The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-22
What Counties Pay
 Toward Bridges Hartford and Middlesex Have Greatest Burden They Were Not Mentioned in "Rider" to Bill-Put on in Senate, But Killed in the House.
(Hartford Courant.)


 Had the House of Representatives on Wednesday accepted the rider to the Haddam bridge bill which, as 1t nassed the Senate, provided that the state should care for the bridges over the Housatonic River, which are now maintained by Fairfield and New Ha- VII counties, Hartford and M1ddiesex counties, might have been In a posi- tion to go before the next Legfsla ture and ask that the state take over the bridges which these two counties now have to maintain. Hartford county has two bridges across the Connec- ticut River the one connecting Wind sor Locks and Warehouse Point, the one connecting Suffield and Thomp- sonyille. Middlesex county has the bridge connecting Middletown and Portland, and, according to reports or the county commissioners of the state, it costs Hartford and Middlesex coun- ties a great deal more money to keep the bridges up than 1t does Falrneid and New Haven counties.
 It was a good thing for the people in the up-river towns of Hartford county to have tolls dispensed with by the making of the bridges free. The state paid the bridge companies TOT the two structures and then turned them over to the county in the con dition in which they were when they were bought, and apparently the state was not then as generous regarding the care of bridges as some or the men bers of the Legislature now want it to be. Had the state put the bridges in repair before the county was asked to maintain them, Hart ford county would have been saved consid erable money and the reports of the county commissioners for Fair field and New Haven counties for the last fiscal years showing that each county paid less each year towards the ,1pkeep of the bridges over the Housatonic. Yet some of the mem bers from down that way are kick ing over that while Hartford and Mid dlesex counties have to stand a much larger burden.
 The report of the commissioners for Hartford county for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1909, shows that for the year the Windsor Locks and Warehouse Point bridge cost the coounty $16,395.64. For the fiscal year ended September 30. 1910, that bridge cost the county S619.95. For the same fiscal year the Suff1eld and Thompsonville bridge cost the coun- river between Suffield and Thompson vile was in much better repair When the county assumed the burden of caring for it. In addition to the con- tinuing expense of the up-keep or the two bridges. the county has to
  ter the bridge at Windsor Locks and S1O a. month to a man to look a1ter the bridge across the river at Suf- field.
 If the state is going into the busi- ness of maintaining bridges there are many who feel that it should take all of the bridges that the counties, as such, have to maintain. Falrheld and New Haven counties are both larger than Middlesex county. The bridge at Middletown, being draw bridge, is much more costly to main tain and the reports of the commis- sioners of that county for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1909, shows that the bridge cost the county for re- pairs, salaries, oil and light and pow CT, the sum of $9,069.91, and for the fiscal year of 1910, the expense of 67.
 The effort to shift the maintainence of the bridges seeems to have origin ated down New Haven and Fairfield county way and when the rider was put on the bill in the Senate there was no thought of Hartford and Mid dlesex counties, which appear to have the much larger burden in the care of bridges. The reports for New Haven and Fairfield counties for the fiscal years of 1909 and 1910, show that for the first named year Fairfield county paid $3,500 for the care Of the bridges which the county has to maintain and New Haven county paid s3,55626, while for the last year each county paid but $1,000. If the state is going into the business of maintain ing the bridges which the counties now maintain, there isn't any reason why Hartford and Middlesex counties shouldn't get in on the rider. The drawbridge at Mantle, towards which New London county has to pay, might also be taken in, should Fairfield and New Haven counties be favored.