Evening journal., 1920-05-12

OF April 26th enclos-
ing copy OF Mr. William b. Bancrofts
letter concerning the desirability OF
putting the old B. and o. bridge IN
copditiOn for vehicular traffic.
"Nly feeling In connection with this
project l. that the money will not
be well spent and that II Will prob
ably require a sum in addition TO that
fixed by the bill before the Legisla-
ture, which / think is $4,000. IL Is
my belief that this plan was not
evolved solely i'm the interest OF The
public. but has behind 10 the desire 90
make it a precursor TO devOlping real
estate values. This Is purely an
opinion and / have nothing else TO
base this statement upon.
Il think Mr.. Bancroft Is sincere In
his views, but | think he Is being in
nuenced by others and that the pro-
posed approach TO the bridge from
Eighteenth street is not TO be the
final approach but the PRONUNCIATION
OF one 10 connect the bridge with the
Concord turnpike will be the out
come Of this matter. which must per
force result in additional expenditures
OF public money, probably not less
than 100000 10 $4,000.
Il furthermore believe that no one
Will use The B. and %. bridge that
can possibly get over the Market
street bridge or The Van Buren street
bridge Both terminals are out OF
the way. Nobody is going way up
10 the b. and o. bridge. ihen across
10 the dupont street terminal and
then all the way back TO town.
THE Van Buren street bridge and
its approaches can be made a per-
manent vehicular viaduct for a mOdi-
cum OF the expenditure which would
/ be required TO develop the B. and %
| bridge. A good Belgian block ap-
I proach with a tar surface TO the
/ bridge itself will make a permanent
/ and safe arrangement and undoubt
edly those improvements will even
| tually have 10 be made. The bridge
/ Itself is wide enough for two vehicles
10 pass and while the arrangement i
not desirable at The same time 10 Wi
/ be more practicable and result IN
actually accommodating more raih'
/ than anything which can be done t'
| the B. and o. bridge.
"This Is my opinion and regardless
OF whatever expenditure IS made on
| the b. 4 o. bridge for the purpose
OF using IL for vehicular traffic, ihe
actual traffic over 1t Will be compare.
lively insignificant.
"The Market street bridge Is a yer,
short bridge with more than one
street leading TO IL and Il should TAXI
care OF the majority OF the traffic
That little It Will not take care OF,
believe will be best accommodated az
herein above recited.
III it Is the view Of the Levy C0ur
and the Bridge Commission, however
that this expenditure should be made
Il / personally will not antagonize II
but my opinion is as have expresse,
IT,"
Another letter OF Mr.. dupont TO Mr.
ROssell. dated May 3, says:
Il find in my letter Of April 81. ad
dressed 10 you in reply TO your com
munication Of the 26th. bearing upol
the conversion OF the B. & D. into
vehicular viaduct ! omitted 10 cit
one important point which has al
important bearing, it seems TO me. o
the practicabilty OF the whole projec
viz, that 10 will take many months &
put This bridge In condition 70
traffic, probably the rest Of The yea
! and II the work on the Washingto
street bridge Is he m suspense dur
ing this period, 10 VII delay work o
the new bridge for nearly a year. o
possibly over, as IL would not be praC
iicable 10 start work on the Wash
ingt0n street bridge until the repair
10 the B. & o. bridge had been com
pleted"