Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-03
A NEW BRIDGE PLAN.
The County Called Upon to Help in
Building at Least
FREE FO0TWAYSOVER THE RIVERS
An Ex-Councilman Talks on the Subject
and Compares
THE TAXES PAID FOR SUCH PURPOSES

The work of rebuilding the Sixth Street
bridge, between Pittsburg and Allegheny,
was formally begun Yesterday.
For several months work has been going
on in the construction of the new piers but
yesterday one side of the old structure was
closed to travel. 1t was securely boarded
up and will be torn up. A tunnel or arch
is being constructed under the bridge to be
used probably by some railroad in the fu-
ture. The proposed new bridge is to be
wide enough for four railroad tracks with a
passageway on either side. The new bridge
will be built under the old one and the
structure will not be closed during its con-
struction. 1t is expected that the new
bridge will be completed within three
months 1t will be, it is said, a magnificent
specimen of engineering.
Free Bridge Advocates ACitating.
The construction of the new bridge across
the Allegheny has revived the talk of free
bridges and the free bridge advocates in
Pittsburc are Just now devoting consider
able attention to having Allegheny county
take hand in any or all of the free bridge
enterprises 1t is argued by the free bridge
advocates that the county is abundantly
able TO assume the financial responsibility
of at least one free bridge within the limits
Of Pittsburg and Allegheny, and that free
bridge across the Monongahela or Allegheny
rivers is as m lch the duty of the county as is
the construction of a bridge across any
creek or stream within the county's
limits.
While Pittsburg Councils and many peo-
pie throughout the city have discussed in
all its MANY phases the free bridge question,
and while the city Councils have appropri-
ated more or less money for such an under
taking, the proposition that the county as
sumo the responsibility of such an enter
prise has only recently been suggested
The proposition, although entirely new, is
not without earnest advocates.
The Tendency Toward Free Bridges.
Councilman Walls, who has for wears
been earnest and industrious in his efforts
to secure free bridge across the Monongs-
hela river to the Southside, is now Just as
earnest advocating that the county free
some of the Pittsburg bridges. ''The ten
dency all over the county is toward free
bridges Mr.. Walls said Yesterday. pitts
burg is really behind the age in this I'M
portant matter, but free bridges in Pitts
burg is only question of time, and short
time at that. L contend that Allegheny
county has more right TO build free bridges
over our two rivers than either Pittsburg or
Allegheny has. Look at the Brooklyn
bridge, the greatest structure of its kind in
this country. 1t is not only free, but it was
built, not hy New York and Brooklyn, b-t |
bv Kings county. In other cities where they |
have bridges they are free. The county in |
which the CITY is located has built those |
free bridges just as Allegheny county should |
build them out of money paid into the |
county treasury in the way Of taxes BY the !
cities |
People VINO Pay the Taxes.
''The country people in Allegheny county |
Of course will be opposed to the county |
building free bridges for us city folks, |
but there will be neither good sense in nor |
good ground for such opposition. Look at |
the tax figures in this county and then de-
termine whether the county or the city |
should, make the bridges free. The tax
levy ofSllegheny county is based on a
valuation of s4So, 900, 600. On this vast
amount Pittsburg city pays taxes on valu-
alton of about S24O, 100000 Allegheny
city pays taxes on a valuation of about |
$110,0 900, and the boroughs and town.
ships of the county nay taxes on a valuation |
of about $50, ZOO, ,000 These figures, and |
they are about correct, prove my position.
They show that Pittsburg as city pays the
bulk of the county taxes. When the
County Commissioners. the County En-
gineer and the courts determine among
them that a bridge is necessary across
CHARTERS creek, it is built not out of the
money contributed to the county in the
way of taxes BY the township or borough in
which that bridge is located, but by money
raised by taxation throughout the whole
county, incl uding both PittsSurg and Allie
gheny.
Pittsburg Paying for Rural Bridges.
"Pittsburg people rarely, if ever, use the
free bridges in the rural districts in the
county, but they contribute the bulk of the
money that pays for them, just the same
The country people will seldom use the free |
bridges in Pittsburg and Allegheny, but the
increase in their taxes to build free bridges
in the city will not pay their fare over the
toll bridge a half dozen times when they
do happen to be in the city,
what amount ofmonev is spent annually
by Allegheny county in building free
bridges?" was asked.
II do not know exactly. 1t is an enor- /
nous sum, however. The eamount each year
IS large enough to entitle Pittsburg to at
least part of it just as an experiment.
THE question of free bridges in Pitts
burg is most important one," Mr.. Walls
continued. 1T is not much of a burden for
the farmer In the country or the merchant |
or property-owner in the city to pay penny
every time he crosses one of our bridges, but
1t is positive injustice and a wrong to COM
pei the workingman to pay toll in the heart
OF city every time he goes to or from his
work.
Tax Upon Poor People
''The working people getting anywhere
from 80 cents to 81 80 per day are COM
PEELED to watch their pennies, and it is out
rageous that they are forced to nav a penny
when they find it necessary to go from one
part OF the city to another. Pittsburg and
Allegheny have no more right to paw for
the bridge that connects them than two
townships in the county have to pay for the
bridge that connects them, and the agitation
to have the whole county assume the re.
sponsibility for free bridges in the cities
and between the cities is in dead earnest
and will not stop until the courts, the
grand jury and the proper officials have
been tested on the question.
Some of the free bridge advocates are in
favor Of the county building bridge across
the Monongahela river from Stevenson
street, which, it is argued, would be advan-
tageous 10 the resident portion of the city
on both sides of the river: others are favor
able to the construction of a free bridge by
the county connecting Pjttsburg and Allie
gheny.