The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-27
TIE BIG BaIDaE.
Some Observations on tie Practical Value
Of tho East River Bridge.

= - AAS @~eNse -
Gen. H. w. Sloeum, Of Brooklyn. in
q recent interview, said that, in his
Judgment, the bridge would be worth TO
the two cities more than ten times its
cost, but its real value will not be real
lied until it is made absolutely free
to all except those who ride over it IN
the cars. 1t must be paid for by the
people of the two cities, and the most
convenient. safe, and economical meth
cd of collecting the taxes 10 do this is
not by placing irresponsible men on the
bridge to collect them in driblcts, and
return to the city what their consciences
shall dictate, but to have them collected
annually by men who cannot steal any
portion of them. Tt is real estate that
is to derive the great benefit resulting
from the bridge, and therefore it is fair
that real estate should be taxed to pay
for it, If it is made free, it will be paid
for by the increase in rents and the adj
vanced value in real estate. The speak
er referred to the operation of the ele-
waited roads in this city to show how the
value of property is affected by rapid
transit. In 1877, he said, the assessed
value of real estate in New York was
1896, 063, 600; in 1882 it was 5, ,040,-
S03, 600, and increase in five years of
$145, TAO, 900, the two wards in the up
per part of the city. the twelfth and the
nineteenth, being most affected by the
construction of the elevated roads. I'm
view of these figures, said Gen. S1o-
cum, ''who can doubt the effect OF q
free bridge on the property of both cit
les? An increase in the valuation ofthe
real estate of Brooklyn of p per cent,
will at once repay the city for its in
yestment in the bridge No reasons
can be urged for the collection of tolls
on the bridge which do not apply with
equal force to our other highways and
to our parks
The two sections of London" said
Gen. Slocum, separated by the Thames
are not so closely allied as are Brooklyn
and New York. The two sections of
London are united by eight bridges, be-
sides two or three built exclusively for
the use of railroads. The most cele-
brated of these is the London bridge,
which cost the city just about the
amount which Brooklyn has contributed
to our bridge-say $12, 200, 600 1t is
built upon piers, with granite arches
Its entire length is but 928 feet, less
than two-thirds the river span of our
bridge; its width is but forty-four feet,
while ours is eighty-five. Twenty thou
sand vehicles and 10000 pedestrians
pass over it every day, 1t is free
bridge. The most beautiful of all the
structures over the Thames is the Wa
Cerloo bridge, constructed by private
corporation at a cost of $5,000,0 900, and
opened on the anniversary of the battle
IF Waterloo, June Is, 1917 1t yielded
IN tolls about 800, 900 per annum. In
1878 it was purchased by the city of
& tho NTrhinh
built it, and was made free to the pub
lic The other bridges, the Blackfriars,
the Vauxhall, the Chelsea, the Albert,
and the Battersea were all constructed
BY private corporations, and all charged
toll till the year 1879, when this system
IF taxing the public became so obnox-s'
lous that the city of London purchased
all of them and made them free bridges.
This is the result of the experience of a
great city, which in the past has been
governed with as much intelligence and
certainly as much economy as either
New York or Brooklyn. Not only has
I,ondon abolished this system of collect
ing money. but even in the rural dis
tricts the toll-gate has been abolished
with other nuisances. Many of rs were
born and reared in the country and can
recall the time when we could not go to
school or pass from one village to
another without taking a few pennies
with us to meet the demands of the toll
gatherer The East river bridge will
be made free. 1t only remains for us
who have had the care of its construc-
ton to decide whether we viii adopt the
wise and popular policy dictated by the
of others, or whether we
will leave TO others the honor of inaug-
urating this policy. York Times.