The age-herald., 1898-01-16
FIGHT OVER TOLL BRIDGE
Meeting of Business Men of
 Florence.
SOME KIND OF SETTLEMENT
Citizens of LauderdaIe and Colbert Counties Are Determined That Their Rights Shall Be
 Considered and Protected.
Special to The Age-Herald.


 Florence, Jan. 15.-An enthusiastic meet ing of the citizens and representative busi- ness men of the city of Florence was held last night at the court house for the pur- post of taking some steps in regard to the Florence bridge over the Tennessee river. Judge W. J. Wood and Capt. E. T. Simp- son having returned from Montgomery where they argued motion to dissolve the injunction granted the Memphis and Charleeton railroad restraining the tax assessors of this and Colbert counties, and reporting that there was every probability that Judge Bruce would refuse to dissolve the injunction, it was decided to take up the matter business interest and push it to some kind of settlement.
 The meeting was presided over by M. B.. Shelton, who called Judge Wood to the stand to explain the objects of the coming together. He spoke of the unsuccessful efforts to get free bridge tolls after sev- eral propositions from the business men of this cty, and also of the Chattanooga meeting recently heiN, speaking of it a most important case. The judge also re- viewed the work upon the canal since it's inception in 1884, and which, for time, proved failure, and stated that 1t was not the insufficient appropriations which did the most harm, but because they came in such small Jumps. In the Chattanooga meeting almost every town on the Ten nessee river was represented and he sug- gested the appointing of a committee here to take the matter of improvement of the Tennessee river and cooperate with the Tennessee River Improvement association the object of which is to secure the speedy opening of the lower river. Upon the con- clusion of Judge Woods address, Chair man Shelton announced the following per- manent committee to look after the im- provements:
 N. c. Fitting, chairman; J. B. Weadxley, Jr Paul Hodges, J. c. Conner, A. B. Wal ker, H. B. Shelton and N. F. Cherry. All are among the prominent and substantial business men of the city.
 After the appointing of this committed, Judge Wood spoke briefly of the present suit against the Memphis and Charleston in the supreme court of the United States, to dissolve the injunction granted by Judge Bruce restraining the state of Alabama from interfering with the toll charges over the bridge at this place. The Memphis and Charleston Is now paying taxes upon a valuation of $15,000 for a property which is worth at the very least $25000O The Louisville and Nashville railroad alone pays a royalty of $6,000 per car and stands three-fourths of the cost of maintenance of the bridge, for the lt'ivilege of using the bridge The real tax for the bridge for the state and county should be at least $2,500 a year, and Judge Woow was confident that
  for the proper valuation to be placed upon the property and for a reduction of the bridge tolls to the charges as scheduled by the act of the legislature. Upon the suggestion of c. M. Sosthall and Major A. c. Negley, it was decided to pursue con- cliatory policy with the Southern com- pany, and committee, consisting of W. J. Wood, B. B. Garner, James Mlner, c. M. Southall and F. M. Perry, was appointed to go to Washington City and lay the griev- ances of Florence before the officials of the Southern Railway company.
 The action of this committee shows that the people of Florence and of this county and section are determined to have their rights from the Memphis and Charleston, and if there Is no other way a new bridge will undoubtedly be built by the Louisville and Nashville railroad and the business men of this city in conjunction. Florence is bound to have the reduction of the bridge tolls over the river at this place, and she will also finally secure just tax ation of the Memphis and Charleston rail- road property.
 Resolutions showing the sense and feel ings of the meeting were adopted.