Evening journal., 1912-05-22
WEDNESDAY, MAY %. 1912
cnrNcILMrN MrsT ANsMER.

TT IS estimated by conservative business men in TINS
L city that when the Federal Government has
hulkheaded and filled in at public expense the 500 or
OF State land under water on the Della
ware RIVER waterfront opposite city such land will
be Worth easily in tho market from $1,000 TO
$4,000 an acre according to location, without any
thing being done TO improve IT,
Such conservative business men also estimate that
if the city Of Wilmington we're 10 build the proposed
200-fooi yard and the system OF streets, ranging
from 100 to 60 feet in width, that that rverfront
land owned by the state, would be worth easily
from s2.OO0 10 $4,000 acre, according to location
without anything being done TO improve II.
u those estimates he corrhct-and there many
men who say they entirely too ow-that would
make the value Of that state land under water from
s5OOOOO to SsOOOOOO with the Federal improvements
put Il, and from sl00O0O0 TO SS.OO0OOO with the
city improvements proposed added to those Federal inn
provements.
that is the princey sifi that certain members OF
Wilmington City Council, headed by Councilman
Stover Of the Seventh ward and Councilman White
Of the Sixth ward, propose TO assist the Wilmington
Terminal Company and its associates to obtain through
the agreement which, Il is boasted will be jammed
through City Council al it's meeting tomorrow night
THE EVENING JOURNAL urges the taxpayers and
voters of Wilmington TO bear those facts and figures
IN mind that they may realize what It is that certain
Of their City Councilmen trying 10 do in frering
away for tho benefit of tho Wilmington Terminal Com
pany and It's associates the money Of the nation, the
land Of tho State and the interests of the city.
The total Indebtedness of the city Of Wilmington is
Ss,766,l00 Included In that is S1O25000 Of water
bonds. With those water bonds deducted, the total
sinking fund debt of our city Is s2,5ilOOO
II the city we're to get from the state that land
under water, induce the Federal to build
the bulkhead and make the f for the public benefit,
and then oner the land for sale by the AT $1,000
an acre. would bring into the city treasury enough
money TO reduce the city debt to S5if1OO
Or adx rtfsinc 90. Il,
city should build the boulevard and the streets. the
money derived from the sale Of that State land. given
BY the state TO the city. would bc sufficient wipe out
the entire city debt Of ss5iiOO TO say nothing of the
returns that would come to the city from the land
being covered with piers and industrial establishments
aud the large amounts of money that would he pat in
circulation here by the employees OF such waterfront es-
tabIishments.
80 much for the city end OF IT, assuming that the
State would give the land under water TO the city.
Now lei Ms look at the State end of IT, The state
Auditors report for 1910 shows that the State had
liabilities Of SsSe7ss. assets of ssss eO5s The
assets over and above liabilities shown by that
report TO have been Si,0S5,375.s3. Certainly there
would he no objection the part of any patriotic
Delawarean to having from s5OOOOO s2O0OOOO added
to those state from the sale in acre plots of
this State land under water after the Federal Gov
ernment has bukheaded II and filled IL in to a height
Of twelve feet above mean low water without one cent
Of expense being entaed upon the State of Delaware
Cor such work.
il is secret that the Federal Government is
willing to build the bulkhead and to make the nil back
of It until the land is twelve feet higher than mean
low water. provided such bulkhead and will be for
the public and not for the private benefit All the
State has TO do is TO repeal the so-caed Bulkhcad
Law of 1901 assert it's full sovereignty over those
lands under water, and tell the Federal Government
TO 60 ahead and build its bulkhead and mn in the
land Then the State will have 500 or more acres
of high and dry land the Delaware river within
the corporate limits of city Of almost 100000 in
habitants and that land will be worth from 100000
to S2oOooOO without the State spending dollar for
its Improvement
Then If the State desires TO do 80, il may advertise
that waterfront land for sale plots TO steam
ship companies manufacturing companies and other
industrial enterprises and reap tho golden harvest
that The men back of the Wilmington Terminal Com
pany and its associates arc so sanguine of reap
ing through the friendly. and eager auspices OF
Councilman stover OF the Seventh ward. Councilman
White of the Sixth ward those who are enlisted
with them IN the enterprise of showing this proposed
waterfront agreement through City Council for the
benefit OF waterfront exploitcrs
These same City councilmen who eager to
friter away this valuable property belonging to the
State and which PERHAPS might be obtained with ease