The Bismarck tribune., 1922-05-19
PEOPLES FORUM
ANSWERS ROARBACkS
To the Editor of the Bismarck Trib.

10 Lue LuNOf Ol tue DlSMdrCh AiIU-
l. une:
In reply to a purported resolution
and petition emanating from an anOny
nous source dated at Bismarck, N.
Oak, May II, 1922. with the request
that a reply be returned to P. O. Box
| y95. Bismarck, North Dakota, there
are so many inaccuracies therein that
| it would seem unnecessary to reply
nor should it receive any attention by
| any one. However, as the Chairman
| of the Board of County Commission
ers of Burleigh county, which coun-
ty was the first to take action to-
has also done all within it's power to
relieve the tax payers OF Burleigh
county from unnecessary burden and
from interference with other peoples
affairs, and in connection herewith
stood sponsor for Project No. 1856, l
! desire to state that the estimated
COST of Project No. 1876 was $35, 700,
| which sum will be reduced consider
ably the distribution of the expense in
payment Of same being as follows:
Northern Pacific Ry. Co., for it's un-
der grade viaduct ........... .Sl2,O00
Federal Aid, paid by the United
Burleigh County, to be paid by tax
payers of the County and from
funds already, assessed and appro-
priated for the construction OF the
bridge ............... Slo,oVo
THIS simple statement Of facts will
brand as untrue and false the state
ment that Project No. 1876 is over pri-
vately owned land and that it will
COST SS1 ,S43. No one receives one
penny compensation for the right of
| way from Main Street in Bismarck to
the Northern Pacific Railroad en-
bankment on the west side OF the
Missouri a mile beyond the bridge,
the same having almost entirely, on
both sides Of the river, been donated
by Captain l. P. Baker. Project No.
1876 was originally selected by the
government of the United States as
The one proper road as being the only
economically feasible route.
AS to- any desire on the part OF the
City of Bismarck to improve Rosser
street to the river exclusively at the
expense of the city OF, Bismarck is
another story. That pan and desire
is not in any way connected with Fed
eral Aid Project No.. 1856, or the
bridge; nor is the attempt on the part
of some people to build grade cross
ing embraced in this Government
Project although the killing OF a few
people at the expense of the taxpay-
ers of Bismarck probably will not in
! tnrost the sronsors of this anOny-
nous petition. .,. ~! 1oe.
All of Rosser street is in the City
of bismarck and the cost OF any i'm
ygrovements thereon must be borne en-
tircly by the property owners and tax
payers of the City, as no Federal Aid
can or will be given for improve
ments in an incorporated city, nor
| will the government give aid to any
p1.oject that embraces or contemplates
grade crossing,
The expense Of road from Main
street to the bridge, and the viaduct
under the railroad will be paid by the
j)sovernment, the Norhern PACIFIC
Railway Company and by Burleigh
County, no tax being placed on the
residents of the city of Bismarck, eN
c.pt as they are citizens OF the coun-
ty of Eurleigh. If the city authorities
| desire they may also. pave Rosse1
stree. to the bridge, but have mot the
taxpayers of Bismarck been burdened
enough by paving and special i'm
provements without placing more up
on their shoulders when better road
will be constructed without the city
being assessed dollar? It seems rath-
er peculiar that the men who have
been asking the county commission
ers to illegally expend money in Nor
ton county should not asf that the
city of Bismarck be taxed for an i'm
provement that is offered to be borne
by the Government Of the United
States, the Northern Pacific Railway
Company and by the County OF Bur
leigh.
When the bridge is complete and
yehcJllar traffic is permitted thereon,
the amount of traffic in compare
lively short time will be enormous and
to talk about grade crossing when
it is possible to have an under grade
yiaduct (ard all at no cost to the city
of Hismarck) is so childish and pre-
rosterous that it would appear as if
there must be some ulteriror and SIN
ister motive back of this active work
by these anonymous projectors.
! Respectfully.
| EDW. G, PATTERSON.