Evening star., 1928-06-03
BY WILLIAM RUFUS SCOTT.

Selection of the site for the toll
bridge for motorists at Great Falls en-
Dhasizes the rapid expansion Of bridge
building throughout the United States
as a direct result of the constantly
mounting automobile traffic.
Congress is being kept busy, 50 TO
speak, approving bills for the construc-
ton Of bridges 10 facilitate this traffic.
Not only such comparatively small
streams as that at Great Falls but the
mightiest of American rivers are being
spanned, or plans are underway to span
them, including the Mississippi, Ohio,
Tennessee, Cumberland, Missouri, Ar
kansas and many others.
The outstanding thing about this de-
velopnent Is the eagerneSs Of capital in
New York and other big centers y
finance the bridges. Local communities
seldom are called upon to do any sub
stantial part OF the financing, since big
financial houses and operators are keen
to see the remuneration possible In
meeting the demand for more expedi-
tious crossing Of rivers than ferryboats
provide.
An example of this Is furnished on
the Ohio River at Paducah, KY, or
about so miles above where the Ohio
empties into the Mississippi River. At
Paducah the piers and approaches of a
toll bridge are well under way, and the
bridge Is expected to be open for traffic
by January next year or a little later.
The citizens Of Paducah suddenly
| learned that Northern and Eastern cap
| italists proposed TO build the bridge a
bill was put through Congress granting
permission TO span the river-more than
a mile wide at this point-and work
was started without any campaign TO
work UP local investing support.
Pay for Bridge From Tolls.
1t is expected that In Is years from
completion the tolls from motor trafic
will have paid for the bridge at Padu-
cab and tho 1t can be made free to
| the public. For bridge tolls to yield
and principal in that period shows that
far-sighted capitalists gauge the devel-
opment of the motor industry on a
scale much larger than the average
citizen comprehends.
A bill Is going through Congress for a
| toll bridge over the Tennessee River.
also at Paducah. and soon one over the
| Cumberland River, dozen miles away,
will be promoted. The bridge now be-
| ing erected over the Ohio River will
give through route from Chicago and
all points North to the South. while the
bridges proposed for the Tennessee and
Cumberland Rivers will benefit traffic
toward the East via Louisville.
Above st. Louis bridge will be built
that will enable the motorist TO drive
across the mighty Mississippi as easily
as he drives on highways. The traffic
jams now already observed at ferry
landings everywhere are giving great
impetus TO bridge building. Speed be-
ing the dominant idea in automobile
driving today, the tedious waits on fer
ries will not be tolerated long, espe-
cially as the plan to charge tolls on
bridges attracts ample capital with
which to erect them.
In a few years all American rivers
will have motor bridges which COM
monty will be financed In such a way
as to make them free bridges within a
reasonable period. The trouble, and
sometimes the peril, of driving down a
steep embankment to a ferryboat will
be eliminated, along with the loss of
time in this method of crossing rivers.
Storms Delay Traffic.
When storms are raging motorists are
| further delayed In crossing rivers on
/ ferries because some of the boats are
none too substantial in construction,
and to get out on such a stream as the
Mississippi or Ohio river on ferryboats
| loaded with motor cars Is strain upon
| the sense of safety. To wait for bad
weather TO subside involves longer
delays.
While the pleasure car traffic will be