Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-12-27
TO BUILD BRIDGES.
WinsIow Holds An Important
Special Town Meeting.
Will Replace Old Covered Bridge
With Fine Modern Structure.
Temporary Arrangements 10 Be Made for Teams
and Pedestrians.

W InSlOW mad :! town meeting. EeSttf-
day afternoon. and u rousng good one
it was. II was all about the bridges
and il took about 81 hours to settle
all the troublesome questions in this
connection. The town has lost n good
old friend in the old covered bridge
and replacing ii with another is no
easy job. Then there is the matter
Of some safe crossing meanwhile to he
decided. But all Of these things We're
finally settled. apparently to the salts
faction Of The majority II was de
ciGed To build Il foot bridge along the
east side OF the Maine Central bridge
to accommodate the people until the
permanent bridge is in position. To put
on a ferry boat or temporary structure
10 accommodate the teams. and to
build an iron bridge to replace the Old
one washed out and To locate il on the
same piers and abutments. This is the
meeting in a nutshell but there was
lots more to il and some of il may be
interesting.
The warrant was read by Town
Clerk BaSsett and G.. : Paine was
chosen moderator. Alden Bassett was
then called upon to report what had
been done by the selectmen up t. date
to meet the difficulties caused by the
freshet Mr. Bassett read a letter from
the Maine Central granting permission
to the town t. build Il foot bridge on
one side Of its bridge. provided the
work should be done under the dircc-
ton of the Maine Central engineers.
the town nf Wmslow To- be responsible,
for all accidents that might occur ana
,l.1,.
than Il year The Maine central fur
nished q plan and specifications for
the work and agreed /, furnish some
If the men. the town u furnish thu r.-
m..indcr of the crew and the lumber
Mir. EaSSctt further reported in re-
gard to the stone work left When tn"
old bridge Went cat. Horace Purinton
had been asked H. examine this in or
der To give an opinion rs to what could
be don, Nith it. IL gave this in a let
ter which vas If a somewhat technical
character. But in substance Mr. Pur-
intnn thought that the center pier and
tho ;.butm-nts with proper handling
could be put in good condition fnr
new IRON bridge ana mt reasonable
cost. They Mere built - number IF
wears ago when NOR" Si!Id work vas
considered necessary FOR a bridge than
1t present ana Wt.r. therefore in pretty
cu1d condition 1T present.
Then tn" bail was opened. The foot
bridge along H. Maine Central. ferry
boat. Il temporary bridge in the form
of a trtStl. OF crib work and prn-
toon bridge all had supporters Thr
discussion opened between the ba kvrs
If the tcat bridge ana the ferry som.
thought that a ferry boat would an
sv"r all purposes. both for teams ana
De K Strians. Will. others thought II
" uuld IL altogether too cumbersome
iii. foot bridge filled III. bill fpr them.
especially if il could b. made vide
enough - that an occasional milk cant
81 meat wagon could hr pulled across
DN rand. The railroad hridS" has even
be. Il used for this. one man was pull
ius a wagon across. the other day.
when thu. tpnt Of N whistle started his
nerves and ratified him. In his excite
nent h.. fell through the sleepets sus-
tai,,ing a sprainrd thumb ana various
bruises 4 good many thought that
something more convenient than this
ou.ht 10 be provided.
lut the Mainr Central wouldn't al
low tn. foot bridge to De more than
four feet wide in the clear and this
would hardly accommodate the milk
wagons ThnSr backing The ferry boat
thought that il would just about MI
tn. bill. A boat all built could De
easily obtained and would y" capable
OF carrying several teams and 4 good
number Of eople at one "trip. But those
opposed t. this said that the boat
would soon be 50 loaded with ice that
II would he more difficult 10 navigate
th1u an ark and wanted 10 know any
hoN what good il would be in a driN-
iny snow storm with the mercury Try
i'm. to crawl out Of the bottom "f tho
luba. P.rhaps as soon as il was in
oparation the stream would freeze 8ni
there would he no need Of II anyhow.
Eat this was sort of Il boomerang
argument. for the ferry boat people
turned il on the foot bridge un'il IL
liked q { if really the only thing I" Il"
Was To string Il boom ana wait Tor the
river to freeze. This was satisfactory
10 the people on the north side ut the
stream but those on the south SIDE
could hardly stand it, One man SAID
that he WAS tired Of living on an island
am. wanted To get into communication !
with the world once more.
So the discussion was started afreSh. |
1t was estimated that the cost 81 a |
ferry boat and the foot bridge would |
ne about the same. 500 50 neither SIDE |
had any hold there. The ferry boat !
and tn. foot bridge We're having a |
lretty good race of il when Mr.. Key ,
ro.us diverted attention by introduc- !
iE:y the temporary bridge. He put som- !
pretty searching questions t. various |
men present and succeeded IN getting |
all started on a discussion Of III" tenn |
porary bridge question
This was thought ~ be feasible. The /
cost was estimated from $500 to $1,000. |
Mr. Reynolds offered to raise $50" of
$1,000 for temporary bridge. Then /
came the question Of whether some
kind of a structure could not be built
Oh Nh. old piers that would serve both
as a temporary highway bridge and
as Il false bridge for the bridge build
e!s when they s-t to work. Some
thought that this could br done while
others were positive that it couldn't,