The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1921-09-30
HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER OPENS
CAMDEN BRIDGE. FREE TO PUBLIC
State Will Pay Camden Ferry Co. For Use of the
Bridge and Road Until Location For State
Highway Bridge Is Determined

Oct. l, and for the first time in
l55 years, the people of Curri-
tuck and Camden counties may
enter Elizabeth City without
paying toll to a private road.
ToRs will be abolished on the
Camden Ferry Road, after to-
night and a barrier centuries old
between sister counties will have
been removed. And this is but
one result Of the visit Of Vim. A.
Hart, State Highway Commis-
sioner for the First Construc-
ton District to this city, We'd.
nesday, Sept. 28.
Mr.. Hart came here to attend mass
meeting and hear arguments in regard
to the matter of crossing the Pasauo-
tank River with the proposed State
Highway. There has been lot of argu-
ment as to where the State should cross
the river. Mr.. Hart told the people here
that surveys of several routes would be
made at once and that he would saw
where the road should be located in go
days Pending the settlement of this
question Mr.. Hart authorizes the Cam
den Ferry Co. to lift the tolls from its
bridge beginning Saturday morning, Oct.
l. If at the end Of 60 days the State
Highway Commission decides upon some
other route, the State will reimburse
hn ~ Z
days use of its property The Cam
den Ferry Co. obigates' to keep it's
bridge and road in thoro repair during
this time. The bridge will be free to
the public from 6 a. m. daily till 9 D.
m. at night. After 8 D. III. the public
will pay the usual toll which toll goes
to the bridge keeper who is not on. reg
ular pay after 8 p. m.
Commissioner Hart's act clearly in
dicates that the State Highway Com
mission has no prejudices in the matter
of routing tn State Highway via -Eliz-
abeth City. If surveys made BY the
State Highway Commissions engineers
and other facts shog to- AIF+ Hartst nat
the Camden T Ferfy Road is the most de-
sirable route, that road VIII be chosen
and the State will begin the construe-
tion of a new bridge at this point and
improve the present road. If the sur
veys and other facts indicate that the
States and the public's interest may be
better served by some other route, then
some other route will be c@EOsen. But
if some other route is chosen there is
little likelihood of tolls being restored
on the Camden Ferry Road until the
State gets it's own bridge and road com
pleted. There is every probability that
an arrangement would be made with the
owners of the Camden Ferry Road by
which that road would be maintained at
the States expense until the state had
completed it's own project.
An Orderly Meeting
More than three hundred representa-
tive citizens of Camden, Currituck and
Pasquotank were present at the mass
meeting Wednesday and Mr.. Hart's ac-
tion was greeted with thunderous ap->
plause. From the minute he began to
speak the crowd recognized in him a
shrewd, hard-headed, kindly, honorable,
citizen who had the best
of the state at heart and was
to do what he thought was
right. No row developed in the meet
ing. p. III. Williams, the recognized
personal enemy of G. III. Robinson, made
a very nice speech in behalf of. harm
eny and introduced #ordy resolution
expressing confidence in Mr.. Hart and
faith in the ability of the engineers and
to leave the choice of route
to- them. But the resolution was so.
worded as to indicate to Mr.. Hart what
lines to pursue in reaching his decision
IN the matter Attention to this adroit
wording of the resolution was called by
W. o. Saunders, who declared that the
people were perfectly willing to leave
The matter to Mr.. Hart without indi-
eating to him by what process he should
reach his decision. Mr.. Hart himself
said that no resolution was necessary
and the Williams resolution was tabled.
The crowd was clearly for the Cam
len Ferry route, but willing to leave the
whole question up to- Mr.. Hart. Mr..
Hart ;mpIored those present to drop the
subject after this meeting and not to
again make it an issue in Elizabeth
City and adjoining counties. His de-
s1SlOn LII IHG mdLtcEi Will Dc HI1dl anu
nothing can be accomplished by further
A Bit of History
The first ferry on Pasquotank river at
4 point near Elizabeth City was Great
ed by an act of the Legislature of 1884,
which act permitted Enoch Sawyer TO
establish and operate ferry across
River for % years. In
1910 the act was amended to extend
Enoch Sawyer's franchise for so years
and with an addition that no other
bridge should be established within three
miles of his ferry.
In 1873 another act of the LegisIa-
ture extended the Enoch Sawyer fran
chise another 80 years, or until 1910.
The property was now in the hands .of
the late Col. e. F. Lamb, a son of
Enoch Lamb and Col. Lamb enjoyed a
which he did not fail to make
the most Of. "a toll of dollar was ex-
acted for horse and buggy passing oy-
er the Lamb Ferry Road. When the
Norfolk Southern R. r. was built about