Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1925-02-18
CORRESPONDENCE.
HancOck-Sullivan Bridge.
Hancock, Feb. 16, 1925.

Hancock, FeD. 1t, 1870.
To the Editor of The American:
During the last two weeks, much
complaint has been made by former
ardent supporter, relative to the
of the bridge across Taunton river
and a proposed circulation of petit
tions in each town in said district.
asking a legislative investigation.
Considering the results of such hear
ing, it was advised by others that
changing it from a free bridge to
toll bridge would be very much more
relief to the bridge district and ceun-
ty of Hancock and the following act
was drawn
| Section l, chapter 100 of the private
and special laws for the year 1921 is
hereby amended by striking out the
whole of section ten thereof, and in
| sertng in place thereof the following;
"After said bridge shall have been
| completed, it shall be toll highway
bridge and the trustees of said district
| shall fix the amount of tolls for
| traversing the same. Such tolls shall
be applied in the following order and
manner
| l. The maintenance and repair
| t,a ;nt
the bonds issued by the said district
and by the county of Hancock.
| 9 The liquidation and retirement of
the bonds issued by said district.
| 9. The liquidation and retirement
of the bonds or obligations of said
county of Hancock issued by reason of
said bridge.
| in the event that in any year such
| tolls shall be insufficient to maintain
and repair the bridge, and to meet the
| interest payment on said bonds, then
said bridge district shall pay 70 per
| cent. of any deficiency thereof and the
said county of Hancock, 80 per cent.
of such deficiency. Upon the retire
ment of said obligations there shall
| be a free highway bridge, and shall be
maintained by the State"
Upon the announcement of this act
to be introduced, the trustees of the
bridge district Immediately called a
hearing, and five of the ten members
met, two towns not being repre-
sented at all. The attorney member
| of the board at once announced that
a similar bill would be introduced to
make the Mt Desert bridge a toll
| bridge. We could see no bearing,
whatever, this would have on the pro-
posed act, and questioned him rela-
tive to it, he claiming the cases
identical, but it appears to us that
| the connection and use of the Mt.
Desert bridge with the county and
towns on the island, as little in line
with this bridge on the proposed
the Maine Central boat line from
Bar Harbor to Mt Desert Ferry COM
pared to the ocean line from New
York to Liverpool.
1t can not be disputed that so
20 So per cent of the travel
over this route, covering the whole
United States to the Pacific on the
west and the provinces on the east,
| is a fair estimate outside of this
bridge district and county. Then
why should the taxpayers of this last
mentioned area, pay in taxes an
amount equal to their toll, and toll
also for half this travel foreign to us?
In this proposed act, our tolls go to
lifting of our bonded debt, and all
the tolls beyond our county the same,
then to become free bridge
| From the latest figures obtained
from those highest in authority in our
| State, the sum of $450,000 is given
as the probable cost of this structure.
The cost of the Mt. Desert bridge was
s16O.8S3.O5, and it is used in a COM
| mercial way by the citizens OF our
| county, ten to one, as compared with
| this half a million trunk line con-
| struction.
| Be fair to your town, be fair to
YOUR county, be fair to yourselves,
| and the generation to follow, and
which shall it be-a free or toll
bridge?
| c.. B. Young.