The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-11-10
Fine Program
 For Opening
 Of New Bridge

The stage is set for the demon stration to be held tomorrow after noon to commemmorate the formal opening of the new Washington Bridge Committees from Devon, Milford and Stratford. with assistance at work for weeks. and ceremonies are promised that will make the afternoon one never to be forgotten by those who attend.
 The official time Is announced as 2:30, and the main exercises will be held at Rivercliffe on the Devon side of the Housatonic river. Lieut.-Gov. Charles A. Templeton will be the principal speaker at what Is rapidly approaching the proportions of statewide event.
 Preceding the program parades will start from Devon and Stratford at the same moment, to meet in the center of the bridge. American serivce mems organizations will have a prominent place in the line which will include bands, marching clubs, fraternal orders. Boy Scouts of Strat- ford, Milford and Bridgeport, artn- 1ery and other organizations. The Boy Scouts will also aid the police of the two river towns, and the state and bridge police in handling the crowds and parking automobiles.
 Several sub-chasers in the river will add color to the scene and many
 small craft are expected to glide up and down stream under the immense new draw.
 A complete history of ferries and bridges between Stratford and Bridgeport, dating from the sixteenth gentry, was published in The Times a
 week ago. The review created a great deal of interest throughout the state, and g major portion of it. with other comment upon the new structure, was reprinted as an editorial in the Hart ford Courant. as follows:
 Pride of the state, pride of Fair field county, and pride of New Haven county" is the rhetorical bouquet placed by Q writer in The Bridgeport Times upon the new bridge across the Housatonic river on the post road be- 1 stratford which was opened for l traffic this week. Motorists who have been accustomed to watch the pro- gress of this handsome structure as | the stream on the old bridge and ] prayed for the cars springs as they i bumped uo and down on the approaches, wili agree to any floral CT other tribute that may be given. No fanfare, except possibly, the
 rejoicing Of motorists expressed loud- " by their horns, marked the opan-
 ing of the bridge. That as we un-- properly next Friday. In the meantime the. bridge Is there for use and will be for years to come. i The bridge Is indeed 2 handsome
 Two Hzes of trolley tracks cross it. ! Strangely enough 1t has not been en- 1 tirely forgotten that there still re-
 main few pedestrians In the world.
 eisqat-foot sidewalks have been pro- vided. It is estimated that the com pieted structure and approaches will
 cost about .1,soo.ooo. The state ,f~-A <NF +l,ie oe a
 of Fairfield and New Haven pay an- other third and the trolley company | the rest.
 In an article concerning the bridge port Times, reviews the history of the
 place where it stands. A ferry was
 first operated tn ere tIl 1853. In 1Sl 5
 a bridge was built. It was caINeo
 applies now. to the latest structure,
 This was rebuilt several times. The | bridge which is now to be torn down
 because of the completion of the new ! struc ctur-e, was erected in 1898. An :, interesting story concerning its mar 1 r-owneas. which has been commented
 upon by many, is told by MT. Lud- 1 low. He says:
 When the bridge about to be. torn | away waa first erected 1t .s ssid 1t was made larrow after much press
 ure and tnesuenee upon the part of
 petition. The idea was to make the bridge so marrow. through political influence. perhaps, that trolleys could not cross. The footpath even was an afterthousht, erected later at g cost of $60o.
 Later. when the trolley company became controlled by the railroad. 1t wes different story Sheriff Simeon Pcase 9Fas one of the County Commissioners Involved when an ennis sssEy 0o td1le. Gt1f Es*t i.,f esss11r,fsr1w aJs-
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