Evening journal., 1912-05-04
TRADE BOARD
DISCUSSES
RIVER FRONT
Sixteen Members Present,
and They Endorse Pend
Ing Proposition
JOURNALS ATTITUDE SHOWS
PUBLIC INTEREST, ONE SAYS

According to a statement made last
night by O. c. Purdy. president Of the
Board of Trade Gavin Tompkins,
Commissioner of Docks and Ferries of
New York city, on his visit to this
city declared that the city of viii
mington should develop the river
front even if it had TO borrow $1,000,
600 to do so.
This was announced last night al
o meeting of the Board of Trade when
is members out of total number OF
400 received the report of the River
Front Committee submitted by John
d. Thompson, Jr., chairman Of the
committee, which they accepted, and
then endorsed the action OF the com
mittee.
The discussion on the proposed
water front proposition now pending,
which THE EVENING JOURNAL
caused to be revealed to the public
by this newspapers stand against star
chamber proceedings was general and
several members spoke Of the adj
vantages. the city would derive from
the project
Thomas s. Doherty said he read
THE EVENING JOURNAL every
night and was pleased with the ar
ticles printed on the subject, as they
showed that interest is being taken
in the subject He also said he favored
the proposed water front project and
spoke Of the benefits he thought would
be derived from it, II was on Mr. Do
herty's motion that the report was
accepted by the Board. represented
by the sixteen members present:
The river front committee through
Chairman Thompson submitted the
proposed agreement between the
Street and Sewer Department. City
Council and the riparian owners
which was published in these columns
on Tuesday last and which was
smoked out" through the efforts OF
THE EVENING JOURNAL, TO stop the
star chamber proceedings and a plan
&c jam the agreement through Coun-
ell before It was made public.
Mr. Thompson said the committee o'
I the Board of Trade had been appoint
/ ed I'm December but since January I
had worked hard, with the result thai
the owners of tho water front and th'
special committee Of City Council ha6
/ gotten together He thought the agree
ment was equitable and just and far.
reaching TO all parties concerned J
| H. Mehaffey said that originally the
Board of Trade committee had asked
I for 2400 feet, or four blocks 500 feet
/ long, and the city was TO build a boul.
eyard 800 feet wide.
/ Chairman Thompson declared that
while that WAS the first thought, ths
| city under the present plan woult
receive 100 feet or more Of water
/ front
II was at this point that THE
! EVENING JOURNAL demanded that
the taxpayers be taken into the conf.
dence of the Councilmen and confer.
ring committees. Howell S. England
smoke Of the map i'm last nights issue
of THE EVENING JOURNAL. and
said that this city would secure more
wharfage under the project than the
I city Of Philadelphia owns. and 9,
construct piers along the same woult
cost about $4,000 600 Mr.. Englanr
said THE EVENING JOURNAL has
/ from time to time given adverse critic
ism about the city paving streets in
/ the river front section. There IS
nothing in the agreement that is bind
/ ing. Mr. England said, but being IL
the city limits the streets viii b'
paved AT present the city has nc
law compelling abutting propert,
owners TO pave the streets. The
streets will be paved as needed. Mr.
England said, and he thought the cit,
is getting a good bargain. an oppor
unity the city could not afford q
lose.
O. c. Purdy. president Of the Board
said II was disappointing 10 notice
Continued on Second Page)