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Dec 11, 2023
Franklin County (MA) News Archive
The Franklin County Publication Archive Index

To search for a particular subject term, click on the highlighted link containing that term at the bottom of the article. For example, if you are seeking more articles about animals, click on the highlighted link which says Animals/Reptiles/Amphibians.

Article Archives: Articles: Bridges

Showing 25

Posted by stew - Sat, Feb 14, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
The Greenfield end of the Troy and Greenfield Railroad

The Greenfield end of the Troy and Greenfield Railroad - Messrs. Keith and Barton, Greenfield’s committee to adjust damages with parties on the line of the railroad, have been busy the past week, and have not yet completed their task. Starting from the track of the Connecticut River Railroad, a strip is taken from the Agricultural Fair Ground, the width of which is not yet determined.

A small portion of Mrs. Colle’s lot will probably be taken, and a little from the south side of John Osterhout’s lot and also Judge Aiken’s. A corner is taken from the Catholic premises, but the road will not come within 20 ft. of the new house, or seriously interfere with it. A small piece will be taken from the rear of Miss Lucy Billings’ lot, and the road will then cross lands belonging to the Methodist Society, H.J. Davis, A. DeWolf, L.T. Smith, Mrs. L.W. Rice, John Russell, and William Elliot, running for the most part on a side hill, and not greatly damaging any of the parties.

On E.J. Jones’ premises, it takes a part of his garden; on Dennis W. Jones, a rear lot; a strip of 50 rods, belonging to Charles L. Lowell; a strip fro the open lot adjoining, belonging to Joel Wilson, and also the premises in the rear of it belonging to ____ Merzh. Crossing the avenue, Mrs. Helen M. Pratt’s house stands directly in the way, and her whole lot is purchased. Mrs. Mary B. Coombs owns the remainder of the land to the Green River.

On the other side of Green River, the road will run 400 ft. south of James Newton’s hosue. At this point there will be a fill of 30 ft., which will require an embankment 16 rods wide at the bottom. The distance across the Newton premises is 1800 ft. It strikes the east side of J.M. Munson’s lot, not going within 25 rods of his house, taking from him 5 acres of pine land running through a cut of 33 ft. on the extreme south as it comes to the Deerfield line.

The length of the road on Munson’s land is 78 rods. The line of road is about half way between the old trotting park on Petty’s Plain and the County road west of it, crossing land belonging to the Bird heirs, a small corner of land belonging to Allen Newton, George W. Potter and Washington Jones, then lands of Caleb Jones, George W. Jones, ____ Hartwell, L.B. Wise, Elexis Jones, Charles Wood, Frederick Conant, and then on to the line at West Deerfield.

At Blakeley Hollow, the bed of the road is 23 ft. under the present track, and from that point west, runs on the side hill, a succession of cuts and fills, but nowhere interferes with houses west of Green River. The bridge across Green River is to be a two track iron bridge, 500 ft. long and 80 ft. high. The piers and abutments will have to rest on piles, as an iron rod has been sunk near the river, to the depth of 40 ft., and the ground was found to be soft and treacherous.

The bridge is to be of the first things constructed, and will be sub-contracted to one of the parties who are now making estimates.
 

Subjects: Bridges, Deerfield (MA), Economics, Fairs, Farmers & Farming / Flowers, Greenfield (MA), Horses, Households, Parks, Religion, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Trains, Trees, Vendors and Purchasers, Women, Work, Architecture / Construction, Geography

Posted by stew - Sat, Feb 14, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
The Turners Falls bridge

The Turners Falls bridge - A prayer for an injunction was filed by the Montague Paper Co. at the office of the Clerk of Courts, to prevent the County Commissioners from building the new bridge at Turners Falls, as located by the Board, which will bring the matter before the Supreme Judicial Court, which will be in session in Greenfield on the 29th. The company claims that the commissioners had no right to lay out the highway and bridge without first ascertaining that the expenses to be incurred under the act of the Legislature would not exceed $42,000...

That if the bridge is built as located, cutting off the easterly end of the company's paper mill, heavy damages will be sustained, not only by the appropriation of the company's property, but also by the interruption and permanent injury which will thereby be caused to the business; the damage, the company claims, amounting to many thousands of dollars...The company claims that its land and property cannot be lawfully taken.
 

Subjects: Bridges, Business Enterprises, Courts, Economics, Government, Law and Lawyers, Montague (MA), Roads, Trees, Turners Falls (MA), Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Fri, Feb 13, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items

Greenfield - Fred Hawks left town last week to commence work upon a long bridge over the West River at Townshend Vt. It will require several weeks work with a large gang of hands to complete his contract.
 

Subjects: Bridges, Gangs, Greenfield (MA), Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Vermont, Work, Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Sun, Feb 8, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
Cheapside as it was more than 50 years ago

Cheapside as it was more than 50 years ago - A good deal of business was transacted at Cheapside even as late as 1819. Two stores were in operation, one situated on the west, the other on the east side of the covered bridge. Robert Bardwell and Clark Houghton were the storekeepers. A line of boats, owned by Clark Houghton, run [sic] regularly to and from Hartford, and freight came in there to be distributed among the merchants of Greenfield and vicinity, even to merchants in Rowe, Whitingham, Wilmington and others west of here.

In later years Allen & Root of Greenfield run a line of freight boats to Hartford, and had a store on the landing, and sold quite a large amount of heavy goods. Uncle George P. Field had a bakery there and sold crackers - and good ones, too - to the people in all this region. Robert Field tended the gate, and made cut nails by hand, with the aid of a heading machine, and had a two story building on the side of the road next to the river.

There was no tavern there in those days, so the storekeepers had license to retail the ardent. The consequence was that in dull days, or rainy days, lots of thirsty bodies presented themselves to be lined inside with something to take. Old St. Croix was cheap then - about $1 per gallon; new rum .33 per gallon. Oh, how they did drink!

The main farm in Cheapside was owned by a man who died many years since, and not one foot of said farm is owned at present by any of his heirs; neither is there now a slab to mark his resting place in the cemetery, near the railroad station at Old Deerfield.

At the time when a division of the old county of Hampshire was talked of, there was a strong effort made to have the shire town of the (then) new county of Franklin established at Cheapside, but the man who owned at that time, hundreds of acres of land in that locality, would not sell any for the purpose, so that village today is not as valuable as in 1819. W.

[Those interested in Cheapside simply must read "History of Greenfield: Shire Town of Franklin County, Massachusetts" by Francis McGee Thompson, and Lucy Cutler Kellogg].

[Also do a search on Cheapside at the American Centuries site:
http://www.memorialh...zoom_query=cheapside ].
 

Subjects: Bars (Drinking establishments), Bridges, Business Enterprises, Cemeteries, Connecticut, Deerfield (MA), Economics, Family, Farmers & Farming / Flowers, Food, Greenfield (MA), Hampshire / Hampden Counties, History, Law and Lawyers, Liquors, Literature / Web Pages, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Sales, Stores, Retail, Trains, Transportation, Vendors and Purchasers, Vermont, Weather, Rowe (MA)

Posted by stew - Sun, Feb 8, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 6, 1875
Turners Falls

Turners Falls - Several parties have been arrested for fast driving on the suspension bridge recently, and one of them paid a fine of $2 for it.
 

Subjects: Animals / Reptiles, Bridges, Crime, Criminals, Economics, Horses, Montague (MA), Police, Transportation, Turners Falls (MA)

Posted by stew - Wed, Feb 4, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
A fearful fall

A fearful fall was that of John McCain, a laborer, who slipped and fell from the top of the New York abutment of the East River bridge to the ground, a distance of 200 feet Fri. morning. He was crushed into a shapeless mass.
 

Subjects: Accident Victims, Accidents, Bridges, Work

Posted by stew - Wed, Feb 4, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
Coleraine



Malory Davenport, while working on a bridge, had the misfortune to fracture his jaw and dislocate the bones of his nose, besides mutilating the flesh of his face to a shocking extent. The wound was dressed by Dr. Severance of Shelburne Falls.
 

Subjects: Accidents, Bridges, Coleraine [now Colrain] (MA), Medical Personnel, Shelburne and Shelburne Falls (MA), Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Tue, Feb 3, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
Court record

The third week of the superior court was continued at 4 o’clock p.m. Mon., at which time the arguments were made on the town case of Joel R. Davenport vs. the Inhabitants of Coleraine, The accident, as alleged by the plaintiff in this action, occurred on the highway in the town of Coleraine, near the house of Arthur A. Smith, in Feb. 1873. At the time named, the ground was covered by a heavy body of snow, and on the day of the alleged injury, was thawing. The plaintiff was drawing wood, and had on his sled at the time, 180 ft. of green wood - a very heavy load.

The plaintiff says he was sitting upon the load of wood, driving with due care, and by reason of a defect in the highway - which consisted of a deep "cradle hole", and also a sidling condition of the road - his load was overturned, falling upon and injuring him. To this the town replied that the plaintiff was not using due care, and in fact he did not receive the alleged injury claimed, in the manner as stated.

Two boys, who saw the occurrence, testified that the plaintiff stopped his team, and after examining the load, stepped upon the rave of the sled, and turned to the right and started up, upon which his load was overturned. To another party, who came up shortly after, the plaintiff stated that he was not hurt. The testimony of other witnesses, who examined the track of the runner in the snow, went to show that the boys’ story was true, and that the plaintiff was mistaken in keeping the road, and his getting off the hard track and his endeavor to drive back into it, occasioned the overturn.

The defense also argued that the plaintiff had no claim against the town, and never thought of such a thing himself for over a year after the accident; and in proof of this theory, they showed that the plaintiff said, some time ago, he should have to ask the town for pay for his sled stakes; and again, about a year after, he made a demand on the Selectmen for $100, for injury to his chest or side, while his claim now was for injury to his leg or hip.

The court ruled that unless the defect was the sole cause of the accident, the town was not liable. Verdict for the defendants. S.T. Field for pl’ff.; D. Aiken for defense.

Lyman J. Wait vs. Justin Thayer et al. - This action was brought to recover the payment of a promissory note held by the plaintiff of Greenfield, dated Nov. 1, 1872, for $1000, and signed by S.F. Warner, with the endorsement of Thayer, Sargent & Co. of Northampton. The real defendant, however, in the present action being Gen. Luke Lyman of the latter town, who, as well as Warner, composed the company of the endorsing firm...The whole case was narrowed to the single question of the circumstances under which the note was taken; it being conceded by all parties that the proceeds were used for Warner’s private benefit...Verdict for plaintiff, amount $1281.67...

Mary M. Hillman vs. the Inhabitants of Charlemont - This was an action of tort for injuries received on the highway leading from Heath Center, to what is known as the old center of the town of Charlemont, and occurred Aug. 14, 1874. The injury was received by the horse running away, and the plaintiff being thrown from the wagon, at a steep and rocky portion of the road. The injury in this case was real, the fact not being questioned by the town, and no evidence was needed of severity or permanency, the only fact to be tried was as to the liability of the town.

The plaintiff of course, made the usual allegations of want of repair or defects in the highway, and the due care used by her; while the defendants rested their case on the grounds - first, that the road was safe and convenient; second, want of due care; and third, loss of control and the vicious habits of the horse...The jury evidently came to the conclusion that the town was liable, and being liable, gave a verdict to the full amount asked. ..

The large damages given occasioned general surprise, however, from the fact that the plaintiff was understood to be willing to settle with the town before the trial for $1500. The amount will be quite an item in the future taxes of Charlemont, already very heavy (some 3%), while to these must be added a large sum on a new bridge for which the town is to pay. The present verdict is for $5000, to which heavy cost must also be added...

The following cases were disposed of without trial: Simon L. Shattuck et al. vs. John Haggerty - Judgment for plaintiff, amount $114. Frank T. Swan vs. Charles L. Sawyer et al. - Judgment on award of referees, for plaintiff; amount $1720. L. Johnson vs. Harding G. Woodard - Discontinued and settled out of court. Henry C. Willard et al. vs. Elijah Stratton - Judgment for plaintiff, amount $88. James Newton vs. Walter A. Lee - Judgment for plaintiff, amount $217.

Parker Wise et al. vs. David W. Goss - Judgment for plaintiff, amount $60. Solomon O. Poole vs. Solomon Poole - Discontinued and settled out of court. Mary Joslyn vs. William B. Templeton, app’t. - Discontinued and settled out of court. Hezekiah Andrews vs. George P. Stearns - Action dismissed. Rodney Hunt Machine Co. vs. Rodney Hunt et als. - Judgment on award of referee.

The case of Chandler A. Vincent vs. the Inhabitants of Rowe has been on trial during the last two days of the week, and will be given to the jury today. The action is one of contract, to recover for building a road in said town. The plaintiff claims that he took the piece of road to build, according to certain conditions as to time, etc.; that he performed his part of the contract and now wants his pay therefor. The town deny the claim, alleging that the conditions were not complied with, by which a good winter road was to be made by a certain date, and the same afterward completed for acceptance by another fixed date...

The contract was all oral, and it required a large number of witnesses to ascertain what it was, and whether it had been executed to the satisfaction of all people living in that vicinity. The only remaining cases are those of Edward A. Robbins vs. John T. Fitch et al.; and John Butterworth vs. S.W. Hall et al. and Trustee; but the trials to be had before the Judge will take the most of the week. The term will be the largest for years.
 

Subjects: Accidents, Animals / Reptiles, Bridges, Business Enterprises, Businesspeople, Charlemont (MA), Children, Coleraine [now Colrain] (MA), Courts, Economics, Government, Greenfield (MA), Hampshire / Hampden Counties, Horses, Households, Law and Lawyers, Orange (MA), Roads, Transportation, Trees, Weather, Women, Work, Heath (MA), Rowe (MA)

Posted by stew - Tue, Feb 3, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items

Robert Abercrombie, whose fine new house, on the hill above the Cheapside Bridge, has just been completed, gave a reception and "hop" Thurs. eve. for the benefit of the workmen who have been employed on the structure. The house has been thoroughly built, and commands a grand view of the lovely Deerfield meadows, and our neighboring mountain scenery.

The carpenters employed were Dwight Holden and George Holden and Charles E. Fisk, and they have spared no skill or labor in making a model residence. The rooms are neatly finished off in the wood [sic], and arranged after the most approved style. Mr. A. has a fine spring above his house, which is supplied from it, being piped through out for hot and cold water.

It is also fitted for gas. M.R. Pierce & Co. have done all the plumbing, piping, etc. - an important item in the structure - and C.L. Frink was employed to do the painting. The party was made as free and easy as possible. Forty or 50 people were present. Music was furnished for the dancing by John Putnam and Philo Temple, the latter of whom is a neighbor and quite a noted musician a generation ago. [See Google Books "History of Greenfield" by Francis McGee Thompson, and Lucy Cutler Kellogg].

Refreshments were dispensed in the most hospitable way, and the occasion will be long remembered by all who were present.
 

Subjects: African-Americans / Blacks, Amusements, Bridges, Business Enterprises, Dance, Deerfield (MA), Food, Greenfield (MA), History, Light, Literature / Web Pages, Music, Natural Resources, Parties, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Trees, Words, Work, Architecture / Construction, Water

Posted by stew - Sun, Jan 18, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 30, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items

Officer Kimball was called upon Fri. aft. to take into custody Jim Bowers, living near the Cheapside Bridge, who was drunk and abusing his wife. Jim made some noisy demonstrations when called upon by the officer, but was finally jailed. Justice Davis continued his case on the complaint of drunkenness, and put him under bonds of $100 to keep the peace 6 months.
 

Subjects: Bridges, Courts, Crime, Criminals, Deerfield (MA), Drunkenness, Economics, Greenfield (MA), Noise, Police, Prisons, Wife Abuse

Posted by stew - Sat, Jan 17, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 23, 1875
Shelburne

The freshet of last week did more damage than it was at first expected, especially in the northeast part. The road up the Brook to Warren Allen's is mostly swept away, including bridges, and the stream in some places has changed places with the road, and run with undisputed velocity, and for a long distance the road looks like the forsaken bed of an old stream. It must cost so many hundred dollars to rebuild the road that it is thought by some that it will be better to give up that route and build a road from the Boyden place across to Col. Wells' road, where a sort of bridle path now runs.
 

Subjects: Bridges, Economics, Floods, Roads, Shelburne and Shelburne Falls (MA), Weather

Posted by stew - Sat, Jan 17, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 23, 1875
Turners Falls bridge



Turners Falls bridge - Plans of the proposed bridge are now ready at the office of the Clerk of Courts, which have been drawn by E.A. Stratton, the Engineer employed by the County Commissioners. The specifications require that the bridge shall have a carriage way of 18 ft. in the clear, and a projecting sidewalk on either side of 5 ft. in the clear. The bridge shall be capable of sustaining 80 lbs. to the square foot, exclusive of its own weight.

From the Turners Falls side of the river to Great Island, the bridge is to be built of iron, of a suspension or truss form as may be decided upon. The span for a truss bridge over the present canal shall be 75, 100 or 150 ft. as may be determined...From Great Island to Gill shore, there will be a clear span of about 210 ft., making a total length of 960 ft. The masonry for the bridge is to be of that character called "first class rubble". The stones are to be of a hard and durable quality, and so quarried as to admit of being laid in regular courses without hammer dressing, and all to be laid in the best quality of hydraulic cement mortar.

Particular attention must be giver to the up-river ends of the piers in the main channel of the river, and cut-water points are required of similar style as in the piers of the Montague bridge, and all the stone in the up-river end of the piers are to be dowelled together up to high water line. In quantity there will be about 1630 cable yards of masonry. There will be embankments required of approaches to the abutments, and excavations for the roadway on Great Island, which will amount to about 2800 cubic yards.

Proposals will be received for the whole work or separately, as parties may prefer, and all work to be done to the acceptance of the county commissioners. The plans take from the east end of the Montague Paper Mill about 20 ft., and keeps clear of the Clark & Chapman machine shop. The estimate is as follows: 1630 yards of masonry at $7, $11,410; 2800 yards of earth work at 25 cents, $700; the price of the superstructure will determine the balance of the cost; assuming that the entire bridge may be made of wood, at a cost not exceeding $30 per lineal foot, the amount would be $28,800, making the total cost $40,910.

It is claimed that a truss bridge or a suspension bridge can be built at low figures as those given in the estimate. The matter of damages is the most serious difficulty to be disposed of. It will be remembered that the act of Legislature requiring the construction of the bridge limits the cost to $42,000. Now it is claimed that the land damage should not be included in this sum, and high legal opinion has been obtained which takes this view of the question. A no. of bridge builders have made inquiries either by letters or by personal visits, and bids are likely to be made at quite low figures. If the bridge is to be built, a time will never be found when it can be done cheaper than now.

[This bridge would come to be known as the "Upper Suspension Bridge". See http://www.memorialh...age.jsp?itemid=15762 for more information and a photo. See also http://www.bridgemeister.com/pic.php?pid=670 ].
 

Subjects: Bridges, Business Enterprises, Canals, Connecticut River, Economics, Gill (MA), Government, Law and Lawyers, Literature / Web Pages, Mail, Massachusetts, Montague (MA), Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Roads, Transportation, Trees, Turners Falls (MA), Work, Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Wed, Jan 7, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 16, 1875
Superior Court

[Tried during the same session as the Woodard libel trial]. Peleg Adams vs. John Single, and Single vs. Adams were both tried at the same time, the first being on a promissory note in payment (or in part payment) of a building lot, bought by the defendant. The answer to the first suit is the declaration of the second, which alleges that the consideration of the note has failed by reason of Rev. Mr. Schwartz holding the land bought adversely. The case practically resolves itself into the same old boundary line between the plaintiff's (Adams) land and the Schwartz farm, and which was fought over in the Hartley vs. Adams case some two years ago.

The boundary in question is from a point near the suspension bridge over the Connecticut River, leading from Greenfield to Turners Falls, thence westerly to the highway leading from Greenfield to Factory Hollow. The same old "Indian Trail", "white pine stump" and "line trees" figure again as freshly to this jury as if they had not been as circumstantially rehearsed over the Hartley trial.

As in the former case, the jury were taken over the ground to view the disputed boundary. If the line shows that the land did not belong to Adams, of course the first case fails, and the plaintiff in the second action will recover what he has paid, with his expense in preparing for the erection of his house, and the note given for part payment will fail for want of consideration. The cases were given to the jury Sat., but no verdict given at the time of going to print. G.L. Barton and W.S.B. Hopkins for Single; S.O. Lamb and F.G. Fessenden for Adams. The criminal cases will be taken up today (Monday).
 

Subjects: Bridges, Connecticut River, Courts, Criminals, Economics, Farmers & Farming / Flowers, Greenfield (MA), Households, Law and Lawyers, Montague (MA), Native Americans, Religion, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Roads, Scandals, Trees, Turners Falls (MA), Vendors and Purchasers, Women, Words, Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Tue, Jan 6, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 16, 1875
Montague City

R.L. Goss, who had built 4 scows to be used in the work of constructing protections for the river bank near Northampton, launched them, and at about 11 o'clock on Thurs., with some 100 invited ladies and gentlemen, started on a voyage down the Connecticut. The scows were nailed together, and an awning was put up to protect the gay party from the sun or rain. The Montague City band furnished music, and refreshments were taken on the passage. It had been proposed to make Northampton before the arrival there of the evening train, and by that means be able to go back home.

But the wind was "dead ahead", and in spite of poling and rowing, very slow progress was made. The scows finally put into port at Sunderland bridge, the party being satisfied with their experience on the "blue wave". But it was a jolly trip, and they didn't mind in the least "footing it" to the depot at South Deerfield.
 

Subjects: Amusements, Beverages, Bridges, Businesspeople, Connecticut River, Deerfield (MA), Food, Hampshire / Hampden Counties, Montague (MA), Music, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Sunderland (MA), Trains, Transportation, Weather, Women, Work, Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Sat, Jan 3, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 16, 1875
News of the week



They have a successor to Sam Patch in Shelbyville, Ind., John Berry by name. A few days ago, he jumped from the top of the Shelbyville railroad bridge into the river, a distance of 75 ft., for a $10 purse made up among the admiring spectators, and he offered for $20 to make the same leap with a double back somersault, but the money was not forthcoming.
 

Subjects: Bridges, Contests, Economics, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Sports, Trains, Stunt performers

Posted by stew - Fri, Jan 2, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 9, 1875
Buckland



The Town fathers have decided to put in a log abutment [also known as log cribbing] to the bridge near Andrew Butler's. Would not a stone one be better?
 

Subjects: Bridges, Buckland (MA), Government, Shelburne and Shelburne Falls (MA), Trees, Work, Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Mon, Dec 29, 2008

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 9, 1875
News about home: Greenfield items

There has been but little change in railroad matters since our last issue. The route adopted for the road, west of the point of curvature, near the Methodist property, is the upper line surveyed, or the one nearest to Main Street. This crosses the premises of Edward L. Pratt, who live on the avenue in the rear of Jesse Coombs', necessitating the removal of his house, and also the house opposite, owned by a German named Merzh. The location of the depot is still in doubt.

http://www.nesea.org/park/

There is to be another meeting of the representatives of the different roads, and an effort made to unite on a union depot. Failing in this, it is possible that the State and the Fitchburg road will set up for themselves, rather than share the meager accommodations of the Connecticut River depot. Surveys have been made for a carriage road leading from Main Street, west of the culvert, to the location of the proposed depot. It is ascertained that the grade would be a fraction over 3 degrees.

The Town already owns the road east of Dr. C.L. Fisk's premises, as far back as J.H. Osterhout's house. It also owns Newton Place avenue, and would be obliged, if so ordered, to bridge the railroad track at the termination of this avenue, and thus afford quite a shortcut to the new depot. Contractors have thronged to Greenfield the past fortnight from all parts of the country.

The bids will be closed today, and the contracts, without doubt, awarded. The work to be done is divided into 4 sections. The first includes that portion of the work which lies between Bardwell's Ferry - a point to which B.N. Farren's contract extends - and the West Deerfield station and a point fixed by the engineers in Blakeley Hollow, and a point on the easterly side of Green River, a distance of about 1 3/10 miles. This section covers some heavy train and steam shovel work, and also the masonry of the important bridge at Green River.

Section 4 will include that portion of the work which lies between a point on the easterly side of Green river and a point where the line crosses the tracks of the Connecticut River Railroad, a distance of about 1/2 a mile. This section includes some cart work near the village of Greenfield, and will cover some portions of all the necessary depot grounds. Bidders, who make separate tenders to do the work between Dec. 31, 1875 and July 1, 1876, can bid for one or more sections.
 

Subjects: Bridges, Economics, Germans, Government, Greenfield (MA), Households, Massachusetts, Medical Personnel, Religion, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Roads, Shelburne and Shelburne Falls (MA), Trains, Transportation, Work, Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Sat, Dec 20, 2008

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 2, 1875
Shelburne Falls

Frost & Bartlett have completed the re-planking of the iron bridge.
 

Subjects: Bridges, Business Enterprises, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Shelburne and Shelburne Falls (MA), Trees, Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Sat, Dec 20, 2008

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 2, 1875
Turners Falls bridge

The County Commissioners have located the Turners Falls bridge, and the Turners Falls terminus will cut off an upper story of the north end of the Montague paper mill, but will not interfere with the building of the Clark & Chapman Machine co. The Commissioners advertise elsewhere for proposals. The bridge is to be completed before May 1, 1877.
 

Subjects: Advertising, Bridges, Business Enterprises, Connecticut River, Government, Montague (MA), Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Turners Falls (MA), Work, Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Sat, Dec 20, 2008

Gazette & Courier - Monday, August 2, 1875
Turners Falls

A.W. Stevens took his final departure Thurs. He has been one of the most active business men in this place, especially in securing the new bridge across the Connecticut at "Great Island".
 

Subjects: Bridges, Businesspeople, Connecticut River, Emigration and Immigration, Montague (MA), Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Turners Falls (MA)

Posted by stew - Mon, Dec 15, 2008

Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 26, 1875
Work on the road at Bardwell’s Ferry

Between Shelburne Falls and Bardwell’s Ferry, the place covered by the Farren contract, lies the most difficult and important work on the entire line, which was sublet by Mr. Farren to a number of parties, D.B. Beaumont taking the earthwork for 3 miles east of Shelburne Falls and Hogan Brothers the masonry over the same distance, while the greatest work of all, the strip of a mile and 3/4 long, including a high bridge over the Deerfield just west of Bardwell’s Ferry station, and a vast excavation of earth and rock near the same point, was taken, both masonry and earth-work, by Wards & Hogan, a couple of Irishmen, and a short piece of excavation still further east by Sherwood & Elliot.

This part of the work, owing to its unexpected magnitude, is very much behindhand, and can now hardly be completed before next spring, though Mr. Farren mentions December as the time when he hopes to see it done. For the first 3 miles east of Shelburne Falls the task of rebuilding the road is a comparatively easy one, merely widening the bed, building a few small culverts and perfecting the grade.

At the end of this distance a new bridge over the Bear River is to be built, requiring two piers and two abutments, making together 2000 yards of masonry. The foundations for the bridge are not yet even begun. East of Bear River the work is light until a point about half a mile from the station at Bardwell’s Ferry is reached, where the serious business begins in full earnest. First is a heavy bank wall of the most substantial character, 1000 ft. long, and requiring 10,000 lbs. of masonry, which is now building. This is on the south side of the track, from which a bank on the other side descends abruptly to the river, and this will have to be rip-rapped.

Beyond the bank wall comes a deep cut through a small mountain, the most stupendous task of all, which will very much reduce the curvature of the road, although at enormous expense. This excavation is to be some 700 ft. long and 36 wide, and will require the removal of 150,000 yards of earth and 50,000 yards of rock, according to the estimates. A huge steam shovel has already dug its way deep into the hill from above, the dirt being carried off by a train of dump cars which are dragged up the hill, on a grade of 6 ft. in the hundred.

The earth to be dug out on one side of the hill was some 65 ft. high, and the work of excavating is hardly more than half done. The bridge over the Deerfield River, upon which the track will run directly as it leaves the cut, is located 200 ft. below the old wooden structure, and will rest on 4 abutments and 2 piers, requiring 1000 yards of solid masonry. It will have 3 spans of 145 ft. each over the river, and 3 of 50 at the ends. The sub-contractors, Wards & Hogan, who have this great undertaking in charge, are doing their work with admirable care and thoroughness, and when completed it is likely to improve the most notable feature on the line aside from the tunnel itself.
 

Subjects: Animals / Reptiles, Bridges, Business Enterprises, Businesspeople, Family, Hoosac Tunnel (MA), Irish, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Shelburne and Shelburne Falls (MA), Trains, Trees, Work, Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Mon, Dec 15, 2008

Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 26, 1875
Shelburne Falls

The Town Fathers are replanking the river bridge.
 

Subjects: Bridges, Government, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Shelburne and Shelburne Falls (MA), Work, Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Sun, Dec 14, 2008

Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 26, 1875
Millers Falls

With good luck, we trust our bridge will be passable for public travel sometime before snow flies. Since the 5th day of April we have been without a safe passage across this bridge, and since June 1st no passage at all for teams, which have been compelled to go around about 1/2 mile. There is but one bridge in Montague having more travel across it than this, and all this time has been taken to repair one abutment.

June 1st the work of repairing commenced, and it is not yet completed. Surely our citizens are forbearing. We would like to ask the chairman of the road commissioners how long he would have quietly borne it to have had the bridge across Saw Mill River near his own home, barred up, when 3 weeks' work would have repaired it? Mr. Co'es, the truckman, has suffered pecuniarily very heavily, by being compelled to draw all freight around so far to the depot. Two hundred dollars would probably not make him whole.
 

Subjects: Animals / Reptiles, Bridges, Economics, Government, Horses, Luck, Millers Falls (MA), Montague (MA), Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Trains, Transportation, Weather, Work, Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Sun, Dec 14, 2008

Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 26, 1875
Turners Falls

The Engineer is estimating the cost of masonry for the various styles of bridge proposed cross the river, and when he gets his estimates completed, the Commissioners will be ready to ascertain the amount of land damage to be paid.
 

Subjects: Bridges, Connecticut River, Economics, Government, Montague (MA), Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Turners Falls (MA), Architecture / Construction

Posted by stew - Sun, Dec 14, 2008

Gazette & Courier - Monday, July 26, 1875
Montague City

The Hampden County Commissioners have contracted with R.L. Goss of Montague City to build them 4 scows with a tonnage of 30 tons each, at a cost of $1100, for the proposed work of protecting the east bank of the Connecticut River beyond the bridges. They are to be delivered at the bridges by 7 o’clock Mon. morning, Aug. 16th.
 

Subjects: Bridges, Business Enterprises, Businesspeople, Connecticut River, Government, Hampshire / Hampden Counties, Massachusetts, Montague (MA), Natural Resources, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Transportation, Trees, Work, Architecture / Construction


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