Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-02-09

by the long and fierce war of the
Roses. 1t is Il remarkable instance of
the marvellous elasticity of the citys re
sources, and of the profits made by re-
newed trade, that during these four
years not only did distress give way to
ostentation, but all the streets had been
IIeWly paved, each man being Tt4spOn-
sible for the portion which lay before
! Lis own house. The backs AMI quayS
along the river had been put in repair
at great expense some years previously.
Two peculiarities are noted about
Bristol streets: no coaches or carria ges
ur carts were used in them. but only
sledges. probably owing to the exist
ence Of very extensive cellarage be
meath them: and the city was remark
able for its system of underground
drainage, in which respect it was far in
/ advance of most towns of that day.
The four chief streets led from the
central point above spoken of to the
| st. Johns gate, is still standing. and
| piOuSly supports the tower and spire
! Of the church from which it takes its
name. At the intersection of the streets
no less than three parish churches, two
Of which remain, looked down on the
| High Cross. now. after many vicissitudes
carefully preserved in private grounds
at some distance from Bristol. Though
lost to the city, a reproduction of it
adorns the open space by the cathedral.
and marks the spot where the original
cross was erected after the eXigencieS
of traffic neceSsitated its removal from
the city's central point. Attached to
the wall of one of the neighbOring
churches stood an edifice forming a sort
Of exchange for the merchants of Bris-
toll This was the Tolzey. or Tollsell
and with its successor--for it was re-
built in 15S3-served the same purpose,
until superseded in 1740 by the present
Exchange
The street leading southwark from the
High Cross formerly passed under a
gate beneath the chancel of St Nicholas
Church. and then crossed the Old
Bridge, a structure Of singular interest
and , remarkable construction Like
London Bridge, it had houses ON each
side and q chapel in the center, but in
this case the chapel spanned the road
way, and even projected beyond the line
of houses, a separate pier being built
for it on the eastern or up-Iiver side of
the bridge proper. Over the archway
by which the road passed under the
chapel a tower of four lofty stories rose
! to a total height of Jos feet. The
houses over the shops on each side Of
the road We're four and five stories In
height, and were occupied by some Of
the wealthieSt tradeSmen in the city.
/ The fronts of the houses rested on the
main structure of the bridge; the backs
rested on sort Of subsidiary bridge.
on each side Of the main bridge, while
the partition walls and flooring were
carried on beams laid across the inter
vening space. Nothing, therefore but
these beams and floors separated the
shops of the merchants from the cur
rent below, and curious accidents result
/ ed from this singular arrangement. In
| the words Of an eyewitness, 1T has In
/ deed occurred that 4 mast of a vessel
}
even rose up through the shop floor.
and that the utensils of the cellar were
afioat, and that an OK forced his way
through the shop window behind and
fell into the river, and the like" The
! cellars alluded to were formed in the
piers Of the bridge, under the roadway.
Crossing the bridge and turning to the
loft IN, no artar. IN iaI
carried on the manufacture to which
the wealth of Bristol was primarily due
! Tucker Street was the special street of
the fuckers" or cloth-workers, and the
great merchant family Of Canynges, Of
whom we shall have to speak later, had
their origin in this street. AS they ac-
quired wealth, they began to export
their own cloth, and from this they EN-
/ barked on a general carrying trade.
sending ships into all seas, from Iceland
to the Levant. This may be taken as
an example Of the manner In which
many other merchants amassed the
wealth that enabled them to do so much
for the adornment of their native
parishes and to found extensive chart
ties for the poor. In the fourteenth cen
fury Thomas Blanket was a manufac-
turer and introducer. if not the inventor,
Of the useful article that bears his
name. The cloth trade was divided into
many branches, each having it's own
guild, but the chief and representative
Of these was that Of the merchant tall
OTIS, which survived until the present
century, and its hall, with handsomely
carved doorway, still remains. AS Bris-
tol was one Of the Staple Towns, where
woollen goods could be sold to foreign
ers, and the duties thereon paid to the
crown, the Mayor of Bristol being also
Mayor of the Staple, and responsible
for the collection of this tax, it was en-
acted in the reign of Edward III. that
one of the four aldermen elected by the
WeaverS to supervise their craft. This
shows the close connection between the
guild of weavers and the government
Of the city, as well as the importance
of the office of Mayor, and the care tax
en- to have none but duly qualified
person elected to that Office. The annu-
al swearing in of the Mayor was most
interesting and imposing Formally, and
there is a curious drawing illustrating
the ceremony in an old MS. book in the
possession Of the corporation, known as
1.-The Mayors Kalendar" 1t represents
the Guildhall hung with blue cloth, and
emblazoned on the windows are the
arms Of the city, of England in the