The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-11-23
History of Lower
Bridge Is Written
BY City Auditor

Among other papers placed in a
| copper box in one of the piers OF
the new Stratford avenue bridge is
an interesting historical sketch COM
! piled by City Auditor Bernard Keat-
| ing. It gives in detail the means OF
| transportation of the Pequonnock
| river at this point from the time of
the earliest white settlers here. The
sketch follows:
'In May, 1887, the legislature of
the State of Connecticut empowered
the. town of Stratford to keep and
maintain a public ferry in said town
across the creek or harbor called
Newneld Harbor, from the point OF
land called New Pasture Point be-
low Toby's wharf. to the opposite
shore Of said harbor or creek, to and
on land of Aaron Hawley. about ten
rods south Of said Hawley's dwelling
house, and that two sufficient boats
shall be kept constantly on each side
Of said creek. plying from shore to
shore as occasion may require. The
western terminus of this ferry was at
or near what is now the foot of
Union street, and the eastern termi-
nus was the lowermost wharf on the
east side Of said river at New Pasture
Point.
- 1.-THE ferry facilities proving insult
f1cient to accommodate the public,
the town Of Stratford voted in May,
1871, In town meeting, to build a
bridge across the Pequonnock river,
nearly opposite Cannon and Lock-
woods wharf, and in the same month
the legislature gave authority to
Robert Walker of Stratford and
others to establish a lottery to raise
funds necessary to build bridge
across Newfield Harbor or Pequon-
mock river, and appointed a commit
tee to view the circumstances as to
what kind of a bridge would be need
ed and what the expense, and report.
The next autumn the town voted
to request the General Assembly that
If a bridge was built by lottery the
not fall upon the town of Stratford
This bridge was built and toll
gate set up at Lottery Bridge, in
Newfield. for the support of that and
Benjamin's Bridge, which was done
in 1899.
The western terminus of this Lot
terry Bridge was at the foot of Wall
street and the eastern terminus was
south of the eastern terminus of the
present Stratford avenue bridge.
"Benjamin's bridge was located
across what is now known as Yellow
Mill Creek or Pond, on which a mill
stood
This Lottery bridge was kept and
maintained as a toll bridge, until its
location was changed and the bridge
rebuilt further up the harbor where
it now stands in the year 1907.
THE bridge connecting Beaver
street, now Fairfield avenue, with
Stratford avenue, was continued as a
toll bridge until purchased by the
City of Bridgeport and made free in
1853.
"a new bridge was constructed in
1888 under the superintendent of
the Board of Public Works, by Dean
& Westbrook, designers and contrac-
tors, which Is the one now being torn
down to be replaced by wider and
a stronger bridge.
This bridge constructed in 1888
has rendered good service. Built as
it was to carry only one line Of horse
cars it has, for many years, carried
and maintained many lines of electric
cars of very great weight and heavy
traffic.
1.-THE new bridge Of 1916 is design
ed by Greiner & Whitman Of Balti-
more, Md. constructed by The Hol-
Brook. Cabot & Rollins Corporation,
and The Empire Construction COM
pany, and Is intended to meet the
needs of the greater Bridgeport for
many years to come.
''BERNARD HEATING,
. ''City Auditor.
November 20, 1916"