The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-11-26
PLAN TO BRIDGE CHESAPEAKE
BAY
Charter For Company Filed With
State Tax Commission

State Tax Commission
A company understood to be pre-
pared financially to begin building a
bridge across the Chesapeake Bay
was incorporated for that purpose in
Baltimore on Monday. A charter
for the company was field with the
State Tax Commission.
4 1t is said the consent of the
Legislature is considered the only
uncertain element in plan to begin
actual construction work next spring.
1t is understood that the War
Department is ready to grant
license for the spanning of the bay.
If the plans of the new company,
known as the Chesapeake Bay
Bridge Company, are consummated,
they will bring to realization dream
nursedr by many Baltimoreans and
Eastern Shore residents for more
than thirty years and a project
which has been considerably agitated
during the last ten years.
Although the board of directors of
the company is composed entirely of
Marylanders, it is understood that
strong financial interests of New
York are backing the project, which,
according to estimates, will cost
$1O,0OO,0O0. The bridge, as it is
planned, would span the bay from a
point north of Bay Shore to a point
north of Rock Hall.
1t is expected that the War
Department will give it's consent if
provision is made to eliminate any
delay to bay traffic and that Congress
will approve the project, il the
Maryland delegation in both bodies
has no objections.
The Legislature will be asked to
permit toll charges not exceeding
$1.25 for passenger vehicles; $3.50
for light trucks; So for heavy
trucks, and 15 cents for passengers
other than the driver.
In addition to this the Legislature
will be asked to give to the COM
pany the same consideration in the
matter of taxation as is granted by
general law to railroad and toll
road bridges across the rivers of
the State.
Because of the volume of navi-
cation on the Chesapeake Bay south
of the Patapsco river, it is under
stood that the War Department will
not permit spanning of the Bay
below that point
Engineers who drew plans for the
proposed bridge have decided to build
1t from a point between Bay Shore
and Back river, on the west shore,
in a direct line to a point between
Rock Hall and colchester Beach on
the east shore,
The plans call for a bridge eight
miles long and from twenty to
twenty-five feet wide. With this
width it could accommodate two rows
OF large trucks. 1t would be Of steel
construction on concrete piles and
would have two draws.
One on the western side would be
between fifty and sixty feet wide and
would permit the passage Of traffic
bound between Baltimore and the
Susquehanna river and the passage OF
small craft. iEa
The second draw would be be-
tween the middle of the bay and the
Eastern Shore and would be ESQ
feet wide. Large vessels and craft
engaged in either navigation be-
tween the Susquehanna river and
Chesapeake Bay ports or in inland
water navigation via the bay and the
Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
would use this draw.
The span would be the longest
highway bridge in this country and
in erection, according to experts,
would represent difficult engineer
ing feat. Backers of the project,
however, said they expected to
complete it two years after con-
Istruction started.