as allaire's business grew, howell works became a major transportation center. in 1833 allaire upgraded the original wooden carriage house, built in 1825, with a larger brick building. he established a stagecoach company that ran a freight-wagon line between howell works and his depot at eatontown dock (modern-day oceanport). later he built another depot at red bank further north. to transport the pig iron from red bank to new york, allaire purchased cornelius vanderbilt's steamer "bellona" and established the first regular steam packet service between the two localities. other steamboats used by allaire to transport goods and supplies to and from the howell works included the "frank", "david brown", "osiris", "iolas" and "orus".