Evening journal., 1922-11-23
MARYLAND BUYS
RIVER bridge
Company Accepts Offer of
$685., 900 for Susquehanna
Structure
CALLED GOLD MINE"
LONG UNDER FIRE

BALTIMORE, Nov. 2S-The State
of Maryland and the owners of the
Havre de Grace and Perryville bridge
reached an agreement yesterday and
the structure spanning the Susque-
hanna river at Havre de Grace is to
be taken over by the State for $685.
600.
This is a saving of S105.000 from
the price the State Senate fixed as
the maximum. An amendment
tackled on the bridge bill in the
House of Delegates provided for a
commission to fix the price of the
bridge not to exceed S690,O00. 1t
was adopted after bitter fight with
the bridge lobby. In the bill as it
first passed the Senate the State was
required to offer $500, 900 for the
bridge
The Bridge Commission, compos-
ed of Attorney General Alexander
Armstrong. State Roads Chairman
John n. Mackall and William NJ.
Maloy, chairman of the Public Ser
vice Commission, met yesterday in
-AAs a. AAAoNAOAAS = bAlANG ~ ANNNAfN 49,
answer of the owners to the offer
of s5S5,0O0 made by the Commits
sion last week.
An answer of acceptance was pre-
sented by Thomas II. Robinson and
Michael II. Fahey, representing the
stockholders OF the Havre de Grace
and Perryville Bridge Company.
The bridge will be taken over by
the State and added to the highway /
system on January 1. according TO
present plans. In the meantime the |
Board of Public Works will arrange
to sell bonds to raise money for the
bridge. Interest on the bonds and
a fund for their redemption will be
provided out OF the tolls collected
from traffic. After the bonds have
been redeemed the bridge will be
made a free thoroughfare.
A call will be made at once on the
bridge company for traffic figures
for the last two years. With these
it IS probable that the Roads Com
mission will be able to reduce the
tolls. It was said yesterday that in
the current calendar year the bridge
company expected to receive in tolls !
between $4,000 and s125 900.
Taxes and operating expenses have !
been about s25 900 annually.
As the amount needed for interest
and redemption fund should not ex-
,eed s5S.OOO a year. and as the {
state will not have to pay taxes, a ]
in tolls appears certain.
rrst.- l. nd
i3 feet wide. II is built OF wrought Z
ron and was erected for railroad ]
purposes in 1875. Il was turned {
,ver to private ownership when the c
Railroad built a dOu- e
,le-track bridge. The railroad com 7
1any faced the expense of tearing Y
lown the structure at the demand {
4 tie Federal Government as an +
obstruction to navigation when the ,
lea of making it a highway bridge
ras adopted.
Hartford and Cecil counties refused S
} take it over as a gift. and finally
he late Murray Vandiver. Michael IL
F'ahey. Clarence c. Pusey. Thomas II
I. Robinson and Samuel c. Row c
md. with one or two others, took
after the railroad comany had
1ent a large sum in fitting It for =
eneral traffic.
At first there was little revenue.
ut the development of the motor
,r made a fortune for the owners.
no started the project with a cash
.pital of 500. Ever since increas-
7 traffic made a good revenue for
le owners there has been agitation
n the purchase Of the bridge by
.e state. A State road has been
uilt up to each end of the bridge.