Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-01-22
BELLOWS FALLS NEWS
FIGURING ON A NEW BRIDGE.
officials OF Rockingham and Wapole viii
Hold a Hearing Tomorrow-Three sites
Are Under Consideration.

The meeting at the town clerks office
tomorrow afternoon at two o'clock to
discuss the question as to a new bridge
across the Connecticut here, will call
many interested citizens on both sides
of the river. The hearing is given by the
officials of the towns of Walpoe and
Rockingham. G. Vivian White will pre-
sent diagrams showing the feasibility of
the location below the Boston IL Maine
bridge, which is being urged by the Bel
lows Falls Canal company. His plans
will start a bridge from the New Hamp-
shire side opposite the present end of
Centre street in North Walpole. or about
100 feet down the river from the Boston
& Maine bridge BY slight upward
grade an elevation q feet above the rails
of the railroad yard is reached and an
iron trestle over the yard will strike
a point on Island street which passes
between the buildings of the Bellows
Falls Machine company and the Yer
mont Farm Machine company, at point
just below and a short distance north of
the office of the former firm. The bridge
at this location could be built with two
piers, on the solid rock at about low
water mark on each side of the Connec-
ticut.
Edward S. Shaw, a civil engineer who
has had charge of building five different
bridges across the Connecticut. the two
last being those at Mt. Hermon and
days looking over the desira bility of diff
ferent locations. He has plans said to
be strongly favored by the New Hamp-
shire officials for a bridge above the
Boston & Maine bridge. The approach
to this would be just south of the dwell
ing house of Jerry OConnor, in North
Walpole, about 20 feet from the corner
of Church and West streets. At first.
the plan to swing a bridge from
this point directly to the intersection of
n.
Vermont side. The depth of the river
and uncertainty of the bottom for piers
has made it seem more advisable to
swing the Vermont end about 800 feet
farther north, to a line opposite the end
of William street. The bridge here would
be about 60 feet shorter than at the head
of Canal street, but it would increase the
distance between the centres of the two
villages. Mr.. White is confident the
bridge below the dam could be built. in
GLIDING the iron trestle over the rail-
road yard, at a cheaper price than that
at either of the upper locations. the
latter would each require a long span
of nearly 400 feet. while the former
would be divided into three nearly equal
spans.
Still another location is being discussed
somewhat, although its adherents do not
as yet number as many those of either
of the above locations. 1t is stated as
an easier engineering problem. and per-
haps less costly, to start a bridge from
about the level of the track in the rear
of the dwelling now occupied by William
Ashcroft in North Walpole, about half
way between the Boston X Maine and
toll bridges With a slight incline up
ward, swinging over the lower end of
the railroad yard, it would strike front.
or in the rear of, the old Island House,
and the grade of the street at that point
would be somewhat lowered. The dis
lance from the centre Of North Walpole
village to the Square in Bellows Falls
would vary but little between this and
the uppermost location mentioned. This
would accommodate travel from Alstead.
Drewsville and Walpole villages. being
much shorter for them than any of the
other sites This is an element in the
politics of the enterprise which must be
reckoned with on the New Hampshire
side, and a compromise might he made
with them in the changing of the toll
bridge so far north as to greatly in
crease the distance to Bellows Falls from
these points. 1t is suggested in connec-
ton with the latter location that possi-
bly, the Boston e Maine railroad would
be glad to reduce the number of cross
ings between the present toll bridge and
the centre of North Walpole village by
keeping their branch track, connecting
the upper and lower North Walpole
yards. east of the highway, changing the
latter to the river side of the track all
the distance through North Walpole viii
lage. Each of the different plans has its
advantages, and its strong adherents. 1t
is thought that without much question
the workmen living in North Walpoe
and employed on this side would prefer
the bridge crossing the Connecticut just
south of the Boston d Maine bridge. and
striking Island street on this side, as ii
would land them almost exactly where