126 NATURAL HISTORY AND TOPOGRAPHY OF GROTON, MASS. 



(probably in the year 1698) the bridge was swept away by a 

 flood. Then another controversy arose on the old subject of 

 proportioning the expense ; and in order to settle the difficulty 

 a request was sent out at this time by the Selectmen of Chelms- 

 ford to the towns of Groton, Dunstable, and Billerica, asking 

 them to appoint a committee, who should be authorized to 

 meet and act in the matter. Accordingly a meeting was held, 

 probably at Chelmsford, when Thomas Williams and James 

 Blanchard, the town clerk, were present, representing the 

 town of Groton. (History of Billerica, p. 100.) One result 

 of this consultation was to change the location of the bridge 

 and place it more than a mile farther up the river. The fol- 

 lowing entries in the Groton town-records probably refer to a 

 subsequent meeting of the committee, which soon followed the 

 first, when there was evidently a hitch in the proceedings : — 



december 21 at a town meting legely warned the town did then 

 note and declare that y^ will chuse to men for to be the towns agents 

 for to maniadge the case a bought the brigde and for to imply a law- 

 yer in the behalfe of the town and that y' will raise money for to bare 

 the charge of said men James Blanchard toivn dark 



at a town meting legely warning december: 21 1698. capan Pras- 

 cott was chosen for to go to chelmsford to meett with the commety 

 and insign farnworth was chosen for to go with him to chamesford. 



James Blanchard tozim Clarke 



december: 21 1698 at a town meting legelly warned the town 

 did uote and chuse capt prescott and insign farnworth to go to 

 Chelmsford to mete with the commete and to act in the towns be 

 halfe acording to there best discrestion refering to billarca bridg 



James Blanchard tow)i C/ark 



December 21 : 1698: at a town metinge legelly warn the town 

 did chuse capt prescott and Insign farnworth to be the to men for 

 to acte in the towns be halfe for to do the work Spook of in the 

 other uot James Blanchard town Cla[_rk'\ 



The bridge was built on the new site some time during 

 the year 1699, but for one reason or another now unexplained, 

 the town of Groton refused to pay the amount assessed as her 

 share of the expense, and recourse was again had to the Gen- 



