HOBOKEN, ho'bo-k'en, N. J., city in Hud son County, on the Hudson River. It is the terminus of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western, the Lehigh Valley and the West Shore railroads. It is opposite New York city, north of and adjoining Jersey City, and has on the north and west the Palisades. Its area is about one square mile. It has electric railway connections with a number of the cities and towns of the State, and by direct ferries and tunnels with the business district of New York. The principal streets run north and south, nearly parallel with the river. Its long water front gives it excellent shipping facilities; and here are located the docks of the ocean steam ship lines, the Thingvalla, the Netherlands American, the Scandinavian-American and the former German-American lines. The land upon which Hoboken is located, as well as much of that adjoining, once formed a part of the territory of New Netherlands. It was early known as Hobocan Hacking, which means °the land of the tobacco-pipe.p The to bacco-pipes which were made by the Indians from the stone found in the vicinity gave rise to the name. In 1630 Michael Pauw of Hol land purchased from the New Netherlands Company a tract of land a part of which is the site of the present city of Hoboken. The land around was soon cultivated and as New Amster dam grew in numbers and importance, the gar dens across the river became more valuable. John Stevens (q.v.), in 1804, purchased the land upon which the city now stands, and began the town. The development of steam navigation and steam railroads received an early impetus in Hoboken. John Stevens invented and first employed here the modern type of ferry slip, made of piling. He also invented and put into operation at Hoboken the first steam-propelled ferryboat in 1811. At this time and for some
years after the Elysian Fields of Hoboken were much used as pleasure grounds by New York ers. At first Hoboken was a part of the town of North Bergen, but on 28 March 1855 it was incorporated as a city. The disastrous fire at the wharves of the North German Lloyd Steam ship Company, which occurred in 1900, de stroyed considerable of the city property and three steamers. The estimated number of lives lost was 200. The chief manufactures of Ho boken are iron products, machine engines, technical instruments, motor fire engines, cast ings, elevators, inks, metal tubes, waterproof fabrics, leather, silk, lead-pencils, caskets, wall beer, and repairing and chemicals. It has extensive coal yards and large lumber and brick yards. The drainage of the lowlands is under way and by this means a large tract of land will be reclaimed and the sanitary conditions of the city improved. The city is the seat of the Stevens Institute of Technology (q.v.), and of the Sacred Heart Academy. It has Saint Mary's hospital, public and parish schools and several fine church build ings. The municipal inc( amounts to about $4,000,ono ;111T111'111\ , ;11111 the expenditures al most reach the same ngure. The government is vested in a mayor, who holds office two years, and •a city council. The mayor appoints the school, library, fire and health commissioners, also die assessors. The police commissioners are appointed by the mayor and approved by the council. The council elects the inspectors, the city clerk and his assistants. Pop. 74,994.