The sun., 1899-12-13
ASTORIA co. LAND GRANT.
STATEMENT OF THE FACTS ON BE-
HILF or THE COMPANr.

Merely n Grant to the Upland owner of
| Rights Under Water That Can by Law
He Granted to No One Else-The City,
| Right to Intervene in the Matter Denied.
| Tho following statement in relation to the
vexed question OF the Astoria land grant has
been made to THE SuS by gentleman con-
nected with tho interests OF The Astoria Light
| Heat and Power Company:
The grant OF land under water asked for by
the Astoria Company differs in no wiso
| from the many hundred applications which
havo been made in this State to the Land Com
missioners by the riparian owners for patents
| to the lands under water lying in front OF their
respective properties. These grants are essen
| TALLY necessary to the promotion and protcc-
| ton OF the commerce and Industries OF tho
| State at large and OF the cities thereof Tho
| same question has confronted every riparian
owner when the appropriate time has come for
| him TO make use OF his lands fronting on tho
water.
In this case. that Of the Astoria Company
| 1t became palpable that as the city grew
greater and greater objections must be made
to the presence OF n number OF gas plants and IL
was equally apparent that the time was not far
distant when due regard for tho health and
convenience OF the citizens would require that
the manufacture OF gas be conducted away
from the denser centres Of population. in the
same way that the refining Of crude oil. abat-
tolrs and other occupations Of the same gem
eral character are steadily pushed back by the
growth OF cities Every foreign METROPOLIS
London. Paris. Vienna and Berlin-has gone
through in its turn the same process we are
now going through in this city. that OF excud-
ing from within tho limits OF It's dcnser popu-
lation trade after trade as soon as II becomes
In fuct obnoxious TO the mass of the citizens.
with this in yipw fha Aatp
chased over 300 acres near tho exterior limits
OF the city on tho Long Island shore. Sur-
rounding this land when purchased there were
already bukhead and pier lines suitable for the
protection and promotion OF the navigation and
commerce OF tho port OF New York which were
established by the United States Government.
Between these exterior pier limos and the up
lands lay marshes and flats In all directions.
Necessarily before these lands could be used.
before coal barges could be brought to tho
docks which were TO be constructed. before
any step toward the removal OF the gas COM
pany from Manhattan Island could be initiated
these flats and marshes must he filled in.
In relation to the Astoria purchase. II was
found that nearly thirty years ago tho then
owner OF the greater part o' the land had In
common with each owner o' unlands in tho
State. as the Importance OF the subject reached
his mind. applied 10 the Land Commissioners
OF the State to patent to him the lands under
water lying In front OF his lands. 50 that when
the time for their improvement came. they
might be filed In and cribwork aud docks con-
structed. This patent was duly granted In
1873. Two tracts OF land under water. one oi
something over forty acres the other OF some
thing In excess OF twenty seven acres were
issued TO tho then owner Between his two
parcels OF land iherc iav n small triangle OF
land. and as the Lnnd Comm missioners are In
each instance careful to see that they DO not
grant to rlphTtAu owner lands under
lying In front Of tho lands of some other
riparian proprietor. IN" sunkcn !inds in front
ot this triangle rcmainei unpatcuted tn" sole
person entitled to obtnin a patent being the
owner OF the land fronting on the triangle. or
Tn purchasing at this locality the Astoria
COMPANY bought this triangle also. and before
construction oi its cribwork and dooks along
the lines established bv the United States Cow
ernmcnt I! became necessary that II should
Land Commissioners. that it, lines might he
continuous. Asto Ihe sunken unds. or land.
Is this application which has recently been
made tolthe Land Commissioners. and concern
ing which some OF the astounding statements
that have lately appeared In some OF the
papers have been made. MANY, OF the asscr-
tons refutc. themselves on their face; the
proposition. for instance. thar the sixteen acres
OF land which have been granted are OF the
| yalu" o' between one and three millions OF
dollars,
1T must ha horn" IN mind that acccss to tho
wat"r-in other words TIA" rpari ian rights be-
D
! j.. aud always has hrrn. tn" law. Hundreds
upon hundreds OF grant Of land under water
instance has any grant been made Of any land
Under watei to 9ny other person than, ne
Land Commissioner, attempt TO make grant
| 10 any other person. hv cxpre-s and continu-
ally rc|nacted nroysion OF law. such grant IL
absolutely sod From the earliest times II
has been recognized that no person except the
adjacent proprietor was entitled TO receive
grant Ut land under water lying in front OF his
property. and he reason for this is palpahls
| To grant 10 any other pnrsOn than the riparian
| riparian rights without compensation.
"Thereiore. n this case. wpen the arrraIscrs
| appointed 10y tho State Board appraised those
| lands at 5000 per mere. they actually appraised
| them at far more than they were worth a. ap-
pears from -imnl. cnlculntion: Add TO the
| The cost ot illng in and crlbning them. and
they will he far d"nrcr To the company than
any sixteen acres Of the moro than tire" hun
| drcd acres Of nplands purchased by II. Ii the
ownership ot thcs" sixteen acres without tho
right 10 M them in and without any rparian
| tn" R"al Esat" Exchange, how much does any
one suppose would be paid ior them?
| 1t l. certainly little remarkable that In
relation to this land grant tn" city authorities
should range th:msclves SO violently in op-
| Tor the Corporation Counsel TO pursue as To
| th, tn, numoer OF grants , oi land under water
have been made during the past three wears 10
| riparian owners. without objection 10y the city
authorities. and in view OF the fact that the
sentntions before tho state Board ns to tho In
Jury which might arise to the navigation and
land grant. Il would be Interesting 10 hear Why
| the city authorities d"cm that the filling out to
the bulkhenh lines and the construction, Of
docks along tho picr lines ~ the city. enabling
the land to be used for tho purpose of COM
merce. Ia Getriment to public interest. Surely
within the limits OF a CITY would seem short.
| sighted roiicy II no riparian owner within