The Jersey City news., 1899-12-13

nloyment to labor and otherwise develop
mo tba material interest OF the State. in
creasing its population and taxable re-
sources. Nor does the Board feel that II
would be warranted in taking advantage
of the necessity of applicants for these
lands by exacting extortionate prices.
While ever mindful of the high purpose
TO which the revenues from this source
are devoted, the Commissioners also aim
To foster and not check and retard the
commercial and industrial development OF
the State, by the adjustment on broad ana
liberal grounds of these great purposes
and interests. The Board desires to turn
into the school fund as many dollars as
possible. and at the same time to encour-
age manufacturing and other capital ana
enterprises to locate in New Jersey
During the past year several questions
have been asked the Board py par tles
making applications for riparian la.lus, aS
rights they acquire in these grants
these questions may perplex the mlnus q
others who contemplate making dppiiea+t
tions for riparian lands, we nave 81 ~
it well to etnbody the replies tner9!o ~
this report. What are the precise ilslle9
secured by the grantee OF riparian iaiius i ~ !.
has been asked. He secures the same rlslt
as far as he actually reclaims or llnprovess p.sss
1t as the purchaser OF any piece ol uplaiiu
really secures. That IS 10 say, as - a.
he fills in or docks his purchase. 4t,a,,
The courts have decided thar Until en1S
are so reclaimed the tidal waters OF the
state are open to common use Tor nsHins
and navigation. With this provision snE
riparian grant belongs 70 the srdntee, VIII Il
the ,netes and bounds of his purchase, IS
absolutely as his neld his garden, OF MS
city lot and he may convey II py sdle y
another person Just as ne az may nenf otith the
general public can exercise Is TO hsh OF
sale or row, in the waters GOVERNS ny
riparian purchase until II Is recialIneu su
from such public use by Dulkneaus OF
wf.a 1t is in this respect closely an,
alagous with public use, for hunting and
other purposes, of unfenced upland COM
mons.
cannot Interfere with the rights Of the
owner to use his land under water IN any
way that he sees Mt. 1t cannot pc sQ enie
ployed as to deprive him OF any right ol
ownership and use. The absolute char
acter of the grant made by the state Iol-
lows as corollary of the States abso-
Lutte ownership of these lands under water.
There is a vague idea, cherished with
singular persistency in some minds, or
some shadow of partial ownership in these
riparian lands by the owner Of the az apu5, u,
conyeniency of access of such owners TO
the waters covering these lands. But that
adjacency is its only foundation. II gives
no more right to the States riparian
property on one side of his land than 1t
does to the farm or other realty of his
neighbor on the other side.
Conveniency of access to property con-
veys no title. The lands under the tide
waters of the State belong to the whole
people of New Jersey. The farmer in
Warren county has as much right and in
terest in them as the oystermen of Cum
berland or Ocean. That common owner
ship finds it's equitable adjustment and
distribution in the use of the public Schooi
fund. derived from the. sale or lease of
these riparian lands.
The only advantage. aside from adj
jacency that the abutting owner has
over residents of the State in the
riparian lands fronting on his property,
is the six months option that he is
entitled to under the law for their pur-
chase or lease
The work of the Commissioners during
the past year has been of an unusually
arduous character. The Board has held
more meetings than in any preceding
year, and there have been numerous Wis
its Of inspection to different parts of the
State by committee. 1t has been con-
and perplexing problems, many of which
have been solved to the compile satisfac-
tion of all concerned, and some of them
are still under consideration.
Attention is called to the report of the
Engineer of the Board in the examina-
tion of the boundary line monuments OF
the State, and consideration for the
recommendations there made which meet
the approval of the Board, respectfully
asked
]. G. Payne, engineer Of the Board,
makes this report of the grants, leases
the year ending October 81 1885, together
with the names of the grantees or lessees,
dates. localities and amounts paid or Sc
cured to be paid to the State;-