Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-22
TALK OF THE TIME.

| Several times since the 1rec DrlQge Qls-
cussion has been in progress there have
| been dark hints to the effect that there are
provisions in the charters Of the bridges
now over the Monongahela which should be
taken advantage of by the city and a free
| bridge thus acquired.
Ifyou will take the trouble to look for
yourself at these bridge charters and the
mendments to them, you will find that all
this matter was anticipated years ago, and
provided for in such way as to make the
companies hard to get at.
Take, for example, the Smithfield street
bridge. 1t was chartered in 1910 by James
O'Hara, william McCandless, David Evans,
Ephriam Pentland, Jacob Beltzhoover,
Adamson Tannehill. Thomas Cromwell,
Thomas Enochs and DR.. George Stevenson.
1t was known as "a company for the erect
ing of q bridge over the river Monongahela,
opposite Pttsburg in the county OF ALLIE
gheny." The act made it obligatory to give
notice by publication in Pittsburg, WASH
ington, "Union-town" and Greensburg
OF the charter: and the capital stock
was fixed at $50 900 in shares of
s25 each. The company was to own the
bridge Tor 40 years from the time or It's COM
petton and there was a free bridge" pro-
viso to the effect that when the revenue
from tolls exceeded Is per cent on the cap
1tal stock, the excess was to he invested in
bridge stock or other securities together
with such donations as might be given and
TINS to form sinking fund to Duy the
bridge from the company and make it free.
1t the fund was sufficient before 40 years
expired, the stockholders were compelled to
sell out at an appraised valuation. II the
fund was not adequate at the end of 40 years
the Legislature was empowered to declare 1t
free providing at the same time for fund
LOT Ior Its repair and maintenance. II it was
pany was to retain it until such time as it
was freed.
The State Becomes Part Owner.
p. This charter of 1910 seams to have lapsed,
aor in 1916 it was re-erated by the Legisla-
ture and William wilkins, James Ross,
Thomas Baird, John Thau, PaYfd Pride,
Philip Gilland, Oliver Ormsby, Christian
Latshaw, Jacob Beltzhoover. James Brison
and Samuel Douglasswere the new incor-
porators- By some sort of oper-
alton which does not appear at all
either directly or indirectly in the legisla-
tion obtained prior to 1915 in that year the
Commonwealth became q stockholder in the
bridge and an act was passed enabling the
Governor to pay $4,000 for 1000 shares of
an additional $50, 1000 when the bridge was
finished. In 1882 the Governor was authorized
to subscribe for an additional 400 shares at
S25 each, provided the stockholders raised
enough money to thoroughly repair the
bridge and maintain it, the sum to be salts
factory to the Governor before the money
should be advanced by the Commonwealth.
This proviso in regard to the raising of a
fund by the stockholders was reported the
same year it was passed.
In 1871 the act for the new suspension
bridge was passed and the capital stock was
increased to $500, Co., the new stock proceeds
to build the bridge and pay of part of an
issue of bonds authorized by the same act.
All the money on hand in the "free bridge"
and other funds was also to be used for
building the bridge, and the whole of the
section of the act of 1910, providing for free
ing the bridge, either by pu rchase or by act
of Assembly, was repealed without giving
the public any return.
1t might be of interest to know something
of the history of the investment. of the Com
monwealth in stock and what became of it.
Original Charter for Tenth Street.
The same intent to have free bridge
ultimately is seen in the legislation for what
is now known as the Tenth street structure
1t also got out OF reach as soon as possible.
It was chartered in 1887, and was to be fin
ished in six years. Its charter was entt-
tied:
IAN act authorizing the Governor to In
corporate company to erect bridge over
the Monongahela river at the borough OF |
Birmingham, in the county of Allegheny,
with power to construct q turnpike road |
from the south end of Denman street in said J
borough to intersect the Monongahela and |
Coal Hill turnpike road"
The incorporators were Alexander Miller, |
o. Ormsby Gregg, James Patterson, Jr., |
William Noble, r. A. Bausman, Thomas
Daft, Charles s. Bradford, Charles Phillips, |
C. Ihmsen, Samuel Hare, David Bogos Jr, |
John McClurg, james Barr, Alex. McKibben,
William Price, Samuel Leonard. A. Men.
c. L. MCGEE, H. NJ. Watts, Alex. Carna-
han, william Eichbaum, Thomas It. White
head Samuel T. Darlington, William O'Leary,
A. H. Hershberger, David RceIer. R. c.
David Fitzsimmons, James Pat
terson, John D. Baird and John Brown.
The proviso in relation to freeing the
bridge read as follows:
"And provided, also, that when the tolls
shall exceed l2 per cent net annual profit
the excess shall compose fund for the re-
demption of the bridge, so as to render it
free, save that there shall always be small
toll collected for keeping it in repair; and if
at the expiration of the 40 years aforesaid
the amount of such fund shall be found ade-
quate to the redemption OF said bridge SO as
to declare 1t free providing at the same
time for its repairs) then the said company |
shall be Obliged to take such sum Of money
therefor as shall be allowed on q fair ap-
praisement by disintereSted persons to be |
ch osen in such manner as directed by law;
but ii the said bridge snail not be redeemed
and paid for as free bridge at the expira-
corporation may and shall continue to hold
The same on the terms Of this act beyond the
said term and until the same shall be re-
deemed and paid for in the manner herein
directed, or in some other manner, as may
De directed by the Legislature"
The Repeal OF the Free Clause.
I'm 1910 the charter was extended for
nree years. The charter lapsed and in 1853
{ was revived exactly as originally granted
except that it provided for the subscription
If 800 shares before work began instead of
900, and Samuel Mckee, Patrick Null
'aney, Thomas Mckee, Thomas Blackmore,
lanes McElroy and Joseph Mcknight were
or commissioners as they | ,
we're called. Later in the same year the
turnpike end of the charter was repealed |
md the name of the company changed to |
The President and Managers of the Bir-
ningham Bridge Company" 1t was made
mendable to the general bridge act of 1855
n April, 1855; its time was extended three
ears and seven years were allowed for its
1t was also provided in this
ct, i"That so much of the tenth section of
he act, to which this is Supplement-, as re-
ers to period at which the said bridge
hall be declared free, be and the same is
erebv repealed"
In 1857 it was taken ont of the provisions
f the general act of 1855. In 1858 it was 9
flowed to issue $4,000 of preferred stock, on
'hich 10 per cent dividends were to be paid
n 1854 it was permitted to issue bonds not TO
xceed $50 600, and in 1867 1t was privileged
D elect IL board of IL directors a president,
ecretary and treasurer. In this way both
these bridges have passed beyond the
lethods originally intended for the benefit
the general public. P.L. W.
ucp rop rup nroponnonr