The Connecticut labor news., 1921-11-11
NEW BRIDGE OVER HOlSATONIC
 IS FORMALLY OPENED TODAY
HANDSOME STRUCTURE RE PLACES OLD EYESORE AND DANGEROUS VIADUCT-COST MILLION AND HALF TO BUILD.

Milford, Nov. II.-With approprl- ate ceremonies participated in by state, city and town officials, the hand some new concrete and steel bridge over the HOusatOnic river between this town and Stratford, was formally opened today. The bridge was aCtu- ally thrown open to traffic on NOvem- Der I, marking the completion, ot million and one-half dollar structure and one of the finest pieces of archi- lecture in the state or anywhere else i'll bridge lines.
 It crosses the river at a point where, after it's tumbling course down from the Berkshires, 1t has become broad and placid as it turns with majestic sweep to the eastward out into Long Island Sound.
 The new bridge has been built just above the old one, thus making it possible to eliminate a bad curve in the highway and to improve the grades. The roadbed is carried on five spans of six ribs each. There are two approaches, carried on small decorative arches. The spans are each 100 feet, and there IS channel span of I25 feet. The main bridge IS 87o feet long, and rests on five deep water piers and two abutments. Four of these piers rest on concrete piles driven 70 feet below low water to solid rock The approaches are re- spectively GOO and 300 feet long: The crown of the roadway IS 38 feet above the water The roadway IS over 40 feet in width with eight-foot walks on either side. The lights are in groups of three fastened to con crete obelisks which rise out of the sides of the bridges.
 Vehicle Traffic Heavy.
 The bridge was begun in June, 1919, and was built by the T. Stuart x Son Company of Newton, Mass. The draw is of the two-leaf bascule type and was furnished by the Bethlehem Steel Company. Something like 75, GOO barrels of cement were used in the bridges construction. The bridge was designed in the office of State Highway Commissioner Charles J. Bennett, and is'to be paid for jointly by the state, the counties of Fair field and New Haven, and the trolley company.
 The vehicular traffic now seldom fails below 4,ooo vehicles in "A hours, and more often is. double that number or more. On the day of the great football game in New Haven last year 42,ooo machines went across the old bridge in one direction in six hours. The new bridge is amply able to take care of all the traffic which the Post Road can bring it.
 Several Predecessors.
 The present structure has been pre- ceded by several others, all bearing the name Washington Bridge" The first of these was not built until after the year 1900, and then in the face of much opposition from the people of Derby, a few miles further up. Most of the Derby people were inter ested in either shipbuilding, fishing or trading, and looked upon a bridge as an unwarranted obstruction and intrusion. Derby was an Independent port of entry and the trade between it and the West Indies was large and valuable. Fishing interests on the river were also valuable, and the would interfere with the shad which then sold for -four and sixpence" and were protected by law. Within a few years the bridge was carried away by ice, and it is said there was a general and joyous celebration of the calamity i'll Derby.
 O1O NdpI bdIlSIIly.
 It was not long before another bridge was built. One of the first to come up the river after it's completion was old Cap. Barteny, an irascible Frenchman of Derby, on his way with a cargo of rum, sugar, molasses and coffee. Instead of opening the draw in response to the old Captain s signal, the bridge sentinel demanded his papers as a pass to the port of Derby. Upon this the Captain sent his men ashore to open the draw but, not understanding the mechanism, they failed. He then ordered them out of the way and opened fire on the bridge with a cannon loaded to the muzzle with old spikes and what-not. This brought the bridge tender to terms and the Captain sailed up the river triumphant.
 Derby no longer builds ships or trades with the West Indies; the shad ? have long since forsaken the Housa- tonic, and Cap Bartemy's old cannon would scarce scratch this newest bridge, built of material the earlier builders knew not of