The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-01-14
is AN ELEPHANT
ALBANY BRIDGE AND THE SOUR
GE OF EXPENSE IT HAS CON-
= .STANTLY BEEN.
Has Swallowed up Albany's Reve-
nues and Plunged City Into
Deep Debt-Alco Club
Makes GeneralgState-
ment of Facts.

Oeep DeDt-AicO CluD
Makes GeneralState-
ment of Facts.
1t has always been known that
the steel bridge was an elephant on
the hands of the city of Albany
The Alec club of that city resisting
petitions now In circulation asking
for removal of the toll, has made a
statement, explaining the financial
end of the bridge, and has published
it in the Herald. In part the state
ment is as follows.--
During the boom days in 1906
and 1891 the citizens ofAIbanytried
to get Linn and Benton counties to
construct bridge across the river
at this point and falling in this they
concluded to build it themselves.
They Immediately secured the right
to do so, aud bonded the city for
$75, 900 for bridge aud sewer purpo-
ses. OF this sum $4,000 was ap-
propriated for building bridge
and $1,000 for sewers. The bridge
cost Sos, 700 when completed, Linn
county donated $40, 900 and the
farmers of Benton county also
made small donation. The bridge
fund derived from bonds and from
Linn county amounted to SIS 1000
leaving $1o, 900 of the cost price
uuprovided for and to be paid by
the city. The city issued warrants
for this $Io, 900, and was uuable
TO pay them. After the bridge had
been built the annual expense of
thecity was more than its revenues,
and its floating indeptedness increa-
sed until it and the unpaid $40, 900
in bridge warrants amounted to
$4,000. Then tie people by per-
missionof the Legislature, voted to
bond the city for $40, 900 to pay the
Indebtedness, and the matter was
settled in that way. Il was the
understanding all the time that the
bridge should be free, and after its
com p1etion in 1882 it was operated
as free bridge for about nine
years. Almost Immediately it was
discovered that the interest on the
bonded debt, and the expenses for
repairs on the bridge, taken with
the necessary general expenses of
running the city government, am
ounted to more than the total re-
ceipts of the city from all sources.
Il was a problem TO know what to
do in the,matler, but the city kept on
paying the bills until the warrants
issued over and above the amount
of the bonded debt again amounted
to something like $3.50 AS our
charter only allows a taxation OF
eight mills, and the city had been
ur to the limit for years there was
no remedy in that direction, so the
matter resolved itself d own to one
of these propositions. Either one
or both Of the counties must take
it off the city's hands, or it should
be closed up. In the meantime the
bridge had got in such condition
that it was dangerous to pass over
it.and the amount of needed re-
pairs was estimated at $1,000.
Our city council Immediately Of
fered to shoulder the entire debt
and turn over the bridge to the
counties, if. they would agree to
maintain it as free bridge. But
the citizens of Albany could not in
duce either of the counties to even
assist in keeping up the bridge and
the only alternative was either te
close it up or toll it, A petition
asking the right to toll the bridge
was then circulated among our owr
citizens and the farmers of Bentor
who has assisted in building it ane
only three persons in Albany, and
we think them In Benton county
refused to sign it.
The legislature passed the bill
but the date tor tolling the bridgs
was placed some three or fou
months later. An earnest effol
was made in the meantime to &c
the counties to take the bridge, bu
both refused. In May of 1901 th
tolling commenced. Before tn
bridge was built the rate for eros
sing the ferry was 25 cents eac
two-horse team, and the toll on th
bridge was placed at fifteen cent:
This has produced revenue tha
so far has paid for all repairs an
operating expenses, and left bal
ance on hand to be applied on tE
repairs of this year and this hs
been paid in by those who hay
actually used the bridge.
In the meantime, while tt
4.ayol oaross tho bridge kaens Il j