Wasn't there a restaurant by the bridge.........Stone Bridge Inn or something like that? Gosh, how many times I went over that when I was a kid riding in the back seat of Gramp Wheeler's big, old, 1930's black Chrysler ! Thanks, Susan........ Polly ----- Original Message ----- From: "Susan W Pieroth" <pieroth@ix.netcom.com> To: <RINEWPOR-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, August 23, 2002 9:14 PM Subject: [RINEWPOR] Old Stone Bridge > Two items came into my possession recently, an inaugural address and a > postcard, with something in common. In the Inaugural Address of Samuel > R. Honey, Mayor of the City of Newport, R. I., January 4th, 1892 he > brings up the subject of the "Rhode Island Stone Bridge." > > "I am unable to see of what use the Rhode Island Bridge is to our > citizens. In the year 1870 the state received this bridge from the > private corporation which owned it before that time, and after putting > it in proper condition for use, by the act of the legislature imposed > upon the three towns of the island of Rhode Island and the towns of > Tiverton and Little Compton the equal duty of 'forever keeping and > maintaining the said bridge and draw in repair.' Newport's' share of > these expenses during the past ten years has amounted to about $600. > Small as is this sum, what adequate return has Newport derived from it? > The principal use of the bridge has been to enable the citizens of > Portsmouth to do their buying in Fall River rather than here. While I am > opposed to the principle of creating artificial barriers to trade, I > fail to see any reason why Newport should contribute money to facilitate > business with a rival. The existence of this bridge and the duty which > rests upon Newport of contributing a share of the expense of repairing > it was recently used as an argument against widening of the railroad > bridge across the Seaconnet [sic] river because it was said that such > widening would necessitate the reconstruction of the Stone Bridge at the > cost of five towns. I do not see how an obligation to repair comprises > the obligation to reconstruct, but if it does, the remedy lies in the > repeal of the act which imposed the duty upon Newport and I suggest that > the representatives of our city in the General Assembly be requested to > urge such repeal" > > My - some things don't change <g>. I don't know if Newport had to pay a > share, but in 1907 the stone bridge over the Sakonnet River between > Portsmouth and Tiverton was replaced. > > To see the postcard I bought of this bridge, go to the following link. > > http://www.rootsweb.com/~rinewpor/postcards/PortsmouthRI-StoneBridge.jpg > > The bridge was partially destroyed in the 1954 hurricane, but the > abutment has been converted into a fishing pier. > > The Sakonnet River Bridge was completed in 1956 to replace the Old Stone > Bridge. > > Susan W. Pieroth > > > > ==== RINEWPOR Mailing List ==== > Scans of Rhode Island Maps are at http://www.rootsweb.com/~rigenweb/maps/ > To unsubscribe: write unsubscribe and mailto:RINEWPOR-L-request@rootsweb.com > Advertisements are added below against the wishes of this list manager > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >