  others  fitting  out  a  foraging  expedition  which  put  into  Duck  Creek,  and 
secured  200  barrels  of  flour.  Before  they  got  out  of  the  creek,  however,  they  were 
overtaken  by  the  Militia  and  all  but  four  of  the  party  were  killed.  Penna.  Magazine 
of  History,  Vol.  X,  p.  36. 


as  a  yeoman,  who.  in  1778,  «as  proclaimed  a  traitor  '»  'he  P^P"';;, 
cause  This  ferry,  in  various  accounts,  is  designated  the  New  Jer 
"  "TTnnpr  Ferrv  "  or  "Cooper's  Point  Ferry. 
''At  2'vry  beginning  of  the  struggle  for  freedom  the  strategic 
valutof  the  [erries  was^  recognized  by  both  the  c.vl  and  m.htary 
luthork  e  While  the  British  and  Americans  were  contendmg  o. 
supremacy  around  New  York  the  following  not.ce  appeared  m  the 
"New  York  Gazette"  of  August  5.  1776.* 

"The  Public  are  desired  to  take  Notice,  That  no  Person  what- 
ever either  Male  or  Female,  above  the  age  of  14  years  w,ll  be 
permitted  to  pass  any  of  the  Ferries  in  the  State  o  New  Jersey, 
without  a  proper  pass  from  the  Place  they  leave. 

This  was  followed  by  a  resolution  _adopted  by  the  State  Convention 
at  New  Brunswick  on  August  10,  1776.1 

"That  to  prevent  Desertion,  no  person  or  persons  belonging 

It  was  further  directed  that  troops  in  the  services  °f  'he  Colonies, 
when  provided  with  proper  passes,  should  P^y  ""'^  °"-*'  f,* ,  " 
ria-e  usually  paid  by  such  persons  as  were  not  m  the  said  service. 
"'-The  above'regulltions  applied  to  the  e-tire  State  but  to  make  the 
local  situation  more  secure,  as  soon  as  it  was  bought  that  he  British 
would  move  towards  Philadelphia,  the  Pennsylvania  Council  of  Safety 
rdoMersIringent  orders  for  the  control  of  the  passage  across  the 
Derare  req'uiring  that  every  person  before  being  permitted  to  ps 
over  the  Ferries  with  fire-arms  must  have  a  special  permit  from 


Two  other  resolutions  adopted  by  the  Council  o  Safety  in  the 
early  part  of  December.  1776.  are  worthy  of  note  at  this  time  as  they 
directW  bear  on  the  importance  attached  by  the  civil  authorities  to 
t  question  of  a  proper' defense  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia.  They 
were  as  follows: 

"Resolved,  That  the  Ferryman  of  the  City  &  LJ^^^^^^^^^ 
immediately  take  over  to  Coopers'  Ferries  ^^^^  f^.f  ^^f^"^^^^^^^^^^ 
the  two  large  flat  bottom  boats  belonging  to  this  btate,  now  ai 


*  See  N.  J.  Archives,  2d  Series,  Vol.  I,  p.  160. 
See  N.  J.  Archives,  2d  Series,  Vol.  I,  p.  169. 


10 

Kensington,  under  the  care  of  Captain  Benjamin  Eyre,  to  trans- 
port the   Maryland  flying  Camp  across  the   Delaware  to   this 

City." 

"Resolved,  That  Jacob  Hinman  and  John  Clew  be  permitted  to 
continue  at  the  old  Ferry,  it  being  expected  that  troops  from  New 
Jersey  will  Pass  over  to  this  City,  and  that  they  may  be  wanted." 

When  the  British  occupied  Philadelphia,  the  ferries  afforded  an 
important  means  of  American  spies,  under  the  guise  of  selling  pro- 
duce and  farm  products,  getting  into  the  city,  and  it  became  necessary 
for  the  English  military  authorities  to  adopt  similar  tactics  against 
the  Continentals.  This  was  done  in  a  proclamation  issued  by  order 
of  James  Galloway,  Superintendent  General,  on  January  15,  1778, 
according  to  which  only  two  ferries,  known  as  "the  Old  and  New 
Ferries  in  Water-Street,  near  Arch  Street,"  were  allowed  within  the 
environs  of  Philadelphia,  and  that, 

"no  person  or  persons  whatever  presume  to  cross  the  river  to  the 
Jersies,  or  land  from  thence,  at  any  other  places  than  the  above 
mentioned  ferries,  nor  cross  from  these  ferries  but  by  virtue  of  a 
pass  under  the  hand  of  one  of  the  magistrates  of  which  the  ferry- 
men and  all  others  are  hereby  directed  to  take  notice,  and  govern 
themselves  accordingly,  on  pain  of  imprisonment."* 

In  the  early  days  there  were  ferry  landings  on  the  New  Jersey 
side  at  Cooper's  Point,  at  Camden  and  at  Kaighnton,  those  at  Camden 
being  located  at  Cooper  street.  Market  street  and  in  the  vicinity  of 
Federal  street.  The  numerous  changes  which  have  taken  place  all 
cluster  around  these  points  and  to-day  the  ferries  are  located  at  some 
point  in  each  of  these  divisions.f 

Starting  at  Cooper's  Point,  we  find  that  there  had  been  a  ferry 
/established  there  prior  to  1708.  In  that  year  William  Cooper,  the 
emigrant,  conveyed  to  his  son,  Joseph,  a  certain  tract  of  land  "in- 
cluding the  ferry  at  Cooper's  Point."  The  latter  conveyed  the  ferry 
to  his  son,  Benjamin,  in  1728,  who  operated  it  until  July  1,  1769. 
when  it  came  into  possession  of  Samuel  Cooper.  In  1739  Benjamin 
Cooper  was  assessed  six  shillings  for  the  ferrying  privilegel  by  the 
Board  of  Freeholders  of  old  Gloucester  County,  and  in  the  same 
year  was  granted  a  license  to  keep  a  public  house  by  the  Court  of 

*  Pennsylvania  Evening  Post,  Jan.  15,  1778. 

t  Much  information  about  the  local  ferries  is  to  be  found  in   "The  Camden  Mail" 
for  July  23-30,  1844,  and  in  Fisler's  "A  Local  History  of  Camden." 

t  Under  the  tax  law  of  1769,  every  ferry  in  the  Colony  was  to  bo  assessed  at  not 
less  than  ten  shillings  nor  more  than  ten  pounds. 


11 

the  same  county.  Samuel  Cooper  built  the  ferry-house,  afterwards 
known  as  Cooper's  Point  Hotel.  In  1762,  in  order  to  attract  the 
country  trade,  a  road  was  laid  out  from  the  bridge  over  Cooper's 
creek  at  Spicer's  Ferry  to  Cooper's  Point,  which  afterwards  became 
Main  street  on  the  Camden  City  plan.  About  1800,  the  ferry  was 
conveyed  to  William  Cooper,  by  whom  it  was  operated,  or  owned, 
until  1849.  Among  those  who  conducted  the  ferry  during  William 
Cooper's  ownership  was  William  Ridgeway,  who  in  1828  was  elected 
as  the  representative  of  Cooper's  Point  in  the  first  City  Council  of 
Camden.  This  ferry  was  long  known  as  the  "Upper  Ferry,"  or 
"Upper  Billy's  Ferry,"  but,  during  its  operation  by  William  Cooper. 
became  better  known  as  "Uncle  Billy's  Ferry,"  and  was  a  popular 
stopping  place  for  travelers,  particularly  "Jerseymen." 

He  was  wealthy,  but,  in  the  earlier  days,  saw  to  the  starting  of  the 
boats  himself  and  that  the  passengers  would  get  aboard  in  time.  To 
these  early  travelers,  his  familiar  cry,  "Over  to  Arch  Street,  All 
aboard,  Over  to  Arch  Street,"  was  a  welcome  sound,  while  at  the 
Arch  street  landing,  the  ferrymen  would  call  out  "Over  to  Billy 
Cooper's,  All  aboard." 

"Uncle  Billy"  was  recognized  as  the  leader  in  all  movements  by 
the  other  ferry  masters  on  both  sides  of  the  river.  He  always  set  the 
time  when  the  steamboats  were  withdrawn  and  laid  up  for  the  Winter, 
or  until  every  particle  of  ice  had  disappeared.  A  long-suffering  com- 
munity anxiously  awaited  the  date  when  "Uncle  Billy"  again  put  his 
steamboats  into  service. 

About  1813,  William  Cooper  built  the  "Rebecca"  (nicknamed  the 
"Aunt  Becky,"  or  the  "Wheelbarrow").  This  boat  was  a  novelty, 
because  she  had  a  wooden  boiler  with  the  staves  clamped  together 
with  iron  bands,  like  a  barrel,  and  with  iron  flues,  the  water  being 
contained  in  the  wooden  shell.  The  next  boat  appears  to  have  been 
the  "Citizen,"  about  which  little  is  known. 

In  July,  1829,  it  was  announced  that  the  team-boat  "Independ- 
ence" was  running  between  William  Ridgeway's  ferry  at  Cooper's 
Point  and  Samuel  Browning's  ferry  at  Poplar  Lane  (Kensington).* 

The  ferry  was  owned  by  William  Cooper  until  1849,  as  already 
noted,  when  he  transferred  it  to  his  son,  Joseph  W.,  who  the  follow- 
ing year  incorporated  the  Cooper's  Point  Ferry  Company  with  Joseph 
W.  Cooper,  William  F.  Reeve,  Emmor  Reeve,  Isaac  H.  Wood,  William 
Cooper,  Benjamin  W.  Cooper,  and  William  C.  Champion — all  closely 
connected  with  the  Cooper  family — as  directors.     It  continued,  how- 

*  The  American  Star  and  Rural  Record,  Nov.   18,  1829. 


12 

ever,  to  be  operated  under  the  direction  of  Joseph  W.  Cooper  until 
1854,  when  the  Camden  and  Atlantic  Railroad  Company  obtained 
possession.  The  latter  company  operated  the  ferry  for  about  one 
year,  when  it  again  reverted  to  its  former  owners,  who  now  formed 
a  new  corporation  known  as  The  Cooper's  Point  and  Philadelphia 
Ferry  Company,  under  authority  of  an  act  of  the  Legislature  passed 
February  20,  1856.  At  this  time  the  ferry  slip  was  on  the  south 
side  of  the  railroad  track,  at  the  foot  of  Vine  street.  This  ferry  house, 
familiar  to  some  persons  of  the  present  day,  was  a  very  primitive 
affair.  In  the  center  was  an  open  driveway  for  teams  and  persons 
to  get  on  and  off  the  boats,  while  on  the  lower  side  of  this  driveway, 
or  slip,  was  a  small  waiting  room,  and  on  the  upper  side  was  a  bag- 
gage room  for  use  of  the  railroad. 

The  ferry  was  again  purchased  by  the  Camden  and  Atlantic  Rail- 
road Company  on  January  24,  1872,  and  operated  in  connection 
with  its  train  service,  until  the  control  of  the  latter  was  obtained 
by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  on  February  22,  1883.  The 
price  which  the  Camden  and  Atlantic  Railroad  paid  for  the  ferry 
was  $76,800,  and  within  the  next  year  it  expended  an  additional 
$32,000  in  repairs  to  the  boats  and  slips.  In  1880,  the  new  ferry 
house  at  the  foot  of  Wood  street  was  built  and  slips  were  also  pro- 
vided for  the  recently  acquired  "Shackamaxon  Street"  boats  as  well 
as  for  a  boat  to  run  to  Market  street,  Philadelphia. 

During  the  early  days  of  this  ferry  its  landing  on  the  Philadelphia 
side  of  the  river  was  at  some  point  in  Kensington,  probably  about 
where  the  present  Shackamaxon  Ferry  now  lands,  but  this  was 
changed  to  Arch  street  and  later,  on  alternate  trips,  the  boats  landed 
at  Arch  street  and  Poplar  street.  From  about  1855,  the  landings  were 
all  made  at  Vine  street,  Philadelphia,*  except  during  a  short  time,  about 
1857,  when  a  boat  was  also  operated  to  the  landing  at  the  upper  side 
of  Market  street.  After  the  completion  of  the  Camden  and  Atlantic 
Railroad,  this  ferry  became  the  scene  of  much  activity,  being  often 
called,  "Philadelphia's  Front  Door  to  Atlantic  City."  In  the  light 
of  present  day  ferry  facilities,  the  editorial  in  the  "West  Jerseyman" 
of  September  3,  1851,  stating  that  on  August  29th  of  that  year  the 
"Cooper's  Point"  was  sunk  by  being  overloaded  with  cattle,  gives 
some  idea  as  to  the  size  and  capacity  of  the  ferry  boats  of  that  period. 

Among  the  other  boats  operated  on  this  line  after  it  became  a 
stock  company  were  the  "Cooper's  Point"  (the  second  of  this  name), 

*  Before  the  establishment  of  a  ferry  at  Vine  street,  there  was  maintained  there 
a  public  landing,  known  as  Penny  Pot  Tjandlng,  so  called  from  a  tavern  of  the  same 
name  which  then  stood  on  the  north  side  of  Vine  street  near  Water  street. 


13 

built  in  1853 ;  the  "Kensington,"*  which  ran  to  Poplar  street,  Phila- 
delphia; the  "Leo,"  built  in  1855,  the  first  boat  to  run  to  Vine  street, 
Philadelphia;  the  "Tallaca,"  a  boat  110  feet  in  length  and  40  feet 
beam,  built  in  1858;  the  "Arasapha,"  built  in  1860;  the  "Atlantic," 
built  in  1865,  and  the  "Cooper's  Point"  (the  third  boat  of  this  name), 
built  in  1879,  and  re-built  in  1886,  after  it  had  been  badly  damaged 
by  fire;  the  "Suffolk  County,"  brought  here  from  New  York  in  1895, 
but  found,  after  a  short  time,  to  be  unsuited  for  this  service  and  re- 
turned to  its  home  port.  The  "Arasapha"  was  the  first  ferry  boat  with 
a  beam  engine  to  operate  on  the  Delaware  river. 

The  Kensington  and  New  Jersey  Ferry  Company  was  organized 
in  1866,  by  William  Cramp,  Jacob  Neafie,  Alexander  Fox,  Joseph 
F.  Gillingham  and  Charles  M.  Lukens,  to  operate  a  ferry  between 
North  Point  street,  Camden,  and  Shackamaxon  street,  Philadelphia. 
The  company  began  operating  its  first  boat,  the  "Shackamaxon,"  on 
July  28,  1866.  In  May,  1880,  this  ferry  was  purchased  by  the  Camden 
and  Atlantic  Railroad  Company,  and  its  landing  in  Camden  combined 
with  the  ferry  to  Vine  street,  Philadelphia,  as  already  noted. 

The  ferry  at  Cooper  street  was  the  oldest  one  on  the  river,  its 
ferry  privileges,  according  to  Judge  Clement, f  having  been  granted 
to  William  Roydon,  by  the  Court  of  Gloucester  County  in  1688.  How 
long  Roydon  maintained  the  ferry  is  not  known,  but  Mickle  says  it 
"seems  to  have  gone  down  before  1695."  In  the  latter  year  Daniel 
Cooper  applied  to  the  Gloucester  Court  for  permission  to  establish 
a  ferry  over  the  Delaware  river  to  Philadelphia.  This  was  granted 
and  the  rates  fixed  at  ten  pence  for  a  single  passenger  or  six  pence 
each  when  there  were  ten  or  more  persons  at  one  time,  one  shilling 
six  pence  for  a  man  and  horse,  one  shilling  and  three  pence  for  a 
horse  or  cow  and  six  pence  per  head  for  sheep,  calves  or  hogs.  Daniel 
Cooper  died  in  1715  and  three  years  later  the  Pennsylvania  Assembly 
passed  an  act  "for  erecting  a  ferry  at  or  near  the  land  of  Daniel 
Cooper,  deceased."  The  proprietor  of  this  ferry  on  the  Philadelphia 
side  was  Armstrong  Smith.  Under  the  terms  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Act,  Smith  was  given  the  exclusive  privilege  for  seven  years,  and 
the  rates  of  fares  were  specified  not  to  exceed  six  pence  for  a  single 
foot  passenger,  or  four  pence  each  when  three  or  more  crossed  over  at 

*  There  was  a  ferry  boat  "Kensington"  running  between  Camden  and  Philadel- 
phia in  1841-42,  but  the  writer  has  been  unable  to  connect  these   two  boats. 

t  Clement's  "Early  Settlers,  etc.,"  p.  96  He  says  "The  exact  position  of  this 
ferry  upon  the  rivei  front  is  not  now  known;  it  was  probably  between  Cooper  street 
and  Market  street,  as  Roydon's  survey  extended  taut  a  short  distance  above  the 
first  named  street."  Many  historians  state  that  the  Roydon  ferry  ran  from  Glou- 
cester to  Philadelphia  (Wicacoe),  but  a  careful  reading  of  the  Court  license  shows 
that  it  was  to  be  "fixed  and  settled  in  some  convenient  and  proper  place  between 
ye  mouths   or  entrances   of   Cooper's   creek  and  Newton   creek." 


14 

the  same  time,  while  the  rate  for  one  horse  and  rider  was  one  shilhng 
six  pence,  or  three  or  more  in  the  party,  one  shilhng.  The  privileges 
of  this  Act  having  expired,  the  Pennsylvania  Assembly,  in  1727, 
passed  a  law  "for  establishing  a  ferry  from  the  City  of  Philadelphia 
to  the  Landing  at  or  near  the  house  of  William  Cooper''  and  placed 
the  control  of  the  ferries  in  the  "Mayor  and  Commonalty  of  Philadel- 
phia," requiring,  however,  that  the  ferrymen  must  live  near  the 
landing  at  High  street  and  must  not  charge  more  than  four  pence 
for  the  passage  of  a  single  passenger,  or  if  two  or  more  are  taken 
over  at  the  same  time,  not  more  than  three  pence  each.  The  rate 
for  a  single  horse  and  rider  was  fixed  at  one  shilling,  but  if  two  or 
more  offered  themselves  on  the  same  trip  the  charge  was  not  to 
exceed  nine  pence  each.  The  law  prohibited  any  other  ferry  being 
established,  except  by  the  consent  of  the  Mayor  and  Commonalty, 
within  two  miles  of  the  landing  at  High  street.  Sylvanus  Smout 
was  selected  as  ferryman  and  worked  in  conjunction  with  William 
Cooper,  but  in  1735,  when  the  former  act  had  expired  and  a  new 
one  adopted,  William  Rawle,  a  brother-in-law  of  William  Cooper, 
was  granted  a  lease  for  seven  years  of  the  ferry  privilege  in  Philadel- 
phia and  it  remained  in  the  Rawle  family  until  1769. 

The  title  to  the  ferry  on  the  New  Jersey  side  remained  in  the 
Cooper  family  continuously  from  1695  until  its  abandonment  about 
1850.  In  some  of  the  old  records  it  is  called  "Richard  M.  Cooper's 
Ferry,"  and  in  1833,  according  to  entries  in  the  Gloucester  County 
Road  Books,  it  was  known  as  "Abigail  Cooper's  Ferry." 

The  ferry  was  successively  managed  by  Daniel  Cooper,  William 
Cooper,  Richard  M.  Cooper,  James  Bispham,  James  Springer,* 
Benjamin  Reeves,  Ebenezer  Toole  and  Joseph  and  Israel  English. 
In  1739,  the  ferry  of  Daniel  Cooper  was  assessed  by  the  Board  of 
Freeholders  of  Gloucester  County  ten  shillings  against  a  tax  of  six 
shillings  for  the  ferry  at  Cooper's  Point,  showing  that  at  that  time 
this  ferry  was  the  more  important  one.  In  1748,  a  license  was  granted 
to  Daniel  Cooper  for  a  public  house.  This  ferry  is  best  known  as 
"English's  Ferry."  The  first  steamboat  on  the  Delaware,  as  already 
noted,  is  said  to  have  been  the  "Camden,"  built  by  Daniel  Large  and 
James  Bispham  in  1810,  and  ran  from  Cooper  street  then  kept  by 
James  Springer,  to  the  lower  side  of  High  (or  Market)  street,  Phila- 
delphia. In  1812,  the  Philadelphia  landing  was  transferred  for  a 
short  time  to  the  upper  side  of  High  street.     Exactly  how  long  the 

*  James   Springer  formerly  was  a  tavern-keeper  at   the  High  street  ferry,   Phila- 
delphia. 


15 

steam  ferry-boat  "Camden"  was  operated  is  not  known.  It  is  quite 
likely,  however,  that  when  the  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey  Steam- 
boat Company  secured  the  exclusive  rights  to  operate  steamboats, 
as  will  be  noticed  in  connection  with  the  Kaighn's  Point  Ferry,  the 
"Camden"  was  converted  into  a  "team  boat."  In  Paxton's  Philadel- 
phia Directory  for  1819,  mention  is  made  of  the  "team  boat  Camden," 
and  it  is  hardly  probable  that  there  were  two  boats  of  this  name  in 
operation  at  the  same  time. 

In  1813,  the  "Accommodating  Steamboat,"  the  "Twins,"  of 
which  Liba  W.  Kellum  was  captain,  ran  from  Cooper  street  to  Poole's 
Ferry  at  the  upper  side  of  High  (Market)  street,  Philadelphia.  The 
"Franklin,"  "Benjamin  Rush"  and  "Lehigh"  were  built  by  Benjamin 
Reeves  during  his  occupancy  of  this  ferry.  These  were  all  double, 
or  twin,  boats  with  their  wheels  in  the  center,  and  were  of  the  most 
crude  construction,  of  slow  speed  and  uncertain  performance,  as  could 
be  confirmed  by  many  of  the  older  residents,  who  were  occasionally 
compelled  to  spend  the  greater  portion  of  the  night  aboard  them, 
while  they  struggled  to  get  through  the  ice  floes. 

Benjamin  Reeves  gave  up  the  ferry  at  Cooper  street  about  1820 
and  moved  to  the  Federal  street  ferry,  but  in  1824  he  took  over  the 
ferry  at  the  upper  side  of  Market  street,  Philadelphia.  In  the  latter 
year  he  announced  that  he 

"has  added  a  Team  Boat  to  his  line  of  FERRY  BOATS,  plying 
from  the  upper  side  of  Market  street  to  Joseph  English's  ferry,* 
at  Camden.  This  line  now  consists  of  two  Steam  Boats,  on 
the  low-pressure  principle  (operating  by  very  low  steam),  one 
Team  Boat,  and  several  Wherry-Boats.  By  the  employment  of 
all  these  Boats  on  the  same  Line,  the  Subscriber  feels  fully  war- 
ranted in  assuring  the  Public  that  much  facility  will  be  given  to 
passengers,  and  very  little  delay  in  waiting  for  Boats  will  occur, 
so  that  generally,  as  soon  as  one  Boat  leaves  the  wharf  another 
will  be  ready  to  take  her  place." 

After  Reeves  moved  to  Philadelphia,  Ebenezer  Toole  conducted 
the  ferry  and  hotel  from  1820  to  1828  or  '29.  Soon  after  taking  over 
the  ferry  Toole  announced  that  the  teamboat  "Ridgeway"  would  run 

*  The  English's  ferry  here  mentioned  is  not  the  one  commonly  known  by  this 
name  but  refers  to  the  ferry  at  the  foot  of  Federal  street  and  was  conducted  by 
Wessel  and  English  from  about  1824-1827.  Joseph  English  was  a  man  of  consider- 
able means,  as  is  indicated  by  the  assessment  of  1835  of  his  interests  in  the  ferrj- 
and  other  personal  property  amounting  to  about  $15,000,  on  which  his  tax  was  $33.40, 
farm  lands  were  not  taxable.  Israel  English  was  at  the  same  time  returned  by  the 
assessors  as  a  single  man  and  was  one  of  the  three  young  men  in  the  city  holding 
taxable  property. 


16 

to  Charles  H.  Fish's  lower  side  of  Market  street,  Philadelphia.*  It 
was  while  so  occupied  that  he  became  active  in  the  affairs  immediately 
preceding  the  incorporation  of  the  City  of  Camden.  It  was  at  his 
hotel  that  the  first  meeting  was  reputed  to  be  held  at  which  definite 
plans  were  adopted  to  petition  the  Legislature  to  set  apart  a  portion 
of  old  Newton  Township  as  a  separate  political  unit  of  the  State. 
This  explains  why  he  was  elected  as  one  of  the  first  members  of  City 
Council  to  represent  Camden,  and  not  as  a  representative  from 
Kaighn's  Point,  with  which  section  he  is  most  frequently  connected. 

When  Toole  bought  the  Kaighn's  Point  hotel  and  ferry,  the 
ferry  and  hotel  at  Cooper  street  passed  to  Joseph  English,  who  operated 
it  until  about  1838,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Israel.  It  was 
during  the  English  regime — father  and  son — that  the  Cooper  street, 
or  Middle  Ferry,  ret«ived  its  greatest  impetus  and  reached  its  highest 
state  of  development.  The  ferry  landing  was  then  midway  between 
the  present  Point  street  and  Delaware  avenue  on  the  north  line  of  the 
street. 

In  addition  to  the  boats  already  mentioned,  the  "Vigilant"  and 
"Delaware"  were  two  others  operated  on  the  Cooper  street  line,  the 
former  seeing  only  a  few  weeks  service,  when  it  was  burned  to  the 
water's  edge  (July  13,  1828), f  while  the  boiler  of  the  latter  exploded 
in  October,  1837,  causing  the  death  of  two  persons,  but  was  rebuilt 
and  remained  in  active  service  for  a  number  of  years.  The  "Vigilant," 
which  belonged  to  Richard  M.  Cooper,  was  said  to  have  cost  eight 
thousand  dollars. 

During  the  greater  part  of  the  period  when  the  Cboper  street 
ferry  was  in  operation,  the  boats  ran  to  the  lower  side  of  Market 
street,  Philadelphia,  variously  known  as  Thome's,  Fish's,  Burr's, 
Scattergood's  and  Stockton's  Ferry.  Israel  English  and  Hudson  Burr 
announced,  in  1840,  that  they  had  united  in  one  line  the  steamboats 
"Delaware"  and  "Camden."  The  former  was  the  second  and  the 
latter  the  fourth  boat  with  these  names.  In  1843,  Israel  English  adver- 
tised that  his  two  boats  would  be  operated  in  the  future  to  Champion's 
Arch  street  ferry. 

In  the  early  days  William  Hope  operated  a  wherry  from  the 
foot  of  Cooper  street  to  the  Philadelphia  shore,  but  whether  as  an 
independent  ferrymaster  or  as  a  boatman  for  English  is  unknown. 
He  was  of  Herculean  proportions  and  had  a  powerful  voice.  It  is 
related  of  him  that,  such  was  the  power  of  his  lungs,  he  could  be 

*  American  Star,  June  19,  1821. 

t  American   Star  and  Rural   Record,   July  16,   1828. 


17 


heard  distinctly,  while  standing  on  the  Camden  bank  of  the  river,  by 
persons  on  the  Pennsylvania  shore,  and  would  shout  to  know  if 
passengers  were  waiting  for  him  and  if  the  response  was  m  the 
affirmative  would  push  his  wherry  across  to  take  his  "fare." 

At  Market  street  there  were  two  landings  and  consequently  it  is 
difficult  to  distinguish  exactly  which  landing  was  used  by  the  several 
ferrymen  at  this  point. 

A  ferry  was  established  by  Abraham  Browning.  Sr.,  at  the  lower 
side  of  Market  street  about  1800,  which  he  operated  for  about  one 
year  and  then  leased  to  others,  the  ferry  taking  the  names  of  its 
successive  lessees.  James  Springer,  who  had  been  conducting  the 
Cooper  street  ierr^  appears  to  have  been  the  first  lessee  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  Peter  Farrow,  Benjamin  Reeve,  Benjamin  Springer  (1820- 
18^9)  Daniel  Browning  (1829-1830),  Wilham  S.  Paul  (1830-1839), 
Thomas  P.  Clement  (1839-1841),  John  Knisell  (1841-1843),  Joshua 
Hollingshead  and  Edward  Browning.  The  latter  managed  the  ferry 
for  the  heirs  of  Abraham  Browning,  Sr.,  until  it  was  taken  over  by  the 
West  Jersey  Ferry  Company. 

During  Benjamin  Springer's  occupancy,  the  Washington  Team 
Boat  Company,  of  which  he  was  treasurer,  operated  the  "Washing- 
ton" and,  from  the  account  books  of  this  company,  recently  unearthed, 
we  learn  that  it  did  a  very  profitable  business.  This  ferry  is  best 
known  as  "Browning's  Ferry,"  "Springer's  Ferry,"  "Paul's  Ferry," 
or  "Middle  Ferry."  There  has  always  been  maintained  a  service  to 
High  (or  Market)  street,  Philadelphia  and  during  the  incumbency 
of  Paul  and  Hollingshead,  also  a  line  to  Callowhill  street.* 

Daniel  Browning,  on  April  21,  1829,t  announced  that  he  had 
leased  the  ferry  formerly  conducted  by  Benjamin  Springer,  and  had 
procured  the  new  steamboat  "The  Camden."  which  would  be  operated 
to  Burr's  ferry  at  the  lower  side  of  Market  street,  Philadelphia. 
Within  six  months,  however,  the  new  proprietor,  on  account  of  ill- 
health,  offered  the  lease  for  sale,  and  on  June  9,  1830,  William  S.  Paul, 
the  father  of  Mrs.  James  S.  Cassady,  became  the  lessee,  and  at  once 
applied  for  a  license  to  keep  a  tavern  in  the  ferry  hotel.  This  license 
was  granted  by  City  Council  on  July  1st.  r  u 

In  an  advertisement  appearing  in  the  "Camden  Mail"  of  March 
15,  1843,  it  was  stated  that  Joshua  Hollingshead,  who  had  succeeded 

^I^ording    to    the    "Village    Herald."    <Woodi™ry)    dated    February    9^^  1^^^^^ 
Pallowhill    Street    Ferry    Company    was    organized    in    1825    with    Jonathan    Kooerts 
PreSt    and'Reese  Morris  arSecretary.     How  «oon  it  began  oPemtion  and  Jo  what 
Inndine-   it   first   ran   is   unknown,    but  from   subsequent   events   it  is   quite    iiKeuy   ina^. 
Benjamin  Springerlooked  after  "its  interest  on  tpC  Camden  side  of  the  river. 

t  American  Star  and  Rural  Record,  Sept.  16,  ll82a. 


18 

to  the  ferry  rights  at  Market  street,  would  operate  two  boats  to  the 
landing  at  the  lower  side  of  Market  street,  Philadelphia,  lately  known 
as  Scattergood's  and  now  controlled  by  Stockton  Brothers,  and  that 
the  steamer  "William  Penn"  would  ply,  as  heretofore,  to  William 
S.  Paul's  at  the  foot  of  Callowhill  street.*  "They  all  land  "end  to" 
instead  of  "side  to,"  as  the  steamers  formerly  did  at  the  lower  side 
of  Market  street." 

Aside  from  the  "team"  and  "horse"  boats,  of  which  their  names 
are  legion,  the  boats  which  have  been  most  noted  in  the  early  days 
are  the  "William  Penn,"  built  in  1839,  the  "Farmer,"!  built  in  1843, 
and  the  "Southwark." 

The  West  Jersey  Ferry  Company  was  incorporated  in  1849,  by 
the  heirs  of  Abraham  Browning,  Sr.,  and  at  once  began  an  aggressive 
movement  to  put  this  ferry  in  first-class  shape,  continuing  to  operate 
a  line  to  Market  street,  Philadelphia,  and  another  to  Callowhill  street 
in  the  Northern  Liberties.  The  incorporation  of  this  company  was 
accomplished  in  spite  of  considerable  opposition  both  from  City 
Council  and  a  large  body  of  citizens.  The  chief  objection  to  the 
charter  was  a  section  giving  authority  to  the  new  company  to  con- 
struct wharves,  slips  and  a  ferry  house  at  the  foot  of  Market  street, 
Camden,  "by  which  the  landing  will  be  rendered  useless  to  the  city." 
This  section  vested  the  title  to  the  foot  of  the  street  in  the  ferry 
company,  although  it  had  up  to  that  time  been  acknowledged  as  be- 
longing to  the  city.  At  that  time,  or  shortly  previous,  the  ferry  house 
was  in  the  old  stone  building  which  formerly  stood  on  the  east  side 
of  Front  street  below  Market  and  the  ferry  landing  midway  between 
Front  street  and  the  present  Delaware  avenue.  The  flats  which  then 
extended  to  within  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  of  Front  street,  were 
filled  up.  Market  street  cut  through  to  the  river's  edge  and  improved 
slips  provided.  This  company  also  built  the  West  Jersey  Hotel,  after 
which  the  old  hotel  on  Front  street  was  abandoned.  In  August, 
1850,  the  proprietors  announced  that  they  would,  during  the  Summer 
and  Fall,  run  an  all-night  boat,  and  was  the  first  one  to  inaugurate  this 
service.  About  1860,  the  land  had  been  filled  up  to  such  an  extent  that 
a  new  ferry  landing  and  ferry  house  was  erected  further  westward. 
This  ferry  house,  which  was  the  first  one  on  this  side  of  the  river 
to  have  a  cover  over  the  entire  ferry  slip,  was  used  until  1876,  when  the 
new  ferry  house,  familiar  to  all  older  residents,  was  rushed  to  comple- 
tion in  anticipation  of  the  travel  to  the  Centennial  Exposition.    One  of 

*  Wm.  S.  Paul  was  granted  a  Tavern  license  by  the  Court  of  General  Quarter 
Sessions  for  the  city  and  county  of  Philadelphia  on  September  24,  1841. 

t  The  American  Eagle,   January  21,   1843, 


19 


the  principal  innovations  in  the  new  ferry  house  was  the  large  clock  in 
the  cupola,  which  was  the  first  large  tower  clock  to  be  installed  in 

Camden. 

In  connection  with  the  improvements  which  the  company  made 
during  the  ''fifties"  was  the  sub-dividing  of  the  ferry  seats  by  means 
of  iron  arms,  to  break  up  the  habit  which  many  of  the  passengers 
had  of  stretching  out  and  taking  comfortable  naps  on  the  seats  during 
the  trip  across  the  river,  and,  in  consequence  of  the  number  of  seats 
occupied,  compelling  other  passengers  to  stand.  A  woman  cor- 
respondent in  one  of  the  "dailies"  in  1858  censured  the  ferry  com- 
pany for  installing  these  "iron  bars"  because  it  prevented  those  women 
who  followed  the  fashion  styles  of  the  times  from  sitting  down  ex- 
cept "at  the  serious  risk  of  the  'hoops'  and  the  entire  frustration  of 
every  gracefulness  of  position." 

In  order  to  attract  and  hold  the  trade  of  the  farmers  coming 
to  market  with  their  produce,  the  West  Jersey  Ferry  Company  opened 
a  "Hay  and  Straw  Market"  on  the  south  side  of  Market  street,  west 
of  Delaware  avenue,  on  January  2,  1871.  This  market  was  in  con- 
stant use  until  1901,  when  it  was  moved  to  the  east  side  of  Delaware 
avenue,  between  Arch  and  Market  streets,  and  finally  abandoned  in 
1917.  In  1883,  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  secured  con- 
trol of  this  ferry  through  the  purchase  of  the  stock  of  the  "Brown- 
ings," Edward  B.  Roberts,  and  James  B.  Dayton,  Esq.,  who  was 
at  the  time  president  of  the  company.  It  was  about  this  time  that 
the  Philadelphia  and  Reading  Railroad  Company  was  making  a  fight 
for  a  share  of  the  Atlantic  City  business,  and  the  Pennsylvania  feared 
the  former  might  secure  the  West  Jersey  Ferry  franchise  for  its 
recently  acquired  Atlantic  City  Railroad. 

When  the  West  Jersey  took  over  the  plant  of  the  "Browning's 
Ferry,"  it  acquired  in  addition  to  the  three  boats  above  named,  the 
old  ferry  house,  or  hotel,  on  Front  street  and  all  the  ground  from 
Front  street  to  the  river,  between  Market  and  George  streets.  This 
company,  during  the  year  1849,  had  built  the  new  boats  "Mariner" 
and  "Merchant,"  the  former  at  the  "dock-yard"  of  William  Cramp 
in  Kensington  and  the  latter  at  Cooper's  Point.*  This  gave  it  a 
fleet  of  five  ferry  boats.  The  "Mariner"  was  burned  at  her  wharf 
in  Camden,  in  1855,  but  during  the  following  year  was  re-built  by 
Captain  John  Bender  and  re-named  the  "Mechanic."  The  "WilHam 
Penn"  was  re-built  in  1857.  The  "Merchant"  was  in  actual  service 
until  1865,  when  she  was  taken  off  the  line  and  kept  in  reserve.    The 


*  The  West  Jerseyman,  August  22.  1849. 


20 

second  "Mariner"  was  built  in  1862,  and  was  at  the  time  the  largest 
ferry-boat  on  the  Delaware.  During  the  Rebellion  she  was  sold  to 
the  Government  and  used  to  carry  troops  in  the  vicinity  of  Washing- 
ton and  finally,  about  1881,  was  sunk  in  Chesapeake  Bay.  Following 
these  came  the  "West  Jersey,"  launched  on  September  27,  1864,  and 
the  "America,"  which  was  built  on  the  flats  then  north  of  Market 
street,  midway  between  Front  street  and  Delaware  avenue,  and 
launched  July  11,  1868.  The  "America"  with  the  "Mechanic"  and 
"West  Jersey"  constituted  the  equipment  until  the  advent  of  the  newer 
and  more  pretentious  boats  with  which  we  are  now  familiar.  The 
"Columbia"  was  built  in  1876,  the  "Arctic"  in  1879,  and  the  "Baltic" 
in  1881. 

About  1819  there  was  also  a  ferry  house  on  the  northwest  corner 
of  Front  and  Market  streets.  This  ferry  was  operated  by  Randall 
Sparks  and  was  known  as  "Sparks'  Ferry."  Sparks,  in  an  advertise- 
ment in  the  "Gloucester  Farmer,  dated  April  27,  1819,* 

"informs  his  friends  and  patrons  that  he  has  opened  a  New 
Ferry  in  Market  street  near  the  Bank  in  Camden,  where  the  best 
liquors  and  provender  for  man  and  beast  shall  always  be  in 
readiness  with  the  most  competent  hostlers  and  best  ferrymen." 

The  landing  on  the  Philadelphia  side  was  at  the  "Old  Ferry,"t  below 
Arch  street,  kept  by  Green  and  Anderson,  and  they  announced  in 
September,  1819,t  that  they  would  continue  to  carry  passengers  at 
6%  cents.  There  does  not  appear  to  be  any  information  available 
as  to  the  names  of  the  boats  operated,  but  they  were  most  likely  of  the 
team-boat  and  horse-boat  class.  § 

When  Joseph  Latuorno  established  Vauxhall  Garden,  in  1818,  he 
ran  a  boat  called  the  "Minette"  for  about  one  year,  from  the  upper 
side  of  Market  street,  Camden,  to  the  "Old  Slip"  between  Market 
and  Arch  streets,  Philadelphia,  for  the  accommodation  of  his  patrons. 
When  the  traffic  warranted,  this  boat  was  operated  during  the  even- 
ings, which  was  a  decided  innovation,  as  all  of  the  regular  ferry  lines 
ceased  operation  at  sun  down. 

The  ferry  at  the  foot  of  Federal  street  was  started  by  Daniel 
Cooper  about  1764,  shortly  after  he  had  received  one  hundred  acres 
of  land  along  the  river  from  his  father,  William  Cooper,  of  Phila- 

*  See  also  "ad"  of  the  same  date  in   "The  Gloucester  Farmer"   of  July  28,  1819. 

t  This  slip  was  called  also  Rawle's  or  Peel's  ferry  landing. 

t  "The  Gloucester  Farmer"  of  Sept.  10,  1819. 

§  It  was  at  a  meeting  held  at  Randall  Sparks'  ferry  house  on  December  10,  1819, 
that  the  people  of  Camden  first  publicly  expressed  their  opinion  on  the  slavery  ques- 
tion. The  resolutions  adopted  endorsed  the  limiting  of  the  extension  of  slavery  and 
prohibiting  its  introduction  into  any  new  States  which  might  thereafter  be  admitted 
into  the  Union. 


21 


delphia.   He  built  the  brick  building  later  known  as  "Toy's,"  ''Cake's," 
or  "Parsons"  Hotel,  and  for  many  years  used  as  a  ferry  house.    Daniel 
being  a  strict  Quaker  refused  to  permit  the  sale  of  liquor  in  his  hotel. 
It  was  the  only  temperance  hotel,  during  his  day,  along  the  river  front. 
This  was  an  unheard  of  innovation,  for  at  that  time,  drinkmg  was 
almost  universal,  and  his  adherence  to  this  policy  called  down  on  him 
much  adverse  criticism  from  the  travelers  and  stage  drivers.     From 
Daniel  the  property  passed  to  his  son,  Joshua,  about  1770,  who  con- 
ducted it  until  1803  or  1804.     It  was  then  leased  to  Richard  Thorne 
"for  a  term  of  eight  years"  and  at  the  expiration  of  the  lease  Joshua 
Cooper  placed  its  management  in  the  hands  of  his   son,  William. 
About  this  time  it  got  the  name  of  "Lower  Billy's  Ferry,"  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  "Upper  Billy's"  at  Cooper's  Point.     Some  time  prior 
to  1820  the  property  was  sold  to  John  Wessel,*  who  a  few  years  later 
conveyed  it  to  his  son,  Samuel  D.  Wessel,  and  from  the  latter  the 
title  passed  to  Jacob  Ridgway  in  1832.     Under  the  Wessel  owner- 
ship the  ferry  was  run  by  Joseph  Wilde,  Benjamin  Reeves,  English 
&  Wessel  and  Isaiah  Toy.     Of  the  former  little  is  known  except 
that  his  boats  were  all  of  the  "team  boat"  class.     When  Benjamin 
Reeves  moved  from  the  Cooper  street  ferry,  about  1820,  he  took  with 
him  the  steamboats  "Lehigh"  and  "Benjamin  Rush."     The  former 
sank  suddenly  at  her  dock  at  Federal  street  after  landing  a  large 
load  of  passengers,  but  was  subsequently  raised  and  operated. 

There  has  been  much  confusion  regarding  the  two  Reeves— Ben- 
jamin and  Isaac.  According  to  the  Philadelphia  Directory  of  1821, 
Benjamin  Reeves  was  at  that  time  located  in  Camden,  while  in 
1830  he  is  listed  as  at  Market  street  wharf,  Philadelphia.  Isaac 
Reeves  is  given  as  the  proprietor  of  the  old  Market  street  ferry  house, 
Philadelphia,  the  same  year.  In  1838,  Joseph  Cooper,  formerly  of 
Cape  May,  announced  that  he  had  become  proprietor  of  the  recently 
completed  Ridgway  House  at  Market  street  and  Delaware  avenue, 
Philadelphia,  "on  the  site  of  the  old  ferry  house,  known  as  Reeves' 

Ferry." 

In  March,  1828,  Samuel  D.  Wessel  offered  "A  VALUABLE 
ESTABLISHED  FERRY"  for  sale,t  stating  that  "it  was  formerly 
known  as  'Reeves'  and  'English's'  ferry  and  now  by  name  of 
'Wessel's,'  ferry  and  at  present  occupied  by  Isaiah  Toy."  The  ferry 
equipment  consisted  of  two  steamboats,  besides  horse-boats  and 
wherries  and  was  operating   from  Federal   street,   Camden,   to  the 

*  John  Wessel  was  born  in  1772  and  died  in  1827.  Together  with  his  wife,  Eleanor 
who  died  in  1798  at  the  age  of  28  years,  he  was  buried  in  the  Wood  Burying  Ground 
near  the  old  Pavonia  Water  Works. 

t  American  Star  and  Rural  Record,.  July  16,  1828. 


22 

landing  at  the  upper  side  of  Market  street,  Philadelphia,  formerly 
kept  by  Benjamin  Reeves  and  later  by  Isaac  Reeves.  The  property 
to  be  included  in  the  sale  "consisted  of  a  large  three-story  brick  dwell- 
ing and  ferry-house,  a  convenient  two-story  back  building  and  kitchen, 
together  with  a  large  garden,  pleasure  yard,  stable  and  out  building" 
("Parson's  Hotel"),  Isaiah  Toy  took  the  management  of  this  ferrv 
in  March,   1828.* 

Benjamin  Reeves  and  Isaiah  Toy  were  partners  in  the  ferry  and 
hotel  business  from  1828  to  1835,  the  former  conducting  the  hotel 
at  the  upper  side  of  Market  street,  Philadelphia,  while  the  latter  kept 
the  hotel,  subsequently  known  as  Parson's  Hotel,  at  the  foot  of 
Federal  street.  In  1828,  they  built  the  "William  Wray"t  and  "Phila- 
delphia" (nicknamed  the  "Old  Philly"$).  John  Knisell,  who  suc- 
ceeded Isaiah  Toy  in  1838,  continued  to  operate  both  the  "Public 
House  and  Ferry"  until  1840  or  1841,  having,  in  the  meantime  formed 
a  partnership  with  Isaac  Reeves,  who  controlled  the  ferry  house  and 
landing  at  the  upper  side  of  Market  street,  Philadelphia.  Reeves  & 
Knisell,  in  December,  1839,  advertised  under  the  caption  "Winter 
Ferrying,"  that  "they  had  placed  the  powerful  Winter  boat,  the 
"Hornet,"  at  their  ferry  between  Camden  and  the  upper  side  of 
Market  street,  and  having  completed  every  other  requisite  arrange- 
ment to  ensure  a  safe  as  well  as  a  speedy  passage  across  the  river 
during  the  ice  season,  they  flatter  themselves  that  they  will  be  thereby 
enabled  to  afford  the  most  complete  accommodation  to  every  descrip- 
tion of  passengers." 

The  Camden  and  Philadelphia  Steamboat  Ferry  Company  was 
incorporated  on  March  5,  1836,  by  Joseph  Kaighn,  Samuel  Laning, 
Gideon  V.  Stivers,  John  W.  Mickle,  Richard  Fetters,  Samuel  Harris, 
Isaac  Vansciver,  Isaac  Cole  and  William  Carman,  who  also  con- 
stituted its  first  board  of  directors.  Among  the  provisions  of  its 
charter  were:  (a),  that  a  line  of  boats  between  Camden  and  Phila- 
delphia was  to  be  kept  running  all  the  year;  (b),  that  the  rate  of 
fare  for  each  passenger  in  the  Spring,  Summer  and  Fall  should  not 
exceed  five  cents  on  the  steamboats,  or  ten  cents  in  wherries,  and 
maximum  rates  to  be  charged  for  wagons,  and  sundry  articles  of 
freight  should  not  exceed  those  specified  in  the  act,   and  that  the 

*  New  Jersey  Chronicle,   Mt.   Holly,  April  7,   1828. 

t  William  Wray  was  the  owner  of  the  hotel  and  ferry  house  at  the  foot  of  Market 
Street  (north  side),  Philadelphia.  His  estate  sold  this  property  to  Isaac  Reeves  in 
March,  1835,  for  $60,000.  He  was  a  very  popular  grocer  who  had  a  store  in  1801  at 
5,   7  and  11   Market  Street,   Philadelphia. 

t  The  "Philadelphia"  was  in  constant  service  until  about  1846,  and  during  its 
last  years  was,  on  account  of  its  dilapidated  condition,  the  target  for  much  complaint, 
and  the  company  censured  for  allowing  the  old  and  inefficient  boat  on  the  ferry  line. 


23 

Winter  rates  should  not  exceed  double  these  rates;  (c),  that  the  City 
of  Camden  should  have  the  right  to  subscribe  to  one  hundred  shares 
of  the  capital  stock  of  the  company  and,  if  the  town  meeting  accepted 
this  provision,  the  city  was  authorized  to  select  one  of  the  nine  direc- 
tors of  the  corporation;  (d),  that  the  franchise  unless  renewed  by  the 
Legislature  was  void  after  thirty  years. 

The  City  of  Camden  at  a  special  Town  Meeting,  held  on  August 
4,  1836,  voted  against  accepting  the  right  to  subscribe  to  the  capital 
stock,  the  resolution  to  this  end  being  offered  by  Philip  J.  Gray,  of  the 
"Camden  Mail."  The  Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad  Company,  in 
1837  or  '38,  subscribed  to  1,271  shares  at  a  par  value  of  $63,550, 
paying  for  it  by  transferring  its  boats,  the  "States  Rights"  and  "John 
Fitch,"  the  tavern  house,  known  as  "Railroad  Hotel,"  and  later  as 
"Elwell's  Hotel,"  together  with  the  slips  and  docks,  and  a  number 
of  lots  adjoining  the  ferry.  From  the  transportation  standpoint  the 
principal  assets  in  this  deal  were  the  two  ferry  boats,  which  had 
been  built  by  the  Camden  and  Amboy  to  convey  its  train  passengers 
across  the  river.  The  "States  Rights"  was  a  very  powerful  boat,  con- 
structed especially  to  carry  out  the  charter  provision  to  maintain  a 
Winter  service,  and  soon  became  known  as  the  "Ice  Breaker,"  because 
of  its  ability  to  plow  through  the  heavy  fields  of  ice  during  the  time 
of  the  year  that  the  other  steamboats  were  compelled  to  stop  running. 
During  the  period  just  preceding  the  Civil  War,  the  name  was  changed 
to  the  "United  States  Rights." 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  new  ferry  company,  the  railroad 
entered  into  a  contract  with  it  for  the  transportation  of  train  pas- 
sengers and  certain  classes  of  freight  across  the  river.  For  each  train 
passenger,  the  ferry  company  was  to  be  paid  five  cents  in  Summer  and 
ten  cents  in  Winter,  while  for  every  hundred  pounds  of  freight  carried 
between  Camden  and  Philadelphia  the  rate  was  six  cents. 

The  Camden  and  Philadelphia  Steamboat  Company  began  opera- 
tions in  May,  1838,  having  its  termini  at  Bridge  avenue,  Camden,  and 
just  below  Chestnut  street,  Philadelphia.  About  two  years  later, 
through  a  special  act  of  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature  (April  11, 
1840),  the  company  was  authorized  to  hold  real  estate  in  Philadel- 
phia not  exceeding  an  assessed  valuation  of  $200,000  (increased  to 
$300,000  in  1843),  and  immediately  purchased  the  Lafayette  Block 
at  the  foot  of  Walnut  street.  Reserving  enough  land  for  a  ferry 
building  and  hotel,  the  Ferry  Company  transferred  the  balance  of  the 
land  to  the  Camden  and  Amboy  for  a  freight  station.  The  hotel 
was  long  known  as  "Bloodgood's,"  and  until  1862,  the  parlor  of  the 


24 

hotel  was  used  as  the  waiting  room  for  the  railroad  passengers.  In 
the  latter  year  a  waiting  room  was  erected  on  the  Walnut  street  wharf. 

When  the  new  company  took  hold  of  the  ferry  it  found  that 
the  long  detours  necessary  to  get  around  Windmill  Island,*  which  lay 
in  the  mid-channel  directly  between  its  landings  on  the  Camden  and 
Philadelphia  sides,  was  a  serious  handicap  to  quick  transportation  of 
the  train  passengers.  On  February  14,  1838,  the  Pennsylvania  Legis- 
lature granted  the  Ferry  Company  the  right  to  cut  a  canal  across 
the  island,  the  lower  part  of  which,  thereafter,  was  known  as  Wind- 
mill Island,  while  the  upper  portion  was  called  Smith's  Island,  after 
a  family  by  that  name  who  had  long  owned  it,  and  later  was  known 
as  Ridgway  Park.  Work  on  this  project  was  commenced  under  the 
supervision  of  Charles  Loss,  as  engineer,  in  1838,  and  entirely  com- 
pleted during  March,  1840,  although  it  had  been  used  by  boats  of 
the  Federal  street  line  in  October,  1839.  The  act  provided  that  when 
the  canal  was  completed  and  made  navigable,  it  should  be  a  public 
highway,  subject  to  toll-charges  to  be  fixed  by  the  County  Board  of 
Philadelphia,  the  company  being  required  to  file  with  the  County 
Commissioners  of  Philadelphia  a  detailed  account  of  the  cost  of  con- 
struction within  sixty  days  after  it  was  opened  for  navigation. 
Formal  announcement  of  the  opening  of  the  canal  was  withheld  by 
the  company,  with  the  object  of  preventing  its  use  by  the  boats  of 
rival  ferries,  thus  making  it  more  difficult  and  expensive  for  them 
to  operate.  To  further  cripple  its  rivals,  the  Camden  and  Philadel- 
phia Steamboat  Ferry  Company,  in  1852,  reduced  the  ferry  fare  to 
three  cents,  compelling  the  others  to  follow  suit,  even  though  they 
could  ill  afford  the  cut.  This  rate  continued  until  the  settlement  of 
the  Windmill  Canal  controversy,  when  the  fare  was  again  put  back 
to  five  cents. t  Charges  and  counter  charges  were  made  by  the  rival 
factions  in  the  canal  controversy  and  the  papers  of  that  day  were  filled 
with  advertisements  and  communications  setting  forth  the  claims 
of  the  two  companies  most  directly  interested. 

The  West  Jersey  Ferry  Company  waited  until  1852  for  the  required 
public  announcement,  and  then,  under  advice  of  Abraham  Browning, 
began  operating  their  boats  through  the  canal,  leaving  the  question 
of  toll  charges  to  be  fought  out  later.  This  resulted  in  a  law  suit 
which  was  settled  January  2,  1854,  through  an  agreement  whereby 
the  Camden  and  Philadelphia  Steamboat  Ferry  Company  conveyed 

*  Windmill  Island  was  in  the  early  days  merely  a  shoal  reaching  from  Cooper's 
Point  southward.  The  lower  portion  by  accretions  gradually  became  high  land,  and 
in  1746  Harding  and  Son  erected  a  hexagonal  windmill  on  it  and  from  this  fact  it 
took  its  name. 

t  The   Constitution,   Woodbury,    Dec.    21,    1852. 


To  Huarlerly   Pansengen's 

AT    THE 

CAMDEN  FERRIES 


The  Ferry  Masters  have  fouud  it  iirressarj  to  a<loi>t  the  followihg 
Regulations,  which  will  be  strictly  adhered  to,  viz : 

Cluarterly  Passengers  will  he  changed  One  Dollar  each ;  the  quarters 
beginning  on  the 

1st  SEPTEMBER,  [         1st  MJ^RCH, 

1st  DECEMBER,  |         1st  JUNE. 

I\o  reduction  will  be  made  for  a  fractional  part  of  s  quarter,  and  no 
ticket  will  be  sold  for  less  than  one  doUaiv. 

Persona,  therefore,  wishing  the  fn|l  benefit  of  crossing  quarterly, 
should  apply  on  the  first  of  the  quarter. 

Btj  order  of  the  ferry  •Ifasfers. 

Camden,  Sept.  1,1844. 


Printcjl  bj  P  J.  GRAY,  at  the  officr  of  the  -Caiiiden  Mail' 


^rtbrjru  and  ftttp 

TflE  Sobsr.riber    begs  leave    to  inform  his 
tricndi*  »ud  the  public  in  general,  that  he 
has  taken  the 

FERRY    ESTABLISHMENT 
AT  OAIMCDEN, 

Formerly  occupied  by  Bknjamiw  Rf.evf.h,  and 
lately  bv  .foserH  En'olisb  and  Samuel  1).  Was 
SF.L,  and  which  is  connected  by 

.;  LIJ^F.  OF  STEAM  BOATS, 
With  the  Ferry  now  occupierl  by  ISAAC' 
HKKV  ES,  on  the  upper  side  of  Mkiket-stieet, 
Philadelphia,  where  it  his  determination  by  a 
strict  nnd  constantj  attention,  to  afford  every 
accommodation  and  satisfection  to  tl»ose  who 
m:>y  favour  him  with  their  custom. 

ISAIAH  TOY. 

March  22d  1828--26  -tf 
{;^  The  C^tusew;iy  and  Bridge  over  Newton 
creek,  are  again  passable. 


VILLAGE  HERALD  X  WEEKLY  ADVERTISER 


^RS  AT 


UCTIO 


irrirf^ifir^ 


GftiHF  subscribers  give  notice  to  the  public,  that  they  have 
iX  reducRd  the  ferriage  on  board  their  boats  plying  between 
the  Upper  Side  of  Market  Street  and  Camdek,  to  the 
following  rates — 

Two  cents  for  eachjnot  passenger,  and' 
Twelve  and  a-half  cents  for  Carriages  of  every  de- 
scription. 
The  public  may  depend  upon  every  attention  at  our  Ferry, 
nnd  should  a  further  reduction  of  rates  take  place,  they  may 
depend  upon  our  services  at  the  clieapest  of  those  who  may  be 

cheapest. 

REEVES  &  KNISELL. 

Camden,  April  6,  l840--8lf  

■  '  ~  CAMDEN     HAIL 


25 


to  the  West  Jersey  Ferry  Company  a  one-half  interest  in  the  canal 
and  the  franchise  pertaining  thereto,  upon  the  latter  paying  its  portion 
of  the  cost.  By  a  joint  deed  delivered  April  21,  1894,  the  companies, 
now  both  controlled  by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company,  conveyed 
all  of  their  rights  in  this  canal  to  the  Federal  Government,  then  about 
to  begin  the  removal  of  the  islands  through  which  it  passed. 

With  the  advent  of  the  Camden  and  Philadelphia  Steamboat  Ferry 
Company,  an  aggressive  campaign  was  begun  by  it  to  secure  a 
monopoly  of  the  ferry  business  between  the  two  cities.  A  public 
announcement  was  made  that  it  had  commenced  operating  boats 
between  Walnut  street.  Philadelphia,  and  their  wharf  in  Camden,  at 
the  "Reduced  rates  of  Fare  contained  in  their  Charter."  This  re- 
duction was  immediately  met  by  the  old  ferry  masters  and  a  bitter 
"rate  war"  was  started.  Notices  of  reduction  in  ferriage  appeared 
in  rapid  succession.  In  April.  1840,  Reeves  &  Knisell,  for  the  ferry 
between  Federal  street  and  the  upper  side  of  Market  street,  Philadel- 
phia, and  Israel  English,  Thomas  P.  Clements  and  Hudson  Burr  for 
the  ferries  from  Market  and  Cooper  streets,  Camden,  to  the  lower 
side  of  Market  street,  Philadelphia,  advertised  that  the  rate  of  ferriage 
would  be  "two  cents  for  each  passenger"  and  "twelve  and  one-half 
cents  for  carriages  of  every  kind"  and  on  June  3,  1840,  Reeves  & 
Knisell  made  a  further  reduction  as  follows :  "Each  waggon  drawn 
by  one  or  more  horses,  loaded  or  unloaded,  five  cents." 

As  a  further  means  of  curbing  the  activities  of  the  new  competitor, 
the  old  ferries,  in  1838.  refused  to  accept  the  "quarterly  tickets"  of 
the  Camden  and  Philadelphia  Ferry.  This  was  in  direct  conflict  with 
the  long  established  custom  of  carrying  each  other's  "quarterly  pas- 
sengers" free  of  charge,  and  brought  forth  a  bitter  reply  in  the  news- 
papers from  the  new  company.* 

In  order  to  eliminate  this  competition,  which  threatened  to  make 
the  operation  of  the  Camden  and  Philadelphia  Steamboat  Ferry  Com- 
pany unprofitable,  an  offer  was  made  by  it  to  Jacob  Ridgway  for 
the  purchase  of  the  ferry  houses  and  equipment  owned  by  him, 
which  at  that  time  was  one  of  the  two  most  formidable  competitors. 

^A^ording  to  an  advertisement  in  the  West  Jersey  Press  of  May  ^4,  1865.  tbe 
rates  of  ferrule  on  all  of  the  ferries  to  Philadelphia  on  and  after  June  would  be  as 

follows:                                                ,   ,^  Cf. 

Regular  fare  for  each  adult  passenger o^ 

For  each  child  between  4  and  12  years  of  age........ y'-'^ 

Package   ticiiets,    34  passages  on  day  and  night  boats  and  good  ^^ 

Six  months   commutation '  tickets,'  on   day   boats   only,   and   good 

only  on   the  ferry   issuing  the  same *o-"" 

The  rate  of  fare  on  all  the  ferry  boats  between  Camden  and  Philadelphia  w^^^^ 
on  January  1,  1880,  reduced  to  three  cents  a  trip,  or  nine  tickets  fo^  twe"tf-n^^  ^^fjf- 
On  August  26  1920!  the  fare  was  raised  to  four  cents  a  trip,  or  eight  tickets  for  thirty 
cents. 


26 

This  purchase  took  place  in  August,  1840,  and  included  the  ferry 
property  and  tavern  houses  at  Market  street  and  at  Arch  street, 
Philadelphia,  as  well  as  the  ferry  hotel,  landing  and  other  property 
at  Federal  street,  Camden,  involving  an  expenditure  of  about  three 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  There  was  also  included  in  the  sale,  the 
tavern  property  at  Bloomsbury  (South  Trenton),  the  steamboat 
"Hornet"  as  well  as  the  steamboats  "William  Wray"  and  "Philadel- 
phia," operated  by  Reeves  and  Knisell,  who  were  tenants  of  Ridg- 
way. 

With  the  purchase  of  the  various  Ridgway  properties  the  in- 
dividual ferrymen  were  put  out  of  business.  The  ferry  hotel  was 
conducted  by  various  proprietors  and  the  ferry  itself  was  frequently 
known  by  the  name  of  the  tavern-keeper.  Knisell  was  the  last  of  the 
proprietors  of  the  ferry  hotel,  who  was  also  interested  in  the  operation 
of  the  ferry  boats.  He  was  succeeded  in  March,  1841,  by  R.  C.  Cake 
as  proprietor  of  the  hotel,  but  the  latter  did  not  have  any  part  in  the 
running  of  the  boats,  notwithstanding  the  location  was  for  some  time 
known  as  "Cake's  Ferry." 

All  of  these  improvements  and  expenditures  had  been  such  a  heavy 
drain  on  the  resources  of  the  ferry  company  that  no  dividends  were 
paid  until  about  1849.  In  that  year  those  stockholders  who  were 
not  interested  in  the  railroad  company,  which  was  particularly  bene- 
fited by  the  several  outlays,  demanded  some  returns  on  their  invest- 
ment, and  finally  an  arrangement  was  made  whereby  a  dividend  of 
five  dollars  a  share  was  declared.  In  order  to  meet  this  payment,  and 
to  convert  into  cash  a  portion  of  the  non-productive  assets,  the  Ferry 
Company  began  to  gradually  dispose  of  some  of  its  property.  In 
1850,  it  sold  back  to  the  railroad  company  the  "Railroad  Hotel"  and 
to  numerous  citizens,  lots  adjacent  to  the  ferry  house. 

In  Camden,  the  regular  landing  for  all  except  train  passengers 
was  soon  changed  to  the  north  side  of  Federal  street,  the  slips  being 
located  midway  between  Front  street  and  the  present  Delaware  ave- 
nue. The  landing  at  the  old  railroad  dock  on  the  north  line  of  Bridge 
avenue  was  now  only  used  when  trains  arrived  or  departed.  At  the 
foot  of  Federal  street  there  was  a  wharf  called  the  "Long  Wharf," 
which  was  used  by  the  boats  when  the  tide  was  too  low  for  them  to 
come  to  the  regular  landing. 

In  1863,  the  Ferry  Company  began  making  an  extensive  "fill"  at 
the  foot  of  Federal  street,  by  which  the  street  was  extended  four 
hundred  feet  westward.  Upon  the  land  so  reclaimed,  a  new  ferry 
house  and  slips  were  built,  which,  with  minor  changes,  were  used  until 


27 

the  present  ferry  house  was  completed.  The  work  on  the  ferry  build- 
ing in  Camden,  now  in  use,  was  started  in  January,  1900,  and  the 
structure  and  adjacent  slips  finished  and  used  for  the  first  time  on 
June  24,  1901.  The  Philadelphia  landing  was  retained  at  Walnut 
street  until  1872,  when  a  ferry  house  was  built  at  the  upper  side  of 
Market  street. 

The  original  ferry  equipment,  consisting  of  the  "States  Rights," 
"William  Wray,"  "Philadelphia"  and  "John  Fitch,"  was  soon  fol- 
lowed by  the  "Camden,"  the  fifth  boat  of  this  name,  built  in  1844 
or  1845,  at  the  shops  of  "Camden  Iron  Boat  and  Steam  Boiler 
Works"  of  Jesse  W.  Starr,  then  located  on  Bridge  avenue  below 
Second  street,  adjoining  the  depot  of  the  Camden  and  Amboy  Rail- 
road. Her  engines  and  boilers  were  taken  out  of  the  old  "Philadel- 
phia." She  was  the  second  iron  boat  built  on  the  Delaware  river, 
the  first  one  being  the  "Appoquinnock,"  constructed  in  1843.  When 
the  "Camden"  was  launched  some  of  the  older  people  asserted  that 
she  would  go  to  the  bottom — that  her  hull  could  not  float,  and  many 
of  those  daring  enough  to  stay  on  board  during  the  launching  put  on 
life  preservers.  The  next  addition  to  the  fleet  was  the  ill-fated  "New 
Jersey,"  built  about  1836  for  Robert  W.  Sykes,  after  he  had  pur- 
chased the  Gloucester  Ferry,  and  sold  by  him  to  the  Federal  Street 
Ferry,  because  she  was  too  small  for  the  Gloucester  line. 

The  ferry  boat  "New  Jersey"  was  run  between  Federal  street, 
Camden,  and  Walnut  street,  Philadelphia,  for  a  number  of  years.  On 
Saturday,  March  15,  1856,  she  was  running  as  a  night  boat  on  this 
line  and  left  the  Walnut  street  wharf  about  8  P.  M.  The  river  was 
full  of  heavy  floating  ice  and  she  had  a  hard  time  to  make  the  canal 
between  the  two  islands.  While  in  the  canal  the  boat  was  discovered 
to  be  on  fire  and  the  crew  then  endeavored  to  run  back  to  the  slip 
at  Walnut  street.  The  boat  got  out  of  the  canal,  the  fire,  in  the 
meantime,  burning  fiercely,  but  the  tide  swept  her  up-stream  and  the 
captain  then  headed  under  full  steam  for  Arch  street  wharf.  She 
just  touched  the  wharf  when  pilot  house  and  engine  room  burst  into 
flames,  compelling  the  engineer  and  pilot  to  leave  their  posts  and 
spreading  consternation  and  terror  among  the  passengers.  Before 
the  boat  could  be  made  fast  to  the  wharf  she  was  caught  by  the  ice 
floes  and,  being  unmanageable,  was  carried  out  into  mid-stream  head- 
ing towards  the  opposite  shore,  the  people,  in  the  meantime,  trying 
to  save  themselves  by  jumping  on  cakes  of  ice,  or  into  the  water. 
The  boat  finally  sunk  in  the  New  Jersey  channel  opposite  Pearl  street. 

There  were  over  one  hundred  passengers  aboard  when  the  boat 


28 

left  Walnut  street,  of  whom  over  sixty  were  drowned  or  burned 
to  death.  Of  those  who  were  saved  many  suffered  untold  hardships 
before  rescuing  parties  could  reach  them.  Mourning  reigned  through- 
out the  city  as  the  bodies  of  the  victims  were  slowly  recovered. 

The  action  of  the  State  authorities,  in  connection  with  the  burn- 
ing of  the  "New  Jersey,"  brought  out  very  strongly  the  agreement 
of  1783  between  the  States  of  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  wherein 
it  was  provided  that  in  criminal  cases  the  offenders  were  to  be  tried 
in  the  State  in  which  first  arrested,  or  prosecuted.  The  directors  and 
officers  of  the  ferry  company  were  promptly  placed  under  arrest  by 
the  Prosecutor  of  Camden  County,  who  had  been  appointed  to  this 
office  through  the  influence  of  those  connected  with  the  railroad. 
These  officials  thus  came  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  New  Jersey 
State  Courts.  Inquests  were  held  by  the  Coroner's  juries  for  both 
Philadelphia  and  Camden,  the  verdict  of  the  former  being  that  the 
deaths  were  the  result  of  criminal  negligence  on  the  part  of  the  com- 
pany in  operating  a  boat  that  was  entirely  unfit  for  the  transportation 
of  passengers,  while  the  Camden  jury  practically  exonerated  these  of- 
ficials. These  diverse  verdicts  led  to  a  wordy  controversy  in  the  news- 
papers and  to  the  publication  of  several  pamphlets  on  the  subject,  one 
in  particular,  entitled,  "Startling  Truths  Relating  to  the  Burning  of  the 
'New  Jersey,'  "  being  extremely  severe  on  the  officers  and  directors  of 
the  ferry  company.  The  Grand  Jury  of  Camden  County  refused,  how- 
ever, to  return  any  indictments  in  the  case.  This  catastrophe  proved 
a  serious  set-back  to  the  growth  of  Camden  and  caused  a  material, 
though  temporary,  decline  in  local  real  estate  values. 

The  next  boats  were  the  "Mary"  and  "Dido,"  built  between  the 
years  1851  and  1853.  They  were,  at  the  time,  the  finest  boats  on  the 
river  and  a  considerable  improvement  over  their  predecessors.  The 
"Mary"  was  re-built  in  1862  and  lengthened  to  223  feet.  The 
"Dido"  was  equipped  with  a  steam  "calliope,"  which  it  was  soon 
found  necessary  to  remove  because  the  shrill  noises  frightened  the 
horses  on  board.  The  "Delaware,"  built  in  1864,  was  the  next  ad- 
dition to  the  fleet.  This  boat  was  re-built  in  1875-76  and  provided 
with  an  upper  deck  and  cabin,  after  the  plan  of  the  ferry  boats  in 
the  New  York  Harbor.  The  second  cabin,  proving  unsuited  for  local 
travel,  was  removed  in  1878.  The  next  boats  were  the  "Philadelphia" 
and  "Camden,"  built  in  1866;  the  "Pennsylvania,"  launched  in  1874; 
the  "Beverly"  and  "Wenonah,"  built  in  1882;  the  "Camden,"  built  in 
1896;  the  "Hammonton,"  built  in  1906;  the  "Wildwood,"  put  into 
service  in  1911;  the  "Salem"  and  "Bridgeton,"  built  in  1913. 


29 

Under  an  agreement  dated  January  2,  1899,  and  filed  on  April  1, 
1899,  both  the  Camden  and  Philadelphia  Steamboat  Ferry  Company 
and  the  West  Jersey  Ferry  Company  were  merged  into  the  Phila- 
delphia and  Camden  Ferry  Company,  but  the  lines  were  operated 
separately  until  January  23,   1901.* 

There  was  still  another  ferry  landing  at  Federal  street,  prior  to 
1800,  which  was  known  as  "Wright's,"  or  the  "Lower  Ferry."  This 
was  established  by  Joseph  Wright,  of  Philadelphia,  in  1786,  and 
ran  from  Robert  Wain's  Wharf,  below  the  Drawbridge,  stopping  at 
Windmill  Island  where  the  promoter  had  erected  a  half-way  house 
and  announced  that  "passengers  would  always  meet  with  a  hearty 
welcome  and  a  hospitable  fire  in  the  cold  season  to  warm  and  refresh 
themselves,  while  w^aiting  for  an  opportunity  of  evading  those  large 
fields  of  ice  which  generally  float  up  and  down  with  the  tide  and 
obstruct  the  passage  during  the  winter."  Little  else  seems  to  be 
known  about  this  ferry. 

In  1765,  Arthur  Donaldson,  brother-in-law  of  Joseph  Kaighn,  an- 
nounced that  he  had  opened  a  ferry  to  accommodate  "all  Gentlemen, 
Travellers,  etc.,  passing  from  Point  Pleasantf  in  New  Jersey,  to 
Philadelphia,  and  the  District  of  Southwark,  opposite  to  it.  This 
ferry  was  operated  in  conjunction  with  the  tavern  or  inn  of  Margaret 
Donaldson,  known  as  the  "Sign  of  Admiral  Keppele,"  located  between 
Old  Swedes'  Church  and  the  fort  on  the  river.  In  1767,  Arthur 
DonaldsonJ  offered  for  sale  a  valuable  water  lot  and  wharf  "in  the 
District  of  Southwark"  and  said  that  "it  is  very  convenient  whereon 
to  erect  a  Ferry  (for  which  it  is  now  used),  it  being  opposite  the  ferry 
lately  erected  in  New  Jersey."  How  long  this  ferry  was  continued, 
the  records  do  not  disclose,  but  from  subsequent  events  it  was  prob- 
ably abandoned  at  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution,  and  for  the  next 
thirty-five  years  this  section  of  the  present  Camden  was  without  any 
regular  ferry  accommodations. 

The  first  regular  ferry  to  be  continuously  operated  from  Kaighn- 
ton  to  Philadelphia  was  established  by  Joseph  Kaighn  in  1809,  when 
he  placed  a  passenger  boat  in  service.  About  the  same  time,  he 
leased  the  old  house  at  the  southeast  corner  of   Front  street  and 


*  As  indicating  the  growtli  of  the  ferry  traffic,  the  following  figures  quoted  from 
"The   New   Republic"    are    interesting: 

The  Camden  and  Philadelphia  Steamboat  Feri-y  Co.  carried  in  1867,  2,200,000 
passengers,    including  passengers   on   the   West   Jersey  and   Pemberton   trains. 

The  West  Jersey  Perry  Co.  in  the  same  period  carried  740,726  passengers. 

The  Cooper's  Point  Ferry  carried  202,262  passengers  including  those  for  the  At- 
lantic City  trains. 

These   figures  are   exclusive  of   the   free   passengers   carried. 

t  Point  Pleasant  was  another  name  for  what  is  to-day  known  as  Kaighn's  Point. 

t  The  Pennsylvania  Chronicle,  June  1,  1767. 


30 

Kaighn  avenue  to  Christopher  Medara,  who  estabHshed  therein 
the  "South  Ferry  Hotel."  It  is  not  definitely  known  whether  Me- 
dara had  any  direct  interest  in  the  operation  of  the  ferry,  but  from 
the  fact  that  the  subsequent  lease  of  the  ferry  privilege  was  made  by 
Joseph  Kaighn  it  is  to  be  assumed  that  Medara's  interest  therein  was 
merely  nominal,  if  any.  The  landing  in  South  Camden  was  at  the 
foot  of  what  afterwards  became  known  as  Ferry  street,  which  started 
at  a  point  on  Kaighn  avenue  one  hundred  feet  west  of  Second  street 
and  touched  the  river  just  south  of  the  present  Kaighn  avenue,  while 
the  landing  in  Philadelphia  was  at  the  foot  of  Queen  street  (South- 
wark).  In  1815,  the  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey  Steamboat  Com- 
pany was  chartered  by  both  States  and  leased  this  ferry  privilege 
from  Joseph  Kaighn  for  a  term  of  ninety-nine  years,  upon  the  condi- 
tion that  the  lease  should  be  invalid  if  a  ferry  was  not  maintained 
by  the  lessor.  The  company  secured  from  Messrs.  Fulton  and 
Livingston,  who  claimed  the  sole  right  of  running  steamboats  in  the 
United  States,  the  exclusive  privileges  for  the  Delaware  river  within 
five  miles  of  Kaighn's  Point,  thus  restricting  all  other  ferries  to  the 
use  of  "team  boats,"  until  the  claim  of  Fulton  and  his  associates  was 
overthrown  by  the  United  States  Supreme  Court.  The  company  im- 
mediately built  and  put  into  service  the  "Union,"  a  double-hull  boat 
similar  to  the  "John  Smith,"  which  in  later  years  ran  to  Smith's 
Island.  At  that  time  it  was  probably  the  most  complete  ferry  boat 
on  the  river.  The  landing  in  Philadelphia  was  first  at  Washington 
street  (Southwark),  and  later  at  South  street.  The  company  soon 
got  into  financial  difficulty  and  was  compelled  to  take  off  the  "Union." 
In  order,  however,  to  retain  its  lease  a  small  boat  called  the  "Norris- 
town,"  originally  built  in  1821,  to  run  on  the  Schuylkill  from  Phila- 
delphia to  Norristown,*  was  put  into  operation.  Exactly  when  this 
company  ceased  its  activities  is  not  known,  but  from  an  announce- 
ment made  by  its  secretary,  J.  Y.  Bryant,  in  November,  1823,  we 
learn  that  its  steamboat  was  running  from  South  Street  Ferry  to 
Kaighn's  Point  at  that  time.f 

In  1821  the  widow  of  Clement  Reeves  J  purchased  the  hotel  prop- 
erty and  claimed  the  ferrying  privileges  attached  thereto.  This  was 
resisted  through  the  courts,  but  was  finally  decided  in  her  favor  on 
the  ground  that  the  ferry  had  been  practically  abandoned.     In  con- 

*  See  Poulson's  "Daily  Advertiser,"  May  11,  for  an  account  of  this  boat. 

§  Ttie  Gloucester  Herald,  Nov.   26,  1823. 

+  In  the  Philadelphia  Directory  for  1817,  Clement  Reeves  was  listed  as  an  inn 
and  ferry  keeper  at  the  north  side  of  High  street  wharf,  Philadelphia.  He  died  in 
1819  of  yellow  fever  and  was  succeeded  by  his  widow,  Sarah,  who  continued  its  opera- 
tion until  1821. 


31 

junction  with  her  sons,  Israel  and  Joseph,  she  operated  the  ferry  until 
1828,  when  it  was  sold,  together  with  the  hotel,  to  Ebenezer  Toole, 
by  whom  it  was  conducted  until  his  death  in  1851,  and  by  his  heirs 
until  1852,  and  then  conveyed  to  the  South  Camden  Ferry  Com- 
pany.* As  late  as  1852,  the  ferry  boats  landed  within  a  few  hundred 
yards  of  the  hotel.  In  1829  Toole  advertisedf  that  the  Kaighn's 
Point  Steamboat  Ferry  was  operating  two  steamboats  between  South 
street,  Philadelphia,  and  the  "Point." 

Toole  was  a  brother-in-law  of  Richard  Fetters  and  formerly  lived 
in  Philadelphia.  He  is  first  noticed  in  connection  with  Camden  affairs 
when  he  took  over  the  operation  of  the  Cooper  street  ferry  in  1820. 
As  already  noted  he  was  very  active  in  civic  matters  and  throughout 
a  long  career  was  a  useful  and  energetic  citizen.  He  died  July  9, 
1851,  aged  67  years. 

The  Reeves',  during  their  regime,  built  the  "New  Jersey,"  nick- 
named the  "Scrubbing  Brush,"  or  "The  Trutle,"  because  of  its  extreme 
slowness.  Shortly  after  Toole  acquired  the  ferry,  he  built  the 
"Kaighn's  Point"  and  "WilHam  Champion."  WilHam  Champion,  who 
conducted  the  hotel  at  the  foot  of  South  street,  Philadelphia,  soon 
became  a  partner  in  the  ferry  to  Kaighn's  Point  and  continued  as 
such  until  1841,  when  Toole  bought  out  his  interest.  The  landing 
on  the  Philadelphia  side  was  at  South  street,  while  on  the  Camden 
side  it  was  still  just  below  the  present  Kaighn  avenue. 

In  August,  1851,  public  notice  was  given  that  after  the  22d 
instant  the  rates  of  ferriage  between  Kaighn's  Point  and  South  street 
would  be  as  follows : 

Two  horse  wagons,  of  every  description 25  cts. 

One      "  "  "       "  "  20     || 

Foot  passengers  over  ten  years  old 3 

"  "  "     five  and  under  ten  years. ...        2 

Children  under  four  years  of  age,  no  charge. 

The  South  Camden  Ferry  Company  was  organized  on  March  4, 

1851,  by  Charles  Kaighn,  William  Griffith  and  Joseph  M.  Kaighn, 
and  took  over  the  Toole  property.  The  new  ferry  company  used  the 
old  landing  at  Ferry  street  for  a  short  time,  when,  through  an  agree- 
ment with  the  City  of  Camden,  it  secured  the  use  of  the  foot  of 
Kaighn's  avenue  for  a  ferry  landing,  conditioned  upon  the  payment 

*  Under  the  will  of  Sarah  Reeves,  title  to  the  property  passed  to  her  children, 
Israel,  Joseph,  Ann  and  Sarah.  On  January  3,  1828,  Israel  Reeve,  as  executor, 
transferred  the  same  to  Ebenezer  Toole.  The  latter  dying  intestate,  the  title  was 
vested    in    Matilda,    Paulin,    Julia   Toole    Couzens    and    Elma  Toole,   who    on   June    22, 

1852,  executed  a  deed  to  the  South  Camden  Ferry  Co. 

t  "American   Star  and   Rural  Record,"   Jan.   29,   1829. 


•     32 

of  an  annual  rental  of  one  dollar  a  year.  In  1853,  the  company  built 
a  new  wharf  at  the  foot  of  this  street,  which  with  its  filling  extended 
five  hundred  feet  into  the  river.  Ferry  street  was  vacated  by  an 
ordinance  adopted  November  29,  1853.  The  ferryboat  "Stephen 
Girard"  was  now  built  by  the  new  proprietors  and  with  the  "William 
Champion"  furnished  the  ferrying  facilities  for  South  Camden. 

The  South  Camden  Company  was  unable  to  stand  the  financial 
strain  which  its  many  improvements  involved,  and  in  1858,  Henry 
B.  Wilson  and  Joseph  M.  Kaighn  were  appointed  receivers.  They 
operated  the  ferry  for  the  creditors  and  stockholders  for  several 
years  and  were  largely  instrumental  in  organizing  the  Kaighn's  Point 
and  Philadelphia  Ferry  Company  to  take  over  the  old  company. 
The  new  corporation  was  formed  March  15,  1859,  with  Joseph  M. 
Kaighn,  Stephen  Coulter,  Joel  Bodine,  George  Browning,  Henry 
Allen,  John  Cooper  and  Charles  Kaighn  as  incorporators.  The  new 
company  had  some  difficulties  in  completing  the  sale  of  its  stock  and 
it  was  not  until  June,  1861,  that  the  formal  transfer  of  the  ferry 
property  was  made  to  William  Griffith  and  Henry  B.  Wilson,  as 
agents  for  the  new  owners.     The  consideration  was  $30,000. 

The  "Rebecca  Howell"  was  built  for  the  Kaighn's  Point  Ferry 
in  1868,  using  the  engine  formerly  in  the  "Stephen  Girard,"  in  the 
new  boat,  and  was  in  active  service  until  about  1876.  The  next  ad- 
dition to  the  ferry  equipment  was  the  "Eagle,"  purchased  from  the 
United  States  Government  in  1866  or  '67.  The  boat  had  formerly 
belonged  to  the  Red  Bank  Ferry  Company  and  ran  between  South 
street,  Philadelphia,  and  Red  Bank,  New  Jersey.  The  boats  running 
to  Kaighn's  Point  in  1869  were  the  "William  Champion,"  "Rebecca 
Howell"  and  "Eagle."  The  next  boat  was  the  "Agnes,"  equipped 
with  the  engine  out  of  the  "Eagle,"  and  launched  in  1872. 

In  the  summer  of  1873  Brown  Brothers  &  Co.  purchased  from 
Zopher  C.  Howell  and  William  Griffith  a  controlling  interest  in  the 
ferry  company,  and  at  their  request  Mr.  Howell,  who  had  been  presi- 
dent for  many  years,  was  prevailed  upon  to  continue  in  the  same 
capacity  under  the  new  owners,  and  Charles  B.  Coles  was  made 
superintendent.  The  stock  purchased  by  Brown  Brothers  was  placed 
in  the  name  of  J.  S.  Schultz,  who  was  also  president  of  the  Man- 
chester and  Camden  Railroad  Company.  The  new  owners  at  once 
began  making  extensive  improvements,  including  new  boats  and 
terminals.  The  boats  added  were  the  "General  J.  S.  Schultz,"  launched 
in  1875,  and  the  "Colorado"  (now  the  "Atlantic  City"),  built  in  1883. 

The  original  capital  stock  of  the  Kaighn's  Point  Ferry  Company 


33 

was  very  small,  and  after  Brown  Brothers  had  made  the  extensive 
improvements,  they  organized  the  Delaware  River  Ferry  Company 
with  a  larger  capitalization,  the  new  company  taking  over  all  the 
holdings  in  the  old  corporation.  On  March  12,  1888,  the  Philadel- 
phia and  Reading  Railway  Company  purchased  the  Brown  Brothers 
&  Co.'s  interests  in  the  ferry  company. 

With  the  transfer  of  the  ferry  to  the  Reading  interests,  the 
Kaighn's  Point  line  added  another  boat  to  its  fleet,  the  "F.  P.  James,'' 
and  during  the  summer  of  1888  two  additional  boats,  called  "Peconic" 
and  "America,"  making  five  in  all  for  the  South  and  Chestnut  street 
ferries— "General  J.  S.  Schultz,"  "Colorado,"  "F.  P.  James,"  "Pe- 
conic," "America,"  with  one  boat,  the  "Agnes,"  in  reserve.  The 
"Agnes"  was  sold  about  1889  or  '90,  and  the  "Peconic"  and 
"America"  about  1890  or  '91. 

Of  the  ferry  boats  so  familiar  to  the  travelers  of  the  present  day, 
the  "City  of  Reading"  was  buiU  in  1889,  the  "Philadelphia"  was  put 
in  commission  in  1896,  the  "Cape  May"  in  1901,  the  "Ocean  City" 
in  1903,  the  "Mauch  Chunk"  in  1906  and  the  "Delaware"  in  1914. 
The  "Mauch  Chunk"  was  built  in  1893  for  the  Central  Railroad  of 
New  Jersey  and  purchased  and  put  into  commission  on  the  Kaighn's 
Point  Ferry  in  the  year  above  named. 

The  ferry  house  at  Kaighn's  Point  was  rebuilt  in  1879-1880,  and 
was  used  until  burned  down  in  1891.  On  January  3,  1914,  fire  again 
visited  the  ferry  house  and  entirely  consumed  it,  necessitating  the 
erection  of  the  temporary  structure  used  since  that  time. 

The  next  ferry  was  at  the  foot  of  Bulson  street,  and  was  started 
in  1877,  upon  the  completion  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Atlantic  City 
Railroad,  to  transfer  its  train  passengers  to  Pier  8,  below  Chestnut 
street,  Philadelphia.  The  sidewheel  steamboat  "Pilot  Boy"  was  the 
first  boat  used,  and  the  "F.  P.  James,"  a  double-deck  ferry  boat  brought 
here  from  New  York,  the  last.  This  ferry  was  abandoned,  except  as 
a  car-ferry,  upon  the  Reading  Company  securing  control  of  the  Cam- 
den, Gloucester  and  Mt.  Ephraim  Railroad  which  gave  it  trackage 
rights  to  the  Kaighn's  Point  Ferry. 

In  May,  1889,  a  ferry  was  started  from  the  foot  of  Cooper 
avenue  (now  Twenty-seventh  street),  to  Otis  street,  Philadelphia, 
for  the  accommodation  of  those  residents  of  the  North  Cramer  Hill 
section  employed  in  the  industrial  establishments  in  the  Kensington 
district  of  Philadelphia.  The  originator  of  this  ferry  was  John 
Morgan.  A  few  years  later  the  North  Cramer  Hill  Ferry  Company 
was  organized  and  Patrick  Handbury  became  associated  with  Morgan 


34 

in  the  project.  John  Morgan  died  in  1917  and  his  son,  James,  took 
his  place  in  the  company.  For  over  twenty-five  years  the  little 
steamer  "Riverside,"  of  honored  memory,  carried  the  passengers  on 
this  line,  there  never  being  any  facihties  for  vehicular  travel  provided. 
After  the  parks  on  the  East  Side  and  along  Fish  House  Cove  ceased 
to  be  profitable  and  were  closed  up  the  ferry  was  abandoned.  In  1921 
regular  ferry  service  was  again  resumed  to  Otis  street,  Allegheny 
avenue  and  Arch  street,  Philadelphia. 

While  outside  the  present  city  limits  it  is  interesting  to  note  that 
as  early  as  1859  an  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  to  organize  and 
operate  a  ferry  from  Pea  Shore  Cove  (Fish  House)  to  Philadelphia. 
This  project  was  to  be  known  as  the  Pea  Shore  Ferry  Company. 


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