The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-01

Z TOLL GATES FOR BRIDGE.

q
g TOLL GATES FOR BRIDGE. .
To The News Scimitar:
In the issue Of the Commercial An
peal Of Wednesday morning, Feb. 2s.
there appeared in the editorial column
an article under the heading want to
Tut Toll Gates on Approach to the j.
T., Harrahan Bridge"
\ Commerclal Appeal, from time to
tLne, mas been very generous In its
praise of the spirit OF progress and
general agg~ressiveness of the people Of
Crlttenden county. This paper has
always manifested an interest in the
dIlalrS OF C~r1ttenden county, perhaps in
preference over other near counties in
arkansas which are close to Memphis,
but perhaps even more in Crittenden
county because Of its closer proximity.
Naturally, as between the interest Of
C~rittenden county and the city of Mem
pms We must expect the editorial man
ager to give preference to Memphis.
however, II does not appear exactly fair
TO criticise the right of Crittenden
county, even II it should propose to
erect toll gates without first making a
proposed bill, and also the equities
which, might be found to exist in favor
of Crittenden county after a fair in
~Nestlgation. II is not proposed to
charge any, toll for passage owe the
present yiaduct so long as Il shall last.
The present viaduct is inadequate and
at best only a ~makeshift, and on which
Crittenden county spent, without help
either from Memphis or any of the
surrounding counties, the sum of $780,
wv. Any yiaduct that may be built in
future must necessarily be of a substan-
tial and permanent nature, and must
be expected to cost in the n%eighbor-
mood of a half or a million dollars. Over
this future structure there will pass a
steady, constant and ever increasing
flow Of vehicles, automobile and heavy
trucks. This causeway or Viaduct and
the road Immediately approaching 1t
will be the artery not only for Critten-
den county, but for all Of Northeastern
Arkansas.
Under present laws there Is no pos
or any Of the adjoining counties of Ar
Kansas for the purpose of constructing
n maintaining a viaduct or causeway
within the confines of Crittenden
which will inevitably revert alike to
Memphis and the other counties ada
cent to Crittenden.
There is no inherent injustice in the
charge of a toll itself. Personally, | do
not own a foot Of land in Crittenden
SOulllyt anu WAlbll d CduSCWdy IL pro-
vided at the expense Of the landowners
Of Crittenden county of a half, or a
million dollars, in all likelihood l would
use the viaduct ten times more than
most of the landowners in the county
who were taxed for my benefit. Why
should | not help pay for the use |
make Of this improvement; and there is
no way to reach me except by virtue Of
a toll.
Main street in Memphis is now, as
this viaduct will be, the main artery
in the commercial traffic of the city Of
Memphis. I wonder II the cost Of the
c~8nstruGtloMn n m~ain ntgnS OF Main III,
the whole city, is paid only by the
people who own buildings fronting on
Main street? Memphis is a commercial
and industrial center and Crittenden
county is an agricultural community
and country. We have no industries
and no stores in an agricultural COM
munity sufficient to warrant us in pro-
viding proper streets and highways to
induce people to come here and trade,