The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1921-01-14
LEGISLATION TO BRIDGE
THE PASQUOTANK RIVER
Pasquotank, Camden and Currituck Representa-
tatives Unite on Measure to Put an End
to Tolls



next few days is designed to dc
away with the toll bridge now
connecting Elizabeth City and
Pasquotank county with t h {
neighboring counties of Cam
den and Currituck, by purchas-
ing and improving the present
toll bridge and its approaches or
by building a new bridge and ap-
proaches at some point between
tEe present bridge at Elizabeth
City and the DaFord farm which
is on the Camden side of the riv-
er, just beyond the Norfolk
Southern r. r. bridge.
The proposed new bridge would be
built Jointly by the counties of PasquO-
tank. Camden and Currituck; so per
cent of the cost to be- defrayed by Pas
quotank 33 1-3 per cent by Camden
aud 16 2-3 per cent by Currituck The
three counties would maintain the bridge
and its approaches on the same pro
rata basis Representatives Cooke, of
PaSquotank; Morrisette. of Camden and
Johnson of Currituck, are agreed on the
measure and tentative draft of the bill
made this week. The provisions of
the act would be carried out by a COM
mission of three, one to be appointed
from each county; the craftsmanship to
be in Elizabeth City. P. H. Williams,
president of the Savings Bank & Trust
Co. is slated for the craftsmanship of the
commission. While the cost of the pro-
iect has not been determined the bill
probably will call for a maximum ex-
penditure of 500, 900 to $3.50, 1000.
The representatives behind this de-
sirable piece of legislation evidently have
no faith in the Ferebee Highway Act
which contemplated this very bridge
problem and it is probable that the bill
will be introduced by Representative
Morrisette who is a member of the Fer
ebee. Distfict Highway Commission
No more important piece of legisla
ton of peculiar interest to so many peo-
pie in this immediate section will h
introduced at this session of the Gen
erai Assembly.
HI COONG CSnu
Hon. G. A Cooke. the representa-
five from Pasquotank, seems to be chief
1y interested in the subject of taxation
He introduced a bill this week which
provides Il discount on taxes paid prior
10 She first day of January in each year
and penalty on all taxes paid after the
fir of January. This measure will
i;t-.r meet with the approval of tax
PAYERS generally. The bill applies to
Pa-!lotank county only. y copy of the
lii has rot been made public.
-tlJtI3pr tax measure to be introduce
ID - Mr.. Cooke provides that:
Section 1. That section seven !
t'"n~and ninc hundred and fourteen
II The Consolidated Statutes be and
tie same is hereby amended by strik-
- rom lines. six, seven, eight and
r:nc the following:
All bona fide Indebtedness owing
~ any person may be deducted by the
ll~t-r5:ke~ from the amount of said
r-r~rn'~ credits and insurance com
i.llInS may deduct from solvent Gre
dts due TO them an amount equal to
their reinsurance reserve"
and inserting in lieu thereof the fol-
lowing: /
All bona fidc indebtedness owing !
j. any person may be deducted by !
tie list taker from the amount of said !
persons taxable property of any nature
wt!atsoevp whether same be real prop |
crty tangible personal property Or ere |
dts, and insurance companies may
deddct from the amount of their tax
able property an amount equal to their
reinsurance reserve. Provided that
all debts, so deducted or claimed for
deduction shall be listed specifically
and individually giving the name and
address of each creditor and the
amount due to each one"
Mr.. Cooke and Education
Everybody in Elizabeth City is par
ticularly interested in how Mr.. Cooke
stands on the school bond issue. This
newspaper believes that Mr.. Cooke is
opposed to a half million dollar bond
issue and that he is not inclined to in
trnduce bill calling for an election on
a bond issue of that amount, which bill
: being prepared by the Board of Grad
cd School Trustees of Elizabeth City.
Mr. Cooke does not feel bound by the
acton of this board in approving bond
issue of that amount. Mr.. Cooke says
he thinks the old school board which
wanted bond issue of only $315,O0O {
knew as much about what the city {
needs as does the new school board ]
The fact that the old board has been l
reversed by a new board doesn't dis 6
turb Mr. Cooke. Mr.. Cooke says he
the old board had as much
L.ains as the new one has and vice YER
~ and he, says that he will have to use
h. own Judgement in fixing the amount
ri In" proposed bond issue.
4 is therefore necessary for the Il
friends of education in Elizabeth City I.
10 n.Str themselves and assure Mr.. +
'""k" that Elizabeth City will not be G
- led with anything less than half c
1'..-o1 dollar bond issue No one wants o
|" spend this amount of money ir a less o
'uH0'nt will SIfficp but Elizabeth CITY b