Morning journal and courier., 1890-02-22
NORTH HAVEN ANNALS.

NORTH HAVEN ANNALS. sheep Raising and she Early Pioneers
 How she Industry Grew - A Few
 Words Historical Concerning Ancient
 Bridges oyer the QuinniDiac's
 Waters-How MansAeld Bridge Re-
 celved It's Name. ..
 NUMBER 3S.
 Our pioneer settlers had not long been in possession of their domains when an order this effect: "For the Encouragement of rayseing sheep Sc in the plantations this Court orders that every male person in the several plantations from fourteene years old and upwards that Is not publique officer viz: (an assistant, commissioner, or Minister of the GospsD shall works one day in the yesre sometime in June yearely, in cutting down and clearing the underwood that soc there may be pasture. And every per son that negleots to attend the foresaide work on the dsyes appoynted, being warned, shall pay five shillinRs to the town treasury where he dwells." [October session, 1870. There was much leHislation found neces- sary in these years to properly guide the in- dustry of wool culture, and the settlers were encouraged and protected in all ways possi- ble. Sheep were owned by nearly every planter, and large focks under the care of keepers were allowed to feed on the "com- mons." In 1721 the greatest concession the parish ever enjoyed in this line was granted 1t by "The New Haven Proprietors" as fol. lows: Tvol. 9, page 841l "The Blue Hills was
 voted to lie in common and be improved for
 the cutting of brush for sheep pasture for 4A&S
 It is not easy in tho succeeding years to trace the growth of this industry until we reach 1767, when there were ], ,426 sheep in the parish, valued in round numbers at e2S5. By an act of the general assembly, however, this stock was non-taxable, but re. turns of 1t were kept just the same. In 17So
 there were 1,620 sheep contained in 114 hocks, of which Jonathan Tuttle possessed one-and the largest-of thirty-six head. Giles P1erpont came next with thirty-two head. These two men in the order named were the heaviest taxpayers in the parish In this year, the former being assessed at SLY, the latter at f114.
 In 1919 there were 1,51O sheep listed, but from this date steady decline commences. In 1926 but 1,0s9 in 1880 but 73s; in 1885 but 5SS; in 1889 but 445; in 1859 but s2, close of nearly two hundred years of wool culture in North Haven. Thus has faded out pursuit which at one time engaged the attention of all our yeomanry. No where are the after effects of such abandonment more noticeable than in many of the pas lures of the county, briar.grown and push ridden to the verge of worthlessness.
 MANsFELD's BRIDGE, ALIAS PINE BRIDGE, ALIAS wALL1NaFoRD BRIDGE. In the annals of April 6 and 24 reference was made to the construction of two bridges over the East river. Evidence has recently come to light so completely reversing some of ths writer's views at that time that it would be unfair not to state them here. First as to Mansfield's bridge.
 The town of Wallingford was laid out in 1870. It was located on the east side of the East river. To maintain communication with New Haven this stream had to be crossed. The people of these two towns voted in 1879 to jointly maintain bridge over this river cation to the general assembly for such per- mission; this was granted at the May session in 1874. "This Court grants the people of Wallingford liberty to build bridg over New Haven River in the most convenient place that may be for the general and pertic- their building the bridg shall be no argument or not improved as an argument, to settle the mayntaynance of the bridg upon New Haven or Wallingford, nor no way engage them thereunto."
 In the December following Wallingford appointed committee to look the situation over and decide upon a crossing. They dld 50 and fixed upon a spot called ''The Pines" in the Northeast parish, and about midway
 between their town and the city of New Haven.
 Now, without attempting to account for the location of "Jonathan Tuttle's bridge of 1870 (sse Futile geneology) or "Brockett's bridge" of 1692 (see general court records) concerning both of which the writer is in the
 most advanced stage of uncertainty, it is the purpose to adhere closely to that crossing at "The Pines," namely. Pine bridge or Wall lingford bridge, as 1t chanced to be desig- mated.
 Why the technical name of "The Pines'' should have been given the region surround ing this crossing seems to us in these days a puzzler. Certainly there is not standing at present, within the radius of . mile, stick or shred of pine tree. Bogmins swamp on the this tree may be found. Shall we say then thst two hundred years ago the pines were not driven back to the line they occupy to-day, but covered all tho plains of "The Center," and by the very upland conformation, approached nearest the river at the point where the bridge was de- signsted to be laid. Certainly trees of this species must have stood in considerable mass near there, for our grim forefathers never joked about their nomenclature, and "Plno Bridge" was no fiction.
 The supposition is this bridge was con- structed not far from 1874. It was fimsily built or at least not kept in repairs, for com plaint was made about its condition some eighteen years later-16o2-and the general court (thst panacea for all woes) said:
 ''rhis Court orders that in case New Haven and wallingford doe not make theire brtdg pasable for hoEs and foete over New Haven River. between this
 
 This was no idle threat, and the structure was at once put in such good repair that we hear no more about 1t for thirty years or un- til 1721. A, this date the parish had se- cured good foothold and the bridge had become an important thoroughfare, but from some oause-joint ownership probably-its care had been neglected and complaint was
 made to the general ,a assembly 2 second time | at the May session, 1721. The following de- | cree was passed:
 "It being represented to this Assembly that the bridge over New Haven East River upon tho road so that persons passing the said bridge go in great hazard; and being especially movcd by some
 yps and hayn often SasSs tt to and maintain the same, do resolve. etc, etc." The decision in substance being that it should be equally cared for by Wallingford and New Haven as provided when first erected.
 A year and half went by and nothing had been done. Nathaniel Yale God bless the old hero) had no V come upon the scene and hencsforth laggard Wallingford and indiffer- ent New Haven were to have @ reminder at their heels of tho duties taken upon them-
 selves years before. Thus the third time tho parish went to the general assembly for re-
 dress, and because perhaps of 50 much im- portunity that august body got itself up in It's might at the October session, 1722, and blew such 6 legislative blast from its trumpet
 as to resurreot the two apathetio towns to | immediate duty. The special aot is too lengthy to quote, but its substance empowered Nathaniel Yale,
 Isaac Dickerman (Hamdsn) and Samuel Hall (Wallipgford) as a committee to repair or
 build anew as they saw it this bridge, and
 the cost thereof should be assessed upon the two towns according to their respective es