The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-11-25
Communication.
That Bridge Question.

| Mr.. EDITOR Il was pleased to no.
tice an article in your issue of Nov. 18th
under the title of "thc bridge question:"
| in which the writer sets forth so many
| facts and handles the question so well
that am 10th to differ with him. But
| in view of the interests OF the whole
county, and having no particular inter
est in any of the points or locations nam
ed by your correspondent, L am com
PEELED to take exception 10 locating this
much to be desired improvement at or
near the Bloomsburg ferry and will
| endeavor to show your many intelligent
readers that Espy certainly affords
greater advantages than any point be-
tween Berwick and Catawissa The
ravine south of Espy is of as easy a
grade as that of Bloomsbury. After
gaining the summit you are more ac-
cessible to all points on the south side
of the river than at the point opposite
Bloomsbury.
The formation of the bank of the
river opposite Espy is such as to entire
ly obviate the necessity of building an
abutment, and no embankment will be
required on the north bank. The water
at this point is very shallow, in fact it
will not average more than 18 inches at
present; and there is but very slight
current. In addition to the above ad-
yantages the bottom of the river is a
solid rock from shore to shore. Stones
for abutments and piers are close at
hand. AS to the advantages to be de-
rived by the people on the south side,
the first and greatest one is to procure
lime for agricultural purposes. Con-
verse with any of the Farmers on the
question and they will agree with me.
Then no one will deny that Espy is the
place.
We will however suppose the bridge
to be located at Bloomsbury. A farmer
residing between Espy and Lime Ridge
on the opposite side of the river, Is de-
sirous Of procuring some lime; the po-
sition from his place of residence to
Bloomsbury is four and halfmiIes. In
order to cross the bridge he must neces-
sarily go down on the opposite side and
up on this side, which would make
distance of nine miles that he must go
with an empty wagon in order to get
load of lime. He must, in order to re-
cross the bridge, go the same route, and
therefore the distance that he must
travel will be eighteen miles. In case
it were located at Espy the distance that
he would travel would be but three
miles.
There is no Inconvenience whatever
to the citizens on the opposite side be-
low Bloomsbury in having the bridge at
Espy, as they could come up on the op-
posite side of the river, cross and get to
the lime kilns without getting off the
route.
Espy is the principal grain market in
this county, and as to the lumber trade
there is more business than at all the
points named in the article of your cor
respondent. AS to the citizens on the
nor tn side, what they stand most in
need of is short, easy and direct route
to the Lehigh coal fields, and when we
come to examine the matter in this
light Espy certainly has no rival, as a
glance at the map will show. And an
impro rovement in which all Of the people
are 30 directly interested should evil
IDENTIFY be located at the most conven-
lent an d desirable point.
Respectfully Yours,
AGRICoLA.
Greenwood Nov. Goth 1870.