Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-01-07

The tolls are source of irritation
between the country and the town,
partly from feeling that it is unjust
to tax people to pay for bridges and
for county roads and then to pay tolls
in addition in order to get to the
county seat, and partly from an erro
NOUS idea that the town is RESPONSE
bic. In truth the town has nothing
to do with the matter. 1t would
gladly see the bridge free. but it can
not and ought not to buy the bridge
and make it free, but the citizens of
the town will cheerfully pay their
full share of taxes TO enable the coun-
ty to buy and make the bridge forever
free. The bridge is private property
and those owing it ought not to be
expected to sell it for less than it is
worth.
From these and many other con-
siderations we feel convinced the
county court cannot afford to refuse
TO buy,
THE PEOPLE EXPECT IT.
Two years ago Mr.. Sine was NOM
ihduCd ofCl OlG oloUiilS IutiuU VI UuG
Court. A. B. Price, uron his expressed
pledge to buy the bridge and make it
free. But for that pledge freely made
he would have been defeated by Mr..
Price. Last year the issue was clearly
made and Mr.. Harner was nominated
over the sitting member, J. G. Price,
by a large majority, upon his distinct
promise to vote for the purchase of
the Bridge. No politics entered into
the question, for the Democratic can
didate, Mr.. Mcclure, was also pledged
to free bridge.
The retiring members Of the County
Court were men of experience in the
management of County affairs, free
from all accusation of misconduct,
and would naturally have been eLti-
tied to second term, but each re-
fused to vote for or express himself in
favor of the purchase of the bridge,
and each was retired to make way for
a member who represented the popu-
lar judgment in favor of a free bridge.
This process will go on till the Court
will obey the peoples will.
DELAYS WILL BE COSTLY.
If the Court allows the present term
to pass without buying, it will never
again have the opportunity of doing
so at the present price. 1t will SIM
ply repeat the folly of it's refusal to
buy the Clark property at SO, ESQ,
which was advised. as the bridge pur-
chase is advised, by the men of best
judgment and with disinterested mo-
tives, and which sold at an advance
of So, 500 in six months. We are as
sured and believe that the Bridge
Company will not again entertain any
proposition for a sale after the adj
journment of this term of Court.
Is A NEW BRIDGE PRACTICABLE?
We believe the talk of a new bridge
to be absurd. IL was pretended that
an increase in the County levy was
made last year to create fund to buy
or to build a new bridge, but at this
term the Court appropriates all the
surplus to pay off the Court House or
ders, including that derived from the
extra levy, thus showing the insincer-
lty OF ltS pretenSe OF purpose TO buy
or build new bridge.
THE COST OF A NEW BRIDGE.
Apart from the certainty that the
Court would have to pay for all dam
ages that the present bridge owners
might suffer by the building of new
free bridge, near the present structure
(for private property cannot be taken
or damaged for public use without
just compensation, the cost of new
bridge could not be less than $3.50, 900.
and hence entirely beyond the present
ability of the County to pay. All
plans and locations for bridges over
navigable streams must be submitted
to and approved by the Secretary of
War. The Government has paid to
make the Monongahela River free
from tolls, and contracted for the
building of new locks and dams, at
total cost of nearly Five million dol
lars, and will never consent that any
bridge shall be built on this river that
will in tho c1fnhfocf daurn, npdo v,.nr