Senate Street
Senate Street originally ran from South 2nd Street eastward to West Street, between Berkley and Clinton Streets. The street first appears in City Directories in 1867, and was not listed in the 1863–1864 edition, more or less fixing the date of Senate Street being laid out to the years in between.
The 200 Block of Senate Street was razed along with several other blocks west of South 3rd and south of Mickle Street around 1970 to make room for the Royal Court Townhomes and the Mickle Tower apartment building. A few homes were still occupied in the 400 Block of Senate Street as late as the fall of 1970, but it appears these residents were all gone by 1977. A 1980 Reverse Directory shows no listings in the 300 or 400 blocks of Senate Street.
The 300 block of Senate still exists, although there are no addresses on it, only the rears of homes on Berkley and Clinton Streets.
200 Block of Senate Street — 1906 Sanborn Map
200 Block of Senate Street — 1906 Sanborn Map
ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD SORE SPOT HAS DISAPPEARED — Due to The Courier-Post sponsored slum rehabilitation and housing conservation program. This condition, actually an open sewer due to a backed-up drain and depression in the street on Senate st. near 2nd, plagued residents for several years. They complained but nothing was done. However, when officials of the Department of Public Works were contacted by this newspaper, the trouble spot was corrected quickly. The city water department fixed the damaged sewer connection and the highway department patched up the hole in the street with paving material.
Camden Courier-Post — August 12, 1954
200 Block of Senate Street
201 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1969 | N.P. Brooks |
206 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1969 | H. Andrews |
207 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1906 | William McCall |
210 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1938 | Frank Caratolo |
| 1926–1943 | Antonio Caratolo & Family (stone mason) |
214 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1876 | John Bucklew |
216 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1924 | Peter Maller |
218 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1905 | John Nixon |
234 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1902 | Frederick Hickman |
Camden News Notes
Philadelphia Inquirer —
CAMDEN NEWS NOTES
**Robert Wright, aged 32 years, died at the county jail early yesterday from alcoholism.
**William J. McCall, of 207 Senate street, a car inspector for the Pennsylvania Railroad, had a finger torn off while coupling cars yesterday.
Blonde Sobs Story of Brutal Attack Near Riverfront
Camden Courier-Post —
BLONDE SOBS STORY OF BRUTAL ATTACK NEAR RIVERFRONT
Says Camden Men Lured Her to Spot on Pretext of Taking Her Home
CRIES TO COP SMOTHERED
Martha Tomlinson, of Delaware township, 18, attractive blonde, wept convulsively in Camden county court yesterday afternoon as she accused four young men of attacking her, beating and robbing her.
The defendants were William Lopergola, 420 Royden street; Tony Basile, 419 Clinton street; Joseph Girgenti, 305 Benson street, and Frank Corafolo, 210 Senate street, all in their early twenties. They denied the charge.
The girl said she attended a dance the night of February 9 at Tenth and Liberty streets. The young man who was to take her home discovered his automobile had been stolen and left her to report it to the police. One of the defendants, she said, offered to take her home, and when she accepted, the others entered the car.
She was driven to a dark spot along the riverfront, the girl charged, where she was beaten, attacked and robbed of $1.60 she had in her purse. Her pleas saved her wrist watch, she declared. A police car passed them during the attack, the girl said, but hands were clapped over her mouth to forestall cries for help.
She was thrown out of the car in South Camden about 3.30 a. m., took the license number of the car, found a policeman, Miss Tomlinson testified, and the arrest of the four youths followed. Testimony will be continued today.
Hospital Cases
Camden Courier-Post —
WEST JERSEY
James Foster, 2, 757 Division St., laceration of head. Ralph Williams, 28, 413 North 29th St., laceration of knee. Lillian Smith, 17, 1093 Trent road, abrasion of eye. Elwood Brisco, 31, 1133 South 2nd St., laceration of leg.
COOPER
Dorothy Gorman, 2, 507 Division St., contusion and sprain of shoulder. Richard Clark, 17, 327 Vine street, dog bite of leg. James Kenney, 3, 718 Carman St., laceration of scalp. Frank Carafolo, 12, 210 Senate St., splinter in finger. James Moy, 14, 641 Line St., fractured wrist abrasion of knee and hand. Ernest Vincent, 14, 534 South 2nd St., puncture wound of knee. Ralph Springer, 7, 509 Ferry Ave., laceration of scalp. Clement Jones, 4, 1013 Lawrence St., laceration of chin. Thomas Wright, 7, 319 Grant St., fractured shoulder. Hilda Fitzgerald, 28, 311 North 3rd St., laceration of hand. John Schulz, 52, 228 North 7th St., chest injuries.
Foreman Is Fined $50 for Having Revolver
Camden Evening Courier —
FOREMAN IS FINED $50 FOR HAVING REVOLVER
Peter Maller, 216 Senate street, appearing in Criminal Court yesterday on the charge of unlawful possession of a revolver, was fined $50 after he changed his plea of not guilty to one of non vult.
Maller was arrested June 28 by Detective Louis Shaw at a building operation where he was a foreman. His arrest followed an altercation with Thomas Fargnoli, who sought a job and was refused by Maller. An argument which developed into a fight, ensued. The same day Fargnoli complained to police that Maller was armed. Detective Shaw found the weapon on the defendant.
John Nixon — 218 Senate Street
Philadelphia Inquirer —
John Nixon, aged 48 years, of 218 Senate street, had his right foot crushed at Woods’ Iron Works yesterday.
For Rent — Real Estate Investment Co.
Camden Daily Telegram —
FOR RENT—
122 Clay street, 4 rooms … 6.00
430 Chambers avenue, 9 rooms … 25.00
618 North Eighth street, 7 rooms … 11.00
728 Pearl street, 7 rooms … 16.00
532 South Third street, 7 rooms … 14.00
222 Senate street, 5 rooms … 7.50
337 Chester street, 6 rooms … 6.00
815 Federal street, 6 rooms … 12.00
517 Bailey street, 7 rooms … 14.00
511 Felton street, 5 rooms … 8.50
631 North Fifth street, 9 rooms … 15.00
640 Willard street, 6 rooms … 9.00
REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT CO., (See Courier). 325 Federal street.
Frederick Hickman — 234 Senate Street
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Frederick Hickman, aged 8 years, of 234 Senate street, Camden, ran a pitch pine splinter through the calf of his leg while sliding down a cellar door. Cooper Hospital surgeons had to etherize the lad before the sliver could be removed.
300 Block of Senate Street
335 Senate Street — 1924: Klean Way Laundry
Intersection of South 4th Street and Senate Street
Shot Mangled Dog
Camden Post-Telegram —
The report of a shotgun at Fourth and Senate Streets late on Saturday attracted crowds to that corner. A mongrel dog of the neighborhood, which had a hind leg cut off by an automobile, was shot. The automatic of motorcycle patrolman George Frost mercifully put the half-staved canine out of its misery.
Looking West on Senate Street from South 4th Street — March 20, 2012
300 Block of Senate Street
300 Block of Senate Street
335 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1924 | Klean Way Laundry |
400 Block of Senate Street
400 Block of Senate Street
403 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1969 | L.G. Mazzoni |
409 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1966 | Robert "Shorty" Owens |
415 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1878–1885 | James Caskey & Family |
| 1884 | Willie Caskey |
| 1884 | John Caskey |
| 1900 | Harry E. Williams & Family (married 1896; four children born after 1900) |
| 1900 | Harry E. & Kathrine M. Williams |
| 1900 | Mildred Melissa Williams |
| 1900 | Katherine Marie Williams |
420 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1969 | M. Sheppard |
| 1970 | No listing in Phone Directory |
427 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1969–1970 | Rosetta Sheffield |
431 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1915 | Charles Weiner & Family |
| 1915 | Charles & Rachel Weiner |
| 1915 | Sophia Weiner |
| 1915 | Fannie Weiner |
| 1915 | Lillian Weiner |
| 1915 | Stella Weiner |
| 1915 | David Weiner |
| 1915 | Herman Weiner |
| 1915 | Sylvia Weiner |
| 1915 | Mae Weiner |
| 1969–1970 | Alfred S. Simmons |
433 Senate Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1930 | Henry Smith |
| 1933 | Ray Shedrick |
415 Senate Street — The Caskey Family
Willie Caskey was killed in a train wreck on June 14, 1884 while on a church outing with the Second Presbyterian Church. His brother John was injured. By 1887 the family had moved to Arthur Avenue in Cramer Hill.
Court Frees Girl Who Drank Poison
Camden Courier-Post —
Pleading guilty to attempting to end her life by drinking poison, Sarah Turner, 17, of 338 Lansdowne Avenue, was given suspended sentence by Police Judge Pancoast yesterday.
The girl was arrested after she was treated at Cooper Hospital. She told Detective Ben Simon she drank the poison because she was jealous of her sister. William Harrity, 24, of 409 Senate Street, Sarah’s sweetheart, was held as a material witness but was released today when he said he knew nothing of the quarrel between the sisters.
Phila. Man Convicted in Slaying
Camden Courier-Post —
Phila. Man Convicted In Slaying
After deliberating almost 10 hours yesterday, a Camden County jury convicted Edward Burt, 31, of the 400 block 60th Street, Philadelphia, in the fatal shooting of a Camden man. Burt faces up to 30 years in prison on a second degree murder conviction in the death of Robert (Shorty) Owens, 50, in his Camden home on June 24, 1966. During the trial, a 61-year-old widow, Mrs. Everline Adams, of the 2000 block N. 11th Street, Philadelphia, testified that on the day of the shooting both Owens and Burt were drinking in the kitchen of Owens’ home at 409 Senate Street while she was in the bedroom. She told the jury she heard two shots, then Burt entered the bedroom and assaulted her.
While Mrs. Adams was reporting the crime to police, Burt already was being held as a suspect in the burglary of a Clementon tire company. This incident occurred less than one hour after the shooting. Judge William E. Pascoe withheld sentencing until completion of a probation investigation. James G. Aiken, assistant Camden County prosecutor, had sought the death penalty.
The trial opened July 5 after jury selection began June 26.
415 Senate Street
James Caskey and his family lived at 415 Senate from at least 1878 to 1885. Willie Caskey was killed in a train wreck on June 14, 1884 while on a church outing with the Second Presbyterian Church. His brother John was injured. By 1887 the family had moved to Arthur Avenue in Cramer Hill.
In 1900, Harry E. Williams & Family lived at 415 Senate: Harry E. & Kathrine M. Williams, Mildred Melissa Williams, and Katherine Marie Williams. They had married in 1896; four children born after 1900.
New York Times — June 15, 1884
Eight Persons Killed — A Railway Collision Caused by Carelessness
EIGHT PERSONS KILLED
A RAILWAY COLLISION CAUSED BY CARELESSNESS.
AN EXCURSION PARTY SUDDENLY STOPPED IN ITS JOURNEY—MANY OF THE PASSENGERS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
PHILADELPHIA, Penn., June 14.—A collision occurred on the Camden and Atlantic Road at Pike’s Peak, about eight miles from Camden, this morning, which resulted in the death of seven men and one little boy. Many other persons were injured. An excursion train with five coaches left Camden at 7:40, having on board the children and teachers of the Sunday-schools of the Second Presbyterian Church of Camden and the Presbyterian Church of Wenonah, N. J., bound for Lakeside Park, a pleasure resort on the Camden and Atlantic Road. When the train was rounding a curve at a place called Pike’s Peak it came into collision with the accommodation train from Atlantic City due in Camden at 9:10 A. M. Both trains were running at a high rate of speed, and neither engineer was aware of his danger until a few seconds before the locomotives came together. The passengers were startled from their seats by the screaming of the whistles and the grating of the air-brakes and the next instant were thrown headlong by a terrific crash and the sudden stoppage of the trains. The engines and baggage cars of both trains were completely demolished and were piled up in a confused mass of wood and iron 15 feet high, and the whole so enveloped in scalding steam that for some minutes nothing could be done to rescue or recover the persons buried in the ruins. The collision was at once followed by a scene of wild excitement and confusion. Men, women, and children jumped from the cars, many coming out through the windows. Many were screaming and crying, and all were half-crazed with fright, while the cries of the wounded and those who were being scalded to death in the ruins mingled with the hissing of the escaping steam.
As soon as it was possible to approach the ruins without being scalded men went to work to get out the killed and injured. The list of the killed includes the engineers of both trains, the mail agent and fireman of the accommodation train, the Civil Engineer of the Camden and Atlantic Road, the conductor of the excursion train, a brakeman, and a Sunday-school scholar, a boy 10 years old, who, crushed and lacerated, lived until 5 o’clock this evening. The first man taken from the ruins was Express Agent John Rosenbaum, of the accommodation train. He presented a shocking appearance, being terribly cut about the head. He is still alive, but may die, as besides the cuts he is badly injured. The back fireman, Nicholas Barber, of the accommodation train, was next taken out. He was dead. His entrails protruded from his body, and he was otherwise mangled. Fireman Louis McLain was then picked up living, but badly scalded and gashed about the face and head. Mail Agent Winfield Hiles was with great difficulty gotten out. He was lying dead under the debris, and it was some time before he was discovered. Attention was attracted to him by a faint cry, “I am here.” He was terribly injured internally and died in a short time. Of the excursionists only one was fatally hurt. This was little Willie Caskey, aged 10, who has since died. His brother John, aged 12, is injured about the face, but not dangerously. Mr. Frank Fenton, the civil engineer of the road, was also the Superintendent of the Second Presbyterian School. He was taken out dead after about two hours’ work mangled in a terrible manner. His daughter was on the train. Immediately after the accident she began to search for her father, but was told that he was safe and had gone ahead to flag the trains. She then walked to Haddonfield. After she had gone her father was taken out of the ruins, his head almost flattened where it had been crushed. Conductor Albert Smith and the brakeman, Gustavus Edwards, of the Lakeside train, were taken out dead. Smith was counting his tickets in the front car. It was nearly an hour and a half after the accident before medical assistance arrived.
The dead were all brought to Camden, where the Coroner began an inquest to-night. The injured were removed to their homes. The following is the list of the dead:
GEORGE BAXTER, engineer, Lakeside train; aged 35. He leaves a widow and four children residing in Camden.
NICHOLAS BARBER, aged 34; fireman on the accommodation train.
WILLIE CASKEY, aged 10; residence, No. 415 Senate-street, Camden; head crushed; died at his home at 5 o’clock.
FRANK FENTON, surveyor of the road, aged 46, residence, No. 334 Benson-street, Camden; leaves a widow and family.
GUSTAVAS EDWARDS, aged 27, brakeman on excursion train, leaves a widow and four small children, living at Milford, N. J.
W. SCOTT HILES, mail agent of the accommodation train; aged 35, residence, No. 34 Virginia-avenue, Camden; leaves a widow.
WESLEY PALMER, engineer of the accomodation train, aged 52; leaves a widow and three children, residing in Atlantic City.
ALBERT SMITH, conductor of Lakeside train, aged 30; leaves a widow and four children, living on Vine street, Camden.
The injured are as follows:
HENRY DIETZ, special officer, residing at No. 262 Chestnut-street, Camden; scalded and hip broken.
LEONARD BAUSH, residing at No. 2,241 Germantown Road, Philadelphia; back hurt and badly scalded about face and body.
FRANK McCORMICK, No. 1,134 Cooper-street, Camden, an excursionist; left leg broken and scalded about body.
JOHN CASKEY, aged 12, of No. 415 Senate-street, Camden; injured about the face.
JOHN ROSENBAUM, express agent, badly injured about the back and head; residence, Atlantic City.
ALBERT GLENN, conductor, residence at Atlantic City; ribs broken and internally injured.
LOUIS McLAIN, fireman, severely injured about the head.
JOHN LAYRE, brakeman; injured severely.
CORA MAY LIPPINCOTT, aged 12, No. 804 Broadway, Camden, and her brother Eugene, aged 16; legs hurt.
JOSEPH A. SEFFARLEN, of the firm of Seffarlen & Fritz, at No. 240 North Third-street, Philadelphia; injured about the shoulder.
A number of others were hurt, but not seriously. Coming from the scene of the disaster in the special train the first to run over the fatal spot and resume the traffic of the road was Superintendent Bannard, of the Camden and Atlantic Road. The crushed and mangled body of Engineer Palmer lay in the baggage car covered with two crates. “The management of the road is clear of blame from this disaster,” said Mr. Bannard. “The orders dispatched by myself were plain and explicit, directing both trains to stop at Ashland and there pass each other. The Atlantic City accommodation train did not obey that order. Why it did not I cannot imagine. There is no doubt the order was given to both Conductor Glenn and Engineer Palmer. I have in my possession a receipt for that order bearing both their signatures. Palmer was the oldest engineer on the road, and was known to be trustworthy and cautious. Conductor Glenn has the same honorable record.”
Conductor Glenn, who was one of the injured, was seen by a reporter lying on a bunch of cushions. He covered his face with his hand, and spoke very reluctantly, and evidently with painful effort. “I rang the bell to stop twice,” he moaned, “I knew we had to stop off at Ashland, and so did Palmer, and when he didn’t pull up I did my best to stop the train.”
Samuel Archer, a Camden member of the wrecking crew engaged in clearing the track, was fatally injured by a singular accident late this afternoon. The wrecked engines and baggage cars were piled up on the track. In clearing it away a hawser was attached to one of the wrecked engines, while the other end was fastened to a locomotive on the track. When the word was given the locomotive moved away at a rapid rate. The slack hawser snapped and in doing so hurled into the air a great mass of broken iron. One of these flying pieces struck Archer, who was standing several feet away, in the back of the head. A boy who was standing between Archer and the wreck dodged the missile which brought Archer down as though he had been struck by a cannon ball. He was picked up, and it was found that his skull had been crushed in. His brains were oozing out. He was brought to Camden and is still alive, but will die.
13 Still Operators Jailed By Pancoast in Effort to Smash Huge Chain
Camden Courier-Post —
CAMDEN ‘PLANTS’ ARE CALLED PART OF PHILADELPHIA OUTFIT
Police Nab Men and Woman in Early Morning Raids
90-DAY TERMS GIVEN
Camden police believed they had broken the first link in a chain system of stills yesterday when Police Judge Pancoast sentenced 13 persons, several of them from Philadelphia, to 90 days each in the county jail. None was able to pay a $200 fine.
The prisoners were arrested in three raids by District Detectives John Trout, Walter Smith and Vernon Jones early yesterday. All the defendants are colored.
“I believe you’re all implicated in this chain system,” said Judge Pancoast in sentencing the first group. “I believe it is directed in Philadelphia and that the police have broken the first link. I think your stills are scattered all through Camden.”
Smith and Trout arrested Martha Norman, 38, of 833 Jackson Street; Margaret Baner, 35, same address; Jessie Fife, 23, of 1120 Carpenter Street, and Jolie Brandy, 33, of 618 North Forty-sixth street, Philadelphia, in a raid at 432 Senate Street.
The detectives testified they had been watching the place for some time. Trout, alone, saw Brandy drive up and take three bags of sugar inside. Trout left to get Smith and when they returned all four defendants were sitting in Brandy’s automobile. The Norman woman, they said, had a one-gallon can of moonshine on her lap.
Inside the detectives stated, they found a 50-gallon still in operation and four barrels of mash. Brandy denied he was the operator and said the owner was a man, known only as “John.”
Ray Shedrick, 22, of 433 Senate Street, pleaded guilty to operating a 50-gallon still in his home. He said he sold his whisky where he could but refused to name his buyers. He also was arrested by Trout and Smith.
James Green, 32, of 749 Division Street, admitted operating a 25-gallon still at that address but said it was for his own use only and that he sold none of it.
Arrested with him were Marion Smith, 26, of 615 North Forty-fifth Street; Charles Marton, 34, of 2131 North Twenty-first Street; Felix Carroll, 31, of 2006 North Gratz Street; Gladys Little, 28, of 612 North Forty-sixth Street, and Beatrice Hill, 32, of 5733 Commerce Street, all Philadelphia.
The alleged operators all were charged with violating the city speakeasy ordinance, which prohibits gathering of “disorderly persons.” The others were charged with being material witnesses or frequenters.
Still ‘Speaks’ Out in Mighty Roar!
Camden Morning Post —
Still ‘Speaks’ Out in Mighty Roar!
Reason for panic of residents in the neighborhood of Fifth and Senate streets is shown in the above photo which reveals damage caused by the explosion of a still at 433 Senate street. A blast shattered front windows and left fissures in the front and side walls. Henry Smith, 54, was arrested by Policeman William Rogers on suspicion of being the owner of a still.
Henry Smith — William Rogers — Camden Morning Post, December 13, 1930