Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-05-16
FACTS ABOUT
 THE FREE BRIDGE Commissioners Say Mislead- ing Statements Have Been Made With 8 Selfish
 End in View
FIGURES SHOW THAT
Taxation Will Not Be Increased Bridge Will Cost Only $600,0OO Railroads and Interurban
 Are Assured.
To the Taxpayers of Jefferson

County
 This hddress and statement is sent out to you in the hope and be- lief that you will read and consider it carefully, for upon you rests tke responsibility of deciding one of the most Important matters ever presented to you.
 Largely to our minds the future of Pine Bluff and Jefferson county rests upon this proposition, and therefore, it is your duty to your- selves aud neighbors to give the mat. ter an impartial and careful consid- eration
 It has been matter of consider i able personal embarrassment to the Commissioners to have been called i upon, thus far, to remain quiet and unimpassioned, while your prejudices have been played upon, and statements sent to you through the mail and newspapers that had no foundation, of facts be- hind them. These statements at least many of them have been made, in our opinion, by certain par ties with the full knowledge that they were misleading and with the selfish interests rather than de- sire to benefit all of our people.
 We have deemed it advisable to let all the misleading statements heretofore published go uncontra- dicted until such time as We could place before you indisputable facts backed up by expert knowledge of parties ready to furnish bond in any sum as a guarantee of their cor rectness.
 The bridge across the Arkansas river will cost approximately $600,- 000.00 (we are under written obliga- tion to the Governor of the state to refuse to have it constructed should With the evidence before Us we do not believe the cost will exceed S600,000.00 by a single dollar. The bridge as contemplated to have two interurban railway tracks and ons steam railroad track and also two road ways ca either side for wagons and pedestrians. It will be modern in every way with lift span instead of draw span. so constructed, these may be changed at small cost to con vert each span into lift, so as to the river.
 We have been advised that bonds bearing less rate of interest than Der cent, "not six" can be sold readily at par But to be one the safe side let us put the rate of in- terest at per cent. This will mean 53o.o00 per anuum, and in thirty -ssrs will aggregate $9oo,Ooo. Thus, -ae cost of the bridge and interest thereon for a period of thirty years gill amount to s1.500,O00, which is is.e amount you have been misled to believe will be First Cost Of the bridge without interest.
 Nov let us see what your tax for this account will be. (And this is a Eos taking into consideration the revenue that We will derive from ceatracts made with railroads and tntecurban lines). The assessed val ue of real estate at present in this county is sS,000.0O0; an assessment of one half of one per cent thereon yilI bring revenue of SAo.O00 per annum and in thirty years will az gregate s1 1,200, 900. Add u that sum an increase of valuation over the present amount of one-fourth (and surely this is a conservative esti- natel and that will bring in an ad- ditional s3oo.0o0 and thus the bends will be provided for.
 Now let us see where that awful burden is? Where that double tax ation stands? Let us assume, MT T'ax-naycr tiias you se now N.yfnc