Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-27
81. AUG UsrINn BRIDaE.
A Sinking Fund that rs Available
for $50 years 10 s,a,.,c

4 sNp ASsbtb 80 DDNfts
Editor Gazette: 1t was remarked in the
reporters hearing on Friday, "Ihat the
GAZETTE was tndefatigable in It's
course OF Justice, fearless, courageous and
honest" When the reporters Of the
GAZETTE carefully trace step by step a
pubic wrong, AMI secure indisputable facts
by which they can openly expose such
wrong. doinss they Enthusiastically act, re-
gardles OF friendship, party, or politics.
That the bulldog, eonduction and renairs
on the Ut. Augustine bridge are an inius-
tiee to the citizens OF New CASTLE county.
! we say not; that is a question for personal
Judgment. Bat that this bridge Is costing
the county Of New Castle large amount OF
money, and directly is u heavy drain upon
the taxpayers We do say. And the manner
IN which the wo-k is done Is a reckless ex.
penditure OF the eounty's money, for tic
personal benefit of very few. In the last
consecutive years. has been expended
| yearly $4,000 for repairs on n comparatively
new bridge, which according to contract
specifications should stand intact quarter
OF "A century. And those repairs have re-
suited IN q simple waste OF labor and
material. To build an embanknenr OF soft
mud nnan O foundation of soft, springy
marsh, dnder, ard on each eide OF d pile.
driven bridge, and lay a wooden bulkhead,
upon soft mud at tlde-Wnter mark. In n
swift current, ts the result of farmers iden
OF mechanical engineering, and "bridpe
ioaking" and in achievement IN engineer.
Ing. which develops into m!rth, as the
prluge Slowly Sinks and settles from the
weight OF "aoit mud" and It Is extremely
iudlerous to pile additional weight upon
suen, sprinsy foundation, only to SEES 1t
Slowly ana lrre1ularly settle until the
bridge assumes the comparison OF d rough
unleNel corduroy road-and to say "some
day It viii stop settling" means a yearly
expenditure Of three to five thousand dol
lars on ono end alone, about one hundred
the entire bridge cosi2
And now for few more facts for public
consideration. The question naturally
arises: How Ia this so2 Why Is 1t SO? Why
should the county of New Castle nav
100000 fer this bridge and 5000 YEARLY,
when our taxes are now so heavy? Two
bridges have been built across St.Augustine
IN the past 20 years, which are estimated to
rave cost tho county $50 900 or more. Even
S5O, DVO IL large amount OF money to come
out OF the taxes of New Castle county. The
reporter was automatically informed by
one OF the largest farmers OF New Castle
county that 1t took 10 per cent OF all lis
farms revenue to pay hts taxes. Ten per
cent Of the county's income to support
county expendituresl Farmers, consider
mat; faxpbyera, consider that statement
Perhaps 1t is In the reporters power to any
why tnis is SO. Perhaps he sees political
echsming, intrigue, personal benefit. Per.
maps ne can produces facts and statements
IN some individuAl elses to show "Where
Our Taxes Co." At any rate he points a
warning finger to thoss who "reap rich re-
wards" from the benefits of countys tax-s
and requests the readera OF the GAZETTE
10 feel assured that when the time comes
the interests OF the many--not the few
will be protected by the GAZETTE.
RESIDENT TAXPAYER,