Horse and Cart
Horse-drawn wagons were used in the clay industry from the earliest times well into the 20th century. Typically, veterinarians were on duty 24-hours a day to care for animals (Home News Tribune, 2002). In 1860, Sayre and Fisher Company constructed a two course stable on River Road in Sayreville, which housed the company's horses and mules.
An 1890 photograph of transportation of clay in Woodbridge, New Jersey (Historical Association of
Woodbridge Township collection of Robert McEwen)
Shipping
In the late 1800's, S & F utilized a fleet of up to 16 sailing vessels to transport bricks as far away as Portland, Maine, and Norfolk, Virginia. In 1905, schooners could carry up to 50,000 bricks as cargo. In 1912, S & F organized the Sayreville Towing Company and purchased an 85-foot, 600-horse power steel tug for towing barges to take over a substantial part of its deliveries. Each tugboat could tow as many as 4 and 12 barges, which could contain up to 250,000 bricks each (Karcher, 1953: 12-13). As railroad transport became more popular, the use of boats declined.
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A schooner at S & F slip, circa 1895 (Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Library: Sayre & Fisher 1895) |
A barge crew waits for the tug circa 1880. (Sayreville Historical Society, 2001) |
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Deck of a schooner at S & F brickworks being loaded with brick. (Sayreville Historical Society, 2001) |