The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-03-02
RESTS WITH SUPREME COURT

The Citizen publishes story today
from its special correspondent. in Wash
ington stating that the application of the
Overseas Bridge Corporation had lost its
pending status" befor the Reconstruction
Finance Corporation due to unfavorable
action of the directors based on an adverse
report made by the engineering advisory
board.
Nothing is said in the story about
standardization" which was given as the
cause for rejection, two weeks ago, accord
ing to member of the engineering adj
visory board. In this instance it is stated
that the adverse report of the board was
based on memorandum from the legal
division advising that the Overseas APP
plication was void for lack of a state fran
chise to construct the proposed bridges
That statement does not coincide with
another that Opinion at the Reconstruc-
tiOn Finance Corporation headquarters was
that the action in disappearing the APP
plication was taken to clear the way for
the filing of a new loan request in about
10 days or two weeks by Rosenthal, who is
known to plan such move" because, if
the r. F. G. sets aside the Overseas Bridge
Corporations application on account of the
lack of state franchise, how can it enter
tain an application from Rosenthal when
he also does not have a state franchise?
Further, how could the r. F. G.. direc-
tors have voted to refuse the loarl'' when
the application of the Overseas Bridge
Corporation had been suspended, at the
request of the corporation, for more than
a month?
So far as The Citizen can determine
application for the loan, and the probable
success to get it, rests with the decision of
the Florida supreme court in the quo war
ranto proceedings that the Overseas
Bridge Corporation has filed against
George j. Rosenthal and a hearing of
which has been set by the court for March
10.
If the Overseas Bridge Corporation
wins the case, it can re-apply to the State
Road Department for a franchise, and,
judging from information that has been
given The Citizen, the franchise will be
granted. In that event, the corporation
can file another application with the R.
r. G.. for loan to construct the bridges.
In the event that Rosenthal gets a
favorable decision in the supreme court
case, The Citizen doubts if he can obtain a
franchise from the State Road Depart
ment, because he is not prepared, at least
ut present, to meet the requirements, in
the matter of MAPS. depth soundings,
specifications, etc., that the department
demands before considering taking action
on franchise. Incidentally, Rosenthal
appeared before the State Road Depart
ment more than year ago in an effort to
obtain its consent to build the bridges and
his formal request was refused.
Besides, how about the consent of the
war department, which the Overseas
Bridge Corporation has to construct the
bridges and which has not been rescinded?
Finally, the Overseas Bridge Corpora
ton is non-profit organization, working
for the public good, whereas Rosenthal is
acting individually, and the r. F. c. has
announced that it does not lend money to
individuals.
So far as The Citizen can see, the out
look is rosy for the Overseas Bridge Cor
poration to obtain loan to build the pro
posed bridges if the supreme court decides
favorably the case that the corporation
has instituted against Rosenthal.