Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-10-26
MAnsn Owners nom A MEETING.
Stockholders of the Cherry Island Marsh
Company Decide on Course of Action

Stockholders of the Cherry Island Marsh
Company Decide on u Course of Action
In Regard to Their Submerged Property.
An important meeting Of the Cherry
Island marsh owners was held Thursday
afternoon in the Mouseley Building,
Twenty-iirst and Market streets.
The purpose of the gathering was to
ascertain what action should be taken.
and the method to be followed, in regard
to the property of the company mum
dated by tho heavy storm of Friday
last. Almost all the stockholders were
present They we're: William f.
Sellers, William Bright, John G..
Allmon, David X. Beeson, Joseph b.
Talley, Charles w. Talley, Thomas j.
Talley, j. Atwood Weldin, Isaac G.
Elliott, Thomas #. Weldin, Eli Mendin-
hall, Horace Allen, the Pullman Palace
Car Company, the Railroad River Front
William Sellers, George A. Talley, John
S. Talley and Sarah ]. Talley.
Charles W. Talley was chosen chair
man of the meeting and William f.
Sellers secretary. The call for the meet
ing and its purpose was read by the Sec
rotary, and then Chairman Talley in
flleu ulsCuSSlOn.
On motion of William Bright, Sec
onded by Mr.. Mendinhall, il was re-
solved that committee of three be
appointed to ascertain the cost of repairs
and to report to the stockholders. The
chair appointed Messrs. Thomas j. Tai
ley, William +. Sellers and Thomas
Weldin for that purpose. The commit
tee was also instructed to ascertain the
probable cost of procuring dredging
machines.
General discussion was had over the
point of making temporary repairs now
as contrasted with the construction of a
permanent wall right away.
Mr.. Sellers expressed himself as OPP
| posed to the idea of erecting temporary
bank. He was more in favor of putting
a dredge to work and of initiating now
the work Of n permanent bank.
Mr.. Bright thought that good mud
bank might do for the present and build
the stone one afterwards.
Mr.. Sellers stated that n mud bank
would not stand. II should be faced
with stone in order to prevent the face
of it being washed away.
Atwood Weldin thought there is suf-
ficent stone around the neighborhood
l
for that purpose.
| Mr. Mendinhall suggested that il
might be well to offer resolution to
the effect that the matter be left in the
hands of the directors, who shall be
authorized to obtain the necessary funds
by one of two ways, by taxing the
stockholders pro rata or by obtaining q
loan.
Thomas Weldin was of the opinion
that the stockholders should be first
consulted on the question of the man.
ner of obtaining the repair money. lie
thought it would be proper first to gel
the voice of the stockholders in regard
to the matter. Mr.. Bright was Of a
similar opinion.
Marsh Company must say that fee
great hesitancy in accepting such trust
as the one just suggested, even if thu
stockholders tell us to do SO. shall
vote against the notion"
Thomas Weldin-"The directors
should get definite directions what they
are TO do"
Mr.. Sellers-"My feeling is that the
question embodied in Mr.. Bright's mo-
ton puts us in the right direction. 1t i.
first to ascertain the probable cost of re
pairs"
The motion was put and lost.
A motion was then introduced by
Mr.. Bright that the cost of repairs b,
raised by loan. There was great dea
of discussion upon the motion. 1t wa:
eventually put to vote with the result o
l blank vote; 45 yeas, and II nays
Chairman Talley then declared that thu
company had voted that the funds TO
repairing the marsh banks be obtained
by loan and not by assessment on tn,
various stockholders. The vote also left
1t with the directors to obtain the loan.
On motion of Thomas Weldin com
mittee of three, comprising William
Lawton, William Bright and Eli Men
dinhall, was appointed to see Cit
Council, the Street and Sewer Depart
ment, or whatever authority is compe
tent in the matter, and make represen
tations to those public bodies shown,
to them the large expenditures tn
Cherry Island Marsh Company is unde
In protecting property from inundation
and that through this expenditure tn
city is and has been continuously ad
vantaged, without any compensation I,
the marsh owners. In consideration o
these facts, together with the statemen
that through the maintenance of til
marsh banks the Ninth ward Is, in ii
lower part, saved every year from
flooded cellars and from danger to tn
: health of the residents and of thei
property, and for these reasons to asl
,, of the public bodies pecuniary aid to
wards defraying the expense of repair
: ing the river bank. II was arrange
,, that the next meeting shall be at tn
call of the directors.
!, In general discussion of the subject o
city aid it was learned that if the mars
company does not make the repairs il
: question the city will have to do it il
self-protection. The city line goes clea
to the river, t of mile below Edg
Moor.
An expenditure of $4,000 would b
, required for temporary work to kee
the water off the Cherry Island Mars
Company's property.
The river wall extends II miles from
Edge Moor wharf to the lighthouse. A
> the lowest estimate, of so cents foo
!; this would be $500 for an ordinar
river wall and 81 900 more for the lime
7 wall. There are between 1856 and SO
acres in the Cherry Island marsh. A
an assessment Of $40 per acre to cove
all expenses, the amount needed to pu
: up permanent repairs would be abou
| kl0000