The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-07-01

glow of the rancid oil cast Pickering
and uncertain light over the dark wa
tiers Of the river. s-
The bridge was not then, as it is now,
a free bridge, but the act of congress
provided that tolls should be taken as
follows: Each foot passenger had to
pay 61A cents to cross. A person on
horseback 1874 cents. Persons in
chaise, sulky or riding chair had to
pay 17A cents. For each coach,
coachee, stage-wagon, chariot, phaeton,
curricle or other riding carriage, 100
cents must be collected; and the fur
Their sum of 1914 cents for each horse.
more than two, by which such coach, ;.
coachee, chariot, phaeton or curricle
should be drawn. For each sled, or
sleigh, 37h cents must be collected, and
the, further sum of 1874 cents for each
horse or other beast more than two
by which said sled or sleigh should be
drawn. For each four-wheeled wagon,
cart, dray, or other two-wheeled car
riage of burthen 1874 cents must be
collected; and the further sum of 1917
cents for each horse or other beast
more than one by which the same
should be drawn. a. For each pig or sheep
the toll was three cents, and a toll of
81 cents each was levied on horses and
meat cattle, other than those in teams
drawing sleds, sleighs, or carriages, or
with riders, and one person only to
each drove or team was allowed to pass
free of charge.
empt from duties. The act contained
the following: provided, that no toll
shall be exacted at said bridge for the
passage of any wagon or carriage laden
with the property of the United States.
or for the drivers thereof, or for the
passage of any troops of the United
States, or the militia of any state or the
District of Columbia, marching in
body; or any cannon or military equip
ments belonging to the United States"
The company, by the powers of this
act. had five years in which to finish the
bridge, but it was in successful running
operation the next year (1sO9). 1t was
built with two draws, one at the east
ern and one at the western end, there
being two channels to the Potomac, one
near the Virginia shore and one near
the District shore.
The bridge was operated successful
~ by the Washington Bridge company
until 1914, when by order of the govern
ment the southwestern end of it was
destroyed, on account of the presence
Of the British in the vicinity of Wash
ington, for which damage caused by the
government, congress, in 1916 (act of
April 81, appropriated $1,000 to reim-
burse the company. The bridge was re-
paired and was soon again in operation.
= In 1882 (act of July ~ congress, at
the request of the company, purchased
the bridge for $4,000, and, in 1884, APP
propriated $4,000 to rebuild it. This
was accordingly done, but the new
structure did. not last long, being
washed away by the ice gorge of 1886.
Congress again authorized its recon-
struction on new lines. The new bridge
was to be one mile long and contain
two draws. one in the southern end of
the bridge to be 66 feet in width, and
another in the northern end to be So
feet. This was accordingly done, and in
1888 Andrew jackson laid the corner
stone of the new bridge, which was to
connect the city of Washington with
the dream of his life, the city named
sitter him. on the opposite shore. He
expected Jackson City to some day
rival Washington. ss 81 S /. s....s s'*= S
u In the year 1889 congress passed an
act to extend the limits Of the city of
Washington beyond the Potomac, SO as
to include the Long bridge. This
bridge has existed in more or less state
of repair or preservation up to the pres
ent date. KS 81 ~ Va B.
IN 1861 the war department ordered
Maj. Beggs, the celebrated military
railway constructor, to II repair the
railroad between the south end of
Long bridge and Alexandria in 90
days. He completed the work in 10
days. The Long bridg was then test
ed. tracks were laid and in 1861 the first
railroad engine ran across to the Viz
ginia shore. Il was over this bridge
that the armies Of the United States
marched into Virginia during the war
of the rebel ion. Ets ss3.s
s BY act of congress dated June "a,
1870, the government turned over the
Long bridge to the Bait imore & Poto-
mac Railroad company with permis-
ssion 20 run their tracks across Il @ the