Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-09-16
JOHN F. WAGGAMAN Sells
ocean CITY HOLDINGS
Purchased BY A Syndicate OF Prominent
Baltimore Business Men Who Will
SpSnd Thousands On improvements.

fhe valuable property holdings of
Mr.. John +. Waggaman at Ocean City.
MID, have been acquired by syndicate
of Baltimoreans, who will spend thou
sands of dollars in improvements. The
Pennsylvania Railroad Company is said
to be prominently identified with the
new interests which will predominant
at the resort.
The new owners of the property,
who have paid over TO Mr.. Waggaman
the purchase money, have organized by
electing Mr.. John w. Woodland presi-
dent, Mr.. +. S. johnson vice president,
Mr.. w. ID. Allen secretary and Mr.. w.
S. Mexican general manager. A full
board of Is directors will be elected
been effected.
The new company has been incor--
porated at Dover under the laws of
Delaware, and is known as the Ocean
City Development Company. Its capital
stock is placed at $500, 900 500, 900 in
preferred and 5000. 900 in common stock.
Here is what the new company has
acquired from Mr.. Waggaman:
| THE Atlantic Hotel and Casino.
" The Seaside Hotel.
h The electric light plant.
I A steam laundry plant.
Four thousand four hundred building
lots, each plated to be 50xi50 feet. OF
these lots 1000 are on the ocean front.
They extend eight miles along the
ocean front and nine miles on the Syne-
puxent Bay shore.
The new purchasers did not acquire
the property until after thorough and
exhaustive Investigation by themselves
and by experts. They closely followed
the business at the resort in recent
years. They saw gradual increase in
its business without any effort on the
part of those most interested in its
growth This year has been the most
successful in the history of Ocean City.
Every cottage has been occupied, while
the hotels and boarding cottages have
been crowded almost overcrowded.
The boarding cottages up the beach
have had the most prosperous season in
their history. Some of tire managers
of these cottages say that they have
been compelled to turn away four times
as many guests as they were able to
accommodate.
| The belief has become general that
Ocean City is destined to become one OF
the most prosperous and thrifty resorts
on the coast.
The change in the ownership of what
are the dominant interests at Ocean City
follows closely upon the maturing of cx-
tensive and expensive plans for trans
forming Fenwick Island, which is only
a few miles north of Ocean City. into a
summer and winter resort. These plans
are so well under way that the future
of the Island seems to be alluring. Back
of those who are carrying out the plans
are the Duponts, of Wilmington, Del.
wealthy Philadelphians.
II is proposed to connect Ocean City
with Fenwick Island by trolley line,
which will also run north from the island
to Rehoboth. II is also proposed to ex-
tend the line southwark, possibly to
Chincoteague Island if any financial aid
from that section is forthcoming.
Another contemplated enterprise is a
trolley line from Ocean City to Berlin,
Md, distance of six miles, and thence
to Pocomoke City.
1t is proposed to shorten the journey
from Baltimore to the resort by placing
in service between Claiborne. the termi-
nus of the steamboat line, and Ocean
CITY, fast express of vestibuled cars.
The cooperation of the Baltimore,
Chesapeake and Atlantic Railway in pro-
viding satisfactory transportation serv-
ice is assured. The company has al
ready laid tract up the beach, and two
squares north of Plimhimmon Hotel a
handsome station will be built, in addi-
ton to that already near the Atlantic
Hotel This station will be for the ac-
commodation of passengers for points
up the beach.
A modern hotel is among the contem-
plated improvements. II will not be
built by the Development Company.
but by outside capitalists. who have
one or two sites in view. The site which
may be finally selected is near the
Catholic Home. at the north end of the
beach.
Another improvement, for which a
contract has been awarded, is a pier
which will extend several hundred feet
over the waves. II will begin at a
point midway between the Atlantic and
Shamrock Hotels.