Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-09-13
FROM OUR
EXCHANGES
BAY BRIDGE SEEKS
NON-FEDERAL MONEY

The immediate fate of the O,OOO-
900 Chesapeake Bay bridge project
now hinges on the ability of it's Mary
land sponsors to raise $3.50, 900 in
nom Federal funds.
The RFC let it be known that it
would give the project serious con-
sideration only if, as evidence of their
bona fides, the projects sponsors
would arrange to defray 81 1-2 per
cent of the cost.
1t is understood that this pos
ition has been communicated to the
Maryland officials and others backing
the project and that they currently
are canvassing the possibilities of full
filling the RIGS requirement.
Presumably, they have only nine
days in which to reach decision, for
President Roosevelt has set Septem-
Der IL as a deadline for all project
applications under his $4,000,000, 900
work-relief program, and it is pro-
posed that forty-five per cent of the
bridge projects cost be betrayed out
of the work-relief appropriation.
Harold L. Ickes, Public Works Ad-
ministrator, has indicated to the pro-
ject's sponsors that he would recon-
mend a grant of $4,5OO,000 for the
project, if its sponsors were able to
raise the remaining $5,5OO,OOO need
ed.
He refused, however, to lend the
$5,5OO,OOO balance on the security Of
fered, unless the full credit of the
State were put behind that security
as guarantee.
Accordingly, the projects sponsors
turned to the RFC seeking a $780,
600 loan from the quarter and now
have been met with the counterpart
position that the RFC will consider
lending them $2,75O,OOO if they raise
a like amount.
1t was emphasized that no firm
commitment had been made by the
RFC; that is, that no hard and fast
promise had been made that a ST.
100000 loan would be forthcoming if
the projects sponsors fulfilled their
part of the financing requirements.
Neither is there any firm commit
ment from the PWA that it will de-
fray forty-five per cent of the bridges
cost, if the sponsors manage to raise
the other fifty-five per cent.
September, officially designated as
Safety month can be made such in
fact as we'll as in name if every motor
list treads lighter on the gas pedal and
takes more time to reach his destina-
ton"
That statement summarizes the posi-
ton of the Keystone Automobile Club
of Maryland on the subject uppermost
in the minds of the public at this
time.
"a motor vehicle becomes a poten-
TALLY dangerous weapon only after it
has been set into notion" said Ed
ward P. Curran, Safety Director of
the Club. OBVIOUSLY, the greater
the speed the more deadly the vehicle
becomes when sudden emergency re-
quires instant control. A car travel
ing at sixty miles an hour can't be
stopped on a dime,' regardless of the
skill of it's driver and the perfection
of its breaking equipment. Thousands
of accidents attributed to high speed
oo.,1I Ii1x, hox hoo11 ounId0A IF fhnU
had been driven at moderate rate.
"Our observation tends to confirm
a generally held opinion that many
cars are operated at a speed too great
for road and traffic conditions. Num-
erous drivers always appear to be in
a hurry to get somewhere, and In
their haste they endanger not only
their own lives, but the lives of other
users of the highways as well.
eve are not convinced of the need
for such haste. In our opinion, the
saving of five or ten minutes in
reaching home, office or other destina-
ton is not nearly so important as ar
irving there safely. In view of the
admitted dangers of modern traffic,
the driver who seeks to make up on
the highway time lost elsewhere is
flirting with the undertaken.
"The safety problem can be solved
by taking the hurry out of motoring.
Rational, conservative driving is the
answer"