The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1876-12-07
For the Eagle.
The Bridge Again.

Mr.. EDITOR The long persistent
labors for "county bonds" seems to
have generated, in your last issue, a
new and strange philosophy, wherein
the minority shall rule, and descend
ing as it does, TO menace of the peO-
pies rights and personal criticisms, it
seems just briefly to refer to the plain
truths and reasons actuating those
who cast their votes and influence
against the bonds"
1. The manner of the insertion in
very small type of "For the Bridge
Bonds" in the tickets was q willful
and malicious deception, arranged to
make honest men vote for said bonds
without knowing it.
2. The term "for the bridge bonds"
was indefinite and clearly in intent to
give somebody the privilege to make
bonds under that guise in any amount
and hence was designing public
fraud.
3. The toll bridge is now in dan
gerous and decayed condition, with
arches sprung and swayed, stringers
in irregular dilapidation, and all in
decay, and its purchase equivalent to
cast away OF the purchase money.
1t was built one year after the bridge
at Ell Paso, that being of two spans,
built by the same party,on same plan,
of same materials, and one span of it
now down, lying in the river. How
many of these eight spans may we not
expect to find in same condition by
this time next year?
4. The county has good substan-
tial free bridge at Wichita, built upon
the only true principle for a bridge
crossing broad. shallow, sandy river,
is much stronger and safer now than
the toll bridge, indeed,it cannot break
down, and will be good bridge when
the toll bridge will be debris in the
Gulf of Mexico. This free bridge is
always accessible wien the ford is
closed by high water and it would be
unwise to cucumber the county with
unlimited bonds, having already paid
for such existing cenveniences.
8. We believe another free bridge
would much convenience travellers, To-
Gated further down the river, say at
First street, which would lead all par
ties most direct TO the grist mill, ele-
vators, post Office and the commercial
business center of the city. APP
proaches on either side would be on
harder ground and much safer and
easier of access, especially for heavy
laden teams. The absolute cost of
present free bridge was about 81, 900.
although some $4,000 were gobbled i'll
its construction. Add one-iifth to
this to construct a new one five feet
wider and you have a cost of some
81, 900. Say then invest in good new
structure 50, 500 and you have a good
new bridge in the most central part of |
the city, and for the construction of
which the bad 'man-that-got-out-the |
hand-bills" will give as much clean
cash as any other one man in the |
county of SedgwIck.
6. If these few reasons be not suf-
ficient defense for those who voted |
against the bridge bonds multitudes
more potent may be advanced.
z. 1t has been carefully studied
purpose of parties in authority to neg
lect the free bridge and its approaches
and render it, if possible, unpassable
or unapproachable This is fully un-
lerstood by the public as well as the
interest in which this neglect is nour-
shed, and will bring its reward ere
long In malcdictions on deserved
beads.
T-GOT-oUT-THE-HANp-B BILLS.