The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-07-27
4 FREE BRIDGE.
Meeting 10 Receive Reports 81 com
mittecg- Opinions ENprcssed'

meeting Of citizens to hear the reports
Of the committees appointed at the
last meeting IN reference 10 the best
means Of securing free bridge.
Tle meeting was composed OF forty
or fifty Of our citizens, some leading
ones and all well known aud highly
respectable. Ills Honor, Mayor ker'
foot presided, aud the proceedings
were marked by good order aud de-
cornm. with the exception of an eX-
hibillou Of temper OF which the least
said the better, on the part Of one OF
the orators Of the occasion.
Mr.. Lenke chairman Of the Legal
committee, said that they were not
ready to report. They had only re-
Gently been notified Of their appoint
ment and had not yet had time to con-
suit legal authorities. He had seen
Judge Barksdalc, who was willing to
give all the light possible, and had no
doubt that Others of our lawyers would
freely do the same. lie would
state, however TINT be-
lieved the best aud safest plan
would be for the chair to appoint n
committee Of one to go to Austin and
procure the necessary Legislation to
either buy or lease the bridge from the
present company or to secure legisla-
ton to build a free bridge across the
river.
Mr.. j. +. Caldwell said the question
Of legal rights was the only perpleXing
question before this meeting. II we
could have that solved, then we could
net. Some coutended that Dallas city
or county had no right to bridge the
river under the existing charter Of the
present company. 1t may be necessa-
ry to secure legislation be-
| fore we can either buy
lease or build, and the Legislature
ought to be prol erly petitioned to Sc
cure our object if 1t il needed. We
ought to fortily ourselves against all
possible contingencies The company
might claim, if we do not have an.
thority from the Legislature, that they
have 10 power to sell. lie did not
want it left so they could come forward
and say we are willing to sell, hut you
have no right to buy. Two years ago
n committee was appointed by II meet
! ing held then, which, if it had acted,
could have bought the bridge or forced
| them to terms. If we have or can &c
the right, we should build Il bridge
across the Trinity.
Major X. V. Tompkins, chairman of
the committee to confer with the
bridge company, to see If it was posi-
| bic to buy or lease it, said he had call
ed upon the president and board
of directors, who very respectfully en- E
tertaiued their proposition, but they
had no power to act upon it, They had
ordered Il meeting of the stockholders,
to he called next Monday, when the
company would take some definite ao-
ton. The officers had no power to do
anything without the sanction of those
who held the stock. He had no doubt
but what terms could he made n utual-
~ satisfactorily to the company and
the city.
A report was read from the COM
mittee appointed to confer with the
Bridge Company, in which they said
that the present bridge could be dupli-
Gated fpr S25 900. They did not know
whether the city had any right to
build II bridge; that was aqucstion in
viewed in some doubt, but if it had, n
wooden bridge could be built mt Il cost
not exceeding $4,000. The report WAS
somewhat lengthy and contained Il
number of valuable suggestions.
Our reporter applied TO the secretary
o! the meeting for the report in order
to copy it, but that lordly individual
declined upon the ground that the re-
port was n part Of the minutes OF the
meeting. The truth is that being the
Commercials reporter he probably did
not wish to give THE HERALD the
privilege of publishing it first. Here
after, when it is desired that any no.
lice Of the proceedings of amy meeting
shall be taken 10y TuE HERALD, it will
bc advisable to appoint some one else
to act as secretary.
Judge Burford being called upon,
said that there was Il needless misun-
Outstanding HS to what right Dallas
city and county had in the matter.
The present charter OF the Dallas
bridge company does not and cannot
prohibit the people ofthe city or county
from building free bridge over any
stream anywhere in their limits, Dali
las county mas never yielded to any
corporation her right to build free
bridge on any highway whenever she
might see proper. If the citizens of
this city or county desir, to build u
bridge over the Trinity their course il
to apply to the County Court for au-
thority to do SO. II is not necessary to
procure any enactment from the Leg
tslature. That body has no right to
grant such reQuests,as thcy.are prohib-
tied from granting any special legisla-
ton, which this would be. He wared
not against the bridge company. 1t is
composed of many OF our very best
citizens, who put their money in it
when it was considered u doubtful
venture. They have rs much right to
be respected in their possession of il