Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1920-02-05
TELLS DIRE NEED
OF BUILDING THE
SEVERN BRIDGE
Continued From Page one,

8. Procrastination ran the project
sleepily into the war period of high
cost and scarcity % labor and ma
terial
T. TODAY the bridge that could have
been built for $500 600 or less. when
$4,000 was available. will cost be-
tween s750.0o0 ana 5000 eco. and on
the face OF the returns the State has
lost half million dollars by its dila-
tory policy
5. In spite Of the Increased cost,
the present bridge is wholly unfit for
service. The piles are rotten and
loose. str;ngers and beams are broken
or about 10 go 10 pieces. and the
structure now is threatened by ice
conditions which have moved it 50
much this winter that today it is in
worse condition than it vas ten days
ago.
6. The Good Roads Commission.
using the interest OF the original fund
for the main tenance of this useless
old wreck. is now spending about
$4,000 in repairs hoping to make the
present bridge stand for two years
more This is a waste OF money. un-
less it is the intention Immediately
to begin the erection of new bridge,
so that il will be ready when the
present one goes TO it's inevitable
grave in the junk heap
Plenty OF Talk; No Action
Since the act of 1910 there has been
a great deal Of talk about building
bridge. Manys people in many fine
phrases have solved all the problems.
Conversations have been held with
his and that intervening real or
ina ginary factor A vast amount OF
energy has reen expended upon the
matter, but not one definite demand
seems to have been made for the
bridge
1t is time TO stop talking and do
something. 4 few months ago the
rear wheel of a truck Went through
the draw AS it appeared to be no
body's business in particular. | made
it mine and invited ali persons inter-
ested to join me in protesting against
a continuance of this unsafe, un-
slightly and disgraceful" condition.
Some few Baltimore and Annapolis
property owners joined in the forma
ton Of a Citizens Committee, OF
which | happen 10 be secretary. But
i am not writing this for the COM
mittee. nor as its secretary. This is
the expression of One Citizen. | hold
no person or association of persons
responsible for any of my statements.
State Has Held Funds
The State of Maryland has for ten
years been holding reasonably intact
the sum of money which was appro-
priated for a special purpose ten
years ago, and that money will not
now buy what it would have bought
easily II it had been used as intended,
al the proper time. For this loss it
may he unreasonable to censure any
one: but it is not unreasonable To in
sist that the people be not deprived
OF that thing which was provided and
guaranteed by the appropriation IN
1910 The Severn river bridge was
ordered and paid for That it was
not delivered is not the fault of the
long-sufTering public. unless the pub
lie might be held responsible for al
blowing representation TO get control
Of a most important project.
There may he those who are in
clined to shrug their shoulders and
raise their eyebrows when the cry Of
alarm is raised. as to the physical
condition and the actual menace OF
this creaking, rafting, leaning. Slip
ping, rotten old bridge. Very well.
will quote an authority. On Novem-
Der 10 Chairman Zouck of the Good
Roads Commission wrote me:
1t Uhe BRIDGE will carry
gross weight of four tons, and we
have the bridge posted, prohibit
ing any load greater than four
tons from passing over it. The
trouble is that loads of eight and
ten tons go over the bridge. and
some day they will break the
bridge. but will probably get over
it safely, and A LIGHTER LOAD
WILL FOLLOW ALONG AND
PROBABLY GO THROUGH
Structure Is 4 Hoax
Apparently there is no way to stop
this use of the bridge. AS matter o.