Morris Canal and Banking Company
Encyclopedia
The New Jersey Legislature
chartered the Morris Canal and Banking Company on December 31, 1824, as a private corporation for the purpose of building the Morris Canal
.
businessman George P. Macculloch, who reportedly conceived the idea while visiting Lake Hopatcong
. In 1822 Macculloch brought together a group of interested citizens at Morristown to discuss the idea.
The Palladium of Liberty, a Morristown, New Jersey, newspaper of the day, reported on August 29, 1822: "...Membership of a committee which studied the practicality of a canal from Pennsylvania to Newark, New Jersey, consisted of two prominent citizens from each county (NJ) concerned: Hunterdon County, Nathaniel Saxton, Henry Dusenberry; Sussex County, Morris Robinson, Gamaliel Bartlett; Morris County, Lewis Condict
, Mahlon Dickerson
; Essex County, Gerald Rutgers, Charles Kinsey; Bergen County, John Rutherford, William Colefax ...".
Gamaliel Bartlett
(1796-1859), one of the members of the referenced committee, was appointed by President James Monroe
in 1823 as the first postmaster for the Borough of Stanhope, New Jersey
. Ten years later, in 1833, Mr. Bartlett would find himself embroiled in a lawsuit entitled: President and Directors of the Morris Canal and Banking Co. vs. Gamaliel Bartlett.
On November 15, 1822, the New Jersey Legislature passed an act appointing three commissioners, one of whom was Macculloch, to explore the feasibility of the project and determine the canal's possible route and an estimate of its costs. Macculloch initially greatly underestimated the height difference between the Passaic
and Lake Hopatcong at only 185 ft (56 m).
The original design of the Morris Canal
allowed for boats of 25 tons, which was small by the standards of the day. By 1860, the canal had been progressively enlarged to allow for boats of 70 tons. Traffic reached a peak in 1866, when the canal carried 889,220 tons of freight (equivalent to nearly 13,000 boat loads). Between 1848 and 1860, the original overshot water wheel
that powered the inclined plane
s were replaced with more powerful water turbine
s. The original iron chains used for towing the plane cars also were replaced with wire cables.
In 1871, the canal was leased by the Lehigh Valley Railroad
, which never made a profit from the operation of the canal. Commercial traffic on the canal was becoming negligible, so in 1922 the state of New Jersey took control of the canal. They abandoned it in 1924 and between 1924 and 1929 it was filled in and the locks dismantled.
, a restored canal town in Sussex County, New Jersey
, which contains many features of the canal, including the remains of an inclined plane, a guard lock, a watered section of the canal, a canal store, and other period buildings. The Canal Society of New Jersey maintains a museum in the village.
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
chartered the Morris Canal and Banking Company on December 31, 1824, as a private corporation for the purpose of building the Morris Canal
Morris Canal
The Morris Canal was an anthracite-carrying canal that incorporated a series of water-driven inclined planes in its course across northern New Jersey in the United States. It was in use for about a century — from the late 1820s to the 1920s....
.
History
The idea for constructing the canal is credited to MorristownMorristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
businessman George P. Macculloch, who reportedly conceived the idea while visiting Lake Hopatcong
Lake Hopatcong
Lake Hopatcong is the largest freshwater body in the state of New Jersey, USA, approximately 4 square miles in area. The lake is located in the mountains of northern New Jersey, north of Netcong and along the border between Sussex and Morris counties.The lake is within the borders of four...
. In 1822 Macculloch brought together a group of interested citizens at Morristown to discuss the idea.
The Palladium of Liberty, a Morristown, New Jersey, newspaper of the day, reported on August 29, 1822: "...Membership of a committee which studied the practicality of a canal from Pennsylvania to Newark, New Jersey, consisted of two prominent citizens from each county (NJ) concerned: Hunterdon County, Nathaniel Saxton, Henry Dusenberry; Sussex County, Morris Robinson, Gamaliel Bartlett; Morris County, Lewis Condict
Lewis Condict
Lewis Condict was a United States Representative from New Jersey. Born in Morristown, he attended the common schools, was graduated from the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia in 1794, and commenced practice in Morristown...
, Mahlon Dickerson
Mahlon Dickerson
Mahlon Dickerson was an American judge and politician. He was elected Governor of New Jersey as well as United States Senator from that state. He was twice appointed Secretary of the Navy - under Presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin van Buren...
; Essex County, Gerald Rutgers, Charles Kinsey; Bergen County, John Rutherford, William Colefax ...".
Gamaliel Bartlett
Gamaliel Bartlett
Gamaliel Bartlett was the first postmaster of Stanhope, New Jersey. He was appointed to the position in 1823 by President James Monroe. In 1829 Mr...
(1796-1859), one of the members of the referenced committee, was appointed by President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
in 1823 as the first postmaster for the Borough of Stanhope, New Jersey
Stanhope, New Jersey
-Transportation:Route 183 is the main access road that serves the borough. U.S. Route 206 also passes through in the western section and is partially a limited access road which connects to I-80 in neighboring Mount Olive.-Demographics:...
. Ten years later, in 1833, Mr. Bartlett would find himself embroiled in a lawsuit entitled: President and Directors of the Morris Canal and Banking Co. vs. Gamaliel Bartlett.
On November 15, 1822, the New Jersey Legislature passed an act appointing three commissioners, one of whom was Macculloch, to explore the feasibility of the project and determine the canal's possible route and an estimate of its costs. Macculloch initially greatly underestimated the height difference between the Passaic
Passaic River
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...
and Lake Hopatcong at only 185 ft (56 m).
The original design of the Morris Canal
Morris Canal
The Morris Canal was an anthracite-carrying canal that incorporated a series of water-driven inclined planes in its course across northern New Jersey in the United States. It was in use for about a century — from the late 1820s to the 1920s....
allowed for boats of 25 tons, which was small by the standards of the day. By 1860, the canal had been progressively enlarged to allow for boats of 70 tons. Traffic reached a peak in 1866, when the canal carried 889,220 tons of freight (equivalent to nearly 13,000 boat loads). Between 1848 and 1860, the original overshot water wheel
Water wheel
A water wheel is a machine for converting the energy of free-flowing or falling water into useful forms of power. A water wheel consists of a large wooden or metal wheel, with a number of blades or buckets arranged on the outside rim forming the driving surface...
that powered the inclined plane
Canal inclined plane
An inclined plane is a system used on some canals for raising boats between different water levels. Boats may be conveyed afloat, in caissons, or may be carried in cradles or slings. It can be considered as a specialised type of cable railway....
s were replaced with more powerful water turbine
Water turbine
A water turbine is a rotary engine that takes energy from moving water.Water turbines were developed in the 19th century and were widely used for industrial power prior to electrical grids. Now they are mostly used for electric power generation. They harness a clean and renewable energy...
s. The original iron chains used for towing the plane cars also were replaced with wire cables.
In 1871, the canal was leased by the Lehigh Valley Railroad
Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of a number of railroads built in the northeastern United States primarily to haul anthracite coal.It was authorized April 21, 1846 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and incorporated September 20, 1847 as the Delaware, Lehigh, Schuylkill and Susquehanna Railroad...
, which never made a profit from the operation of the canal. Commercial traffic on the canal was becoming negligible, so in 1922 the state of New Jersey took control of the canal. They abandoned it in 1924 and between 1924 and 1929 it was filled in and the locks dismantled.
Legacy
Portions of the canal are preserved in various locations around the state. Important among these is Waterloo VillageWaterloo Village
Waterloo Village is a restored 19th Century canal town in Byram Township, Sussex County in northwestern New Jersey and was approximately the half-way point in the roughly 102-mile trip along the Morris Canal, which ran from Jersey City to Phillipsburg, New Jersey Waterloo Village is a restored...
, a restored canal town in Sussex County, New Jersey
Sussex County, New Jersey
The County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
, which contains many features of the canal, including the remains of an inclined plane, a guard lock, a watered section of the canal, a canal store, and other period buildings. The Canal Society of New Jersey maintains a museum in the village.