The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-01-16
STATE ROAD DEPT.
ADVERTISE SOON
Work Will Cost Approx
mately $120, 900, 1t Is An
nounced at Tallahassee.
Tallahassee Bureau.
The Pensacola Journal

Tallahassee, Fla, Jan. 15.-(Special)
Federal aid will be granted for bridg-
ing the Apalachicola river on the line
of the state highway extending from
Pensacola to Jacksonville. and the
state road department OF Florida viii
soon be in a position to advertise for
bids for the construction OF the bridge,
which will cost approximately $4,000
For nearly eighteen months efforts
have been made to secure the con-
struction of this bridge. From the
very first ii was realized that the
cost would be too great for the coun-
dertake to bear the entire expensa,
and as soon as the federal aid road
act became operative the state road
department of Florida took steps to
secure federal aid for the proposed
structure.
That the efforts of the department
have proven successful was made pub
lie today for the first time. The an
nounCement was received in a letter
to State Road Commissioner VIM. T.
Cooke, from Logan Waller Page, di-
rector of the office of public road and
rural engineering. The letter follows.
The secretary of agriculture on
Januaryl 9th arproyes7 Florida p,Sieet
statement No. ,, fiscal years 1917 IND
1913. involving the construction of
bridge 96S feet long across the Apa
lachicola river near the town of Chat
tahoochee in Gadsden county"
important TO Section.
The approval OF the state road de-
partment's project for the proposed
bridge means much TO all of Northern
Florida. for it means that funds will
now be available to proceed with the
construction of this much needed
bridge which will be the connecting
link for through highway travel be-
tween eastern and western Florida.
In December 1916, Gadsden county,
in which will be the estern terminus
Of the bridge. voted bonds TO the
amount Of $3o,00o.00 for that county's
proportion Of the estimated cost of the
bridge.
Jackson county, on the western side
of the Apalachicola river, was author
lied, by a special act of the legisla-
ture of 1917, to issue time warrants
To the amount of s50,0O0.00 for that
County's proportion of the cost.
The federal road act provides that
for every dollar appropriated for road
work in any state, the state or coun-
ties in which the work is located, must
appropriate an equal amount The
total cost of the bridge is estimated
to be approximately $12O,0O00O The
counties of Jackson and Gadsden will
jointly provide one half of this amount
and the balance VIII be provided from
Florida's federal act apportionment.
All OF the work much be done un-
der the supervision and control of the
state road department of Florida, sub
ject to approval by the secretary of
agriculture of the United States.
The plans for the bridge have been
prepared by the state road depart
ment and permit for construction
OF the bridge has been granted by the
United States War Department. The
actual construction of the bridge now
depends upon Gadsden county and
Jackson county disposing of their
bonds and time warrants and securing
the funds necessary to meet the fed
ferai aid apportionment
A Little History.
The securing OF federal aid for the
construction of the bridge across the
Apalachicola river is the elimination