The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-15
Wilson Anxious To Issue Bonds
 For New Bridge

Mayor Wilson has addressed to Captain A. D. Waldron, of the U. S. A. Corps of Engineers. at New Lon don. letter indicating that he con- templates making another effort to get a bond issue for the construction of a bridge to supp ant the present structure in East Washington avenue.
 The mayor states he believes the voters were confused at the last elec- ton when they voted down the bond issue for the proposed bridge, and that in his opinion bonds should be issued for the bridge construction.
 Following is the Mayors letter to
 February fl. 1912. Capt A. E. waIdron.
 Corps of Engineers, U. $. A,
 New London, Connecticut.
 Dear Sir-Upoa receipt of your fa- vor of the 18th November, 1911, I took up the matter rels tive to dredging through the. East W ashfngton avenue bridge in this c1ty, and beg to submit the following report of the Ciny En- gineer:
 '* As you know. the Govern ment has dredged to eighteen 1S) feet below mean low water above East Washington avenue bridge, but was restrained from dredging at the bridge dred ginE would destroy the bridge.
 ''I have had test borings made at this bridge and it is my opinion that it would Ee impossible to dredge to eighteen (1S) feet De OW mean 1OV Wa ter and maintain the present bridge. Tn my investigation besides making the test borings mentioned above, l have examined the report Of MT. H. G. Scofieid made some two years ago, and also the reports made at the same time by MT. Keith, consulting engin- eer of New York, These 1nVestlga- tions all show thatsdredging to elgh- would undermine the abutments of the present bridge. It would not be possible to maintain these abutments without encroach:ng considerably up UYited States Government will not permit
 .'Furthermore,I | find that by looking over the reports of MT. Keith on the light for present day traffic. and could not be satisfactorily strengthened even, could the abutments be main tained for the eighteen QS foot dredg- You will readily see that any fur ther dredging at this particular point would of necessity, under the circum- stances, close the said street to all traffic.
 While it is true, as you state, that the matter of a new bridge was pre- sented to the voters of the city for a bond issue at the last election and failed to be approved, yet it is my opinion that as there were a number of other bond issues under cnsidera- tion at that time, the people failed to appreciate the importance of this matter
 Of course a matter involving the expenditure of as much money as a new bridge should not be met by dt- rect taxation but rather by a bond issue, and it is my desire that this matter be placed before the people again for their further consideration with a fuller statement of the facts given them than fear they had at the last election
 would regret exceedingly your recommend a very strenuous state ment to be incorporated in my an nual report to the Secretary of War, calling the attention of Congress to the fact that the people of Bridge port, Conn.,, do not care for any i'm provement of their harbor," and would respectfully request that you refrain from this extreme measure and forbear with us for a little while so that this matter may be further considered, and that the funds now available be retained for future use at this particular point.
 Hoping that you may see this mat ter in the light of our citizens, I beg to remain,
 Yours respectfully,
 CLIFFORD B. WILSON,
 Mayor.