The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-08-18

III tLAC 40NCAOCao AtO0A oAAd I'LL
Bridge District furnishes an in
innate and detailed account of the
activities of the District Commits
sion, during the time immediate
ly preceding the meeting of Aug
ust IL, and the incidents of the
meeting.
The entire communication fol-
lows and is signed by Mr.. Marks:
To the People of Monroe County:
Inasmuch as / have been out Of
the City the past several days,
this is my first opportunity to
make an expression as regards
recent actions of the Board of
Commissioners of the Overseas
Road and Toll Bridge District at
their last meeting. August II,
1899. First / wish to state that
whether / carry on as attorney
after September ! or not is not OF
such prime Importance to me that
/ would subjugate the facts as
see them on my own convictions
in order to hold on to the job.
AS matter of fact, the attorneys
compensation to the Board wal
reduced to $4,000 per month be-
ginning September l, 1898, and It
was not so much economy as il
was to try to force me in line or
effect a probable resignation,
since as attorney there were some
things | insisted upon and con-
tinued to insist upon and have to
this date. The same holds true
as to the abolition of the job eff
fective September for the pur-
pose of saving the expenses, but
again those things that felt were
essential to the legal protection
of the District and the best inter-
Iests of the county will still be in
sisted upon, SO that the abolition
of the job to my mind will not ac7
complish the purpose.
To that enu / intend to per-
sist in what should be done and
open up to the public of Monroe
County some material facts relev-
ant to the operation of the Over
seas Bridge District that the peo-
pie should know. / have every
confidence that this will be. ac-
complished in the incest way pos
sible without too much fanfare,
but if perchance it does not come
about that way, then / intend to
present facts to one of the four
Circuit Judges of the Eleventh
judicial Circuit sufficient to bring
out a call for special Grand Jury
investigation of the affairs and
operations of the Overseas Road
and Toll Bridge District.
/ hope to make this statement
as brief as possible for it is my
intention to give most exhaus-
tive and comprehensive report to
the people of Monroe County at
later date to offset the fact that
the offices of the Overseas Road
and Toll Bridge District have
been continuously located away
from the people of Monroe Coun-
ty. Since the toll increase is the
most paramount question at
present, the facts in this regard
are as follows:
The Overseas Bridge bonds
were set up to give the District a
slight breathing spell for almost
two years after operation with
out the payment of principal SO
that all that was necessary since
the highway has been opened was
the payment of interest, approx
mately $144.0OO.0O per annum,
and the actual operating expens-
les. A surplus of approximately
500, 10000, more or less, was left
over after CONSTRUCTION and these
funds were used to help the Dis
trict carry over on its interest
until it could get on its feet. The
first principal payment comes
due September 1, 1910, in the
amount of $70,OOODO and under
our bond requirements we are
required to begin setting aside