Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-05-27
CONTROL OF WATER FRONT.

CONItOt OF WAiEts rINONI.
City-owned water terminals are
being urged more and more in this
country. In Europe the municipali-
ties own practically all such things
and over there they wonder how it is
the Americans are so far behind the
times. In this country, however, we
let private corporations own all such
public necessities hence the enor-
nous fortunes piled up by a few indi-
viduals. But we are learning all
the time, and our waterways and
docking facilities are coming in for
their full share of attention.
The control of the waterfront and
the maintenance Of adequate
wharves and docks is of vital interest
to the future prosperity of Perth Am
boy. This city must be in a position
to command free access to the
harbor when the test comes, as it
surely will. We can profit by the ex-
~perieuce of Jersey City and Hoboken
where, when they woke up, they
found the railroad and steamship
companies had secured control of ev-
cry foot of land fronting on the
water. The city of Mobile, Ala
bama, had a desperate struggle a
few years ago to prevent the cor
porations getting control of the val
liable water front there. Thanks to
the energy of the Mobile Register
the scheme failed and that city still
controls its harbor which Is the most
valuable asset the city has.
While Perth Amboy owns no land
along its waterfront, it still controls
all of its street ends and every care
should be taken to guard these close
ly. In the meantime the city might
be a little more energetic in securing
the riparian rights along the water
front, where grants have not already
been made. This has been taken
up by the city and it was proposed
to have the riparian board visit
Perth Amboy with the intention of
closing the matter, but thus far moth
ing further has been done.
Another excellent move on the
part of the city would be the pur-
chase of any real estate fronting on
the water that is in the market at a
reasonable price. There are several
such properties, we understand, and
the city would do well to look into
the matter. By getting control now
the coming generation will have am
pie cause for praising the foresight
of the city fathers. What q great
thing it would have been for US now
if those In charge Of the city gov-
eminent In the early days had not
given what amounted to practically
a perpetual lease on the old Wet
Dock property. We can profit by the |
mistakes of the past, however, and
&c ourselves for the future.
When such cities as Richmond,
Va, situated 100 miles up the James
river from Chesapeake bay realize
the ~desirability of improving its wa
ter front and is doing it's part in
acquiring a favorably located water
frontage, 1t behooves Perth Amboy
to guard well her matchIess advan-
tages in this regard. The city coun-
CIl VI |Il4CuuIOuu has mdQe a SUD-
stantial appropriation for a public
wharf adequate in size and which Is
now in process of construction for
the revival and accommodation of its
water-borne commerce. Perth Am
boy might construct such a wharf
or even wharves to it's advantage.
Contemporaneous with the growth
and sentiment In this country for
municipally-owned water terminals
is the activity shown by the council
of London which proposes to spend
$4,000, 900 on the Improvement of
It's piers along the Thames. This
vast sum is deemed essential if Lon
don is to keep in the race for trade
and commerce which has been grad
ually drifting away from England's
capital in favor of Liverpool and
Manchester.
The canalization of the River Main
from Frankfurt to Mainz has, in ff-