Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1899-08-16
THE TOLL BRIDGE.
History of Connecting Link Between
Mount Desert and the Mainland.

+. NJ. Hamor. Of West Eden. In Bar IIarber
Few OF our readers can remember W hen
the only way TO get to or from this is-
land, was by water or by iording the mar
rows, a strait or passage of water abou
200 feet wide connecting Frenchman's bay
and the Western bay, and separating he
mainland OF Trenton from Thompson's is
land.
The following account OF he first bridge
which connected Mount Desert island
with the mainland, and OF the incorpora-
tion of the company that built it, will
prove interesting reading TO many. The
story is contributed by one OF the best
authorities on Mount Desert history,
Eben NJ. Hamor, of West Eden.
The Flying Place" is passage OF
water about 80 feet wide, at high water,
and dry at low water. separating Thomp-
sons island from Mount Desert island.
\ bridge was built across the "Flying
Place" soon after Eden Was incorporated
in 1856
In January, 1896, the Legislature OF
Maine passed an act creating William
Thompson, John Haynes, their associates
and successors, "a body polite and cor
porate, by the name of The Proprietors
OF Mount Desert Bridge Corporation"
granting them certain powers and priyi-
leges, among which was the right to
build bridge over Mount Desert mar
rows, from the mainland in Trenton to
Eden, and to establish and collect toll for
crossing said bridge.
The bridge WAS to be completed within
two years after the frs. day OF Septem Der,
1896, or the charter was to become null
and void. There was also in the act the
following proviso: provided however
that after the period Of twenty years the
towns Of Eden, Trenton and Mount De-
sert, or either OF them, shall have the priv
ilege OF purchasing said bridge, at the
original cost OF erecting the same, for the
purpose Of making it a free bridge"
The capital stock Of the corporation
Was $4,000, divided into one hundred
shares OF 5000 each, which were taken
by ffty-nine persons, in from one to
seven shares each. OF these fiity-nine
original stockholders, Capt. Eben L. Hig-
gins is the only one living and be is in his
ninety first year.
The first meeting Of the corporation
was held on the second day Of July, 1896,
and was called to order by Capt. Will
liam Thompson. On motion OF Joel Emery
Edward Brewer was chosen chairman and
James Whiting, clerk. Col. John Black,
OF Ellsworth, was chosen president OF the
corporation.
Thomas Robinson, of Ellsworth, John
Somes, ir., OF Mount Desert, and William
Thompson, Of Eden, were chosen a COM
mittee to prepare a code of bylaws to
govern the corporation. James Whiting,
Andrew Peters and Thomas Robinson
were chosen a committee to wait on Col.
Black and give him notice OF the do;ngs
Of this meeting.
The meeting then adjourned to meet at
Sumner i Wilson's hotel in Ellsworth, on
Wednesday, the 18th day OF July, current,
at O'clock p. m. The doings of this
meeting and notice of the adjournment,
were printed in a paper published in
Ellsworth, called the Radical.
The adjourned meeting was called to
order by Col. Black who accepted the
office OF president. Thomas Robinson
reported a code OF bylaws which was
adopted. Edward Brewer and Joel
Emery, of Eden, John Somes, jr., OF Mt.
Desert, William Thompson, OF Eden, and
John NJ. Noyes, OF Trenton, were chosen
directors, and William Thompson, treas
urer. james Whiting resigned the office
of clerk, and Leonard j. Thomas, OF Eden,
was chosen to fill the vacancy.
William Thompson and John N. Noyes
contracted to build the bridge. They
commenced on it in he fall of 1896, and
completed il III the fall OF 1897.
Many people find fault about the toll
and say that the stockholders have made
a large amount of money by it, and that
it ought to be made a free bridge. One of
the principal stockholders informs me
that it has barely paid its running ex-
penses and six per cent. interest on its
original cost.
By the terms OF the charter it can be
made free bridge whenever Eden, Tren-
ton and Mount Desert or either of them
pay the stockholders the sum of s., 900
and vote to keep it in repair.
Ihompson's island and a very small
piece of Mount Desert island have been
set off from Eden and annexed to Trenton
since the bridge was built.