Evening journal., 1913-02-11
AWAKE AT LAST.

rAyr congratulate the Every Evening upon having
wv awakened at last to the fact that there Is
Rehoboth Beach Iand-Grab bill in the Legislature ana
thar it ought to be killed. AS a rule the Every Even
ine is on the wrong side Of any public question The
fact that got the right side OF this one Is probably
due to the fact that THE EVENING JOURNAL blazed
tho way SO clearly it that IL could not mistake the
path OF duty II follows that path, but it does it In
such n hatng way that might imagine that 1t
fears stepping into one Of the qucksands that the
land -rrabbers and their friends talk about so giby
when they trying to down in the public mind
the hundreds Of State land FOR the possession
which they have appealed TO the Legislature through
senator Blackstone 10 sulices, however, that the
every Evening has aroused itself and is following the
blazed trail It's comment the Land-Grab bill is
as follows:
bin now before the legislature proposes TO author
ize palmer a CO.. a corporation OF the State of Della
ware" to survey and plot the tract OF beach sand
lying between the northern boundary Of Rehoboth ana
the sand dune OF Cape Henlopen lighthouse dis,
lance between four and five miles at present owned
by the State of Delaware, and after certain proceed
ngs for the protection of those who may dispute the
Sates claim TO entire ownership. come into posses
sion the property I'm consideration OF the eXpend-
ture OF $4,000 thereon in improvements within hye
wears Those familiar with this stretch of beach will
incline the belief that IL would be risky venture
for anyone to agree to pay $4,000 in any manner for
,ts uossossion but at the same time tho Palmer q
CO" scheme Is that should not be encouraged. IL
sounds suspicious 10 say tho least Another bill before
tho Legislature provides for tho and plotting OF
under the auspices OF the state ana it3 sub
aeQucnt disposal al public auction This is a proper
And unsuspicious measure and It should be enacted
phcn palmer q Co" could attend the sale aud buy,
they desired open competition with other bid
ders They might money thereby
We would advise the Every Evening that in nine
tenths Of instances beaches which now are seashore
resorts once were tracts Of beach sand" Just
inviting and wild-appearing as the which tho lse
hoboth Beach d-grabbers trying TO obtain
from the State. But when streets are laid out and
cottages are built. they become exceedingly inviting
ana the prices That evidenced by the develop
ment at Coney Island Rockaway. Far Rockaway Long
Beach, Long Branch Asbury Park, Ocean Grove At
lantic city, Bemar, wildwood. Anglcsea, Cape May
end score Of other places the Atlantic seaboard
that might be mentioned Part of the site Of tho
cnt town Of Rehoboh not sandy waste, but farm
but as Rehoboth grows it will extend TO the socaed
sandy waste and It Will be discovered that sand
has its value. particularly when it Is only a
short distance from OF the best beaches
on the Atlantic coast.
We already have urged that the present Laud-Grab
bill be killed and that tho bill providing for a survey
OF the State lands at Rehoboth be passed. After that
survey made and il is known definitely Just
the State owns there will be ample opportunity
decide what ought TO be done with the land that Il
may serve the best public purpose on thing is cer-
tau the people Of Delaware never will forgive any
member OF the Legislature voting TO give away State
seaside lots 10 the Palmer syndicate any other syn
dicate for ten and onehalf sixteen and twothirds
cents apiece. There thousands Of Delawareans
who would be glad to buy those lots from the State
FOR So apiece and think they were getting bargains