Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1908-03-31
That Bridge Again.

The minds of the citizens of Jefferson
county has been very freely exercised in
the matter of bridge and bridges. An
erroneous impression appears to exist in
the minds of those who have failed to
give the matter proper thought and in
vestigation. that but very narrow strip
of land lies east of the Shenandoah river
in Jefferson county. In order to disabuse
the minds of those who have formed this
mistaken idea we present the following
facts, Ask the little school child to look
on the map of our county and you will
be enlightened that the area of Jefferson
county is 2Io square miles-also that the
territory East of the Shenandoah and
West Of the Loudoun county line is
twenty miles in length. and ar average
of two miles in width. making forty
square miles, or nearly one-ifth of the
area of Jefferson county-tllat two hun
bred and eight families on this strip
averaging FIVE to the family, we have a
population OF 1910. The center of this
population is in the Manning's or ST.
Andrews community. These people have
been Disseminated against SO many years
that they have accepted it as their legacy
from the officials of the county. They
have received none or very little aid from
the officials of the county. as many petit
tons for roads are in evidence in the last
twenty-seven years. The present county
court has been more generous and has
given them three and one-fourth miles of
road. Prior to this these people were
compelled to follow the foot-paths made
by Powhatan's braves in 1907 and are at
present obliged to cross the river in the
same old style canoe. These people have
grown by the neglect of the county Of
ficials or rather by those who held out the
helping hand until the community at St.
Andrews is the peer and in many re.
spects the superior to the most prosperous
in the county. These people are asking,
not as mendicants, but as fellow citizens,
the County Court to give them bridge
at the end of the Bloomery pike for their
benefit. There are but two approaches
to Charles Town. through the Blue Ridge
mountain. the Larues or Wilson's gar
and the Keys Ferry gap. Those coming
by way of the Wilson gap are compelled
- 40 thA old f,sr
Hills. and from that point by way Of
Shannondale or by way of Bloomery
Mills less distance. Those coming BY
way of Keys gap must come to Chestnu
Grove school house. thence by Keys Fer
nv, distance of six and fourteenth mile:
or by Bloomery distance of six miles
hence we have a central location FOR {
bridge at Bloomery. and good pike t.
Charles Town. Other consideration
point to this crossing as the proper poin
for the bridge. Keys will accommodate,
| SO families. 20 of which can reach Charlie
better grade and better road. One a
| Myers ford will be convenience for 2
families. I6 of which can save time an,
distance by coming by way of Bloomery
The cost of bridge at Bloomery ha
been variously estimated. guessed at. bu
we think Jefferson county can build at
cost equal to Clarke county. We quot
from letter of Mr.. w. A. Bradford
Treasurer of Clarke county, bearing dat
of February II. 1923. That the cost o
the two bridges. Castleman's LIS fit il
length. and Berrys Ferry. TAO #. wa
$3S $780," At same cost per foot. thu
Bloomery bridge would cost. approx
rmately) 81 900. The road each wa,
from bridge can be constructed for $500
making total cost to the county 0
$I7 500. TAxPAyER.