In early days the people of Bergen and Communipaw had to go by private
conveyance or else walk to the ferry by the Mill road; later stages
were run by Peter Merselis from the ferry to Bergen, via Five Corners.
There was an office and waiting room at the corner of Bay street and
Newark avenue, and in Bergen the stages started from the Columbian
Hotel, a building now known as Foye Hall, at Foye Place. After a time
omnibuses were introduced, and large open sleighs were used in the
winter. Peter Merselis sold out to the Jersey City and Bergen Railroad
Company which was incorporated by an act of the Legislature of New
Jersey approved March 15, 1859. Under this act they were authorized
to lay out and construct a railroad from some point on the Kill von
Kull, at or near Bergen Point, to the Newark Turnpike road leading from
Jersey City to Newark, with the privilege of constructing one or more
branches extending to the several ferries in the County of Hudson,
south of Hoboken. During several years they ran a line with dummy
engines from the Pennsylvania Railroad ferry to Bergen Point.
The Common Council of Jersey City granted permission to lay a single
track of iron rails in Montgomery street, Newark avenue, Grove street
to Montgomery street, Gregory street to York street, and Hudson street
to Montgomery street. After the railway was laid it was lawful for the
company to run cars to be drawn by horses. These first street cars
were peculiar; they were like the body of an omnibus set on a truck;
the driver's seat was up on top in front; by means of a strap he opened
or pulled shut a door in the rear of the car; the door was reached by
two or three steps. Fares were passed up to the driver through a hole
back of the driver's seat. At the ends of the route the driver turned
the horses and the car turned upon the truck, which was stationary.
Long after ordinary street cars were introduced these were used for
night traffic, the last car leaving the ferry about midnight.
The Common Council of Bergen granted a franchise in 1864 for the
operation of horse cars; this franchise included that part of the city
known as Lafayette. As late as 1870 long open sleighs were used in
heavy snows during the winter, instead of the cars. For ten or fifteen
years the cars were not heated during the cold weather, straw being put
on the floor as a protection for cold feet. The first trolley car was
run in Jersey City on the Montgomery street line, from Bergen avenue
to Monmouth street, in 1890. In 1893 the Consolidated Traction Company
took charge, and in November of that year on several of the lines the
horse cars were replaced by the trolley system. The extensive car sheds
of the Company are on the south side of Montgomery street east of
Bergen avenue, and on the north side of Montgomery street between Tuers
avenue and Jordan street, partly on the site of Tuers Pond, which was
filled in over thirty years ago.