The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-19
WASHINGTON ROW.
How the New Bridge Came to Be
Built.

Yesterday the new Washington Row
and 1t was a welcome opening, for the
row had been closed TO public travel, so
far as vehicles are concerned, long enough.
The.story OF the Washington row bridge
and the different snsrls it got the city
into is an interesting one, which, though
aired piecemeal from time to time, seems
appropriate to rehssh at this time. II
is as follows:
The old Washington Row Bridge was
built about 1927 by the Providence Wash
ington Insurance Company, and main
tanned by II and its successor, the Weyb ybos-
set Land Company, until about 1891. In the
latter year the land company soug ht to in
duce the city to accept Washington Row
as public highway and to relieve the
company OF the duty OF keeping the
bridge in repair and they then ceased to
contribute money for II maintenance.
The city, considering that the privilege
enjoyed by the insurance company and
successors greatly exceeded the cost OF
maintaining the bridge, did not ieel that
1t would be just TO have the city assume
the cost OF maintenance. So when the
commissioner Of public works considerd
the bridge unsafe the land company hav-
ing done nothing all this time, nearly
three years, the Board OF Aldermen di-
rected the commissioners of public
works to close the bridge TO all but foot
travel.
This brought forth remonstrance and
petitions not only from the Weybosset
Land Company, but the occupants of the
Washington building as well and then
followed more petitions and hearings,
The city engineer prepared report, and
joint committee ON that report reported
TO the Common Council some very in
teresting data regarding the old bridge
and Its maintenance. They found that
the authority OF private parties to occupy
Washington Row and land adjoining was
granted by the town OF Providence 10 the
Washington Insurance Company in June,
1902, and TO the Providence Washington
Insurance Company in June, 1924, and
in April, 1926. in response to
petition from the insurance
company permission TO erect platform
by setting posts in the river in front Of
their building on juno z, 1902. On June
"a, 1924, a committee was appointed "to
make such agreement with the Provi-
dence Washington insurance Company
and the other owners Of the lots adjoin-
ing aud near to Weybossst bridge, rela-
tive 10 extending the lots further to the
northward and 10 building q bridge to
the eastward of TIE same as they may
deem expedient, provided that the town
incur no expense by any such agreement,
aud that they cause such agreement TO be
received in the records of land evidence. "
This committee reported an agreement
April 20, 1925, and thercupon il was in
town meeting "Voted and resolved
that the report OF the committee hereto
fore appointed to make such an agree
ment with the Providence Washington
Insurance Company and other owners OF
the lots adjoining and near TO Weybosset
bridge, relative TO extending said lots
ard building bridge made at the pres
ent meeting be, and the same is hereby
referred TO the Town Council, and that
said council he requested TO carry the
said report into full effect, and TO exc
cute oil proper and necessary papers for
that purpose. and that the same be done
in connection with the report and laying
out of the street for highway around the
cove as made 20 said council
This agreement provided that n lot
bwned by the Providence Washington In
sursnce Company extending so feet from
iWestm inster street, might be extended
over the tide flowed lands, held by the
town OF Providence TO the present line of
Exchange Place, a distance of about 125
feet, and also that over the tide flowed
lands held by the town OF Providence, a
bridge might be built and maintained by
the Providence Washington Insurance
Company, extending from Westminster
street TO the present line OF Exchange
Place, "upon condition and not other
wise that said Insurance Company and
others benefited thereby, shall build and
erect before the first day OF January, A.
d., 1926 at their own expense, good
ana sufficient bridge, 30 feet In width
across the river, in the line with the
street across the cove, TO land on North
Water street, to be built OF like materials
and &c be OF like construction with Wey-
bosset bridge, with sidewalks six feet in
width on each side, which bridge when
completed to be received by The town as n
public bridge, and in future to be main
tained by the town: and provided further
and not otherwise that said insurance
company aud others interested shall build
at their own expense q good and sufii-
cient bridge, similar to the platform now
10 the eastward OF said company's Office,
IS feet in width, connecting Weybosset
bridge with the new bridge, proposed TO
be built before said first day OF January,
A. d., 1896, and shall at all times here
after keep said eighteen foot bridge in
good and sufficient repair at their own