Evening journal., 1912-05-02

pdlldn lAoiiA''N'"f "'' 10y
limits.
"t5 The chief benefit is the crea-
tion Of a river front on deep water
All other things pale into Insight
fcance compared with this. In its
probable effect upon the future his
tory of the city It is the greatest sim
gle step forward in its history.
80 The streets upon the areas west
of the bulkhead will be laid out and
improved as occasion and business
shall require. The best fortune which
could happen TO the city would be
! such a prompt use and development
4 of these new areas reaching down to
the deep water front as to call for an
early opening of such streets. The
riparian owners making the PROPOSE
ton in question are az least doing all
that either law or custom suggests az
appropriate for them TO do. They do
nate all beds of streets without cost
or expense. The 200 foot boulevard
mentioned in the proposition WAS de-
manded by tho city as tho foundation
street i'm the development of the sec
tion, and the owners willingly grant
I cd Il. On II may be located different
lines, or a belt line, of railroad, troll
lev tracks. foot and horse ways, and
then space to spare. The expenditures
upon all these streets will be only
such In amount as arc made by the
city under similar conditions, where
building or business is stretching out
over new areas. and will be made
when the best interests Of the city de-
mand. The blocks on these tracts arc
much larger in size than the present
city blocks, made so az tho instance
of the city engineer and Street and
Sewer Department. so as better to ac-
commodate the business uses TO which
they are likely 10 be put
10 Amid all the newspaper and
other criticism, fair or unfair, true or
misleading intelligent or unintelli-
gent, Of the proposed agreement be-
tween the riparian owners and the
= city. no one, so far, as VIC have seen
or heard, has pointed out its real
weakness. II is this. The real benefits
to accrue 20 Wilmington through this
deep water river front IL it ever ac-
qures II. will not come through mu-
2 nicipal ownership Hon A. Lawrence
4 Lowell, President OF Harvard Uni
versity. in his great book on the
British Constitution, points out that
among all the numerous experiments
G OF English coast or river towns in
z municipal trading. as eXemplifed by
= public building and ownership OF
D wharves and docks. only one has
{ proven a financial success. and that
p one only under very special condi-
= tions. We are also informed that the
! much heralded wharf and dock sys-
!, tens on the navieable Rhine have
: generally proven financial failures
/ To fully improve the river front pro-
r posed to be granted 10 the city under
I our proposition with piers runninc
d cut to the channel in accordance with
1 the provisions Of the Bulkhead Act
y would involve the expenditure foi
y building alone Of upwards of two mil
q lions OF dollars The river front pro
D. posed for ownership by the city Il
O the cream Of the entire frontage. ex
o tending from 75 feet below Fourtl
& street TO IS feet above Eighth street
II and a $50 foot space az tho foot O
/. Twelfth street Unless the citv exnerl
r euces a change in public spirit 10
!. great to hc contemplated now. ~
II wholly unlikely 10 spend such iarg
II sums OF money as would he neccssar
y, 20 adequately develop its holding.
= The real danger is that tho az ma
~ find itself standing in the way Of IL
own development by the very reaso
z of its holdings Of this most desirabl
= frontage and its inability To improv
! II. The real development Of this Who'll
= river frontage and its adjacent lands
e and hence the substantial benefi
L which it will he TO che city. must In
II evitably come from private enter
e. prise and ownership. and from th
l. great increase OF it's taxable prom
z, erty and the expansion Of it's trad
and business interests naturally RI
e sulting therefrom.
s II. In conclusion. We arc AZ
d tempting to treat with the CITY upol
J. its invitation. We arc not sooundrels
s. strangers or public enemies. Nv ON
v somewhat partial friends We ma
= nope TO he considered decentlv sin
10 cere and honorable men. We al leas
% desire 10 be esteemed just n moi gcn
- erous. Tho city does not have 10 ac
cept our proposition We have M
wish TO ram any agreement down IN
! citys throat. All that we ask is tina
tho city decide within a REASONABLE
F. brief space Of time whether II will ac
Is cept or reject what We have offered
At II the city decides to reject our chic
a. regret viii be for tho energies a
At mind and body which tho representa-
Of tives Of the city and riparian owner
ar have expended in an honorable. hon
ID est and sincere effort TO effect mn
DO tually advantageous arrangement. an
ID for the most valuable time which ha
81 been lost. With work on the thirty
10 five foot channel impending il is tn
n opportunity TO procure the building Z
i, the bulkhead and the deposit Of sufi
-. cient dredgings from tho river bac
4; ~ Of il to fill the space and bring Wi
~ mington to its natural destination. m
le Delaware river front The riparia
m, owners. at least arc alive 10 the stu
ia alton, and do not wish TO lose NOR
al time Such an opportunity will prof.
ably not arise again within the nc,
by generation.
ed William r. Sellers. President Eds
'st Moor Iron Company.
ey william G. Mahaffy. President WI
nd mington Terminal Company
ey George G. Barker. President NJ
W. tional Dredging Company