The Portland daily press., 1872-01-06
Portland Bridge.


10 t1e EdttOf or the Press:
Among the many propositions and enterprises
under discussion in the city of Portland, very
few indeed exist whose success or failure would
not produce marked results extending beyond
the city. Each adjacent municipality possesses
its own peculiar connections Herewith, and
with none is the connection more marked and
peculiar than with Cape Elizabeth. This has
been well known by the discussions and con-
troversies concerning that all-important con-
Meeting link ''the Portland County Bridge"
Now the history of Portland bridge, in a
word, is this: So early in the history of the
State as 1928 charter was granted to the pro-
prietors of Portland Bridge, authorizing the
erection of a toll bridge across Fore river. I'm
der this charter bridge was built, occupying
precisely the same ground wherein the bridge
now stands; with this difference-that the Port
land side then presented only high, steep,
caving bank with the waters of Fore River ebb-
ing and flowing at its base; whence necessity,
however expensive, caused that end of the
bridge to be raised and landed upon the brow of
that bank at the foot of Bracket street. Thus
it was maintained and travelled, the toll tax
upon the public being not inconsiderable.
In 1850 an act passed the Legislature provid-
ing that when any toll bridge or turnpike might
be surrendered without cost or incumbrance to
the county wherein the same might be located,
such county should assume such bridge or turn
pike, if public convenience and necessity, to
be thereafter the property, and to be maintain
ed at the cost of such county as free bridge or
turnpike.
Under this act the people of Cape Elizabeth
sought to effect the surrender of Portland
bridge They learned that the proprietors Of
the bridge would surrender it only under the
consideration of $11 900 or upwards. This was
large sum to be raised then, and at once, and
in ready money. But one-half was quickly
raised among the Cape Elizabeth people by SUBJ
scriptions and the balance was soon raised by
taxation
The propretors of the bridge received the
and the surrender was made. The bridge with
all its privileges and apputenances, either vest
ed or purchased passed into the possession of
the county in trust as it were, with State en-
actment guarantying its maintenance and per-
petuity. This the records plainly prove.
+. After being made free county bridge, the
bridge remained landed upon the high bank un-
til 1856 I'D
In the meantime and in course of the
changes which the lapse of time always effects,
a narrow way wound around the base of the
high bank, then a street was filed upon the
margin of the flats or cut from the edge of the
bank and extended along beneath the bridge to
the locks at the mouth of the Cumberland and
Oxford Canal Canal street, Economy and
convenience then suggested the landing of the
bridge upon that street, and the County Com
missoners, under petition of Nathaniel Walker
ct ais, proceeded to lower and fill up the bridge
simply change of grade and material, occu-
plying the same ground Nor was this change
made upon the Portland end alone-a like
change at the same time was made in the long
section opposite the Dry Dock as now located.
The same change has since been made upon
both ends of Vaughan's bridge, and more re-
Gently in the rebuilding of Martins Point
bridge. Tukey's bridge is largely of this char
acter, while behring's bridge has but few feet
of planking remaining. Indeed many bridges
are built entirely of earth and stone, single
arch being turned for the passage of the water
beneath.
Thus the bridge has been established upon its
own ground for almost half century-has in
the meantime been purchased with ready
money by Cape Elizabeth, and since 1851, has
been and still is under the exclusive control and
maintenance of the County of Cumberland,
State enactment guarantying its maintenance
and perpetuity as free bridge, without limita-
ton.
n