The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-15
HISTORIC OLD FRIDGE.

The old bridge over the Charles river.
which was one OF the first TO connect
Boston with the mainland. is doomed To
immediate destruction. having become
superfiuous and useless. and the store
keepers are vacating their premises on
the sides OF the bridge. The draw has
been taken out the guard rails have
been removed. the granite paving and
brick sidewalks have been scaled off
and the gravel Is now being shoveled
up. In few weeks the section imme-
diately in front Of the draw OF the new
bridge Will disappear. and by July
the whole structure viii be up, from
Boston 10 Charlestown. giving the har-t
bor free play close up 10 the new
Chaiiestown bridge. remarks the Bos-
ton Transcript.
There are. according TO an estimate.
about 1900 oak piles, which are capped
and bound together with heavy string
ers, to which are nailed an almost wa
tertight floor OF six-inch planks. The
next layer was two-foot bed OF dirt
and gravel and on top OF that was the
granite paving BY systematic work
the superstructure will be torn off and
the piles pulled up without the cree
ton Of any staging for the workmen.
but a temporary structure VIII have To
he erected, I'm front OF the new draw.
where the two draw piers are TO be
built.
From the Harvard college records OF
a meeting on April g. 1,l3, IL appears
that a mo,lon had been made in the
general court FOR building a bridge at
the ferry between Boston and Charles
town. and this was probably the first
official suggestion OF the desirability OF
building a bridge to take the place OF
the ferry, winch Edward Converse set
upp betwixte Charleston e. Boston for
which he is TO have.i ] q for eny single
pson & Id peece II there be or
more By an act passed March Q,
11S5. the general court authorized the
construction OF Charles river bridge
and John Hancock Thomas Russell
and others were Incorporated as thu
proprietors OF the bridge. Six thou'
sand people stood upon this bridge,
thirteen cannon were discharged from
Copps Hill. distinguished gentlemen
filed by in procession, and streets win
dows and eminences ir' the neaghbor-
hood were swarmed with spectators In
the afternoon of June II, 1855. when the
structure was opened. TO the general
public for traffic.
1t was provided that the corporation
should make an annual payment TO the
president and fellows OF Harvard col-
lege OF f200. and that at the end OF the
term of forty years the bridge sfeuld
to the commonwealth Saving TO fhv
college a reasonable annual compensa-
tion for lie annual income or the ferry.
which it might have received had not
the bridge been erected"
II was required that there should be
twenty good lamps on each side or the
bridge. which should be keeps well sup
piled with oil. and should be lighted In
due season and kept burning until II
O'Clock at night. This was the sched-
ule OF tolls established by law:
Each foot passenger two-thirds e
a penny; one person and a horse. two
pence two-thirds lof a penny: single
horse cart or sled or sleigh. four pence:
wheelbarrow handcarts and other We
hicles capable OF carrying light weight.
one penny, one-third OF penny; sim
gle horse an. chaise. chair or sulky,
eight pence: coaches. chariots, ,phaetonS
and curricfes, one shilling each; all oth-
er wheel carriages or sleds drawn by
more than one beast. six pence; neat
cattle and horses passing the sald
bridge, exclusive of those rode or In
carriages or teams, one penny. one
third of a penny. swine and sheep four
pence for each dozen, and at the same
rate for a greater or less number; and
in all cases the same toll shall be paid
for all carriages and vehicles passing
the said bridge. whether the same pe
loaded or not loaded; and to each team
one man ana no HlJTc SHdii pt "ii'"'N
as a driver TO pass free from payment
OF toll. and I'm all cases double toll shall
be pau on the Lords day; and at all
times when the toll gatherer snaii NOT
attend to his duty the gate or gates
shall be left open."
At first the bridge was exceedingly
profitable, paying for several years
profit Of from 30 to 40 per cent. Tho
capital stock of the. proprietors consist.
ed Of $50 shares Of the par value or
e1O0 each. making the total capital
stock Gi5,000. or about $4,000. The
architect Of the bridge was Major SAM