Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-12-09
MeriCO Items.

MeCiCO Items.
Many important changes have occurred
during the past year in this vicinity.
Noticeable amung these, are the changes
in the locations Of roads, and in the
courses of travel, are not the least. The
Board OF County Commissioners have
been called to Byron, Roxbury, Rumloro
and Mexico. quite number OF times, and
have made number of changes and new
locations. The most important OF these,
is that of new road across \ part oil Geo.
II. Gleason's and Moses Kimball's land
TO Swift river. across the river. and the
land of Osgood Virgin, coming into the
river.road at II, &. Virgins house. This
road makes the distance three-fourths OF
mile less, To ami from Rumford Centre
AMI Mexico Corner. than by the old Hall
bridge route, and only threo.fourths of II
mile farther than the route at the mouth
of Swift river. This new location made
it necessary Tor the town OF Rumiord to
build bridge across Swift river Rum
ford. Immediately upon learning that the
location was made. made the preliminary
steps toward the erection OF bridge.
worthy OF their ability to build. j. NJ.
Putnam, Geo. w. Perry and ID. S. Farm
am, the selcclmen OF the town, were
made Bridge Committee" and author
lied to proceed with the work. A con
tract was made with Nahum Mason. n
professional bridge.builder, and Geo.
Wcbber. n stone mason, 10 do the work.
A contract was made with Messrs. Chase
and Austin, of Dixiield. for the bridge
timber, all of which is spruce. and
amoanls to nearly fifty Thousand feet OF
ioist, plank and boards. The low stage
of the water in Wcbb's river, caused a
delay in obtaining the lumber. or the
bridge would have been completed some
DAYS since however. before your next
issue OF the Democrat reaches your sub
scribers, it will be passablc for loaded
teams, and within two weeks, will he
finished. The length of the bridge, is
40 Ceet-the distance between the abut-
monts l3s fcct-width of bridge, II feet.
1t is bull, after the plan of the Paddle
lord Suspension Bridgen-having four
cords or stringerS. each composed OF live
plank three by twelve inches in size.
Two Of these cords are Mt the bottom,
supposed 10 equally strengthen the struc-
turc. IL has seventeen posts on each
side SX9 inch connected by beams 6xs
inch. There are the same number ot
main braces on side. that there are OF
posts. with innumerablc smaller braces.
All of The work shows that II has been
done thus far. by master hand. and
from the appearances now. We are To
have n beautiful. convenient and perma'
nont bridge. credit 10 its builders. and
another indication of the Willingness oil
Rumiord TO do every reasonable thing
for the accommodation OF the public
travel
Mr.. Mason. the master workman on
this WORK. and one OF the contractors, re.
sides in Grafton. He has built large
numbcrof bridges in this State, Massachu
sets and New Hampshire. Mr. Weber,
in charge of the stone work. is resident
ot Rumford. now. but for many years
has worked ON the stone work on the diff.
fercnt r. X OF this State. They are paid
six dollars per yard Tor the stone work,
and four dollars per foo; Tor doing the
wood work of the bridge, tho town fur.
nishiug the materials Tor the same.
The building OF this bridge is OF the
greatest Importance 10 this community
The new road will bring Rumtora and An.
dover travel directly to the spot where Tho
Androscoggin Valley Rail Road will ter.
inmate, and within one hundred yards oil
where tho freight and passenger dcpois
will be built; and predict that whoever
lives to see New Years Day, 1881, will see
thriving and not nconsdcrable village
where 10 day Messr.. Gleason and Kim
ball point to their fine interyale fields.
SPARKS.