The City Of Chester.

of the Colonial Assembly was procured, which authorized the erection of a bridge over the creek at Chester, and ordered the justices of the County Court "to lay out a road from the King's Road that leads to New Castle and Maryland to the intended place for a bridge over Chester creek." The act required that the bridge should have a draw to it, provided for the employment of a man to attend to it, and specified what his duties were, - to draw it up when necessary to let sloops and shallops pass to and from the mills situated on the creek, and also designated that a space of twenty feet should be left clear between the timbers or stonework for "the conveniency" of rafts and logs passing to said mills.

As early as the 4th day of the Fourth month, 1690, a public highway had been laid out from Chester Creek to Chichester Creek, but it was along the bank in front of the Essex House, as the report filed shows:

"Wee of the Grand Jury doe Lay out A foot way of Six foot Wid att the Lest, begining att Chester Creek over against the Comon Landing place, from thence upon a Strait Line over the Swamp of Robert Wades to the Corner of Robert Wades' pales, and so a long by the said pales and fence to a popeler and White Wallnot Standing by the said Robert Wades fence, and so to Remain a Longe the Syde way Accordingly, as it is already Marked and Cutt out unto Chichester."

The Queen's highway, which runs from Darby to Chester bridge, at Third Street, was not laid out until 1706, and it is stated that the bend in the road from the Lincoln Mills to Fifth Street, and then continued the highway direct along Market Street to Third, was due to the influence of Jasper Yeates, the course chosen bringing the road along part of his property and that belonging to the estate of his father-in-law, James Sandelands. The people of that day declared that "God and Nature intended the road to cross directly across the creek, but the Devil and Jasper Yeates took it where it was located."

The bridge was in course of construction late in the fall of 1708, for at the court held November 24th of that year, it was ordered "that 24 foot of Chester bridge at the east end and 42 foot at the west end be filled with wood and earth with all expedition." The county treasurer was directed to supply Henry Worley and Henry Hollingsworth with money "out of the county stock" to pay for the work. "And it is further ordered, that James Hendrickson is to perform and finish all the carpenter work relating to taking up the planks and new railing the whole Bridge, and laying the planks where it wants as soon as the work is fit for it, for which he is to have five shillings per day, and his man, Rich^d Weaver, four shillings per day, finding themselves."

The bridge thus made must have been indifferently constructed, for on Jan. 7, 1709, the following agreement was made and spread at large on the record of the court:

"It is agreed on by the justices and Jasper Yeates aforesaid, in manner following, viz.: That the bridge over Chester Creek, in the Town of Chester, be sufficiently and completely repaired in manner following, to wit: that the planks at the westerly end of said bridge be taken up 24 feet in length and the place be filled with earth, and those of the planks that are sound and fit to be used to be to repair some other parts of the said bridge, and what new planks may be wanting for repairing said bridge be procured two inches and a half thick, and good oak posts and rails and braces affixed on each side of said bridge, only making use of so many of the old rails that are good, which used to be placed at one end of the said bridge, and that it be so repaired as aforesaid, or what more the men hereafter appointed overseers of the said work may think necessary to be done, be wholly completed and finished before the 15th day of April next.

"And the justices and Grand Jury aforesaid have and hereby do order and appoint Robt. Hodgson and Jos. Coburn to be overseers of the said work, and for to agree with some workmen to do the same within the time limited for which said work, when finished, do also for the said Robt. Hodgson and Jos. Cobourn's trouble in the premises, they are to be paid out of the county stock, and that the dangerous places in the said bridge, by reason of the holes and rotten planks, &c., be forthwith repaired for the present security."

At the court held Oct. 3, 1710, the following further reference to this bridge appears of record:

"Jasper Yeates, to prevent further debate with the county, allows the county two ditches on each side the causeway, on the Westerly side of Chester Creek to enlarge the Road in breadth, making it 40, with which the Justices, Grand Jury, and Assessors, are satisfied and that is to determine all further dispute.

"It is further agreed on by the Justice, Grand Jury, and Assessors that Jos. Coburn do forthwith, as speedily as may be, repair the bridge and causeway at Chester creek, and remove the causeway on the East side of the creek straight with the street called James Street (now Third) and fraime it and make it wharf-like at the end of the bridge near low water-mark, and twenty feet wide and thirty feet along the street, and make the causeway from the said wharf as far further as will make it good and easy passing and repassing for carts, etc., and he is to make the wharf and causeway of wood and fill in with good sound wood, and lay it over the top with gravel and earth, and that he keep an account of how many cords of wood he makes use of, all other charges which he may be at about the said work, and bring in his account when he has done his work in order to be left to the judgmt of two men mutually chosen between the said Jos. Coburn, and the Justices, and so much money as the said two men so as aforesaid chosen shall allow him for the work that be his price, and also that he repair the causeway on the Westerly side the said Creek, and bring in his account to be allowed as aforesaid."

In the preamble to the act of Assembly, approved Aug. 14, 1725, which was intended to prevent the obstruction of the navigation of Chester Creek, it is set forth that the draw-bridge which had been erected "is now gone to decay, and requires it to be rebuilt or repaired," and the act "direct the County Commissioners to repair the bridge within a period of twelve months."

In a letter from Maj. John Clark, written at Mr. Davis' house in Darby, Nov. 17, 1777,¹ to Gen. Washington, the writer says, "The bridge at Chester, on the west side the creek, has caved in, it may be made passable for a few foot; individuals now cross it."

In the act of Sept. 3, 1778, it is stated that the drawbridge, which had been built in 1700² and repaired in 1725, "is decayed and ruined, and that public necessity, as well as the convenience of travellers on the highroad, requires that a good, safe bridge over Chester Creek should always be maintained and

² Clearly an error in date, the petition for the highway through Chester being first presented to the Provincial Council March 19,1705/6, and the survey was not made until 1706. Besides, the extracts from the court records show that no bridge was built at Chester previous to the fall of 1708, and that the bridge was not then finished.