The New International Encyclopædia/New Brunswick (New Jersey)

NEW BRUNSWICK. A city and the county-seat of Middlesex County, N. J., 23 miles southwest of Newark; at the head of navigation on the Raritan River, about 15 miles from its mouth, and on the Pennsylvania and the Raritan River railroads (Map: New Jersey, D 3). It is the terminus of the Delaware and Raritan Canal. A magnificent new railway bridge over the river is in course of construction. The city has a public library with over 17,300 volumes and the Gardner A. Sage Library of 44,500 volumes, and is the seat of Rutgers College (q.v.), connected with which is the Theological Seminary of the Dutch Reformed Church, and of the State Agricultural and Mechanical College with the State model farms. New Brunswick is extensively engaged in manufacturing hosiery, wall paper, rubber boots and shoes, bicycle tires, chemicals, fruit jars, boilers, cigars, foundry products, knitting needles, sash and blinds, shoes, etc. Under a charter of 1863, the government is vested in a mayor, elected biennially, a unicameral council, and in administrative boards. The boards of library trustees and of health are appointed by the mayor; the board of water commissioners is elected by the council; the board of education is chosen by popular vote. The water-works are owned and operated by the municipality. Population, in 1890, 18,603; in 1900, 20,006. The first settlement here was made in 1681. The place was first called ‘Prigmore's Swamp’ (1681-97), then ‘Inion's Ferry’ (1691-1714), and finally New Brunswick, in honor of the House of Brunswick. New Brunswick was incorporated as a town in 1736, and was chartered as a city in 1784. It suffered much during the Revolution, and during the winter of 1776-77 was occupied by the British.