The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-04-27
ride and wind stay no mans
pleasure"

of catching crabs? These shell-Ilsh
were bountiful during their seasons
but nowadays they have almost DIS
appeared, at least. in that locality.
Thunder and Lightning bridge
spanned Ash Creek on the main hlgh-
way between Bridgeport and Falr-
field. It's name came from this
bridges peculiar construction Which
gave forth reverberaung SOUNDS nike
thunder when a carriage was driven
hurriedIy across it. Stone. and dirt
piers We're placed at intervals across
the creek, and connecting these were
plank spans. 1t was the plank spans
that caused the thunder and the art
portions that furnished the igntnlng-
On the south side of the bridge In
Fairfield stood the English Cnop
house, over which 'Tommie Lowe
presided. He served welsh rareplls
and Bass ale in the good old days OF
on the right side of the main road
was HJack'' McCarty's blacksmith
shop. Adjoining this was the NC
Carly homestead where the village
srnithy" and his two beautiful
daughters resided, one of whom mar
ried johnnie Mills of Bridgeport
Just beyond was Groom's roadhouse'
where good wine was served, and
all the comforts OF home" provided,
dav and night. for man and beast.
DR.. l. -DeVer Warner bought the
McCarty property. also the celeoraIeo
Groom establishment. He later erect
ed a substantial monument In the
sape of a stone gateway were the
hotel entrance stood and named II
"GraSmere.
Do you remember the old Center
bridge? It's approach was from the
end of Middle street, running up over
dirt filling in quarter circle until
the top of a high stone pier was
reached. Facing east. from the top
of the pier, was a heavy wood moor
ing, suspended by wooden arches. the
east end resting on similar stone
u ha+x an
piers was about 200 feet, and the
clearance above the several railroad
tracks of the old Housatonic rail-
road was sufficient to clear the tops
when not in use. in a long WOODEN
shed stretching for about 500 feet
towards the foot of Gold street
This Center bridge, or Crescent
bridge as it was SOM chimes called,
was rather fimsi1y constructed. ON
the south side of the plank1ng, Wnere
lcans were driven, was long covered
wooden shed to protect foot passen-
gers from wind and weather Al
intervals We're square wooden holes,
in lieu of windows, which AFFORDED the
north winds n chance to whip of the
hats of unsuspecting pedestrians ana
land them in the mud and water, TOO
Ear away for salvage. This was the
,ource for much revenue to Fred
Perry and other hat sellers on poth
-ide5 of thu harbor.
From the high piers ON the west
shore, the bridge ran down hlli 70
NJ set the grade on the east sldls, near
3, Iowes The draw was NEAR the
EAST end. Eberhardt was drawtenoer.
A lam entable accident occurred on
his bridge during the early days OF
he Bridgeport Horse railroads oper-
ATOMS. The horse car tracks crossed
sha river from East Bridgeport on the
East Washington Avenue bridge
There were no car tracks on the Cen
HV-id ga
ines afraid IF horse car We're drfv-
n by preference over this bridge.
Walter B. Lashars grandfather was
superintendent of the Horse railroad
nd attended to the selection and pur-
>hase of the various horse teams.
Many of these We're brought frorn
o bridgeport by boat. Mr.. I-ashar
Invariably tried out a team before
hey were attached to a car.
One afternc,on he was driving an
ave- the Center bridge. Hi= had
crossed the upper bridge driven down
Main street, and turned back to go
over Center bridge. AS the flooring
was d5wn hill, the rattle of the plank
ing startled the team and they began
10 run away. The faster they ran,
the greater the rattle of the planking:
he tighter Mr. Lasher drew on the
frightened team pressed the whiffle-
trees. Just the flying horses clear
ed the draw bridge the carriage struck
ore of the iron bridge posts. Mr..
Leshar was thrown out and instantly
killed. There was great public SYM
pathy and sorrow over this lament
able occurrence as Mr.. LaShar was a
most eatimable citizen.
Do you remember the old Railroad
bridge which ran from about the foot
ct Goldzn Hill street across the river,
Mrs. Parker had her news stand
There was a footbridge on the north
side of the bridge, which was one
track affair, rather primitive in con-
ran almost parallel with the Center
bridge draw. Dennis Colgan was
drawtender.
In 1872, the evening before Thanks
giving day, long passenger train, fill
ed with New Workers coming up New
England way 20 spend the holiday,
stopped at bridgeport so the loco
motive could take water from the big
tank that stood just north of the sta
ton. This bridge draw was open and
the red ball signal on the draw pole
was lowered. which was a warming
not to advance. But the engineer
and fireman were so occupied with
keeping up steam and getting their
passengers home on time that neither
saw the signal.
Mr.. Colgan saw the engine start to
cross the bridge. Almost frozen with
horror but not too Mortified to do his
duty. he acted instantly to close the
draw win supreme EFFORT he TOrced
the massive draw, but only had time
enough to swing it into place, and
not enough to lock it securely. How
ever. he was equal to the occasion, ,
tarustinE the iron bar which he used
"a turn the draw into place between |
tho rails at the eastern end CT the /
draw, and by superhuman strength /
hold the ponderous mass in place IN
til the locomotive and Is loaded pas
senger cars passed safely over, ii |
bhssful ignorance of their nearness re l
death Then the hsroic Mr. Colgan
fell back unconscious from the fearful |
strain.
The officials of the road in recog-
milton of the terrible loss of life that |
Mr.. ColSan had prevented by his /,
quickness of thought and superb ef- /
fort, presented the faithful draw
tender with $1,000 worth of railroad |
stock and life pension.
Mr.. Colgan's son. John, is a con-
Guctor now in charge of the trais 4
ca lfe.d the american Beauty" the
q ST eNnrass that r1lr>s daily hetrraar,