The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-07

Secession Of the Rockaways from
Greater New York IL now more than
a ossinility. George McAneny. Presi-
dent OF the Board Of Aldermen. said
yesterday tnst the attempt of residents
sad =. operty owners slons the seashore
10 &c, up separate city was very likely
10 succeed and. provided a satisfactory
arrangement could be made for adjust
Ing the inances o. this city and the
proposed one. there would De no OPPOSE
ton 10 the divorce by New York city
1'iciss.
THIS movement. the first OF it's kind 10
break ny Greater New York or to take
away one OF its original parts. WIS
started only a few months ago. and up
to this time has been considered more
o. ,ess as q joke outside OF the Rocka-
ways themselves. where men. women and
calldr.n are working day and night TO
establish their city by the sea. But so
great and SO successful does the move
Meat seem 10 have become that every
lody WHO has followed it will be greatly
surprising Il the Legislature does not
giant the permission asked TO form a
separate city.
20 Ear the only objection to the pro-
pos heard from official New York city
10 NE statement Of Comptroller Prem
dsrgs>' made "a few days ago in which
he asserts that with accounts balanced
3'c"rdirg to the measure now before the
legislature the new city Of Rockaway
soIiI uc entitled TO mul't New York
-,
aiming their bill the hackers OF the
I-r -ity Went out for as much a. they
could get and deliberately planned TO
pi'e nothing and take everything, tgur-
Ing perhaps that their claims would be
cur when tho matter came up for
ielOus consideration. They ara ready
10 compromise, and when an agreement
J.. reached between them and city DIN
e..,s secession is likely to succeed.
Difference Of opinion.
NJ McAneny said frankly that he
thought the Rockaways much more nat.
r"d.y formed q part of Nassau county
70 % Of Queens, Of which they are now
par, one other matter that seems
t. rIh" secession quite easy - the de-
cIHd differences of opinion between city
t'"'Ns and RockaWay people a. 10 tho
tooI The Eockaways do the city and the
good the city does the Rockaways.
Down on the coast they think they are
!e''.ng little enough in return for the
money they pay 10 the city in taxes
and .c the City Hall the view IL held
Tat the Rockawsys get. and probably
Always will get while they are part
o. tho city, more IN the way Of ini-
p1rements and protection than they
are entitled TO In view OF the compare
lively small amount they contribute TO
NE cty's expenses.
The only ground or which opposition
to the change is considered Is that OF
Precedent The Rockawsys are indeed
small and isolated part OF the greater
''y' ana the city could better afford 70
'oss them than any other part. Their
assessed value is less thar any other one
section and the difference their loss
Would make 10 the borrowing capacity
would not handicap The ciry materially.
Bat officials regard the cutting off of
'a.s section az dangerous because other
sections might adopt similar tactics II
mel. people thought they were not get
nc h" worth of their taxes or II they
'a9uS q they could do better unhampered
o. IN" great machine Of city governs
nor II such a district AZ The Bronx
o, Brooklyn should follow tho Rocka-
Ways and should leave the greater city
would mean financial! disaster to the
"s' '' n" community.
II me srashore residents are success
NJ ,u their campaign they will take
away from the city a sandy strip about
t'le niles long and from quarter mile
10 about mile wide. beginning at Rock
t,,'oy Point just opposite the end OF
Manhattan Beach. and extending east
rard through Neponsit Belle Harbor
0Cna"av Beach, Arverne, Edgemere
ana Far Rockaway. There Is a winter
"po."lou of about $1,000, but in the
'HnW"r this Is swelled TO perhaps five
"n's mat number