Norwich bulletin., 1920-12-10
WILL TRY TO MAKE
 THAMES BRIDGE FREE

least to modify the toll charges on the bridge and do away with vehicular traffic on the Groton-New London ferry is to be advocated by the assoclation of auto1no- bile dealers in New London and is to have the backing of Senator -elect Cor nelius Costello in the legislature. The point is emphasized by a number Der of dealers that the competition be- tween the state and the city of New Lon don, operators of the Thames river bridge and the Groton ferry respectively, has been a losing venture, particularly for the city, which has lost money ever since the highway bridge was opened.
 Had it not been for the bridge the ferry would have had all the traffic and the city would have found it a profitable enter prise, in the opinion of some. Despite the amount of toll charges across the bridge. which are in excess of ferry toll, the bridge has been ejoying the bulk of the patronage and will average throughout the year monthly net receipts of better than $6,000 to s7,000 The suggestion is also made trat the state be asked to pur- | chase and operate the ferry.
 l The ferry problem confronting the city | of New London is to be threshed out in l the legislature and the question of l whether New London is going to be com- peIled to operate the ferry at loss or | give up the franchise, or be allowed to in- | crease the toll to an amount that will l enable the cK to at least break even 1 probably will be settled once and for all. ] In the minds of many, to make the toll bridge a free bridge is going to even more seriously affect the ferry business It is | believed that in sdcl an event all ve- hicular traffic would then have to use the bridge and the ferry would be maintained | at a nominal expense sumply for the ac- conmodation of foot passengers to whom the boat would be a greater convenience in view of the landings on either side of | the river being more central in the two towns, New London and Groton.
 Various arguments probably will be advanced when the matter comes up for consideration in the legislature, al it certainly will, but the present move on the part of the local automobile deal-
 ers' association will have greater scope
 than merely the ferry matter. Their action is directed primarily . against the toll bridge, the charges be ing considered too high at the presen time. particularly for local people who arr ] compelled to use the bridge almost dail, 3 and who in the course of week or ; l month pay out considerable money fo , the privilege. s They are going still further and vii
 
 f Thames river bridge but the Saybrool f bridge and the toll bridge at Haddam I all three of which are owned by tfa'
 state.
 from this district. has interested him ! self in the matter and has alread, 5 done bit of investigating He sai' 5 Thursday that he proposes to intro
 duce a bill in the legislature to mak Il the toll bridges of the state free. H g expects opposition to such ameasure t 1 100, 900 automobile owners in Connec h On the other hand there are nearl ticut who are more or less affecte n by the toll charges on bridges in thi ', state. Connecticut is said to be tn : only state in New England where ther ! are as many as three tool bridge 1 within it's borders, and so far as ca sl be learned there is but one other to IS bridge in all New England, and tha $ one is near Portsmouth, NA H., wher : a nominal charge of 10 or 1 cents 7 made.
 IS The automobile owners are com 70 pelled to pay double taxation. The al are taxed by the towns where tn ,f owners are required to list their re;
 and personal property and they al t. taxed by the state according to th 1- horsepower of the vehicle before the xt can travel on the state highways. 1- Vehicles other than automobiles al
 not so taxed. The money derived got u into road construction improvement .9 and maintenance, but automobi ,s owners generally feel that in view ( 70 the amount of money which they pa
 the state, they should not be compelle r. to pay other fees every time the S. come to a river. The toll bridg' erI form an integral part of the trunk lir ae highways of this state and as such al
 under the control of the highway d.
 partment.
 S., It is. not so great a hardship to in in pose toll fee on turists who rare f. have occasion to use bridge, and
 is doubtless a fair proposition to con to pei out-f-state tourists to contrfbu s0 through such manner, fee for u
 privilege of using the highways ~ Connecticut but when a bridge is |
 cated as the Thames river brids D. between two towns where there he considerable travel all the time, it ly felt to be a distinct hardship on re IT. idents of those towns to have to p; us excessive tolls so regularly. i'd The state of Connecticut built t
 bridge at Saybrook about eight nv mine years ago. It is understood as- that time that tolls shuld be -charg al- for a period of years sufficient ed reimburse the state for the total cc
 
 IT. that sum has been received duri
 the past eight or nine years. The sts of was authorized to issue bonds if ne
 essary for the construction of t
 bridge but it is understood that nd state was not obliged to do this. cls The Thames river bridge was a gift ar the state from the N T., N. H. & H. na R. company, but the state expended an considerable sum in altering 1t so as m make it useful as a highway bridge, a
 money was also spent in equipping ark draw and making other improvemer or such as constructing approaches. by This bridge has been opened a lii lte more than year and doubtless has for vet taken in a sufficient sum to eoual run cost of alteration.
 The bridge at Haddam did not c oIy. so much as either of the other brids )ec and has probably not yet paid for it. An in tolls.
 It is understood that. the state
 tended to charge a toll on all tn Va bridges until ethe total sum recei on- should equal the total sums expended ler- building or altering them. It is thou . or that the sum total has pretty nearly >eW reached at this time.
 oH1e There is feeling at any rate
 the state has had enough revenue ned that automoblists are~paying enough cap the state for good roads purposes to V rice rant a request at this time to make ates bridges free
 ort-
 hey STR BASE SAILOR PRINTERS
 ISSUE THEIR XMAS NUMI atly The Christmas nunber of the Sub pr. rine Flotilla Journal has just made 7ich, appearance The Journal, which is (