The evening world., 1911-05-29
Aldermen viii Consider
Seaside Park Extension
Evening World Proposed
of Burned Area of Dream
land at a Fair Price Receives
Hearty Commentator.

park Is now too small for the city's
needs. 1t has a measre ocean front of
l.4o0 feet. with the magnificent new Mu-
nicipal Bath Building crowding It's west
ern extremity.
Extend Park Five Blocks.
The Evening World. long active in the
advocacy of more ocean beach for tho
people and a five-cent fare to Il, voices
public opinion in urging that negotia-
tions be opened with Mr.. Reynolds and
his associates. as well as the estate Of
the late ]. +. Balmer. n the Prospect
Park and Coney Island Railroad Com
pany. LOOKING TO THE EXTENSION
OF SEASIDE PARK FIVE BLOCKS
WEST ALONG THE OCEAN FRONT
FROM FIFTH STREET TO TENTH
STREET.
President Stee-s OF Brooklyn and Al
derman Potter vi Coney Island are both
heartily In favor - The evening
Worlds idea of extending Seastde Park,
and II Il land can be secured at a rea-
sonable price will vigorously press the
matter in the Board OF Estimate and
the Board of Aldermen.
We are not seeking to unload our
property on the city," said Sam 8.
Whitehouse. counsel for the Dreamland
directors. to-day. "Mr. Reynolds. how
ever. thought II would be a good idea
to give the city first chance at the
property. which may go upon the mar
ket. We own 40 feet ocean front, ex-
tending through to Surf avenue. We
value IL at etweer 81 500, 0C and
s. 900, 900. Mortgages are outstanding o n
the property against which bonds have
been issued In the sum of Sl,bO0,O0. our
improvements. which cost us $l,5OO,OOO.
have been wiped out.
The advantage to the city In nego-
tiating with US now lies In the fact that
al! OF our leases were terminated by
the Are. Experience Is that It Is cheaper
tn buy from a landlord than from a
landlord and tenants. There are nc
tenants in the burned district at Coney
Island, as the leases made by the
! Prospect Park and Coney Island Rail
| road Company and those OF the Balmer
estate are Identical with ours IN re-
spect to fire.
Total Of $50 Feet Front.
THE Balmer property has an ocean
front of go feet, while the railroad
has about 200 feet on the sea. Tht
combined ocean frontage of the three
strips OF land is about $50 feet. The
Prospect Park and Coney Island Rail
: Iodu ,pllDinN II VIZ ny Nv ftIlu-
sylvania Railroad. 1t owned the de-
stroyed iron pier, I do not know what
these two other interests would ask
for their property. but | think they
would be fair In their terms II dealine
with the city. Our directors are Mr.,
Reynolds. Joseph Huber. George n
Dobson. James Lord. who Is a son-in'
law OF Thomas Lawson. Edward Burke
and myself"
But for continued and persistent pro-
crastination in the past. on the part OF
paid officials, the city wcrld now be In
possession OF the ocean beacher from
Brighton Beach to Sea Gate.
The last opportunity the city had e
acquire ocean front property at Coney
Island at bargain prices was imme.
diately following the destruction by hr,
In 1907 of Steeplechasc Park. This news
paper urged the laying out OF a cit,
park at the West End, with the view
OF working from both ends of Coney
Island along the beach front towart
the centre. George c. Tilyou offere,
TO sell his burned 25 acres TO the city 10
n free city park site, provided the ma
ter he taken up and settled within
reasonable time. The city officials dal
lied. and Mr.. Tllyou. recovering hi
nerve about the same time hat he los
his patience. rebuilt Steeplechase Park.
In 1882. following the great Are OF tina
year at COney Island, Bird 8. Colrr
tlen Comptroller. advocated the our
chase BY the city OF a strip from Oceai
Parkway to Sea Gate. extend ng iron
the Cravesend ship Canal to the ocean
Coney Island had not attained It's pres
ent popularity at that time. and Nj
Coler asrertained that he could hav
purchased all OF the property needle
for park purposes n, S,O90,Oc0. or abou
nve times the amount OF the tax valua
tons for that year,
Grout Defeated Plan.
TIE project was defeated. largel
through the efforts of Edward
} Grout, then Borough President G
Brooklyn. who pleaded economy. an
urged various alternative proposition.
such as aa ocean-front board walk a
, the acquisition OF a portion OF the Isl
and for park purposes. Nothing wa
/, done,
The next big Coney Island fire. IN lsn
4 found Richard Young, then Park Con
Q missioner VI Brooklyn. upon the arip