The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-11-30
BRIDGE TOLL Will
END NEXT MONTH
Two States Join In Great
Plans To Celebrate
PROGRAM AT WIN0NA
Occasion Held important One For
Both Residents of Minnesota
and Wisconsin,
Associated Press Dispatchl


Winona, Mimi, November 90
Plans were under way here today
for an interstate celebration in this
city December l., to mark the re-
moval on that date Of the toll on
the Mississippi river bridge in ef-
feet for more than thirty years.
Officers Of the Association OF
Commerce declaring that the oc-
casion will be an important one for
residents OF both Minnesota and
Wisconsin, decided to invite resi-
dents OF the neighboring territory
In both states to the jubilee.
Governor r. A. Nestos Of North
Dakota will be invited to deliver an
address, while c. NJ. Babcock, state
highway commissioner Of Minneso-
ia, and A. r. HirstrW wisconsin state
highway engineer, will also be in
Yited to take part in the program,
which will be held in the armory.
Bands Will Be There
Bands from a half dozen Wiscon-
sin towns, including Galesyille,
Arcadia, and Alma, and possibly
several in Minnesota, will be asked
to play. Luncheon will be served
at the armory for all visitors with
out charge.
Action Of the city council in
abolition Of the toll December /
against the toll, which had been
defended as source of revenue
producing almost $4,000 annually.
The council voted to remove the
toll after assurances had been re-
ceived that such action would pave
the way for transfer OF ownership
OF the bridge to other governmental
units, thus relieving the city Of the
cost of maintenance. ~
The Minnesota Section
The Minnesota section Of the
bridge-about five sixths Of the
structure-will be designated as a
state aid highway on removal Of the
toll December / and will henceforth
be the property Of the country which
will receive financial assistance
from the state in maintaining it,
according to assurances said by city
the county board and the state high
way department.
The wisconsin section Of the
bridge across the Wisconsin bot
toms, have already been incorporat-
ed in wisconsin Trunk Highway No.
25, and reconstruction of the dixie,
which received the name of death
road" as a result Of numerous ac-
cidents in recent years, will be IN
dertaken early in 1924, officials say.
Efforts Failed For Years
Efforts to obtain permanent i'm
provement of the dixie road failed
for many years as result Of a dis
pute between Winona authorities
and Wisconsin as to ownership and
responsibility for the road. Finally
the Wisconsin highway department
agreed to take over, reconstruct, and
maintain the road on condition that
the: city of Winona remove the
bridge toll.
Apparent success OF efforts to re-
lieve the city ownership of the
bridge in the event conditions were
complied with resulted this. week in
action by the city council revoking
the bridge toll ordinance passed In
1892. when the bridge was con-
structed.
The city, in seeking to transfer
ownership Of the bridge to larger
governmental units, argued that use
OF the bridge. was more than local,
and that as an important artery in
interstate commerce II should be
maintained nv the respective states.