Evening journal., 1913-04-08
WATERFRONT PETITION FILED WITH MAYOR

~v~HE intensity OF the interest Of the voters of VIII
L mington in the effort that is being made to
the Wilmington waterfront from falling into the con-
troll OF the wilmington Terminal Company and its as
socates shown clearly last night when petitions
bearing 2s42 signatures were placed in the hands of
Mayor Howell by the secretary and counsel to the VIII
mington Waterfront Association. Each person who
signed 1t voted or was qualified to vote at the last
city election. and practically all Of them will par
ticipate in the next city election.
The petitions ask the Mayor and City Council to
submit to the voters OF Wilmington at the June cleo
ton these two questions
J. Shall the Mayor and Council OF Wilmington d
rect the City Solicitor to avail himself OF the first OPP
portunity determine by appropriate litigation, the
consttutonality of an act passed by the General AS
semby of the state Of Delaware entitled IAN Act to
Establish Bulhead Wharf and Pier Lines the Della
ware River in front of the City Of Wilmington and
Vicinity" being Chapter g Volume p, Laws Of Della
ware approved March s, A. d. 1901?
Shall the Mayo and Council Of Wilmington take
immediate action to acquire, by purchase or by
domination proceedings, All such part Of the land
as is deemed advisable lying Of the old Hay Road
or Marsh Road. TO the Delaware River, and between
the land OF the United States adjacent to the Chris
tana River the south and the boundary line of the
said City of Wilmington the north, for the purpose
Of improving the navigation of the Delaware River
and conserving to the City OF Wilmington, its river
front other purposes for the benefit and deve
opment of the said City of Wilmington
The law for the submission Of questions Of
public policy provides that least ten per cent Of
the total vote cast for all candidates for Mayor at
the preceding city election shall sign the petition be-
fore such submission may be made. Ten per cent of
the total vote the last Mayoray election was
less than 1900 while 2342 signed the petition
that was placed in the hands of Mayor Howell last
night Hundreds OF additional names might have been
obtained only the fact that the law provides that
the petitions shall be fled at least sixty days before
the election.
No doubt the partisans of the Wilmington Terminal
Company and its associates now VIII begin pratns
about the expense OF litigation and condemnation pro
ceedngs if they should be necessary. We hope the,
will do it. The they prate the stronger the wa
terfront movement viii become. When the vote il
taken it will be that the taxpayers voter
OF Wilmington alive to the importance OF the
waterfront that they have voted overwhelmingly il
favor not only OF testing the constutonality of tn
Bulkhead Law OF 1901. but Of the Condemnation OF
strip of land along the Cherry Island marsh bank
IT should be necessary.
City Solicitor Hastings has given opinion tina
the Bulkhead Law OF 1901 Is unconstitutional
City Councilman Slower and other members Of Coun
Gil have said that its constitutionality should b
tested
The prize stake Is between two and three mile
Of frontage on one OF the important rivers o