The Five Lives of the Main Street Bridge, Part Two of Five

Editors Note:  This is part 2 of a 5 part piece on the history of Manchester's Main Street bridge, by our local history writer, Ray Berg. If you missed part 1 last week, you can read it HERE.

Figure 2 – Side View of 1876 Wooden Bridge, Showing Support Structure

Bridge #2 – The 1876 Rebuilt Wood Bridge with New Planking

The Village Council began serious bridge repair or replacement planning on April 7, 1876, coincident with national Centennial planning for the village. Mat Blosser advocated the construction of an iron bridge, rather than repairing or replacing the wood bridge, and reported: “When the reports of the township officers were read and an appropriation of $700 asked to repair the bridge on Exchange Place, there was cursing and swearing enough to have paid the amount of a new iron bridge costing $3,000, provided every person who swore was obliged to pay a fine of from $1 to $5, as according to law.”

On July 27, 1876, the Commissioner of Highways sought bids to construct a new bridge, to be built of wood and placed upon the existing piles. Blosser editorialized that it was very short-sighted in spending $1,000 to $1,500 to build a wooden structure which would need to be replaced every eight to ten years, when a first-class iron one could be built and last for many more years at a cost of less than $ 4,000.

By October 5, 1876, work was progressing, but Blosser still groused about the failure to construct an iron bridge, which he felt would have been an ornament to the village. He did note that a temporary foot bridge had been built across the breast of the dam for the accommodation of pedestrians. One week later, he appeared to be mellowing his position, noting “No more ‘low bridge’ for Manchester; we intend now to have a fine high bridge, and one that will be perfectly dry and not covered with mud knee deep, as the old one was most of the time”. The bridge opened on October 19, 1876, and “is built very strong, of heavy lumber, and presents a very respectable appearance. The highway commissioner is entitled to a good deal of credit.”

By April 1880, repairs to the spiles on the ends of the bridge were already required. In 1883, Blosser chided the Commissioner for not repairing ice-damaged supports. On June 28, 1883, he noted: “The boys have placed a spring board at the east end of Exchange Place bridge to dive from when swimming. There is an ordinance against swimming inside the corporation and we hope the marshall will see it enforced.” His campaign for a new iron bridge continued.

Figure 2 shows a view of the 1876 bridge and support members.

Click HERE to read Part 3 of The Five Lives of the Main Street Bridge

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by Ray Berg