Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-11-14
From the Patriot.
The bridge Question.

number Of respectable gentlemen north Of the
river iappears from publications in the newspapers
have held meetings in reference 10 the lately increas
ed prices for crossing the Suspension Bridge, and
are nov considering the question Of building another
bridge. In proper Difference 10 them, the under
signed, a stakeholder in the bridge begs leave 10
state some facts we known 10 him, which he trusts
may tend to remove any erroneous impressions rest
ing upon their minds. =
The owners Of the Suspension Bridge built il eight
years ago. and at no time since il built have they
been able to sell the stock at more than eighty cents
in the dollar The writer of this owns several thou
sand dollars Of the stock, and be is willing to sell to
those gentlemen, or to any other persons all his
stock at that rate He thinks it probable the whole
property may be bought at the same rate. The
stockholders do not and never have asked that the
property shall be made TO be worth more to them
than it cost them After trying the present prices
for years. and finding them inadequate to raise the
stock from its present greatly deprecated value
akey have felt that 1t was proper 20 increase the
TateE upon certain portion Of the crossing. They
dc not propose TO increase the charge upon the orr
binary travel of the country or upon the different
kinds Of travelling generally But upon family con-
tracts which have been let ct exceedingly low
rate they propose after the LIST of January next to
make what they think reasonable increase There
are more than two hundred families who now cross
the bridge under yearly contracts, whose entire use
Of the bridge amounts the large aggregate of more
than one hundred and twelve thousand crossings per
year, for all which travel the bridge only receives
the small of less than fourteen hundred dollars
per year. Is it reasonable just that this diminu-
tive rate shall continue while the stock is thereby Sc
feaEfully deprecated on the hands Of the owners
Why, it averages only about q cent a crossing for
each carriage, buggy, &C., that Passes-and there
are some in which families cross with carriages
as often as twelve or thirteen hundred times year,
at less than half cent crossing, when the lawful
price is 25 cents a crossing.
If the bridge could live at such rates, the stock
holders would be more than rejoiced go TO aecomu
mOdste the public. But reasonable public will
surely not ask them to continue to sink their CAPT
tal in prolonged effort to maintain such very low
rates.
The Committee Of gentlemen over the river state,
that we have increased the rates in some cases five
and six hundred per cent This is doubtless true,
in extreme cases, such as the above; where the
charges do not really pay for the actual wear and
tesr Of the bridge. But as win presently be shown
Che new rates are still reasonably low and, as is
believed, win barely raise the stock to par value
They will average after the LIST of January nex'
about three and half per crossing, upon all carri>
ages, barouehes, cabs, buggies, market Wagons,
and saddle horses, embraced in these family con-
tracts. As to all othes travel the charges low
er than they the old bridge, Is this unrea=
sonable OF unjust? If gentlemen still think 30,
invite them to take places Letthem buy our stock
at twenty cents in the dollar less than gave for
it. and then manage the bridge themselves? Is not
years-shOuld any set of men be asked to bear it
longer? If those who complain win not buy at this
rate we must relieve ourselves by raising more rev.
enue. ar
In addition to an increase Of prices, our purpose
has been to equaliZe them. Under the old rates,
there are cases in which families crossing 1000 to
1900 times year, pay more than these crossing
so 10 100 timef yeRF-in which farmers crossing
but seldom, pay as much as gentlemen living over
the river who have lucrative Offices in the city, and
l. =.
This we have corrected-the new rates regulating the
prices more in accordance with the number of
Crossing-still, however, making rapid discount
as the number increases.
If this change of prices which is directed by
spirit of simple justice and fairness, should cause
the building of another bridge, the loss We should
sustain would only be part Of the common fate of
these who trust their capital in lau1sbe public en-
terprizes. If bridge, with all the crossings,
has sunk oneffth Of its capital of course two diVid
ing the travel, would suffer much heavier less.
But gentlemen having valuable real estate for sale
over the river, near the eity-or those who have
lucrative Offices in the city and the bridge with
great frequency, may possibly find their interest in
procuring the stock be taken, at whatever loss to
the subscribers. Whether this would prove to be
an illusion in the end, the undersigned cannot IN
dertake TO say; but the idea appers 10 be an active
motive cause in the suggestion of a new bridge.
We're the object merely 70 cheaper the crossing, 1t
would seem to be better to purchase the present
bridge az a cost Of eighty or ninety thousand dol
lars, than to build another at a cost of hundred
and fifty thousand dollars. However this may be
the owners of the present bridge, which cost $780,
600, and, was built when prices were low, are not
willing longer to keep it up at so heavy loss, with
out an earnest effort TO get back the money they
paid eight years ago. These remarks, meant IN a
spirit Of the utmost courtesy to the gentlemen over
the river are intended 10 correct certain
impressions which the writer learns have been made
upon the minds of some of them.
A STOCKHOLDRR.