Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-21

TaG JAMES RIVER BRIDGES, MANCHESTER AM
Ia CANAL.-A military necessity" imposed by
Eec. Ewell, who evacuated Richmond, having de-
s -oyed the three beautiful bridges that spauned
|; James and linked Richmond to Manchester.
.leir history may as we'll be given now as at any
tr.-re time.
Nayo's bridge, at the Richmond end, and as far
across as The toll house, originally constructed
q arge logs, ratt like, spiked to the rocks, with
rough floor laid the logs, and from the toll house
Island to tie Chesterfield side bridge of boats
was thrown. The log system was soon abandoned,
q, eocl sresbe threatened, or effected its demoli
tom lgt the boats foated a number of years. and
were very popular with anglers. What with one
change OF another, with the destruction or decay
O. one portion, while another was being repaired
@. renewed, the bridge was under the hammers Of
workmen through two generations, and the work
completed when the third came in possession
a6oa. Che year 1880.
Hayo's bridge had a formidable competitor in
,Coutt's Ferry" more ancient establishment the
proprie .or Of which long resisted the grant to
Mayo for the erection OF a bridge, on the ground
tdat il was violation of his rights. Finding oppo-
si.ion useless, he at length withdrew it, saying:
t'let MN OliuS0 ~ NC GALL Dut nc VIII De
ruined first "
The ferry landing was on the "Sandy Bar" at
the end of 18th street, and the ferry was kept up
many years after the bridge was constructed.
Trent's bridge erected in the rapids By spiking
the timbers to the natural rock-work, was short
lived structure, and passed away many years ago,
down the river upon the breast Of freshet. Just
above its site, until the morning Of the memorable
Srd inst, when the Confederate Government crossed
doomed the high Petersburg railroad bridge, awful
to timid passengers, and between that and Mayo's,
the Danvne railroad bridge spanned the river from
island to island by four successive leaps The last
duty performed by both these bridges was to safely
transfer, 20 the South-side, JEFF. Davis & Co. and
baggage, and though they afterwards consigned
them to the flames, they all have abundant cause for
praiSing the bridges that carried them safely over.
Both bridges were constructed within the last twenty
years.
pontOOn bridge, laid since the occupation of
Richmond by the Union army, spans the James
just below the site of MayOs bridge, and reannexes
Manchester to Richmond.
The town of Manchester was originally designated
Rocky Ridge. In old provincial times Manchester
was place of considerable trade. Several wealthy
British commercial houses had establishments
there, and imported large quantities of goods. But
Manchester failed to take the tide in the affairs of
men at the food and her career did not lead on to
fortune. When the James River Canal was pro-
iected, an engineer, who made the survey for it's
connection with tide water, reported that the best
route for the terminus of the canal and for the re-
ouired connection, was on the south side and
through the town of Manchester, and his report
was TO be submitted to the General Assembly. A
wealthy Scotch merchant believed that if the Canal