Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-01-21
sr4rBN IsL AND BOOMING.


The Baltimore g. Ohio is moving as
rapidly as circumstances permit in the
matter of its Staten Island route. Its
officers state that there ia no longer the
least question OF doubt that the ex-
tension to Staten Island will be hn nc
complished fact MIR. Erastus Winan is
also actively at work to secure large
local business for the Staten Island Rapid
Transit Road. This road has been form
ally transferred to the Baltimore & Ohio,
and the latter's officials are now in con-
troll. Its engineers are surveying line
from Elm Park, which was originally in
tended as the terminus of the Rapid
Transit road, to the bank of the Kill
opposite Elizabethport where the
railroad bridge will be constructed.
The distance is only two miles.
II may be said that there is change in
public opinion in New Jersey regarding
the Staten Island project. It dates from
the great Garrett dinner at New Brighton.
The Jerseymen are looking somewhat diff
ferently at the project than they did at
first, and Mr.. Wiman does not anticipate
the large amount of opposition on the
part of New Jersey that at first was
threatened. All the legislation needed for
the construction of the extension to
Elizabethport is now on the statute
books, and will scarcely be repealed.
Bills to authorize the construction Of the
Arthur Kill bridge have been introduced
into both houses of Congress.
The announcement of the contract with
the Baltimore n Ohio has created great
demand for Staten Island property, both
for business purposes and villas The
water front is also in large demand,
Charles Watrous, the big lumber dealer,
has bought 500 feet of water front for a
hardwood lumber yard to supply the
domestic and foreign trade. He says the
Baltimore d Ohio with its western and
southern connections, will be of great
advantage to him. 1. o. Williams.
another lumber dealer, has also purchased
water front property. The total sales of
real estate since the signing of the con-
tract amount to over 81 $50, 900. The
Leavitt estate has recently been purchased
for $4,000 for the building of villas.
The Commodore Garner estate, which
has been unoccupied since his death, has
been bought for the erection of school
by the Protestant Episcopal denomina-
tion. Sir Roderick Cameron has
puFClHbcu Iue Durr6lJ 6blhte, tuc
mansion on which originally cost
$4,000, in behalf of the Clifton Villa
Company, in which he, Mr.. Wiman, JIM.
Davis and others are interested. A
national bank, the first on Staten Island,
has been organized with capital OF
$l00,000, which was subscribed twice
over. Among the subscribers are Wilson
G. Hunt, II. 1. Nichols, Robert Gt.rrett
Thomas NJ. King, Erastus Wiman aad Sin
Roderick Cameron. The last two, being
British subjects, could not be elected az
directors. Thus in the erection OF ware
houses, villas, bank, and by other bust
ness enterprises, as well as in the base
ball project, which is now in smooth
waters, Mr.. Wiman is engaged in develop
ing Staten Island, and making itattractive
for business, for residence and for
amusement. Ata meeting on Thursday
evening company was formed for the
erection of cheap houses on land recently
acquired for the purpose. The earnings
of the Rapid Transit road in December
were 10 per cent larger than in December,
1891