Evening journal., 1912-07-18


contains an article on "The Whining
ton River Front" written by Howell
s. England. of this city. The article
in full is as follows
Wilmington River Front
For the past century and half the
Cnerry Island Marsh Company and
Marsh Associations which preceded
It have kept up the banks of the Della
ware and Christiana Rivers, and the
Brandywine Creek. to protect about
1000 acres of marsh from inundation
Of tide water This tract of marsh
lies between the City of Wilmington
and the Delaware River, and is nearly
all at the present time included with
in the corporate limits of the city.
Between the built up portion OF the
city and the bank along the Deia-
ware River portions Of these marshes
have been raised above high-water
mark by mud filling. outside the
banks shoal water extends almost to
the Delaware River Ship Channel. IN
its present condition to build and
maintain piers from the shore TO the
ship channel in the Delaware would
be prohibitively expensive. Tho
wharves chiefly in use in the city at
the present time are two or three
miles distant from the Delaware
River, up the narrow winding channel
of the Christiana River.
Under an Act Of the General As
sembly of the State of Delaware.
passed in 1901. establishing bulkhead
and pierhead lines on the Delaware
in front of Cherry Island Marsh.
authorizing the erection of bulkheads
for the Improvement of the ship chan
mel in the Delaware and for the crea-
tion of a place 10 deposit dredg-
ings from Cherry Island Flats upon
the deepening OF the channel, the
Legislature vested the title of the
new areas to be created by mud hl-
ling between the old shore and the
proposed bulkhead, in the riparian
proprietors whose shore lands lie
back of such bulkhead. Such new
areas would be several hundred acres
IN extent The bulkhead line would
be within ordinary pier distance OF
the channel.
Subsequent to and under the Act
of 1901 the United States Govern
ment contracted for the building of
the entire bulkhead contemplated and
IN fact built a portion of IT, largely.
however, north of the present city
limits. Through the failure OF the
performance of a contractor. the di-
version Of Government funds to other
public uses, etc, work was stopped
upon this bulkhead about six years
ego BecauseEof the 35-foot project
connecting Philadelphia by a channel
of that depth with the sea. the Gov
ernment now plans TO complete the
bulkhead. in order to preserve the
channel when dredged. and TO provide
a place for deposit of adjacent dredg-
ings.
Under these circumstances, at the
instance of the Board of Trade of
Wilmington, the City Council opened
a negotiation with the riparian pro-
prietors whose shore lands lie back
Of the proposed bulkhead. with a view
OF acquiring a substantial interest la
the river front and adjacent lands
along the bulkhead After a carefpl
consideration extending over several
months the terms of a proposed
agreement were settled which were
satisfactory TO all the city authori-
ties engaged in the negotiation. to the
board OF trade and TO the Riparian
owners. Under this proposed agree
ment the city was to acquire title TO
over l,6O0 feet of river frontage along
the bulkhead in the best location. IN
addition 10 one hundred feet to which
it was already entitled and 10 sufi-
Client adjacent land for the develop-
ment and use of such frontage. and
10 such streets and boulevards which.
as necessity called for them. conld
ne laid out on the filled areas and on
other lands lying between said areas
and the built up portion of the CIV
ne sole consideration for such grant
70 ohe city was TO have been its inilu-
ence IN procuring the immediate COM
pietion, without costs TO II or 10 the
river 'front.' owners. of the bulkhead
ana the deposit behind il of mud from
the channel dredgings
Upon the publication OF the pro
posed contract between the riparian
owners and the city, il met with tho
unqualified approval of the Mavor
and Council, Of the Board OF Trade.
and Of the major portion of the press
OF the city.
Under the charter and ordinances
Of the city of Wilmington. the an.
pfoval OF the City Solicitor is neces.
sary to enable the city 20 acquire
lands. Upon reference to the City
Solicitor Of certain questions as tc
the ownership of the lands TO be re.
claimed by filling between the bulk
head and the present low water mark
ne gave his opinion, which left these
questions Of title in so beclouded and
uncertain a condition that City Coun-
Gil could not complete its title TO the
river front so offered to IL. As q
necessary consequence the proposi-
ton Of the riparian proprie.ors was
withdrawn, and City Council passed
the following resolutions:
WHEREAS, the Council has re.
ceived from the City Solicitor an
opinion which renders impracticable
further negotiations between the
Mayor and Council of Wilmington
and Edge Moor Iron Company. vii.
mington Terminal Company, and thr
National Dredging Company, for the
acquisition Of frontage on the Della.
ware River and OF adjacent land. anf
said companies have as a consequence
OF such opinion, by their writer
communication 10 the Council, with
drawn from said negotiation. ant
have recalled their offer TO the Cit,
of Wilmington, now, therefore, be 1
Resolved, That the ordinance nov
pending before the council, entitle,
an ordinance 10 authorize, ratify. an
prove and confr-7 an agreement be
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