Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-27
PETTY'S ISLAND TO HUM
WITH NEW INDUSTRIES
Big Firms Buy Tracts of Land
Now Lying Idle in Della
ware River
WILL ERECT PLANTS

Petty's Island, lying apparently neglected
for $50 years. Is destined to grow into a
thriving center of business and commercial
activity. The recent purchases of the larger
portion Of the island by the William Cramp
& Sons Ship and Engine Building Company.
by the Philadelphia Electric Company and
py the Crew-LeVick Company, producers and
retners of petroleum, indicate a realization
that its enviable situation in the midst of
the productive center of the Middle Atlantic
states and at the very gates of Philadel-
phia greatly increases the value of Petty's
Island to industry of this section of the
country.
Facing the New Jersey shore. Pettv's
Island has a shore frontage almost one
third as great as Philadelpha's Cramps
have secured from the Pensauken Terminal
Company, which until recently owned the
entire island, approximately 16S5 feet of the
west end OF the island. with the privilege of
further extension of 1900 feet to the pier
head line. The Philadelphia Electric owns
the adjoining 1000 feet on the north shore
OF the island. Almost a mile of the ex-
treme east end Of the island is in the hands
OF the Crew-Levick Company, while that
portion of the land between the property of
the oil and the electric company is still
awaiting a purchaser though" says
George c. Priestly. who is the founder and
mead of the Pensauken Terminal Company,
there have been prospective purchasers
whose names | do not yet wish to make
known"
CONTRACTS FOR WAREHOUSES;
The Crew-Levick Company has already
negotiated for the erection of a long rec
tangular row of warehouses along the north
frontage In these. owing to the greater de-
mand for oils in consequence of the interna.
tional crisis. She oil company will find it
necessary to barrel and store their lubr-
cants for shipment. The Electric Company
Will utilize their plOt for cOa1
the extent of their storage on Washington
avenue in South Philadelphia is proving in
adequate. AS far could be ascertained,
Cramps will use their ground in such man.
ner as will depend on the eXigencies of the
future.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company has
under construction a necessary branch line
from the Camden Terminal Division, in Pen.
sauken township, across the Jersey channel
of the Delaware River to Petty's Island, to
tap these industries about to be started
there.
The branch will be about two miles long
1t will touch the island at the extreme east
end and will run along parallel to the north
shore, communicating with each of the in
dustres on the island. The branch will be
constructed in cut and earthen embank-
ment, with the exception of about $500 feet
over the Jersey channel, where a wooden
trestle will be constructed with an eighty
foot clear span bascule drawbridge to pro-
vide for river traffic and two 1fty-foot
girder spans either side of the draw
bridge.
The line will be a single track, with
footwalk on either side, from the end at
Thirty.sixth street to Petty's Island. River
road, in Pensauken township, will be car
ried over the proposed track by means OF an
overhead bridge. The contract for the build
ing of the entire branch was awarded by
the Pennsylvania Railroad TO Arthur NC
Mullen, New York city.
HISTORY OF ISLAND
Petty's Island is located In the Della
ware River between the Camden shore on
the Jersey side and Kensington shore on
the Pennsylvania side. 1t has been known
by various names since II has been known
at all, sometimes Treaty Island, tairman'
Shackamackson, Kensington, and lastly,
since 1850, Petty's Island after the owner
John Petty who was an Indian trader
Previous to 1855 neither Pennsylvania
nor Jersey had ever claimed ownership OF
the island. In 1855 a Cadwalader Evans
had tried to secure grant OF the island
from the crown in England, but failed And
It was not until 1882 that commission
for the States of New Jersey and Pennsyl-
vania conferred as to an equitable division
of the islands in the Delaware and awarded
Pettys to New Jersey, IT being nearer to the
shore of that State. De facto 1t is part
Of Philadelphia"
In his little pamphlet, "The Romance Of
Pettys Island" John L. Morrison states
that since John Petty owned the island
there have been three attempts TO give the
island the Importance its location justi1es.
Under the effort of the Cooper family, Of
Camden, who owned it for a time an at
tempt was made to establish industrial ac-
tivity on the island, but the attempt was
shortlived. Later an endeavor TO make It a
public pleasure ground failed. Finally
George c. Priestly, who saw virtue in such
a VNg
bought the island.