Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1939-07-21
COMPLAINT IS
IN EVIDENCE
AT HARDNESS
PeopIe Are FESTIVE Under The
Delay In Rebuilding Canal
Bridge At st. George
DISPUTE BROADENED
AS TO MERITS OF BRIDGE

Growing impotence at the delay In
the reconstruction of bridge across
the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal
at st. Georges, Del, resulted this
week in a petition to Congress re-
questing speedy action.
Meanwhile the dispute broadened to
include arguments on the merits OF a
high suspension bridge and a low
draw bridge. Baltimore shippers,
Eastern Shore truck farmers and
motorists generally seemed to prefer
the S2,3OO,0OO bridge advocated by
Senator Townsend, of Delaware. So
did the army engineers responsible
for building the bridge which will be
Government property.
But the 400 residents of st. Georges
advocate 100000 span which would
conect the two ends of their town
now divided by the canal.
The st. Georges bridge committee,
composed of James Roberts, Mayor,
the Town Council and seventeen lead
ing citizens, signed a petition in what
was called an opening gun in the
fight to save st. Georges"
It requested "the construction of a
permanent canal crossing at st.
Georges, lift bridge which will meet
the requirements of vehicular and
ship traffic and conserve the interests
of the town."
G. Ashworth Burslem, secretary OF
the bridge committee this week point
ed out why this village wanted a
bridge to replace the old draw which
was wrecked by freighter in the
canal January 10.
Residents here have to drive miles
to another bridge in order to go from
one end of town to the other across
the canal" he said. "At present there
is only a tugboat for foot passengers
which joins the north and south Sec
tions of st. Georges.
"a car dealer living near the south
ern bridge head kept fifteen men at
work in his auto agency last year.
Now, because the bridge is down bust
ness has fallen off and he has only
one helper.
"Seven months have passed and the
delay continues.
Senator Townsend's bill before Con
gress proposes a high suspension
bridge, costing $2,SOO,OO0, which
would be one mile long. This would
keep apart the two ends of St.
Georges.
"I should like to kill that bill. Sena-
tor Townsend favors it, perhaps be-
cause it would be feather in his cap
to get 100000 of unnecessary Gov
eminent funds into Delaware"
Meanwhile Major C. w. Burlin, dis
trict engineer at Philadelphia, blamed
Congress for any delay in bridge
building.
upon authorization by Congress,
we will proceed with the construction,
but, being soldiers, we must wait for
orders from Congress" he said.
The army engineers have recon-
mended the four-lane suspension
bridge proposed by Senator Town
send. Arched 1875 feet above the canal
draw and would avoid automobile and
shipping congestion.
This proposal approved by G. a.
Pouder, executive vice-president of
the Baltimore Association Of Com
merce, would allow for the growing
volume of cars and trucks, now esti-
mated at an 5000 daily average.
Shipping figures in the last year
amounted to almost 100000 tons,
which, according to Senator Townsend
"would make it necessary to keep the
draw turned half the time during the
day and night"