Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-06-24
BELLOWS FALLS.
The Toll Bridge.
1t Was First Built in 1885.
How an Old Indian Burying Ground
Was Uncovered.
From the Evening Phoenix of Wednesday. ]

From the Evening Phoenix of Wednesday,
The pleasant concentrations which have
come to The Phoenix in relation to the ex
tended article of two weeks ago giving the
result of much research into the history of
the building of the canal here, and its ear
" use for navigation, have convinced this
paper that Bellows Falls appreciates the
efforts made to get together and perpetuate
reliable data and events connected with
the early history of this locality before
those who are familiar with them, and
their traditions, pass away
Another old landmark, familiar to the
present generation, but of which the pres
ent residents know but little of its history,
is the toll bridge, across the Connecticut,
over the falls The present one dates back
only to 1910, but the original toll bridge,
which stood in its place for 80 years pre-
vious, was built in 1885, and was the first
bridge spanning the river at any point un-
til 1896.
This bridge was built under an act of
the New Hampshire legislature, by Enoch
Hale a man of large possessions, and very
prominent in civil and military affairs of
his time He was born in Rowley, Mass,
in 1888, and died at Grafton, Vt, where
he is buried, April 9th 1913. He had Just
moved to Walpole from Rindge, y. H.,
when the bridge was built. He was high
sheriff of Cheshire county from 11iS to
1888, a delegate to the Provincial Con
gress at Exeter in l115, a member of the
state council from 1880 to 1888 and senator
from Cheshire, county in 1884. In 1916 he
was appointed colonel of the New Hamp-
shire militia, and so remained during the
Revolutionary war, raising, mastering and
paying troops in his district. The records
of the "New Hampshire Committee of
Safety" abound in references to him. Be
fore this he had served in the old French
war and he was at Fort William Henry at
the massacre in 1855.
After his removal to Grafton he repres-
ented that town in the legislature one or
two years, when about - years old
Wherever he lived his vigorous intellect
and energy of character impressed them
selves on all about him and made him al
ways a leader. Although always financial
ly prosperous he seems not to have accu-
mulated or left large estate.
Col Enoch Hale was great grandfather
of Benjamin B. Wetherbee, of the present
firm of Guild & Wetherbee. His son, Levi,
has in his possession the original birch bark
box in which the first tolls of the bridge
were kept This box is made from yellow
bark, with a wooden bottom and cover
hung on a hinge, the whole sewed to-
gether with strong linen thread. The box
has but recently been sent back to Vermont
from a branch of the family living in Mass
achusetts. The relic will probably eventu-
ally find a resting place in the town library.
A good representation of the original
bridge built by Mr.. Hale in 1875 is an oil
painting presented to the library a few
years ago, which was painted and given by
our local artist, Fred j. Blake, and was
IL Eel, -.
about 1880.
The bridge was much shorter than the
present one and stood about - or - feet
lower, and directly beneath it. A graphic
account of the cutting down of the oil
bridge from under the new one after it was
built in 1910 is given by DR.. s. NJ. Blake,
who was present, and remembered the cir
cumstances with distinctness The new
one was built above the old without inter
fering with it, and the road at each end
graded up to about its present height.
With the old bridge there was a sharp
pitch at each end to get down to the road
way This old roadway was at the bottom
of the frame, the sides rising only six or
eight feet above the road, and was entirely
without cover. Being exposed to the
weather it gradually became rotten and I'M
safe, leading to its rebuilding as stated.
of excavating for grading the road across
the island, in front of where Island House
now stands. They found it to have evil
IDENTIFY been used the whole distance across
the island for an Indian burial ground.
The bodies were uncovered sitting upright,
having been buried in a sitting posture with
the knees drawn up to the chin, in a circu-
lar hole dug deep enough so the top of the
heads came within a foot or two of the
ground. The ploughs and scrapers would
take off skull, and they would dig down
and find the remainder of the bones. In
this way, he says, dozens of skeletons were
found and some of them were preserved
for many years about the town. One of
an Indian chief, known by the trophies
buried with him, was stored in an old
block at the head of the square, now occu
pied by Frank Massucco, until about 10
years ago when the building was rebuilt by
Charles NJ. Blake. Then it was disposed of.
DR.. Blake says when he came to Bellows
Fall in 1889 there were about 300 residents.
Soon after he came the first death occurred
which had taken place here for three years,
and the bell of the Episcopal church was
tolled for the first time in that period, caus-
ing quite a sensation.
Two Spanish dollars of silver were exca-
waited near the head of the canal about that
time, and it gave rise to an excitement
over its being the famous treasure of Capt.
Kidd. A gang of men worked for weeks
excavating the land there, expecting to
find the remainder of it. The story was
that the noted pirate had come up the river
to here, and not being able to 90 further
because of the falls had buried his treasure
here.
The present toll bridge is owned by Hon.
William A. Russell, and is getting to that
condition when a new one will be neces-
sity soon. There is a movement on foot
to get an enabling act of the New Hamp-
shire legislature next winter, freeing the
bridge, and removing the restriction as to
any other bridge being built across the
Connecticut within five miles of it, and
erect bridge between here and North
Walpole just above the Boston & Maine
railroad bridge. North Walpole is deeply
interested in the matter and the movement
will be strong one.
Rev. G. II. II, Dodge Away for Vaca-