Page:History of Cumberland, Maryland 2.djvu/307

1805.] much patching was kept in serviceable condition until 1804, when it was damaged by high water. In January, 1805, the Legislature passed an act author- izing Upton Bruce, David Hoffman, senior, Thomas Thistle, George Hoffman, and William McMahon to hold a lottery, and thereby raise a sum of money not to exceed $2,000 for the purpose of purchasing a fire engine for the town of Cumberland, and directing them to appropriate the balance of the money on hand, after making such purchase, to the erection of a bridge over Will's Creek. Whether the lottery was held is not recorded, but certainly another bridge was erected, and this was in turn washed away by a great freshet, in 1810, at which time the Creek rose to an unprecedented height, entirely flooding Mechanic street. After the bridge was destroyed, in 1810, a ferry was established, and kept in use until a new bridge was erected. The ferry consisted of a rope stretched across the Creek at the foot of Baltimore street, the ends being lashed to large walnut trees, and a flat boat being attached to a ring which was made to slip along the cable. Another wooden bridge was shortly after put in the place of the one destroyed, and this stood until 1820, when a suspension chain bridge was substituted therefor, a full description of which will hereafter be given.

The survey of the town, as made in 1787, having never been filed in the office of the Clerk of the Court of either Washington or Allegany County, as required by the law authorizing the survey, the Legislature passed an act January 27, 1805, reciting