•j^2 A STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



Without entering into controversy on the merits or 

 defects of these plans, which were proposed for the po- 

 sition of the present bridge, they are barely enumerated, 

 with some of the objections to their establishment. 



Before the Revolution, at vai-ious periods, citizens of 

 intelligence and talents, l^ad abandoned the idea of erect- 

 ing a bridge, in the deep tide water, opposite the city. 

 They sought for situations, less difficult; and higher up 

 the river. Applications were presented to the General 

 Assembly of the Province ; and surveys and accurate 

 examinations were made, under the directions of a com- 

 mittee of the Legislature. The places viewed, were 

 Peters' s Isla?id, and the Fording place, nearer the falls; 

 which was, in early times, the most common passage 

 over the river. The road leading over it, is called, in 

 antient deeds and other ^nitings, " The old Lancaster 

 road.''^ A third site offered for the consideration of this 

 committee, w?ist\\t great falls of Schuylkill; where such 

 an erection was said to be practicable, directly across 

 the reef of elevated rocks, forming the obstructions in 

 that part of the stream. Maps and measurements of 

 these places, and their distances from the city, and par- 

 ticularly of Peters' s Island, (which was the place gene- 

 rally fixed on, as possessing the greatest facilities and 

 advantages, positive and relative,) were made, and are 

 yet extant. The route to Lancaster by this place, 

 through part of the Ridge or JVissahiccon road, is short- 

 er than that passing over the bridge opposite the city. 

 The distance by either place is not much greater. Al- 

 though a bridge may be erected, at either place, for a 

 sum not exceeding a fourth, and probably a fifth, of the 

 cost of the permanent bridge at High street, yet these 



