Governor at Bridge Opening-1926

                                                      
                                                         Opening Of New Bridge. 

Richmond. — Governor Harry Flood Byrd, John R. Saunders, attorney general and H.G. Shirley, state highway commissioner. were among the speakers at the opening of the Pamunkey River Bridge at West Point on Monday. September 20. The bridge joins West Point and New Kent county. It connects the section with the national highway to points north. It leads over the Washington route to Bowling Green. Mangohick and King William Courthouse, through to Newport News and Old Point. Outside of this connection with the national highway Richmond is connected with the sections between the Rappahannock and York rivers.

-Northern Neck News, 24 September 1926

                                             Farmers View of Roads.

                                       To the Editors of the The Times-Dispatch:

Sir.- As we see it who travel over dirt roads almost abandoned by the road-working force, it would be far more advantageous to country people to distribute the road money and repair the broken down bridges and worn out roads even in places, than can concentrate the whole amount on a few miles of road for a certain class to travel. I will take for example the half mile of road between the Chickahominy River and Providence Forge. The bridge over the Chickahominy, at this place, is the first crossing from its mouth, possibly a distance of twenty or thirty miles. Consequently all travel by vehicle from the eastern and central part of Charles City county in going to the railroad station, post-office and express office have to cross on this bridge, necessarily making the traffic very heavy. Mails for several post-offices in Charles City County are taken across here dally, and one would imagine that such an important bridge and road would have a little attention, but on the contrary the bridge is in a deplorable condition. The abutment on the north side has been born away for months making it necessary to plunge down, I cannot say into the road, but ravine as the road is mostly in the river. Over a year, ago I called the attention of the supervisor to the fact that the teamsters were driving into the river at this place to water their team, of course with every trip taking the road out to the river. Just the felling of one small tree across the ford would have put a stop to this lawless procedure, but nothing was done. I spoke to others who I thought might have some influence, and while they express, a proper amount of regret at the deplorable condition of the road and bridge that ended it. When we reach Providence Forge we get a glimpse of the so-called highway, all fixed up smoothed down with signboards at every turn, and the autos of tourists, joy riders and city folks gliding along without a jolt, en route from city to city. Now this may be very satisfying and gratifying to some but as we see it, it is very unjust. The farmers pay a very high tax and every year the tax moves up higher and higher, and why should they have to plunge off old dilapidate bridges and drag through miles of mud when others travel in such comfort?                   I. E. J. 

Providence Forge, Dec. 26, 1922

-Richmond Times-Dispatch, 30 December 1922

"A Steel and Concrete Bridge"

A called meeting of the Board of was held to appoint commissioners to look into the building of a new bridge over the Chickahominy where the old Bottom's bridge was washed away during the recent flood. This bridge, used by automoblist over the Richmond to Newport News highway, will be built by New Kent and Henrico counties. A steel and concrete bridge will take the place of the old wooden structure.

- Virginia Gazette(Williamsburg)., March 28, 1912

Bridge Swept Away

Nearby State Ready for New Fall of Snow

Maryland and Virginia 'Dig Out' After Storm Fatal to Four.

By the Associated Press.

Recovering slowly from the effects of a howling snowstorm that resulted in the death of four persons, Maryland and Virginia were prepared yesterday for another fall on top of the 3 to 16 inches that already blanketed the State.

The weather forecast was for "increasing cloudiness, probably followed by snow Sunday."

The most tragic death in the storm was that of Sergt. Wilbert V. Hunter. State policeman who perished in the daring attempt of 15 men to carry food across the ice from Crisfield to Tangier Island in a blinding snow. Three men died in Baltimore of heart attacks believed induced by overexertion after the heavy snowfall.

Falling temperatures Friday caused new ice to form on the Cheaspeake Bay and hinder shipping, while motor traffic moved slowly over the ice and snow covered roads.

Fall of Two Feet

The snowfall Friday on the Eastern Shore, which bore the brunt of the storm, reached 2 feet on the level in some places. Virtually every school on the shore was closed because buses could not negotiate the snow-choked roads.

While western Maryland escaped the heavy fall, it experienced sub-zero temperatures early Friday. Oakland had an official low of 20 degrees below zero.

Other low marks were 16 below at Keedysvill and ll below at Chewsville, near Hagerstown: 12 below at Alta Mont, Garrett County 11 below at Frederick and 2 below at Cumberland.

The snow in Virginia will be light , only lasting a few hours, according to F.N. Hibbard, of the Richmond Weather Bureau. Meanwhile the temperatures will remain low, he predicted, with the cold wave now harrowing the Middle West sweeping in behind the snow to send the mercury tumbling tonight.

Thousands on Job

Between 5,000 and 10,000 workers Friday in the cities and on the highways of Virginia sought to restore communications crippled by the state's heaviest snowfall in years. The State highway department reported more difficulty with ice at West Point. About 200 feet more of the Bruce Bridge across the the Pamunkey was swept away, making some 350 feet altogether, and the Graham Bridge across the Mattaponi faces the prospect of similar damage.

Practically all Virginia roads were reported open late Friday and bus lines were maintaining their schedules.

The Eastern Air Lines reported at Byrd Airport, Richmond, that all their planes were snowbound. Planes from other fields were passing overhead on schedule, however.

-The Washington Post, Feb 9, 1936

Bridge of Death

-from the Williamsburg Virginia Gazette, March 4 1909