New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-29
State Va. CIrY-.mADE LANDS.

An impression seems to peryade the city, even IN
intelligent quarters that considerable portion oil
the made-lands of the city Stated by some persons
TO amount to 1000, 900 or $4,000, OOO) belongs e-
paly TO the State This notion is believed to be a
very great mistake. The city has filled IN no lands
either in the East or North Rivers, without the
authorization of the State-sometimes by an e1-
press grant Of the land under water; sometimes by
an act of the Legislature, authorizing OF directing
il to occupy and fill up the grounds, which neceS-
sarily has the effect of an implied grant.
BY the Montgomery Charter, the Government
granted to the City, in 1890, 400 feet OF the land
under water, extending from low water mark INTO
the rivers on both sides of the city.
Tn 1893. the Mayor and Aldermen, by their MEM
oria informed the Legislature that they desired 70
make two streets on the exterior line OF their grant,
one ON the North the other on the East River, 10
be the permanept exterior streets OF the CITY, lhey
also prayed to be allowed to sink piers anu nSh'
wharyes extending into the rivers al rign' ane,e' "
those streets In accordance win this Po'"'o'
tbe LEGISLATURE at the same session, passed al ACT
outborzinp the city to make the exterior S'reels
aforesaid (South and West streets), ana u siiih
pers and make wharyes, extending INTO The rheiS'
aft right angles to those streets and TO take the
Wharfage thereof The Legislature was informed
by the memorial that the City proposed to construct
those streets on the extreme line of their grant. VI
course it knew that the piers proposedto besunk be-
yond the streets must be lands not expressly grant
ed to the CITY; vet it granted the right to make these
piers and wharyes, without restriction as to num-
Der or length, together with the right to take the
profits BY numerous subsequent acts OF the Leg
islature, passed from time to time, the CITY has
been authorized to sink piers, make, alter enlarge
or fill up slips, at their discretion. For examples
the act of April g 1904, authorizes them to fill
sup alter or amend any public SLIP" The act of
I'd April, 1906, ], authorizes them, lat their
own expense, to cause such and so many other
"pubc basins Cor slips) to be- formed as they deem
necessary for trade, and take the wharfage to
"their own USE" The consolidated act OF Aprll9
1873 expressly authorizes the City "to cause all lots
"ofground on the North or East RirerS, as they may
I" from time to time think proper, to befHed up far
into said rers they may deem ezpedient for pro-
"moting the health Of said City, with power to alter,
"fIl up, and amend public slips"
These and many other acts grant to the City the
right to fill up, sink piers, make wharyes, make,
alter, and enlarge slips and basins, to any extent,
all around the City, in both rivers, without any
reference to the exterior line Of the Citys water
grant--or rather with a full knowledge that that
line was exceeded. In short, these numerous acts
authorize the City to fill in and wharf out, at dis
cretion, and take the profits.
Is there any other use which can be made of land
under WATER 1t il q rule Of law that the grant Of
all the uses of land is grant of the land itself Is
it not safe to say that there is not q shadow of
ground for the claim of the State to any portion of
the made lands of the City,