Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-10-23
BERTSCHY ARGUES
FOR TUNNEL PLAN
Details Submitted to Commits
sioners Monday and Rea-
sons in Support Stated.
COST ESTIMATED LESS

Missouri river will cost $4,000.
The estimated cost of the proposed
bridge is $l,s00000.
Condemnation cost of the tunnel
would be greatly lessened because
Jones street, the only street running
to the river, has never been vacated.
City records prove this fact.
A double-bore tunnel would accom-
modate 80 per cent more traffic than
could be handled by the bridge and
would greatly facilitate the handling
of traffic. Also it would insure greater
safety to pedestrians.
The depreciation of the tunnel
would be almost nothing. Its cost of
upkeep would be met by the income
from the sale of space for telephone,
telegraph and light cables, pipes and
so forth.
Faith in His Figures.
These facts are set forth by A. J. P.
Bertschy, daddy" of the tunnel, in
letter to Commissioner Manley of the
Commercial club.
ITO those who doubt that the sub
way can be built for less than $l,000,-
600, / answer that I myself will ac-
cept the contract for its construction
for $4,000 and organize company
to build it."
The underwater route from Iowa to
Nebraska has aroused much comment.
Mr.. Bertschy's confidence in the feast
bility of his scheme has appealed to
hundreds of Omahans. Men have
offered to subscribe to a fund to build
it. He has been deluged with phone
calls and letters commencing and GEN.
surfing the plan. Clippings from The
Bee, the paper which first announced
the news, come to him in every mail.
Just because bridges, not tunnels,
have always been built is poor argu-
ment for Omaha's building bridges"
is the pert introduction of the
Bertschy-Manley letter.
Outlines Financial Plan.
For financing the project Mr..
Bertschy proposes bond issue, and
argues:
1.-THE street railway company, in its
talk No. 2, stated that a bridge such
as Omaha would require would cost
81, 100000. A tunnel such as would
accommodate creates amount OF
traffic, and be more up-to-date struc-
ture, would cost less than 100000.
The interest on this at AZ per cent
per annum would amount to $45,000
The annual general depreciation of
tunnel would be nothing. A sinking
fund to retire the bonds for building
a tunnel within twenty years, and why
twenty years, would amount to $780,
600. The care and upkeep of the tun-
mel would be paid for in the income
from the sale of space for telephone,
telegraph, light, ETC., cables and pipes,
so that at most the adjoining counties
to free tunnel would only have
charge Of 100000 per year to take
care of with twenty-year bonds, and
if these bonds ran fifty years instead
of twenty, and as the tunnel will be
good for future generations, there is
no valid reason why they should not,
the annual cost would be at most $751;
600, against $l87 900, as stated by the
street railway company, for bridge.
1.-THE property valuation of Potta-
wattamie county, Iowa, is $74,8ll, 748
and the assessed valuation is $751;
702,9H.
"The property valuation of Douglas
county, Nebraska, is $257,572,225 and
the assessed valuation is 5l,5l4,445.
IF the annual taxes were increased
$4,000, it would amount to less than
81 for each 100 acres.
Will Lessen Burden.
1T will be readily seen that this
would not be a greater burden on the
citizens than tolls paid on the present
bridge. The toll collected from
vehicles and foot passengers only will
amount to nearly $4,000 per year, not
including the extra fare of cents paid
by passengers who do not hold the
monthly Communication tickets.
Il submit plans for two types of
construction, one for vehicle and foot
traffic and one for vehicle, foot and
railway traffic. The latter is preferred
because it will give an entrance to
Omaha for interurban railway lines
and make possible an income for use
OF railway subway. Even if no reve-
nue. were charged for such use of sub
way, the taxpayers would at least have
some tangible assets to offset the $751;
600 annually expended, while at pres
ent they receive nothing"