D:\HTM\2HTMchap15clean.htm

311

HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.

CHAPTER XV.

HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES--EARLY SURVEYS--MODE OF REPAIRING--BRIDGE AT THE FALLS--THREE MILE BRIDGE--CENTRE TURNPIKE--WALTHAM-ROADS ABOUT VILLAGE.

HE first settlers made their way to their neighbors by marked trees, or by paths cut through the forest by themselves, as their necessities required. The first highways laid out by any authority, so far as we can learn, were surveyed in April, 1786, by a committee appointed by the proprietors, consisting of Benjamin Risley, John Chipman, Robert Huston and Jonathan Chipman. The FIRST was a road eight rods wide, commencing on the south line of the town, near "the north-west corner of the dwelling house of Capt. Painter," and running north on the west line of the west tier of home lots, to New Haven line. This wide road, running through what was intended as the centre of the town, was designed as a trunk road, with which the cross roads were to be connected as branches. It was re-surveyed by the selectmen in 1788, as far as Philip Foot's farm, where the road to the falls leaves it. In September, 1789, the remainder was resurveyed to the New Haven line, but was never opened further north than Nichols and Wheeler's mill, where Philip Foot, about that time, built a saw-mill. The SECOND was a six rods road, from the south line of the town, near Capt. Boardman's, northerly until it unites with the first highway, near Allen Foot's. This road, passing by the dwelling houses of the late Martin Foot and Martin Everts, was designed to connect the Hyde and Torrance neighborhood with the centre. The THIRD road surveyed at that time was four rods wide, and commenced in the west line of the last mentioned, where " that crosses the river " near the poor house, and ran westerly, by Jonathan Seeley's, to the bank of the creek near

312

HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.

the three mile bridge. The FOURTH commenced where the last terminated, and ran along the east bank of the creek; through where the village now is, to New Haven line. This highway, from where it leaves the creek northerly, was six rods wide, and south of it, four rods. The FIFTH was four rods wide, commencing at the Salisbury line, and running by "the now dwelling house of Thomas Chipman," near Lochlin Wainwright's present house, and crosses the river near Jonathan Seeley's, and unites with the third of the above mentioned roads. The SIXTH is a six rods road, and begins "in the west line of an eight rods highway and on a public lot,'' (probably the glebe lot,) next east of the town plat, and north of Philip Foot's farm, and runs westerly by Eli Matthews', "to the west line of the highway running from the falls to New Haven," near the falls. The selectmen, in 1788, laid out a road from Philip Foot's, and running into this near Millen Stowell's. In November of that year, the selectmen also laid a highway, called " Preston s road," six rods wide, running southerly through Munger Street, thence easterly by Abel Case's to the line between the two tiers of home lots, and on that line to Torrance's. This line, south of the late Samuel Severance's, has been discontinued. Other highways have been, from time to time, located and altered by the selectmen. For an account of these, we commend the study of the town clerk's records to those who are interested in such studies.

All

highways in a new country, especially,in a stiff clay soil, like that of Middlebury, after they are opened, are sufficiently difficult to travel, especially in a wet season. Persons who are accustomed only to our present conveniences for travel, and have no experience of travelling through a region in the process of being cleared of a dense forest, have little conception of the state of the roads in the early settlement of the town. Something may be learned on that subject by the representations stated elsewhere.

The

opening and repairing roads and building bridges is one of the first necessities of a new country. At the first town meeting when any business was done, except the appointment of officers necessary for the nominal organization of the town, a tax was laid "to be worked out on the road;" and a similar tax was laid, at every

313

HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.

subsequent town meeting, for several years. At an early day also, when the inhabitants were few, and the lands were owned mostly by absent proprietors, the legislature, in several instances, imposed taxes on all the lands for this purpose. According to the general laws of the State subsequently adopted, the selectmen in each town were required to assess a tax, prescribed in the statute, to be paid in labor on the highways. The town annually appointed the requisite number of surveyors, to each of whom the selectmen assigned an appropriate district; and the inhabitants in each assembled, under the order and notice of the surveyor, with suitable tools and teams, and were set to work. For the building of expensive bridges, or when other extraordinary expenses were required, the towns were authorized to lay an extra tax. This system was adapted to the early settlement of the country, when labor was more abundant than money, and every one felt an urgent necessity to have the roads improved. But in time it became less efficient, and the inhabitants became more and more inclined to pay their taxes, with as little labor as possible. To encourage the payment of money instead of labor, the legislature enacted, that every tax payer should have the right to pay his tax in money, at a discount of twenty-five per cent. This was an improvement of the system, but in this town it has not provided such roads as we ought to have. The responsibility is divided among too many surveyors, and little care is taken of the roads, except at the general gathering in the spring. The expenses of the ordinary small bridges have generally been paid from the ordinary highway tax. But the expense of bridges, over the creek and Middlebury River, have been paid from the funds of the town.

The

first bridge over the creek at the falls, subsequent to that built by Daniel Foot in 1787, was erected in 1799. The first bridge over the creek near Mr. Piper's, called the Three Mile Bridge, of which we have any knowledge, was built in 1801, although probably some cheap bridge had been built before. It appears by the proceedings of the town in November 1800, that measures were adopted for that purpose; it was then called the " bridge at Mr. Henshaw's farm,''-Joshua Henshaw then owning the farm

314

HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY

now belonging to Mr. Piper. The bridge at the falls was next rebuilt in 1811; and again in 1823, it was still more thoroughly rebuilt, from a tax of five cents on a dollar, and made payable in materials, beef cattle, or money at a discount of 12 1-2 per cent. The old wooden abutments were replaced with stone and extended farther into the river. One stone pier was built, but the committee supposed a wooden trestle would be sufficient for the other part of the bridge. The result was, that in the spring freshet in 1832, the trestle was swept away, and that part of the bridge fell. The other stone pier was then built, and that part of the bridge rebuilt, and the timbers on the north part replaced a few years after. Besides some incidental repairs and some new timbers, the whole bridge has not been built anew since 1823, until the summer of 1855. At that time a more firm and commodious bridge, than ever before, was erected under the superintendance of Mr. Calvin Hill, first selectman, and Mr. David Piper, architect. The abutments, piers and bridge were raised two feet, with a broad side walk on each side, extending their width beyond the whole width of the former bridge.

The

Three Mile Bridge, across the creek, and the road leading from it to Cornwall, were not so much used by the people of Middlebury as by other travellers, and the town, desiring to get rid of the expense of supporting them, at their meeting in March, 1815, voted to discontinue both. At the term of the County Court in December, 1822, on the report of a committee appointed on the petition of some of the inhabitants west of the creek, the court ordered a new highway to be established somewhat varying from the old one. At the next March meeting, in 1823, the selectmen were ordered to build the bridge and "repair the road to Cornwall, or build a new one." The selectmen not promptly obeying the order, the town was indicted for the delay, and at the December term, 1824, were fined $284, with costs. At the next March meeting, in 1825, the town laid a tax to pay the judgment, with which the bridge and road were built. Since that time the town has supported both. The present covered bridge was built in 1836.

the commencement of the present century, there was about as much enthusiasm for turnpikes, to supply the deficiency of common

315

HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY

roads, as there has been recently for rail roads, and with about the same results. The inhabitants of Middlebury, desirous of having a more commodious connection with towns east of the mountain, the legislature, at their session in this place in 1800, with half a dozen other charters, incorporated the Centre Turnpike Company, with the privilege of making a turnpike from the Court House in Middlebury to Woodstock, with a branch to Royalton. This was a great undertaking at the time, and the road was not wholly completed until 1808. The toll on the road has never been sufficient to keep the road in good repair, and has since, after a long struggle, been surrendered to the several towns, except a short piece in Hancock, including the steep descent on the east slope of the mountain, which that town will not consent to take. The road in Middlebury, from the Court House to the foot of the mountain, was surrendered to the town by act of the legislature in 1817. From the foot of the mountain east, more recently surrendered, the town has paid $300. Daniel Chipman and Judge Keyes, of Stockbridge, were the principal superintendants and contributors, and the road has passed from them with little remuneration for their labor and contributions.

The

Waltham Turnpike Company was incorporated in 1805, to construct a road from the termination of the Centre Turnpike to the Court House in Vergennes. Only that part of it which extends from the village to the paper mill bridge was located in Middlebury. Gen. Samuel Strong was the principal manager, and most of the stock fell into his hands. After struggling for many years with various opposing interests, the legislature, in 1828, passed an act declaring the turnpike to be " a free public road," on condition the corporation should relinquish their claim. This they readily did.

add, in this connection, a few alterations of roads about the village. Previous to the year 1799, the highway running south from the village, passed through Pleasant Street, and in that direction to the creek, and thence southerly on its bank. That year the present road was opened, from the Court House south, and extended, through what was called the Middle Road, to Bethuel Goodrich's, and connected with the creek road near the mile bridge. In the year 1799 the present road to the paper mill was opened, and the

316

HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.

year previous, the road from the Court House to Dr. Bass's. Until about the year 1811, the commonly travelled road from the village to Cornwall passed over the hill north of the college, by the present residence of Abraham L. Williamson, to a road running south by Samuel Blodget's, which is now closed. In 1803 the present road was surveyed to the line of Cornwall, but was not opened for travel beyond the residence of the late Dea. Porter until 1811.