New-York tribune., 1905-12-25
TO SAVE RIPARIAN LAND
HALT NAY BE CALLED.
VaIuabIe Rights Go for Song
Board MAJ Go.

Board Mag G0.
Trenton. Dec "a (speciaD-The State authorities
have reached the conclusion that something must
he done to what is left of the riparian lands
to the State. These lands now controlled oy
the State Board of Riparian Commissioners. of
which the Governor Is the president. 1t has been
the policy of the commission to sell portions of the
lands that have become valuable to steamship and
manufacturing companies
The authorities believe that the prices at which
the lands have been sold have been lower than
they should been and there is to be an tnvest-
cation, before the close of this winters session OF
the legislature. of the sales that have been made.
the motives back of them and the prices received
in each instance.
The money received from the riparian lands either
through sales leases forms the public school
fund, and Governor Stokes sees a possibility of
these lands eventually passing away from the State
if something is not done to insure their retention.
In his inaugural address, he said:
Most of the riparian grants of our State have
been disposed Of in fee simple and are no longer a1
State assets Riparian rights yet In our possession
such as are iocafed along the Hudson River viii
grow in value with the growth of the country;
multiplied and the business demands upon them
Sd no PareS ER ef n IN PsIs
would now have an immensely valuable asset ana
If the policy of the past has been mistaken one.
let US at once correct it The Legislature can pro-
of in fee simple but shall be leased on rentals
fair basis Of increased SSsii Value @ Such readjus-
ments could be determined, in cases of dispute, by
of the lessee which would insure fairness to both
parties p One riparian grant made twenty years ago
paid for it; another made ten years ago at $50
stu another, made less than five years ago. is now
held at many times its cost to the grantee. There
ble source of income
NO MATERIAL CHANGE IN LAWS
In spite of this expression of sentiment by Gov
ernor Stokes, the riparian laws not changed
materially last winter and last year grants were
made in fee simple by the Board of Riparian Com
mtssioners as in the past
In the year 1903 the Riparian Commissioners did
the biggest business in State lands in years In
that year eighty-six grants made, ranging in
value all the way from $40 to $4,000 The total
amount accruing to the State from these grants
was SS7,51SS S In the same year there were six
leases and six licenses granted making total in
come TO the State for the year of S204 27 The
report of the Riparian Commission for this year
says
aDout 1885, from conyeyances lands under water
that b of last year and the location and Character of
aenand for waterfront property over the entire
'iParlan p y front , Of the State.
the lands disposed of in the southern part Of the
a Srate We're exceedingly small compared with the
the State was sold In the fiscal year ended Octo-
eleven and licenses 81 ssaed be
pSnb aaO TO the State from these transactions
The Riparian Commissioners estimate that there
are within the State of New-Jersey lands under
the state to a s rsass and ~5fe
ing rapidly taken by enterprises that are attracted
by the nearness to the cities of New-York and Phil
and the proximity of the great lines of railroads
there unlimited extents of waterfront in close
having these same railroad facilities, which offer
unexceed attractions for the location of industries
and the building of dwellings for operatives, the
estaonshnent of schools, churches and all the ad-
Juncts of community that is rapidly increa sing
the population and wealth of the State.
TOTAL AMOUNT s3.554.s38.
In the period from April /. 1864. to October 81,
1903 the total amount received from riparian land
grants in fee simple was 1864 S53 "a The total re-
ceipts from licenses were ST. 1852 go and the total
per cent is paid. $7s6 652 %
rentals on leases made some of which have been
converted into grants. about S,650G0o, making the
total receipts from grants licenses and rentals paid
State Treasurer Briggs has been looking into the
value of the riparian lands in the last year, and
a halt the sale of this class of the States prop
erty With the rapid increase of the States popu-
latton there is annually more demand for money
for the public schools, and the wisdom Of pre-
serving the riparian lands for future necessities is
realized by the State officials.
Treasurer Briggs points out the fact that the
money received for the sale of riparian lands is
deposited in the State banks and draws interest
of 2 to 21a per cent. The lands leased, however
the demand for them constantly increasing.
1t is not impossible that before the legislature
the riparian commission or abolish it, and place
the management Of the riparian lands In one OF
the departments of the State government. the sug-
gestion has been made and is said to have met
with general approval