The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-11-10


Toll gates, reminiscent of the long
past, have reappeared hereabouts.
True they are booths and not gates
but there is no passage without pay
ment, just as in former times when
there was a real barrier. Because
of these modern toll gates motor
lists who travel from New York up
into Connecticut by way Of the Hen
ry Hudson drive, the Hutchinson
River parkway and the Merritt high
way, have to make three stops. The
first is on Spuyten Duyvil bridge
where policeman, employed by the
city of New York, holds out his
hand for a dime. The cash regis
ter having rung, the driver can go
on his way until he reaches the
Hutchinson River parkway. There
he must make another stop and part
with another dime. Nothing hap
pens after that until he crosses the
line over into Connecticut. Then an
employee of that state, stationed on
the Merritt highway, again takes
toll.
This toll business was started by
the city of New York. When the
Henry Hudson drive was opened,
the dime charge for the use of the
bridge went into effect. Westchester
residents made considerable COM
plant on the ground that they had
spent millions for beautiful park
way system which was free to New
York drivers despite the fact that
they hadn't helped pay for it. The
matter of toll on Westchester high
ways, as a retaliatory measure, was
discussed freely but nothing hap
pened, Westchester drivers continued
to pay 20 cents each time they went
to and returned from New York.
They might have skipped the toll by
taking another route. But the Hen
ry Hudson drive is much quicker.
When the Merritt highway opened
in Connecticut, followed by scandal
because of graft charges, there was
no toll. It wasn't long before the
taxpayers of the nutmeg state re-
allied that the highway, which had
cost them many millions, enabled
New Workers and others to whizz
through their state on their way
elsewhere. That, of course, meant
no return to those who had paid for
the right-of-way, the concrete, the
work and everything else that went
into one of the finest drives in the
country. So the necessary action
was taken, toll booths erected and
collections began.
It didn't take Westchester long to
fall into line after that. With New
York city collecting tolls and Con-
necticut doing the same thing, West
chester was right in the middle So
Westchester put up and manned toll
booths. Motorists kicked of course
and there were attempts to stop
the collection through court action.
But the motorists lost out with the
result that now it costs go cents to
go to and from Connecticut provid-
ed the toll routes are followed.
Though New Workers have COM
planned about the present toll setup,
they are accustomed to paying such
charges. To drive through the Hol-
land or Lincoln vehicular tunnels UNI
der the Hudson river costs so cents
each way. There is the same
charge for using the George Wash
ington bridge over the Hudson.
Eventually, however, there will be a
reduction. The tunnels and bridge
were built by the port authority of
New York and charges have been
set to pay all costs in period of
20 years. Then the tunnels and
bridge become the property of the
states of New Jersey and New York
and tolls will merely cover upkeep,
etc.
One of those alert Hell's Kitchen
youngsters who spring out when a
traffic light stops car and indus
triously polish windshields, has a
new line. No matter the size of
the tip handed him, he, seemingly,
bashfully, asks if the donor can't
be just a little more liberal. Ac-
cording to his tale, it's his mothers
birthday and he wants to buy her
a present. And according to
friend who frequently drives
through that section, the kids moth
er has had a birthday every day
for the last two weeks.
BELL Syndicate-WNU Service.)