St. Tammany farmer., 1911-07-29

na0 not YET arrived, Auu tu0t . Snoa
wait would be necessary. The mayo
arrived shortly afterwards, ant
Hon. Jos. B. Lancaster was intro
duced and delivered the address o
welcome in behalf of the town o
lCCvingtOn. .,z
Mr.. Lancaster expressed appre
! citation of the presence OF the gree
gatherings from the towns OF st
Tammany parish, Covington and thu
| city of New Orleans. That he wish
| Ell to thank them in behalf of the
mayor of Covington. That he saw
| in the large gathering promise o1
success In the undertaking that was
before them, and that he trusted
the project would bring closer to-
gether the people of St. Tammany
and the splendid people of New Or
leans. Mr.. Lancaster made an ex.
cellent address and was warmly ap-
plauded.
Mayor Martin Behrman WAS next
introduced and was greeted by round
after round of applause. He said
that it was but few hours Of train
time when he was positive of being
able to attend. That he was here
to speak tor New Orleans and for
the Mercantile Club. and that he
could assure the people that New Or
leans was heartily in sympathy, with
the movement for bridge; that he
was not in a position now to say what
could be done, but that II the bridge
was. built let 1t be the work of the
people and let it be kept out Of
the hands of corporations. He re-
ferred with feeling to the fact that
in the troublous times when fever
stricken people sought refuge in the
ozonic and health giving air OF St.
Tammany parish the doors of her
towns were thrown wide open; a
welcome spot, like an oasis in a
desert; there was a community in
terest that should bring us closer
together; that New Orleans was with
us in the undertaking.
Mr.. j. M. Thompson, OF the New
Orleans Item, was the next speaker
in favor of the proposition. He sale
that it was always pleasure for
him to be in Covingt0n and st. Tam
many parish. AS the mayor has
told you, any feasible proposition
will meet with the assistance of the
people of New Orleans. You have
a fertile soil, and with quick transit
to New Dreams your lands will not
only become more valuable, but you
will become suburban residence
section for New Orleans. Not as
good lands as those of st. Tammany
around Norfork, Va, are seven and
eight hundred dollars an acre. ADJ
vertising these lands was necessary.
The entire state was undertadver-
tised.s The building of this bridge
was something that should be ac-
complished and he hoped that q
feasible plan would be presented b.
the committee appointed.
Mr. C. C. Johnston, of the Mer-
camille Club, said that the people Of
New Orleans and the Mercantile
Club wanter closer communication.
That the meeting tonight was pre-
pairing the foundation of the work
to be completed. Committees should
be appointed to meet and discuss the
ways and means to build the bridge.
That 1t was the intention of the
club to give st. Tammany Lunch
con, at which there would be pro-
vided st. Tammany products, dairy
products and st. Tammany water.
At that luncheon matters would be
talked over.
Mr.. Coleman said he estimated
that a cresoted pile structure, pro-
viding one railroad track. with six
side tricks of half mile each in
length, the causeway to be twenty
two miles in length from West End
to Vaudeville, would cost approxi-
mateiy $6,250,000. If this was ex-
extended into st. Tamany parish to
Abita and to Covington, and the
causeway included electric car SER
vice, the cost would perhaps run
up to a total of 81 100000.
1t would cost about $4,000 per
annum to operate. The interest on
the $7,500.0OO at 4 per cent would
be 100000 per annum, or a total of
S365,000 per year-$10O0 per day.
Therefore, the revenues of the cause
way would have to exceed that fig
ure. AS 1t Is not reasonable to ex-
pect that the revenue would exceed
$10O0 per day in the beginning, Mr..
Coleman added that the only prac-
tical way to bring about the building
or the bridge would be by subsidy
to such an extent that the investors
i might reasonably expect some re.
turns from an investment In the
project.
MT. Lloyd. Posey. ST.. of New Or
leans. said that 1t had always been
q dream OF his to connect New Or
leans and st. Tammany by bridge.
That It would be the greatest boon
to the people OF both places. That