Bridge Avenue is all but a memory today, but at one time it was one of Camden's most notable thoroughfares. It lay between Federal and Mickle Streets. There were buildings on both sides of Bridge Avenue as far east as South 5th Street in 1890. By 1924 Bridge Avenue ran on the north side of the railroad tracks that started at the Market Street Ferry, with Mickle Street running parallel on the south side of the tracks.
By 1924 Bridge Avenue below South 5th Street was gone. The street then began at Hudson Street and ended at Broadway, then began again at South 8th Street east for one block. By 1947 only the block east of South 8th Street was left, and it has been gone for many years. Today what was Bridge Avenue is part of the property at the rear of the Police Administration building.
Phil Cohen — Sunday, November 24, 2019
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Intersection of South 2nd Street & Bridge Avenue
Southeast Corner of South 2nd Street & Bridge Avenue: 1887 — Samuel B. Goff, patent medicine.
Next Wednesday will be donation day at the Camden Day Nursery, at 318 Bridge avenue.
Death Notice — Coombs
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Coombs.—On the 21st inst., William H. H. Coombs, beloved husband of Mary Jane Coombs, nee Hevern, aged 53 years and nine months. The relatives and friends of the family, also the employees of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and the Grand Army of the Republic, are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, on Friday afternoon, May 24, 1895, at 2 o'clock, from his late residence, 320 Bridge avenue, Camden, N. J. Interment at New Camden Cemetery.
Brakeman Injured at Cooper Hospital
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Brakeman Jacob P. Laubach, of 332 Bridge avenue, had his right arm crushed at the elbow yesterday while coupling cars in the Pennsylvania Railroad yard. He was admitted to the Cooper Hospital.
400 Block of Bridge Avenue in 1885
400 Block of Bridge Avenue in 1885. Click to enlarge.
400 Block of Bridge Avenue
Odell.—On February 16, 1894, Mabel H., daughter of Morris and Althea F. Odell, aged 6 years. The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, on Tuesday afternoon, at 2 o'clock, from her parents’ residence, 442 Bridge avenue, Camden, N. J. Interment private.
400 Block of Bridge Avenue — Occupants
Address and occupant records from city directories and newspapers, 1877–1924.
Morrison.—On April 28, 1895, Sarah E., widow of the late J. J. Morrison. The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, on Wednesday, at 2 o'clock, from her late residence, 442 Bridge avenue, Camden, N. J. Interment private.
500 Block of Bridge Avenue
500 Block of Bridge Avenue — Occupants
Address and occupant records from city directories and newspapers, 1860s–1947.
East Corner of South 5th Street & Bridge Avenue — 500 Block of Bridge Avenue — Occupants
Year
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Name
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1887–1888
Avenue Hotel — August C. Miller, proprietor
Death Notice — Prickett
Philadelphia Inquirer —
PRICKETT.—On the 8th inst., at his residence, No. 508 Bridge avenue, Camden, N. J., Joseph Prickett, aged 65 years.
The relatives and friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend the funeral, on Sunday, the 11th inst., at 3 o'clock, from Post Hall of No. 275, No. 1131 South Broad street. Body to lie in state from 1 to 3 P. M. Interment at Wharton Street M. E. Church Ground.
Death Notice — Hess
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Hess.—On June 3, 1902, Maria C. Hess, widow of Louis Hess, in her 70th year. Funeral on Friday morning, June 6, at 10 o'clock, from 516 Bridge avenue, Camden, N. J. Interment at Odd Fellows’ Cemetery.
Intersection of Broadway & Bridge Avenue
NEWS OF A DAY IN THE CITY OF CAMDEN
Passengers on the Cape May express of the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad Company, due in Camden at 9 o’clock, were badly shaken up yesterday when the train struck a heavily laden wagon at the Kaign avenue crossing. The wagon, belonging to the Camden Lime Company, was being driven by Philip Dorsey, of 835 Bridge avenue. As he reached the track he saw the train bearing down on him. Almost at the same instant the gates were lowered and the team was imprisoned between them. The resulting crash carried the horse fifty feet and crushed its head, while the wagon was reduced to kindling wood. Dorsey escaped miraculously by dropping from his seat within a few inches of the wheels of the train.
George Willingmire, for whom the police have been looking for several weeks on a charge of stabbing Leo Hubner, who roomed with him at Ninth and Chestnut streets, was committed to the county jail by Recorder Stackhouse, in Camden, yesterday, in default of $500 bail. Willingmire, who has already served a term in State prison for stabbing two women, was located by Police Captain Stanley. While the latter was taking his prisoner to jail Willingmire attempted to escape. There was a desperate struggle, in which the bluecoat overpowered the man.
Clarence Burrows, 15 years old, of 423 Mickle street, was the youth who met such a horrible death beneath the wheels of a freight train at Broadway and Bridge avenue, Camden, Wednesday night. He and a companion had made a wager they could ride to Palmyra and back without paying their fares. They were on their return trip on the freight train when Burrows fell beneath the wheels.
Theodore Turner, 50 years old, and B. H. Sharp, 31 years old, both of 223 North Eighth street, were seriously injured yesterday when a wagon they were driving was struck by a trolley car at Ninth and Market streets, Camden. Both men were hurled from their seats and thrown directly in front of the car. They were dragged nearly a square by the fender before the motorman could stop the car. They were taken to the Cooper Hospital, where it was found they had sustained almost similar injuries.
An unknown man, about 36 years old, was drowned in the Cooper Creek, at the State street bridge, Camden, yesterday, while two boys witnessed his fate. The man was fishing and he attempted to walk out on a moss-covered log to cast his line. Slipping, he struck his head and then sank from sight. Half an hour later the body was recovered. The body was removed to the morgue.
J. Frank Johnson, of 1713 Broadway, Camden, was saved from drowning off the Jackson street wharf yesterday by former Policeman Thomas Pooley and Frank Jordan. Recently Johnson built a launch and yesterday he concluded to try it out on the Delaware. While hoisting the anchor he lost his balance and fell overboard. Unable to swim, he was just disappearing beneath the surface of the water when his rescuers reached him and brought him ashore.
Trolley car No. 134, of the Broadway line of the Camden and Suburban Railway Company, by a narrow margin escaped being struck by a train at the Bridge avenue crossing yesterday. At the time there were many passengers aboard the car and a small panic ensued.
Freeholder Lawrence Rhoades, who was so seriously ill that his death was expected, is now recovering.
Charged with knocking out several teeth of Jacob Miskelly during a fight, Frank Harris was held in $300 bail by Recorder Stackhouse yesterday.
Death Notice — Croasdale
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Croasdale.—Suddenly, on January 4, 1899, Charles C., husband of Emma L. Croasdale, aged 63 years. The relatives and friends of the family, also the employés of the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad, are respectfully invited to attend the funeral services on Saturday evening, January 7, at 8 o’clock, at his late residence, 569 Bridge avenue, Camden, N. J. Also services at the M. P. church, at Glassboro, N. J., at 12.30 P. M. Sunday. The funeral will leave Camden Sunday morning on the 9 o’clock train from Philadelphia. Interment at Glassboro.
A Disguised Burglar with a Pistol
Philadelphia Inquirer —
A DISGUISED BURGLAR WITH A PISTOL.
Mrs. Dickinson, who keeps house for her brother at No. 591 Bridge avenue, received a terrible fright yesterday, which caused her to wander around the streets in an extremely nervous condition for two hours. She was found lying on the step of a Mr. Matiack, her next door neighbor. Upon regaining consciousness she said she was home ironing, when a strange man, wearing a false beard, entered the house, and, placing a revolver at her head, said: “I want to ask you a question before you die.” This is all she remembers.
Mrs. Dickinson says she believes the man was her husband, from whom she is separated. When the woman re-entered the house she found that her pocketbook had been torn open and $5.00 abstracted.
A Child Burned to Death
Philadelphia Inquirer —
A CHILD BURNED TO DEATH.
She Was Burning Leaves When Her Clothing Caught Fire.
Ten-year-old Regina Shaw, daughter of ex-Jailer Frank Shaw, of 591 Bridge avenue, Camden, was badly burned yesterday afternoon by her clothing catching on fire and died three hours later in the Cooper Hospital.
She was burning some leaves in a box when her dress caught fire. The flames spread rapidly and soon all her clothing was in a blaze. She screamed and rushed across the street, where some neighbors took hold of her and extinguished the flame. A patrol wagon was summoned and she was taken to the hospital.
595 Bridge Avenue — New Junction Hotel
New Junction Hotel, 595 Bridge Avenue (aka 39 South 6th Street), photographed 1892. In the 1890s it became the Hotel Dubosq under J. Carrow Dubosq and Katie Zimmerman Dubosq. By 1924 it was the Hotel Aldine; by 1947, the American Red Cross Production Department.
Intersection of South 6th Street & Bridge Avenue
Northwest Corner of South 6th Street & Bridge Avenue: 595 Bridge Avenue (aka 39 South 6th Street) — 1890s, New Junction Hotel / Hotel Dubosq; 1924, Hotel Aldine.
Intersection of Haddon Avenue & Bridge Avenue
Corner of Haddon Avenue & Bridge Avenue: 1890 — Joseph F. Pockerton, saloon. 1924 Gone.
Wreckage where man was hurt — 829 and 831 Bridge Avenue after the front walls collapsed, June 1933.
Vandals Are Blamed for Destruction of Vacant Home
VICTIM IS HURLED DOWN INTO CELLAR
Buried under a ton of bricks when the fronts of two vacant houses collapsed, Jerry White, 22, of 759 Carman Street was admitted to Cooper Hospital for observation yesterday afternoon.
The houses, unoccupied for a number of years, were at 829 and 831 Bridge Avenue. They are believed to have been weakened by vandals who had stripped the interiors of wooden supports and fixtures. Recent damage by vandals throughout the city has been estimated at $500,000.
White was sitting on the front steps of 829 Bridge Avenue when the front walls of the three-story brick buildings caved in. One of the falling bricks stunned him and the weight of the others dropped him through the porch and into the cellar.
Lee Hackney of the Carman Street address had left the spot a short time before. He and Spencer Hunley of 843 Bridge Avenue extricated White from the ruins. Sergeant Edward Carroll and a detail of patrolmen roped off the front of the damaged area while firemen were engaged in razing the remaining sections of the structures.
White’s condition was not believed to be serious, according to hospital attaches.
Hay Wagon Struck by Cape May Express
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Philip Dorsey, of 835 Bridge Avenue, was driving a hay wagon for the Camden Lime Company when the Cape May express struck it at the Kaighn Avenue crossing. The resulting crash carried the horse fifty feet and crushed its head, while the wagon was reduced to kindling wood. Dorsey escaped miraculously by dropping from his seat within a few inches of the wheels of the train.
The same issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer also reported that Trolley car No. 134, of the Broadway line of the Camden and Suburban Railway Company, narrowly escaped running down a truck at the Bridge Avenue crossing.
2 Ice Dealers Held as License Violators
Camden Courier-Post —
Camden’s drive against unlicensed ice dealers last night netted two alleged violators of the city ordinance.
On complaint of Dr. David D. Helm, city health inspector, Alphonso D’Alonzo, 45, of 804 South Fourth street, and Isaac Anderson, 29, colored, of 837 Bridge avenue, were arrested by Policemen Howard Harden and George Clayton. They will be arraigned in police court today.
2 Brothers Arrested on Suit Theft Charge
Camden Courier-Post —
Two brothers were arrested yesterday on charges of larceny of a suit of Charles Parker, colored, of 225 Stevens Street. The men held are Alfred Scott, 18, of 839 Bridge Avenue, and his brother, Norman, 20, of the Stevens Street address. Both are colored. The former admitted they had sold the suit. They were arrested after an investigation by Detectives Walter Smith and John Trout.
