Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-31
NOT IN FAVOR OF BUILDING THE BRIDGE
BY TAXATION.

NOT IN FAVOR OF BUILDING THE BRIDGE
BY TAXATION.
FORT WORTH, TEX, Jan. 30. 1855.
To the Editor of the Gazette:
DEAR SIR-HAVing been solicited by q
number of good citizens and property
holders of this city to express my views
upon the bridge question, believing tbEt
It is my duty, as well as su other good
citizens, to give an honest expression
upon questions OF this kind when called
uDon, | have concluded 10 present through
the columns Of your paper my views upon
this question. Ia the beginning, do not
think that the county or city has any right
! to TAX the people for the building Of the
bridge. Why? Because it Is not & pub
lie necessity. Secondly, because I think
that it is using public money TO foster the
interest CT private individuals. Third,
because l think that when tax is levied
| by the county or city for this special pur-
pose, believe that it will result II law
suits. Fourth, because l honestly think
| that whenever the county or city agrees
| 10 pay two-thirds of the cost Of building
his grand structure, it will not cost
hem lees than forty or fifty
| thousand dollars each. l make this pre-
dictiCn, and you may mark 1t down and
save it for future reference, that the
county commissioner or city alderman
who votes away the peoples money for
! this enterprise will ever have reasons to
regret it. have no fight to make upon
the town company or the gentlemen COM
| posing their corporation; they are all my
personal friends, ard it is with many re-
gtets that [ cannot agree with tlem upon
! this question, and were in their position
might possibly think as they do. Il Is
often the case that self interest has &
great deal to do with forming concIu-
sions. But, sir, the principle is wrong,
and it is bad precedent for our city or
county to establish. Gentlemen of the
county or city, are you not aware of the
fact that other corporations will WSnt you
to do likewise for them? 1 hsve friends
that are advocating this bridge question
with pure and unselfsh motives; do not
ask them to think as do, but l do ask
them to resd what 1 have to say, and
then reflect for one moment
I ask you gentlemen representing
the county and city, have you ever
figured upon this question from financial
standpoint? Are there not other public
improvements in this city that need your
attention a great deal more at the present
time than this bridge? Will you have the
money to build this bridge and carry on
the other necessary improvements of the
city? II not, wo1ld it not be good policy
as well as good inanciering to use the
old bridge awhile longer? There seems
to be no question about its serving every
purpose for the. present. will ask you,
gentlemen Of the City Council, if the town
company has ever said to you that If you
would make the appropriation for the
bridge that they would place this 100
acres of land inside Of the corporate lin
| its of the city, in order that the city might
realize 8 revenue from the same by taxa
| ton? I dare say they have not and will
not make proposition of this kind. Gen
| tlemen of the county and city, never
! heard of this bridge scheme
until North Fort Worth was
| laid of into town lots.
| The truth of the whole matter is that this
town company would like to have the
bridge, from the fact that it would en-
hauce the value Of their lands, and 1t
would enable them to locate certain lines
| OF business as would 20 there to escape
| taxation, having the full benefits Of our
city without even paying one dollar to-
wards the running expenses OF our city
government. The st. LoEis, Arkansas
and Texas Railroad would also like to
have this bridge built for their special
benefit. 1 know of my own personal
knowledge that the depot of the St.
Louis, Arkansas and Texas Railroad was
located on the north side Of the river for
no other purpose but to enhance the
value of that property.
Now, gentlemen Of the county and
city, if these two corporations need
bridge and Wsnt one for their special
benefit, let them build 1t themselves or
by private subscription. am opposed
to building this bridge by taxation, be-
cause it is not public necessity and it
would be double taxation on the city
people as they would be taxed both By
the county and city. If these gentlemen
want to build this bridge by private sub
scription, they may count me In for my