Evening journal., 1912-05-31


be trucked to the Bronx and South Brooklyn when
rect deliveries be made to those outlying bor
oughs7 At the time that products are being hauled
from lower Manhattan Harlem building materials
(ncludng coal iron sand brick and lumber) are being
baued from Harlem to lower Manhattan
OF the exclusive but unnecessary occupation OF
the waterfront by the railroads in lower Manhattan.
Local retail markets like local postoices, distributed
about the city convenient points, may be found
essary adiuncts to the wholesale terminal markets
above referred to- In my Judgment these wholesale
terminals should be municpazed. and It will be easy
do this in most cases since they can be made self
sustaining enterprises from the start
There is food for thought in those words for Will
rnington taxpayers Private interests endeav-
orng get control waterfront and of 500 500
acres land under water that is owned by the State
but which may pass into the possession of the Water
front Trust if the city assist in inducing the Federal
Government build bulkhead at public expense, from
the Christana up Edge Moor Let the taxpayers
mind that If the private interests get
session Of that waterfront they will let go Of it
and what Commissioner Tomkns says about private
license to exploit commerce. industry and the needs OF
tho community viii be realized by own people.
That land under water belongs 20 the State. The
Bulkhead law Of 1901, under which the Wilmington Ter
Company and It's associates hope to get title TO
that State land, is unconstitutional. THE EVENING
JOURNAL challenges them to submit that law to
test of the courts It also challenges either
the city funds or the Federal funds aid them in
their work of private exploitation Of public property for
private benefit 1t challenges City Council to attempt
to cnch this proposed waterfront deal until the courts
have passed upon the consutonality of this Bulkhead
law Of 1901
There are men behind the exploitation scheme who
know that unconstitutional They dare not propose
that the question of its constitutionay be submitted
the courts decision But If they dare not there
probably others who will carry there if necessary
the protection of the taxpayers of State and city
the treasury Of the United States. Meantime let the
taxpayers bear these big facts in mind:
That matter what representatives Of the Whining
ton Terminal Company and its associates may say to
the contrary the title to those hundreds Of acres Of
land undor water between mark and the bulk
line in the State and not in the private in
terests that seeking to get such title
That no matter what the representatives OF the Will
mngton Terminal Company and its associates may say
the contrary their only hope Of getting title 10 those
lands is through the Bulkhead act Of 1901 and the
building Of bukhead by the Federal Government so
they may demand deeds for that State land from the
Attorney General and the Secretary Of State Of Dea-
ware
That no matter what the representatives Of tho Will
mingtou Terminal Company and IT'S associates may
10 the contrary there men men interested In
the deal who know that tho Bulkhead law OF
1901 was a shameful piece Of legislation aimed at the
treasures OF the State and the nation and at the COM
morcia interests of the city of Wilmington
That no matter what the representatives Of the Will
mngton Terminal Company and its associates may say
to the contrary the eagerness of those behind that
shameful piece Of legislation up its real pur-
pose led the framing Of law that is clearly uncon-
stitutlonal
Therefore, st is Incumbent upon our City Council
men, who we're elected by the taxpayers, and who owe
their political present and future TO the taxpayers TO
do nothing to assist these Waterfront owners in boster-
Ing up their pretensions the ownership Of that land
under water Il is clearly the duty o,the Councilmen
TO protect the taxpayers and not TO assist private in
teresis 10 exploit them. They must reconcile them
selves to that fact regardless Of whether they desire
to do so The taxpayers demand IT, and the Council
men must obey thcir mandate
Absolutely nothing binding must he done by Council
ON this proposition until tho courts have passed upon
the consttutionay OF that Bulkhead law Of 1901 upon
which the rverfront promoters rely for their title to
this state land As have said, there men inter-
ested I'm tho deal who know that law is
unconstitutional It. Is up 10 Tho City Council
men TO prove It by a couC decision. Then let them
take stops to get that land for the beueh Of che
public and to eliminate from the situation those who
attempting to enrich themselves by the utilization Of
state land and national and municipal funds.