The Somerset reporter., 1909-07-08
The Norridgewock Bridge Resolve.


The following is the full text OF the
Norridge wock Bridge Resolve, in Aid
of the Town of Norridgewock This
resolve b-came law Oh July 2, 1903
Resolve in favor OF the town Of Nor
ridgewock 10 aid in getting Free
Bridge.
Resolved, that the sum of three
thousand five hundred dollars is here
by appropriated 10 aid the town OF
Norridgewock to buy It's toll bridge OF
the stockholders thereof and make
the same a free bridge. Said sum
shall be paid over by the state treas
urer TO the town treasurer of Nor
ridgewOck to be expended by the
selectmen Of Norridgewock for the
purchase Of said bridge stock at
price not exceeding fifteen dollars a
share. Provided said town buy in
the remainder Of said bridge com
pany stock in excess OF five thousand
dollars, and provided said Norridge-
wock shall, after the purchase of said
bridge, keep it in repair and maintain
same az free bridge.
In the event that the town of Nor
ridgewock Is unable to purchase all
ridgewock Bridge Proprietors as
aforesaid by reason of failure to agree
upon price, then the amount carried
by this resolve may be used for the
purchase of said bridge by said town
of Norridgewock as provided in Chap
ter one hundred and sixty of the pri-
vate and special laws of Maine for
the year nineteen hundred and five,
entitled "An act to extend the char
ter of the Norridgewock Bridge pro-
prietors and to authorize the town of
Norridgewock to take and purchase
the property of the same.o
The following statement of the
present standing of thismatter is fur
nished by a progressive citizen of
that town.
The selectmen prepared and pre-
sented this resolve at the last legis
lature. The strong sentiment there
in favor of the Donigan Bridge bill,
had to be appeased by liberal appro-
priations conceded to the small towns.
by the delegations from Portland and
other large cities, who were opposed
to Mr.. Donigan's bill. Mr.. Donigan's
forces favored this resolve and also
Mr.. E. E. Rounds of Portland, who
strongly opposed Donigan's bill.
Thus Norridgewock may get free
bridge at very small expense to the
town, almost as piece of sheer good
luck and by stepping in and asking
for help, just in the nick of time.
There are 3S1 shares of bridge stock
and will cost S5715 at a price of fiji
teen dollars share, as named in the
resolve. The state will pay $500,
leaving S22l5 for the town to pay
being S642 less than half the value of
the bridge. In other words, the
thirty FIVE hundred which the state
gives the town, is practically equiva-
lent to exemption of state tax for
two years.
The bridge company annually col
lects from 500 to $500 year in tolls
from our citizens and has paid, on an
average, for the last ten years, the
sum OF S103 year to keep the bridge
in repair, so that the town will save
at least six hundred dollars year on
the average, by owning the bridge.
The town raised S4113 this year for
highways; to now be afraid to put in
800 more a year and save $500 or
500, which the bridge company now
gets, would be penny wise and pound
foolish. This bridge is just as much
highway, as any other piece of road
in town.
A very few citizens fear that if the
bridge is appraised, it will be apprais-
ed high; in the same breath they say
that when the town gets it, it will be
white elephant and will be a heavy
bill of expense. If free bridge will
save our townspeople 5000 to $500
year, it is worth something; if the
bridge is a white elephant, the APP
praisers will award nothing as its val
ne. In either event, it is good bust
ness sense to have the town own the
bridge.
For if the bridge pays nothing, the
company will lay out nothing on 1t,
and hence the town should take 1t
before it becomes dangerous. The
loss of one life, by breakdown, would
cost perhaps more than the $500
necessary to pay for the bridge in full.
The town will keep it safe; the bridge
company may not.
If the free bridge will save the
townspeople $500 to $500 year, then
it will save 10 per cent on $4,000 a
year, so that the town can well af-
ford to keep it in good and safe con-
dition.
AS matter of fact, the bridge is
not white elephant; it is good pay
ing piece of property for Norridge-
wock to own; it is poor policy for a
toll bridge to be allowed to do bust
ness in our town; the tolls of any toll
bridge are always burdensome, rest
ing heavily on some, and burdensome
upon all. No person can justify toll
bridge; everybody hates a toll bridge.
Go up the river or go down the
river, and no one holds you up for a
bridge toll today except at Norridge-
wock and at the Patterson bridge at
North Arson. God help that legisla-
ture of Maine, which granted char
ter to the Norridgewock Bridge Pro-
prietors, without inserting a clause
! by which the chapter might be termi-
mated! God help the people of Nor
rideewock today, if they are so blind
as to let pass by this opportunity to
unshackle the chains of this institu-
ton, whose form of maintenance has
been discarded years ago, by all COM
munities except the most lifeless, and
inactive.
This institution separates instead of
Joining the two parts of our town; it
| keeps the valuation of property on
! the north side of the river away be-
| low what it would with free bridge;
| il keeps business back from our bust