New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-05

with BOTH what more could it desire? Noths
ing, save this that il have them under its own
control. as every city should. SO 1t bought out
the companies at cost OF about $4,000, and
now owns the entire plant. 1t maintains the
two systems separately that the resident
may have either we'll spring water. as he
pleases, both. The present capacity Of tho
works Is 100000 gallons a day, or 600 gallons
a day for each permanent inhabitant; a sup
ply more than ample for all requirements.
The value of property at Atlantic City has.
as | have said, enormously increased In recent
years. The market value OF the real estate
of the city is now fully $40 O00 or 1000 per
capita of the population. Lots in good places
along the beach, 100 feet deep. are worth $1,000
a foot front. and on the business streets in
the heart of the city at least half much.
In choice spots even higher prices than the
above have recently been obtained. Which re-
minds me that the biggest thing in Atlantic
City, after all. Is not the Board Walk. nor the
climate, but the principle OF riparian rights.
Under the law the man who owns land 'front.'
ing the owns 1t clear down to tide
water. no matter where that line may be. II
the ocean gets obstreperous, and washes away
the beach, the men loses just so much real
estate. But if. instead. it is generous. ana
washes up sand and widcns the beach. he gains
just SO much. And. rule, the beach 10
widening here. Old Neptune seems to think
Atlantic City is good thing that there
can't we'll be too much Of ii. So he Is dig
cling up the ocean floor with his trident at
great rate, and piling the sand along the
beach Especially is this the case at the north
ern end. Away down south, where land IL ~
present less valuable, there is some loss. But
at the north and along the best part Of the
when, not so many years ago, the lighthouse
was reckoned 10 be in danger OF being under
mined so close to the surf did 1t stand NOW
IL is well inland. Two of the chief hotels.
whose only fault Is that they stand too far
back from the beach to suit some tastes oc-
cupy site that twenty-five years ago was
under the breakers.
Talk about "unearned increment" It's moth
ing to riparian rights Talk about the golden
sand" OF "Afric's sunny fountains" II simply
isn't in 1t" by the side OF Atlantic City sand.
WHY people have become millionaires by JUS,
sitting still and letting the tides enlarge their
real estate There places where the beacn
has been widened to the extent OF whole CITY
block Think OF that. with the land worth u 200
a foot 'front.' When the beach builds out
hundred feet there Will be new lot wo o sivvo
a foot front. And 50 on. Say IT'S 5000 miles to
the coast OF Spain: or 15S400oo rect De
Then we have 1O5sC,oOO feet; or lo5eoo lots
each 100 feet deep. So at an actual present
value OF $1,000 a foot front oeach lots nave =
potential value Of sos 5000 a foot 'front.' o.
course that won't be realized until the Atlantic
Ocean fills itself up clear across TO spain But
who knows what may happen? Every foot the
beach is built out is foot In that direction, ana
realizes its proportion OF $l0o.6oo.000
please remember what I said little way
back about the wind There's no idle blowing
in Atlantic City 40
Moreover ! have this day found, in real life.
something more marvellous than such dreams OF
riparian plutocracy. Tell 1t In Gath, or Askelon.
or where you W Il. I have found a frst-class
hotel where the walters are attentive ana
polite and where they do not expect and Will
Ananias nor was Munchausen among my an
cestors. But wild horses Will not drag from me the
name Of the hotel. do not wish 1t TO be mobbed
hy seventy-odd million American citizens. Let
its glory be reflected upon the entire city. II
YOU would find 1t. you must come and search for
It, And X you do not find IT, you Will be no loser.
No one Is who comes to Atlantic City. But you
may find II, or you may find others like II. do
not know. There ne hundreds OF hotels here:
and | have not dwelt In more than a dozen Of
them. / should not be surprised IL there were
others entitled to the same distinction ] ara
not prepared to Fay that anything good. how
ever marvellous IL impossible in such place
this.
few years ago an eminent physician. after
spending four years In travelling through ell
parts OF the Upited States, and In visiting numer-
Gus resorts for health. publicly expressed the
opinion that Atlantic City was destined to be-
come 'the greatest. most popular and most
widely known health resort OF the American
Continent-perhaps of the world" That
prophecy to-day IL very near fulflment. With
permanent population of over 10000. II stands
apart, ina class Of its own, distinct from the
ordinary summer settlement With a midsum>
mer population vergng upon 1850 coo. 1t boasts u.
self 10 be the largest city on the Atlantic coast
south OF New-York With rs present rate o..
growth and of popularity as q resort for healt