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