USA > Vermont > Windham County > Rockingham > History of the town of Rockingham, Vermont, including the villages of Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Rockingham, Cambridgeport and Bartonsville, 1753-1907, with family genealogies > Part 25
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The Tucker Mansion
offence from the dipper used. It is stated that later salt was used to destroy the road, but unsuccessfully, as residents would cover the tracks with water. Contention was rife over the matter, but later a compromise of the price of toll created a better feeling toward the bridge.
During the early part of his residence here, Nathaniel Tucker, for many years the manager of the toll bridge, lived with his family in a large building at the east end of the toll bridge, familiarly known as the "Tucker Mansion." It stood about where the brick engine house of the Boston & Maine railroad is now, upon a knoll so high that the bottom of the cellar floor was on a level with the ridge-pole of the present bridge. This dwelling was three stories in height and had two wings, one on the north and one on the south, that at first were one story each, and later two stories high. The one on the north side was occupied by the kitchen and domestics. The main hall of the building was in the form of a cross, extending through the building from front to back, and from north to south, with four outside doors. The doors of the ells opened upon broad piazzas two stories high facing the west, while the centre west door of the main building opened upon a high pillared porch. Just in front was a bank wall with a flight of stairs leading down to the highway, which passed between the stairs and a pretty " common" which sloped from that down to the bridge, twenty feet lower. Through this common passed another flight of stairs leading from the mansion down to the bridge. The bridge roads branched from the main Walpole and Charlestown highway some rods south and north of the mansion, descending the incline and passing west of the common, which was artistically laid out. The garden con- nected with the mansion was south of the building, and the barns were on the north side.
These buildings were, in their day, the most entitled to the appellation of " mansion" of any in this whole region, because of their grand proportions, and elegant surroundings. They were a prominent feature of the landscape when the "Great
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History of Rockingham
Falls" were noted far and wide for their scenic beauty. Persons coming to this vicinity from the south upon either side of the river, were struck by their beauty and majestic location. The picture of the first bridge, shows the prominent character of these buildings, but fails to show their beauty as related by the oldest inhabitants of the present day.
They were built by Col. Enoch Hale soon after the build- ing of the bridge, and previous to 1796 had passed into the possession of Benjamin Bellows, 3d. In that year Mr. Bel- lows deeded them to Maj. Jonathan Grout, who in turn sold them to Frederick W. Geyer. They did not come to Mr. Geyer with the foreclosure of the mortgage upon the bridge, but were acquired later. In 1817, the building was occupied for hotel purposes by Thaddeus Nichols, and was known as the "Mansion House Hotel." It was occupied thus as late as 1839, as the late Dr. S. M. Blake spent his first night in this vicinity there in that year.
They were taken down when the railroad was built in 1848. The timber was used in erecting the house now owned by John B. Morse on School street and that recently owned by Dr. F. H. O'Connor on Green street. Mr. Tucker then bought and moved into what is now the Hetty Green place on Church street.
The next bridge, after the two toll bridges, to span the Connecticut at Bellows Falls, was the first Cheshire railroad bridge located only a few feet north of the toll bridge. This was erected a few months after the completion of the railroad between Fitchburg and Bellows Falls in 1849, the depot being located on the New Hampshire side until the bridge was built, and passengers for Bellows Falls were obliged to cross the toll bridge.
This wooden bridge was a picturesque affair. In its day it was a wonder, for its two spans each measured one hun- dred and forty feet, and they marked the limit of length of span at that period. Then, too, its location in a most romantic spot, where the water of the river rushed through a narrow channel worn in the rocks made all the surroundings
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Cheshire Railroad Bridges
of the place most attractive. It was a massive pine frame work upon a principle of bridge building that to-day seems primitive. The stone that was used in building the abut- ments and pier of this bridge was all quarried from what was known as "Thayer's ledge" in Rockingham, near the Springfield line. It was drawn by team down to the Con- necticut and loaded on large scows that brought it down the river to the head of the canal, where it was loaded upon small cars and run down to the bridge by hand. The ledge is located on the top of the divide between the Williams and Black rivers, about two miles from the Connecticut and at the top of a high hill. The late Charles Hapgood had charge of the boats which brought it down the river. A. P. Cros- sett, then a boy of eighteen, assisted the workmen in running the stone to the bridge on the cars.
This bridge did its duty well until the autumn of 1899, when some question having arisen as to its safety the Fitch- burg road, which then owned it, suddenly decided to replace it with the present beautiful stone arches. Work was com- menced September 13, of that year, under a contract with Holbrook, Cabot & Daly of Boston. Without interfering with the passage of trains for a single day, the structure was completed December 10.
This bridge is unique in having two of the longest arches with the least rise of any bridge in this country. The spans are each one hundred and forty feet long with a rise of but twenty feet.
The first bridge here of the Sullivan railroad, similar in every respect to the first frame Cheshire bridge above described, was placed across the river almost directly over the dam during the summer of 1851, about the time of the completion of the Vermont Valley railroad from Brattleboro to Bellows Falls. The Sullivan railroad had been open from here to Windsor nearly two years, using a station located near the New Hampshire end of the toll bridge. This pri- mitive bridge in turn gave way to the present iron lattice bridge in 1882, the first piece of iron being laid February 1,
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History of Rockingham
and the completed structure was tested May 18, of that year.
For a few years previous to 1904, the citizenship of the village of North Walpole, in New Hampshire opposite the village of Bellows Falls, had increased so rapidly as to demand better highway bridge facilities than were furnished by the old toll bridge. At the annual Rockingham town meeting held March 1, 1904, it was voted to authorize the selectmen to borrow on the credit of the town not exceeding $6,666.67 to be used to defray one-third of the expense of purchasing the real estate, easement and franchise of the Tucker toll bridge; and $18,333.34, to be used to defray one-third the expense of building a new steel arch bridge. One week later, at its annual town meeting, Walpole voted not to exceed $45,000 for its two-thirds of the cost of pur- chasing the Tucker toll bridge and the building of the new bridge. A permanent arrangement was made between the two towns whereby the cost of erecting and maintaining the new bridge, as well as the Tucker bridge if it was continued, should be borne two parts by Walpole and one part by Rock- ingham.
The bridge committee, under whose direction all arrange- ments were made, was as follows :
Walpole. E. K. Seabury. M. H. Ray.
Rockingham.
F. O. Smalley. J. C. Day.
C. E. Seward. S. J. Cray.
C. W. Osgood.
C. J. O'Neil. W. H. Kiniry.
C. H. Williams.
After long deliberation this committee decided upon the present style of bridge and June 24, 1904, the contracts for the construction of the stone and steel works were awarded. The plans were prepared by J. R. Worcester, a civil engineer of Boston. The contract for the steel superstructure was awarded to Lewis F. Shoemaker & Company, of the Schuylkill Bridge Works of Philadelphia, for $40,394 ; while the contract for building the stone work was awarded to Joseph Ross & Sons of Boston for $4,545, making a total cost of $44,939.
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HIGH PULPIT AND SOUNDING BOARD OF THE OLD MEETING HOUSE. Restored in 1906.
STEEL BRIDGE ACROSS THE CONNECTICUT AT BELLOWS FALLS. Opened for Traffic March 20, 1905.
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The New Steel Arch Bridge
The bridge was completed inside of the appropriations made, and was opened to the public at 4 P. M. Monday, March 20, 1905, at which time W. H. Kiniry removed the last obstructions. A formal celebration of the event by citizens of the two villages occurred that evening. The school and church bells of North Walpole were rung and red fire and fire-works set off. The Citizens band played on the bridge and later at Russell Memorial Hall in North Walpole, where the principal celebration and public speaking com- pleted the exercises.
The bridge consisted of two spans, one 104 feet 8 inches in length over the Rutland railroad tracks, and the other 540 feet in length over the river. This latter span is notable in that it is the longest highway arch span in the United States, excepting the one across the Niagara river near the falls, and because it is the only long-span arch with suspended floor in this country. The arch of the main span rises seventy feet above the level of the road bed at its highest point. The bridge is thirty-two feet wide over all and carries a carriage way and sidewalk twenty feet and six feet wide, respectively.
The bridge is built to sustain a maximum load of sixty pounds to the square foot on the road way and the sidewalk, and a concentrated load of eighteen tons on two axles two feet apart. The estimated weight of the steel in the bridge is nine hundred thousand pounds.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE BELLOWS FALLS CANAL
For over a century the canal at Bellows Falls has been intimately connected in various ways with all branches of industry and business in this vicinity. To it the village of Bellows Falls is largely indebted for its business prosperity, and almost for its existence. In various ways it has been the greatest factor in making the history of the village, and thereby of the greatest importance to the town of Rocking- ham and all this immediate neighborhood.
The construction of the canal was commenced in the spring of 1792, but the actual passing of boats was not possi- ble until October, 1802, obstacles being met which could not be foreseen and which rendered the cost much greater than was expected by its projectors.
The canal was built primarily for navigation as was clearly indicated by the cumbrous name given by the legisla- ture, a "Company for Rendering Connecticut River Navigable by Bellows Falls." Although at its completion, or very soon after, there were a number of extensive mills that had their power from it, which were destroyed by fire May 11, 1812, other mills were soon erected by the company including two saw mills an oil mill and a wool carding shop. Boats and rafts of lumber passed through it as late as 1858, although the building of the different railroads through the Connecticut river valley between 1848 and 1851 practically did away with navigation except for the passage of lumber down the river to the markets. At all times the water has been used to turn the wheels of business activity, as well as to further the inter- ests of commerce, but not until 1870 was its utilization for power a marked feature of this vicinity.
Like so many corporations which are the initial enterpri- ses of gigantic money making industries of after years, the
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Canal Built for Navigation
men who furnished the money to build the canal and locks and keep them in repair until they passed out of the original ownership in June, 1866, lost heavily upon their investment.
The amount realized by the originators was probably not over twenty per cent of the amount which had been sent over here from England for the purpose of building and maintain- ing it, during the seventy-four years in which it was almost wholly owned in London. This result was not much, if any, worse than the experiences of capital invested in the various canals at different points on the river.
Present-day inhabitants of New England little appreciate the importance of the effect which the early navigation of the Connecticut river was expected to. have upon the com- merce of the world, particularly between New England and the different parts of old England. Following the close of the Revolutionary war the attention of English citizens, and of English capital, was directed to the development of the busi- ness interests of this country similar to the influx of northern capital into the south after the close of the War of the Rebellion. A writer in a paper published in London in 1797 foresaw in the completion of the canal at Bellows Falls, then under construction, "a water communication with the River Thames-a glorious prospect for both countries and a source of commerce and wealth to draw still closer between them the ties of amity." It can hardly be said that the "glorious prospect" was ever fulfilled from the Englishman's stand- point, but it certainly was a very great advantage, in connec- tion with the other canals of the river, to all this section of New England, in bringing the markets of Springfield, Hart- ford and New York much nearer to the early inhabitants than they had been by the cumbrous ox teams and almost impassable highways of those early times.
The Connecticut (named by the Indians "Quon-eh-to- kot," meaning "Long River") was the first river in this country to be improved by canals. It is the longest and has been navigated more above tide-water than any other river in New England.
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History of Rockingham
The canal at Bellows Falls was one of a series of six at different points in the river with locks for raising and lower- ing boats, without which it was impossible to get them past important falls. English capital played a large part in the cost of some, although none was so absolutely and unreserv- edly in the hands of foreigners as this. These canals were at Enfield, Conn., (now Windsor Locks) South Hadley Falls, Turners Falls, Mass., Bellows Falls, Hartland and Wilder, Vt.
By means of the river and these canals it was proposed to navigate upon an extensive scale as far north as Wells River and Barnet, Vt. In connection with this commerce it was proposed to build a canal from the Connecticut across to the Pemigewassett river in New Hampshire and a survey was made of the route leaving the Connecticut in Haverhill. Also at a mass convention held at Montpelier, the money was quickly raised that paid the expense of a survey for a canal following up the Wells river, thence across the mountain to Montpelier and to reach Lake Champlain by the Winooski river.
From many points of view, the Bellows Falls canal was the most important of any located on the Connecticut river. The width of the river where the dam must be constructed, the great fall of fifty-two feet from the level of the water above the dam to that of the eddy half a mile below, the extreme narrowness of the channel through the falls, and the rocky nature of the banks all conspired to make the under- taking one of great expense and risk.
The capital with which the dam, canal, and locks were built, together with additional capital needed for repairs and the purchase of other real estate in later years, was furnished by three brothers of London, Eng., John, Francis and Hodg- son Atkinson, and by Ebenezer Storer, an early treasurer of Harvard college. Neither of these men ever spent much time at Bellows Falls except John Atkinson, who came here often. lle removed here from New York in 1817, and died here in 1823. Hodgson died in London between ISII and
JOHN ATKINSON. 1742-IS23. Built the Bellows Falls Canal, 1792.
28I
Charter of the Canal
1813, leaving this investment as a part of his large estate. His will, probated here in 1829, appointed Thomas and Francis Atkinson, his two sons, joint executors. They man- aged the affairs of the estate until about 1840, when, one or both having died, the management, until a sale of the prop- erty was effected in June, 1866, was vested in George Atkin- son, another son, in the interests of the estates. George Atkinson was in Bellows Falls frequently during the later years, but earlier executors are not known to have been here personally, the business being managed wholly by local agents.
The charters of both the states of Vermont and New Hampshire name as incorporators, Dr. William Page of Charlestown, N. H., and Gen. Lewis R. Morris of Spring- field, Vt. The name of General Morris does not appear in record in any of the transactions in connection with the his- tory of the canal except the charter, and the purchase of the land and water rights previous to its being built. Dr. Page was employed as the civil engineer in constructing the canal, assisted by his son, William Page, Jr., who was at that time a student at Yale, and who later became a prominent attor- ney in Rutland and was the father of Gov. John B. Page.
The act of Vermont legislature under which the canal and dam were built was passed at Rutland, October 25, 1792, although a somewhat similar charter had been granted by the previous legislature at Windsor, dated November 1, 1791. The name given to the organization, "Company for Render- ing Connecticut River Navigable by Bellows Falls," was retained until 1831, when it was changed to the present name " Bellows Falls Canal Company." A charter by the New Hampshire legislature, almost identical with the Vermont act, was granted December 18, 1792.
The exclusive right of building the canal, and erecting the dam, was granted the corporators with the restriction that they should begin the work within three years and complete it "fit for use" within ten years. It fixed the rate of toll at fifteen cents per ton of freight for loaded boats, and half that
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History of Rockingham
sum for empty boats passing through it, " according to the tons said boats will carry, and the same sum for every thousand feet of boards and timber, etc." If, at the end of thirty-one years from the date of the charter, upon investigation by the supreme court, it should be found that the annual net income had exceeded twelve per cent of the actual cost of the con- struction, the toll rate should be reduced. The company were given the usual rights in relation to flowage and acquiring land needed, the damages to be ascertained by a commission appointed by the county court, and the supreme court was to make an examination of all affairs of the company once in ten years.
An amendment to the charter was made October 16, 1795, requiring the locks to be forty feet long and sixteen feet wide. November 6, 1802, authority was given by the company to raise the tolls from fifteen cents to seventy-five cents, and they were reduced to fifty cents by the legislature of 1803. The legislature of 1805 gave the company authority to charge such tolls as they should see fit, the same to be advertised in news- papers of the valley. Thereafter, until 1847, tolls varied from fifty cents to eighty cents in different years. From 1847, it was left with the supreme court to fix the rate of toll once in three years.
Two reports of legislative committees of different years contain facts of interest in the history of the enterprise. To the session of 1830 the following was a part of the report made by the committee on roads and canals.
After rehearsing the previous legislative action in relation to the canal, it says :
" Your committee find, that soon after the commencement of said canal, a Mr. John Atkinson (a wealthy merchant of New York), purchased in 8-9ths of the stock of said company, and that a Mr. James Casey ( Carey?) purchased in the remainder - and that after expending much money in the accomplish- ment of said works, the said Atkinson became embarrassed in his circum- stances, and was under the necessity of mortgaging the same, together with several thousands of dollars of other property near Bellows Falls, to persons in Great Britain - That said Atkinson and said Casey (Carey?) are long since dead - and that said mortgage was foreclosed in Chancery in May, last passed, and that the time for redeeming said property expires in May next-
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Important Facts in the History of the Canal
and that the sum required for the redemption thereof, exceeds forty-nine thousand dollars.
Your committee find, that after said canal and locks were nearly or quite completed, that the same were swept away by a freshet-and that the locks were afterwards built at a greater expense, being extended in a different direction, and more commodious for transportation - being 75 feet in length and 20 feet in width, which we presume to have been taken into account of the expenditures, as contained in the committee's report to the legislature in 1803 above named, but your committee have no certain knowledge of the fact.
We find that the owners of said locks have always been accommodating and generous towards the transporters of loading through their locks, in the estimation of the amount of tonage. That there has been no complaint as to the road, for carting by said canal -that their tolls have uniformly been lower than at most other locks on the river, considering their expenses. That the building of said canal and locks would not probably cost. at this day of improvements in the art of canalling, over $50,000 exclusive of damage done by flowing, etc .- That from the growing scarcity of lumber above said falls, the transportation of lumber is much less than formerly and will prob- ably continue to decrease ; while that of other loading, which is much of it carried on wheels across land, would, should the navigation of Connecticut river be much improved, be vastly increased. That an act was passed at the last session of the Legislature incorporating a company by the name of Con- necticut River Steam Boat company, the object of which is to improve said navigation, and that great hopes are entertained by many that such improve- ment will speedily commence.
It appears to your committee, from an abstract furnished on oath by the agent of said Bellows Falls Company, that the average annual net profit arising from tolls on said canal for 25 years last past, or since 1805, has amounted to about $3,000 per annum, or about three per cent on $100,000 and that the annual average of repairs, for the same terin including all expenses and the wages of agents of said company are $1927.33 per annum. And that agreeably to the report of said committee of 1803 - the outlay of the company at that time amounted to the sum of $105,338.13.
Your committee also find, that said company will shortly be obliged to make repairs on said locks and canal : - We also find, that the said company have ever appeared friendly to the general improvement of the navigation of Connecticut river, and have even appropriated some funds for the removing of bars in said river.
Your committee find that a Convention was holden at Windsor, in September last past, for the purpose of taking into consideration subjects connected with the improvement of navigation of Connecticut river - from the report of which it does appear that strong hopes are entertained that a line of Steam Boats will be put upon said river for the transportation and conveyance of tonage to and from Hartford in Connecticut to Wells River in Vermont in the course of the ensuing year : and that thereby a vast amount of tonage, that is now driven overland on wheels, in consequence of the delays and expense now suffered in attempting to transport the same to and from market upon said river, will speedily return to said river.
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History of Rockingham
On the whole, your committee, not willing to interpose any new obstacles to the future improvement of the navigation of Connecticut river on a more extensive scale than hertofore-and believing that said petitioners have not realized that income from their expenditures in erecting said canal and locks that could have been reasonably expected by them, or by the several legislatures who have had their case under consideration, would humbly recommend the accompanying bill. All of which is respectfully submitted, by
30th, October. 1830."
H. F. Janes, for committee.
Again, in 1831, the legislative committee on roads and canals made a report from which the following quotation is of interest as showing the progress of attempts at navigation, and certain phases of the history of the canal. *
* * It is evidence, that there is a portage road at Bellows Falls, by which the public carted by said Falls before the locks were erected, which road the company by the acts now in force, are not permitted to obstruct. That said road has not been obstructed by said company - That it is now in good repair - That the canal company have made an agreement with the Connecticut River Valley Steam Boat Company in relation to the tolls to be received by them of said Steam Boat Company for a period of ten years, which is, as appears by a resolution of said company, satisfactory - That during the present year there has been a regular weekly line of boats plying on said river belonging to said Steam Boat Company. It appears also by the statement upon oath by the Agent of said canal company, that the number of boats which passed said locks and canals this present year up to the first day of October last, was 74, and the amount of tonage of rafts and boats for the same period was 4168 1-2 Tons - Last year the number of boats for the same period was 70, and the tonage of 5380 Tons, and in 1828 the number of boats for the same period was 103, and the tonage 7225 Tons, showing an actual decrease of the tonage of the present year, compared with previous years .- That said works are exposed to damage by freshets. That repairs and expenses of said company upon an average of the last 26 years have exceeded by about $14,000, the sum which would have been received by said company, had tolls been taken at the rate of 15 pence per ton, as allowed by the act of 1795, upon the amount of tonage which has passed through said locks. An act was passed the last session of the Legislature, by which the Supreme Court at their annual session in the County of Windham, in the year 1832, were to fix a tariff of tolls, which is to continue a tariff of tolls for three years, and in like manner to fix the tariff of tolls every four years thereafter for the term of 15 years. In consequence of there being no provision made in said act of last session of any minimum sum, below which the Supreme Court should not reduce tolls, and the frequency of the application of said company to the Supreme Court, has, the petitioners say, rendered, the stock of said company very uncertain in value and unsaleable in the markets of the country.
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