The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-11
Tho Free Bridge.

Aho rifr OF hIChuSaN ~ee~~
,-.arosted in free bridge between ne,se .'.
s Manchester to much greaeer eAlen ~
an a." many Of her citizens tn'hk, II Is we"
invite attention to the proposed naee''ns
~ a,,;se6 70 bc held soon In Manchester 10
No+ AGAINST the erection Of the brlase
p,Joh the bridge commissioners are no"
~ "a let, il they have not aire"uS
lat. The trustees Of the town Oh n"n
..n,t.r did. more than year ago, appi'-
81. money to be expended i'll the cree
ton of bridge.
tit nr,or set of trustees nominated
49,. ,rrsent bridge commissioners OF the
..n., ~ Manchester, With instructions to
obtain proper legislation aud proceed TO
build the bridge. 81,
81 Such legislation was had, and the
alan ot the law contemplated the co6pera-
tion NJ Richmond and Chesterfield in the
undertaking. ....st..... =
Ah. Before the law was enacted its de-
tails were submitted to large meeting of
the town people, convened upon full notice
rs to time, place, and purpose, and were
unanimously approved by said meeting.
9Th. The City Council of Richmond has
agreed, by a large majority, to aid in the
erection Of the bridge, and further, has
formally appropriated money for that pur-
purpose. .~.
9th. The joint commission has selected a
site for a bridge, guided By the report of q
competent engineer, and having been COM
PEELED to discard Mayo's bridge by the ex-
orbitant price asked for that property by its
owners.
9Th. The money needed by Manchester
has been obtained upon the mortgage which
the law authorized, and the bridge commits
sioners intend to use it in building the
bridge. ss,....-.....- ....s... .--...... 49,
Sth. That bridge, when built, will be very
much superior to to Mayo's bridge in dura
bility and safety, and will accommodate
more citizens of Manchester. and larger
area of the town. ...... w..
Under this state of facts it is not seer
what good can come Of the proposed meet
ING, though nobody can question the righ
to hold it.
The interest of Richmond in the matter il
this ,Phe erection of a free bridge will 81
the first step, if Richmond is wise, to
speedy annexation of Manchester; and i
will be well to withhold sympathy from
those whose action will delay, and perbap
prevent, that contamination. That annex
alton will, in the presenb8aspect of things
more than double the wealth OF Manches
ter in very short time, and add very large
IL tn the wealth of Richmond.
It is probable the friends of the fret
bridge will not, as general thing, TAKE
part in the proceedings of the meeting
though they entertain the firm belief tina
the majority is largely on their side. They
are not afraid of the question, but they dc
not care to argue in favor of matter
which is already decided.
But what folly it is for anybody in Man
chester to object to free bridge between
Richmond and that town! There is no
one single argument against the bridge ex
cent that which might be made by thu
mules and cows Of the town against thu
sliminution of their commons for grazing
These animals ought certainly to be admit
ted to any public meeting in Mancheste
against free bridge, for they are the only
inhabitants of the south side that can have
good reason for opposing free intercourse
between Richmond and Manchester.
We trust that the good sense Of on
Manchester friends will prevail, and tina
the number found TO favor so Anticipated
system of toll-gatherers on the highwa..
between the large populations residing OF
both sides Of the james river will be no
more than a canoe-load. 1t should hav
been ended forty years since. The i'm
pulse now given to the trade and inter
course Of the locality leaves no doubt of tn
success of the free bridge, and we regre
that any should be so wayward and in
practicable as to place themselves on til
side Of policies and ideas that should hav
died half century since.