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<br /> to the Honorable Senate and House of Representa-
<br /> tives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in
<br /> General Court assembled:
<br /> U ESPECTFIILLY show the inhabitants of the City
<br /> 1L of Cambridge, that there is a Bridge over the
<br /> Charles Raver between Cambridge and Brighton,call-
<br /> ed the Great ridge,which is much used by the pub-
<br /> He,and is supported and maintained at great expense,
<br /> but is now in a condition to require the outlay of a
<br /> large sum of money to render the same safe for the
<br /> traveller,which,as your petitioners believe,and beg
<br /> leave to show.ought to be supplied,and the mainte-
<br /> nance of said bridge and the draw in the same borne
<br /> and provided for by the Commonwealth. And they
<br /> offer the following facts for the consideration of your
<br /> honorable body,as among the reasons-why such pro-
<br /> vision should be made. The bridge was erected by
<br /> the action of the Colonial Legislature about the
<br /> year 1660,and was.designed to accommodate the trav-
<br /> el between Boston and the country lying North and
<br /> West of Charles River;it being for many years the
<br /> only means of intercourse by bridge across said river.
<br /> Sundry grants of moneys and lands were accordingly
<br /> made,from time to time,by the Colony and Province,
<br /> for the purpose of repairing and rebuilding said
<br /> bridge,as the same became necessary; and the then
<br /> town of Cambridge was charged with the care and
<br /> preservation of said bridge,which town also embraced
<br /> the resent towns of Newton,Lexington,West Cam-
<br /> bridge and Brighton. And as these several towns
<br /> were set off from Cambridge they were,by the Legis-
<br /> lature in their Acts of incorporation,specially charged
<br /> to contribute towards supporting and maintaining the
<br /> said bridge. Newton thus continued liable to such
<br /> contribution until released by Act of the Legislature _
<br /> in I781;and the then towns of Cambridge sand Lexing-
<br /> ton were required to be at the whole expense of re-
<br /> ppairing said bridge,until the grants made said towns.
<br /> by the General Court should'be wholly expended.
<br /> Although these grants have long since been expended
<br /> and although no additional grants in respect to said
<br /> bridge have been made to them,they and the towns
<br /> of West Cambridge and Brighton,into which Cam-
<br /> bridge had been divided continued to support and
<br /> maintain the same until tie session of the Legislature
<br /> in 1860,when the towns of Lexington and West Cam-
<br /> bridge were released by an Act of the General Court
<br /> from further liability to contribute towards the sup-
<br /> port thereof, and the County Commissioners for the
<br /> County of Viddlesex were authorized to lay out " �p'�►1 Qi
<br /> iindge as a public highway.
<br /> Now your petitioners show that,upon it petition to
<br /> said County Commissioners to lay out said bridge as
<br /> a public highway,the adjudicated that the highway
<br /> prayed for was not of
<br /> fcommon convenience and ne-
<br /> cessity; and,by a decision of the Supreme Judicial
<br /> Court it has been settled that the town of Brighton
<br /> and Gtity of Cambridge are not released from the
<br /> 'charge of maintaining said bridge by the Act of 1860.
<br /> Wherefore yourpetitioners come before your Honor-
<br /> able Body,and show that the burden of supporting
<br /> said bridge,considering the uses to which it is ap-
<br /> plied,ought not to be thrown upon these two towns;
<br /> that it is properly a public Brid&e,designed for public
<br /> and not local use,and was originally constructed by
<br /> the whole Colony,and was never intended to be sup-
<br /> ported by any one town,but by a public charge,—that
<br /> no means of relief or redress,as they are advised,re-
<br /> main for them,but by application to the Legislature,
<br /> and they therefore pray that some provision may be
<br /> made,in such manner as to your Honorable Body may
<br /> seem fit, whereby said Bridge may be rebuilt and
<br /> hereafter repaired,and the draw therein managed,free
<br /> from the imposition of a tax upon said towns,and
<br /> that the expense thereof may be borne by the whole
<br /> n 0 Commonwealth as a public charge,or by those who
<br /> a +''w make use o Commonwealth
<br /> and for whose benefit it is
<br /> maintained,'&in such other manner as to your Hon-
<br /> orable Body may seem meet and proper.
<br /> And as in duty bound will ever pray.
<br /> In behalf of the Inhabitants of the City.
<br /> JAMES,D. GREEN, MAYOR,
<br /> Joint Special Joax B.,ATWML. Alder-
<br /> Committee of FxAwm L.CHAPMAN. I men.
<br /> the City Coun-
<br /> cil. Axsox P. HooxxR. Common
<br /> GxOsaE L CADE. Council-
<br /> J. V. WELLINGTON. I men.
<br /> City of Cambridge,Nov.3,1860.
<br /> Commonwealth!of Massachusetts.
<br /> Secretary's Department,Boston;Nov.5,1860.
<br /> I approve of the publication of the foregoing peti-
<br /> tion in the Cambridgge Chronicle.
<br /> 0
<br /> LIYER WARNER, Secretary.
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