Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/566

 460 THE HISTORY OF BAEEINGTON. width and that thirty minutes be allowed for raising and lowering the same. This legislation was the result of two agreements being made and executed on the 9th and 14th of May, 1802, between Duncan Kelley and the Harrington Toll Bridge Company by which Mr. Kelley was to repair his bridge and collect tolls, and the company to erect a bridge, keep it in repair, and collect tolls at the Barrington River. The tolls of the two bridges were to be divided equally between the parties on condition that each kept his own bridge in repair. The agreement was signed by Duncan Kelley, Ebenezer Cole, Jabez Bullock, Joshua Bicknell, Nathan Child, and William D'Wolf. At the first election of the Barrington Toll Bridge Co., held at Warren, March 25, 1803, General Joseph Adams was elected president, Capt. Ebenezer Cole, treasurer, and Sergt. Charles Collins, Jun., secretary. Superintending committee, Samuel Martin, Joseph Adams, and Chas. Collins, Jun. The successive presidents of the B. T. B. Co. were Joseph Adams, 1803; Joshua Bicknell, 1804, 1805 ; Joseph C. Mauran, 1806; William Turner Miller, from 1807 to 1817; Jeremiah Bowen, from 1817 to 1823, James Bowen, 1823 to 1834; Allen Bowen, 1834 to 1841 ; Joseph Bowen, 1841 to 1862. In September, 18 15, this section was visited by a terrible gale from the south which destroyed a large amount of ship- ping on our coast and in Narragansett Bay, and swept away the two bridges connecting Barrington Necks and Warren. On October 14th the corporation met at Cole's Hotel, War- ren, and voted to choose a committee " to take care of the ruins of the late bridge and repair the said bridge as soon as practicable." Messrs. William T. Miller, Caleb Eddy, and Samuel Martin were chosen this committee, to take care of the repairs and confer with Mr. John Pearse, the agent of Kelley's Bridge." Money was needed for rebuilding and Solomon Townsend, Jr., raised 1^225 in Barrington. By vote of the corporation, the work of rebuilding began October 30, and on the 23d an assessment of $20 a share was made to