Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-12-16

The recent freeing of the old fol,
bridge. and the erection of the nau stooi
structure over the Connecticut ri,,ou
makes any thing in relation to the noe.
history of local bridges of interest rho
discussion engendered repard,rn 49,,
bridges brings to light many facts NJ H.
terest relating to the old bridge ana us
different owners ~ HS
Frederick w. Geyer, a wealthy Rostor,
man of English descent, who had IN 80
tTnsiNe summer residence at the New
Hampshire end of the bridge ca,no i,t,
possession OF the property about 1900 nv
foreclosure of a mortgage made nv it
builder Col. Enoch Hale. He also oIvna5
the stage hotel al Cold River. known thot,
as the Mansion House," that was LEASED
many years to Thaddeus Nichols later
opei ..Ce ny Mr. carpenter, and known
as carpenters Tavern" Mr.. Gever
died in New London. Conn, MAY 10 1900
Mrs. Nathaniel Tucker who succeeded
to the ownership upon Mr. Geyer's death
Among the owners of the old toll bridge
during its long existence, none have been
more prominently Identified with business
interests OF this whole locality than Ma
at the age of So. He was the father of
thahiei Iucker who then became it's man
ager, and so remained until his death
which occurred August g 1857.
MT fucker was a resident of Bellows
'''9 ONOi NJ years, ana the oldest
dents OF today well remember his stron,,
personality and characteristics He uoS
a small, wiry. quick motioned nervous an
pearing man. and at his death in 1857 was
81 years old His body was buried in a
private family vault on Boston common.
near the public gardens During all the
early part of las residence here Mr.
Tucker and his family lived in the large
puildlng at the east end of the toll bridge
1amlllarly known as the Tucker Man
sion. 1t stood about where the brick
water house of the Boston & Maine rail-
road is now, upon an eminence so high
the bottom of the cellar floor was on a
level with the ridge pole of the present
bridge 1t was three stories and had two
wings, one on the north and one on the
SOUTH that were two stories while in the
rear was large l. for the kitchen and
domestlcs. The building was taken down
when the railroad was built in 1919. and
the timber was used in erecting the house
now owned by John b. Morse on School
street and that owned by DR. F. H.
OConnor on Green street. Mr. Tucker
then bought and moved into what is now
the Hetty Green place on Church street
Much OF the time during the early years
of Mr.. fuckers ownership he attended
to the collection of tolls himself the gate
being then at the New Hampshire end of
the bridge; many stories of this peculiar
tiles are told by early citizens. In his
btHelouS- toward MS family
he used to frequently say to his daughter
We'll Anna, you may have all that is
taken at the bridge today for pinmoneyr
when the daughter would sit at her win
dow and count the passers over the
ridgeb.
Mr.. Tucker was a very strict church,
man, and used to be much troubled at
hearing others use profanity. being very
brusque, and sometimes thoughtless in
his reproofs, which caused the boys to
annoy him greatly at times When I'm
manuel church was first orga nized and
the first building erected, Mr.. Tucker was
ardent in his support being an intimate
friend of Rector Carlton Chase, later
bishop of New Hampshire. He used
once year, to advertise in the local
newspaper that "all those from New
Hampshire points who wished to attend
the Christmas services at Emmanuel
church could pass the bridge free of toll
and as the Christmas observances were
at that time much more extensive than
the present practice, including illumination
of buildings, open hospitality and fine
music, it was the means of drawing inn
mense crowds from 80 miles around
During the freshet of 1893 the bridge
was in danger of being taken away by
the coming down of the bridge which
had spanned the river at South Charles
town. The bridge at that time was the
original bridge here, standing about Is or
When the bridge moved off its founda-
tions at South Charlestown, and until it
reached the falls at this place, the old
sign upon the end could be plainly read
Passengers are not to Pass Faster than
a Walk" Mr.. Milliken, who lived near
the bridge jumped upon a horse and rode
here to notify Mr. Tucker. who came
out on the New Hampshire side above his
bridge, and was so excited that those who
saw him say he had all the appearance OF
trying to guide the Onrushing bridge into
the lower channel on the Vermont side
by making motions of pushing the bridge
to the right point with his cane. which
was his constant companion. Just before
1t reached the bridge the force of the
current broke it up so there was no dam
age. During this freshet while Mr.. Tuck
was trying to tie ropes to the ends OF
his bridge to keep it from being lifted
from its foundation, he was assisted by
Rector Chase, and in some way Mr.. Chase
fell into the rushing rapids, nearly losing
his life. A rope quickly thrown to him
was grasped and he was drawn out much
exhausted
The old Tucker family Bible, now in
possession of the heirs of the late Ed
ward H. Green, has these records, ma
thaniel Tucker, his Bible, 1776. HIS son
Nathaniel made these rotations, 1913
the West Butment OF the Bridge gave
way in consequence of days rain, May
time portion of the Vermont END or
the bridge fell, breaking off near the pier
in the middle. and the place where 1t was
spliced can still be seen) Great Freshet
at Bellows Falls. Rain began Bird sept,
continuing until ~ at night. The east
end of Bridge was moved IL inches. me
wharf was carried away" CThis wharf
was a protection of logs above the west
abutment) 1.-THE river was never known
to be so low, Sept. 5, 1929" "E H.
Green bought the Tucker house at Bel
lows Falls July list, 1879"
In early staging times, when that system
Of uublc transportation was first inau-
gurated, the stages came up from Boston
and Keene, passing to Charlestown ana
above without coming over the bridge on
account of the expense OF toll. In COM
ing down. or up the other side the driver
would blow his horn and If there were
passengers this side to go they would
walk across, wheeling their trunks anu
take the stage, and the attendants OF the
hotels met their patrons In thls way
having to pay the toll of three cents ior
foot passengers. Later when staging
became more established, they USED 10
come across the bridge to the hotels'
One day as Richardson Robertson from
the Bellows Falls Stage house went across
with a traveller to take the stage ne
wheeled trunk and Mr.. Tucker DOT
rowed his wheel barrow to use the resi-
of the day, and he still asserts that MT.
Ii Roswell,