The independent-reporter., 1909-10-07
THE NORR|DGEWOCK
TOLL BRIDGE
A Special Town Meeting
Held Last Saturday
The Vote Was 107 to "a In Favor of
Buying.

We predicted a lively time at the
special town meeting of last Satur-
day and for once were like the wealth
or bureau, that is-we hit 1t right
once in a while. OF course the prin
cipal thing was the purchase of the
toll bridge by the town and making
II free Mr.. William Longley was
chosen moderator and the next arti
Gle which had to do with the main
question was taken up. F. l.. Ames,
chairman of the board of selectmen,
gave the information of the necessity
for the special call and also the pro-
gressive steps through which the mat
ter had passed in order that it might
be in shape for the town to act upon
in a very plain and concise manner
which practically answered all ques
tions before any were asked, and
urged the necessity of taking favor
able action If the townspeople wished
to see a free bridge where SO long had
been stationed toll gatherer. He
was followed by c. H. Hussey, a
prominent stockholder in the bridge,
whose idea was that the town should
not buy as he did not think that the
shares could be bought In cheaply
enough and that the necessary re-
pairs would be a burden to the town.
stating that IL made by the bridge
company, they would cut out the div
idends for several years. Other mat
ters regarding the original cost of
the bridge, ETC., were taken up. Mr..
Hussey was followed by DR.. Lancas-
ter and C. E. Warren, who were in
favor of buying and then Cony Rus
sell, who is also stockholder. Mr..
Russell thought that the time was not
yet ripe for the taking over of the
bridge by the town. The spirit of the
meeting, however, was different and
many of the voters could hardly wait
for the discussion to be finished be-
fore the call for the question" The
vote was 107 to IA in favor of buying.
1t was intimated by one of the stock
holders that some of the members of
the company would require an ap-
praisal of the stock. AS this gentle
man is one of our public spirited citi-
zens and the statement was made in
the heat of discussion, we feel quite
sure that more mature consideration
will bring about an arrangement so
that an appraisal will not be neces-
y.
where the present bridge stands has
been disastrous-two bridges at least
having been carried away by floods.
The present bridge was built some
where about 1873 and the piers and
abutments were made six feet higher
so that high water does not trouble it,
While the company has not realized
more than it ought and perhaps not
nearly enough OF, the money invested,
yet the tolls have been ,irksone, and
like the tariff have been hard to get
fixed so that there might be a sem
blance of equality. The State assists
by giving thirty-five hundred dollars
and the town thought that on basis
of fifteen dollars per share at which
price the majority of the shares were
offered to the county cOlnnl ssioEers
several years ago. about twenty-five
hundred dhiars world nave to be
raised to complete the purchase. AL
though the bridge cost considerable
sum thirty-six years ago it is neither
handsome or very valuable at the
present time and would cut sorry
figure with the work of bridge build
ing at the present time; yet 1t
answers the purpose for which 1t was
built 1t has done good service as a
toll bridge and will do a far more
beautiful service in years to come as
a free bridge. There should be no
restrictions, the passage from the
south to the north parts of our vii
lage should be as free as any other
portion of our town highways and
our bridge company should help us
all that they can to make 1t so. We
feel that they will. The article of
the warrant to see II the town would
pay two hundred dollars more to the
shoe shop was voted down. The orig
inal vote in substance was for the
payment of freight and installing ma
chinery above what 1t would cost to
install the plant in Lynn, Mass, not
to exceed one thousand dollars. This
the town officers did until about eight
hundred dollars were paid. Then came
a misunderstanding or difference OF
opinion when bill for material from
a local source was brought In and in
struction was asked OF the town. 1t
was voted not to pay any more.