Evening journal., 1913-05-09
cANNor woRk rHE ELEcrcRArE.

THE taxpayers and voters Of the city Of Wilmington
must keep constantly in mind the one import
ant fact that the real question stake in the Della
river waterfront controversy whether the peo-
pie the Wilmington Terminal Company and its es-
socates shall have the 500 acres Of State land. the
Federal bulkhead and fiji. valued at 100000 $780,
600. and the two Or three miles OF frontage on the
Delaware river that will give to its possessor under
the improved conditions the control Of the deepwater
commerce Of our municipality
That is the real question Those who conduct
ing the campaign for the Wilmington Terminal Com
pany and its associates doing their utmost to di-
vert public attention from that issue. They will not
succeed The taxpayers will vote in June in favor Of
having the inquious Bulkhead Law OF 1901 tested and
upset in the courts and also in favor Of the city con-
demning narrow strip Of land along the marsh bank
Immediately back Of low water mark that it, and
not the Wilmington Terminal Company and its asso-
cates. will become the ttoral owner
The marsh land speculators base all their hopes
upon that Bukhead Law 1901 and their ability to
induce the Federal Government to build the bulkhead
so they may step in and demand from the state
through the Secretary of State and the AttorneyGen
era the States title to the land between low water
mark and the bulkhead. In other words:
Obtain 500 acres OF state land within city Of 9O-
600 inhabitants-for absolutely nothing
Obtain a Federal bulkhead and fill, valued at $780,
600 or s3OOOOO-for absolutely nothing.
water front from the month of the chrstana river al
most up to Edge Mocr-for absolutely nothing.
Wouldn't those be princely gifts for handful OF
long-headed spectators TO receive from the public?
Wouldn't the taxpayers and voters of the city Of VIII
mineton be foolish to vote in favor Of them having
them?
The point is made by Of the champions Of the
Wilmington. Terminal Company and its associates that
IL tho Bukhead Law were upset in the courts the title
a. tho T)cla tpsti m
the state and not in the city And it would and
quite properly so until the Legislature might vote to
give that 600 Of waterfront land to the city An
other point raised that the State might not give it to
the city The to that is that in 1901 1t voted to
give IT, under certain conditions to handful of marsh
land Spectators and it is scarcely likely that 1t viii
refuse after that niquitous Bulkhead Law Of 1901 has
been upset to refuse to give to the 10000 nhabl-
tants Of the city Of Wilmington.
The important thing just now is to prevent the
Wilmington Terminal Company and its associates from
getting it and to remove any and all question to the
public ownership of the property With that done the
question Of state municipal ownership may rest for
the time being the people will have the salts
faction Of knowing that whether it be owned by the
State Or the city. Is owned by the public and not by
group Of self-seeking spectators.
The Wilmington Waterfront Association through the
filing OF petition containing the names Of between
1000 and 5000 qualified Of this city has paved
the way submission TO the voters next month OF the
question whether the public or the Wilmington Ter
minal Company and associates should have the 500
acres Of state land. the 100000 or SSO0OO0 Federal
bukhead and I'll and the citys waterfront on the Della
ware river The petition signed by men Of all
shades OF potcal belief II is in no partisan
question but a big public question in which men
Of all parties are interested BY voting Yes ON the
two questions submitted they will issue their mandate
to the city officials take steps to get that waterfront
for the public and TO prevent the Wilmington Terminal
Company and its associates getting away with H. Ihat
is all there is to t. and the friends OF the conservation
Of that pubc property for the benefit of the public
are confident that an overwhelming vote will be cast
in favor or the public and against the Wilmington Ter
minal Company and its associates
In short it will be far-and-square stand-up fight
between the people and certain marshand spectators
who worked the Legislature but who, we feel sure
cannot work the electorate of the city OF Wilmington