1873 County Board of Supervisors Resolutions Authorizing Construction of Bridge Over the Hutchinson River on Boston Post Road

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Recently I ran across the records of the Westchester County Board of Supervisors reflecting their work in 1873 to authorize the Towns of Pelham and Eastchester to issue bonds and to construct a bridge across Eastchester creek (where it crosses Boston Post Road), partly in Pelham and partly in the then-adjoining Town of Eastchester.  These records reflect an important effort to improve the infrastructure to improve the Web of roadways that then was beginning to connect New York City with the Town of Pelham (and with surrounding communities). 

Detail from 1881 Bromley Map Showing at Bottom, Center,

The Bridge Over the Hutchinson River Authorized in 1873.

The material is quoted immediately below, followed by citations to the source.

"Friday, January 16, 1874 . . . . . 

Mr. Hyatt presented the following application of the town officers of Pelham, for authority to borrow money upon the credit of said town.

TOWN OF PELHAM,
Westchester County.  

Whereas, At a meeting of the Commissioners of Highways, the Town Clerk and Justices of the Peace of said town, held December 27, 1873, all of the said officers being duly notified to attend said meeting, and a majority thereof having so attended; it was,

Resolved, That the Supervisor of said town, for and with the consent of the Commissioners of Highways, Town Clerk and Justices of the Peace aforesaid, be authorized to borrow the sum of $3,000 for and upon the credit of said town, to build a bridge across Eastchester creek, partly in said town of Pelham, and partly in the adjoining town of Eastchester in said County, and to petition the Board of Supervisors of said County to prescribe the form of obligation to be issued for such loan, and the time and place of payment.  And that the said Board of Supervisors shall impose upon the taxable property of the said town of Pelham, sufficient tax to pay said principal and interest of such obligation according to the terms and conditions thereof, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 855, Laws of New York, 1869.  

JEROME BELL,

Town Clerk.

WM. H. SPARKS,
THEODORE PERESSONI,
DAVID CARLL,
JOSEPH LYON, 

Justices of Peace.

JOHN BAXTER,
ELISHA BOOTH,
THOMAS HEWITT,

Commissioners of Highways.

I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was unanimously adopted at a meeting of the Board of Town officers and commissioners of highways of the town of Pelham, held December 27, 1873.

JEROME BELL,

Chief Clerk.

Referred to the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. PEMBERTON presented the following application of the town officers of Eastchester for authority to borrow money on the credit of said town.

TOWN OF EASTCHESTER,
Westchester County.

Whereas, At a meeting of the Commissioners of Highways, the Town Clerk and Justices of the Peace of said town, duly held at the Town Clerk's Office in said town, on the 26th of December, 1873, all of the said officers being duly notified to attend said meeting, and a majority thereof having so attended; it was

Resolved, That the Supervisor of said town, by and with the consent of the Commissioners of Highways, Town Clerk, and Justices of the Peace aforesaid, be, authorized to borrow the sum of $3,000 for and upon the credit of said town, to build a bridge across Eastchester creek, partly in said town, and partly in the adjoining town of Pelham in said county.  And to petition the Board of Supervisors of said County, to prescribe the form of obligation to be issued for such loan, and the time and place of payment; and that the said Board of Supervisors shall impose upon the taxable property of the said town of Eastchester sufficient tax to pay said principal and interest of such obligation according to the terms and conditions thereof, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 855, of the laws of the State of New York, 1869.

ADAM PALM JR., 
ROBERT WILKEY,
ISAAC RICHARDS,

Commissioners of Highways.

ROBERT W. EDWARDS,
ROBERT D. COOPER,
JOHN STEVENS,
SAMUEL FEE.

Justices of the Peace.

ROBERT W. FOSTER,

Town Clerk.

Referred to the Judiciary Committee."

Source:  Johnson, Charles E., Clerk, Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Westchester For the Year 1873, pp. 482-85 (NY, NY:  James Sutton & Co. 1874).


"2 O'CLOCK, P.M. [Friday, January 16, 1874]

The Board re-assembled.

Present -- F.M. CARPENTER, Chairman, and a quorum of members.

Mr. HUNT, from the Judiciary Committee, to which was referred the application of the town officers of Eastchester, for authority to borrow money on the credit of said town, presented the following report thereon:

To the Board of Supervisors:

The Judiciary Committee, to whom was referred the application of the Justices of the Peace, Town Clerk, and Commissioners of Highways of the town of Eastchester, praying for authority to borrow on the credit of said town, the sum of $3,000, for the purpose of building a bridge over Eastchester creek, partly in the town of Eastchester, and partly in the town of Pelham, respectfully report in favor of granting the sum, and recommend the adoption of the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Supervisor of the town of Eastchester be and he hereby is authorized with the consent of the Justices of the Peace, Town Clerk, and Commissioners of Highways of said town, to borrow on the credit of said town, the sum of $3,000, for the purpose of building a bridge across Eastchester creek (where it crosses Boston Post Road), partly in said town and partly in the adjoining town of Pelham, in said county, and the abutments and draw to said bridge in said county.  That the bonds or obligations to be required to secure such loan shall be executed by the Supervisor and Town Clerk of said town, under the seal of said town, and shall be of the denomination of $500 each, and bear interest respectively at the rate of seven per cent. per annum; that $1,000 of said principal sum shall be made payable on the first day of February, 1875, and the further sum of $1,000 on the first day of February in each and every year thereafter, until the whole principal shall be paid, with interest thereon, payable semi-annually on the 1st days of February and August in each year after the dates of said bonds.

The said bonds and interest shall be made payable at such place as the Supervisor may designate in the town of Eastchester or in the city of New York, and the consent of the Justices of the Peace, Town Clerk, and Commissioners of Highways of said town to the issuing thereof shall be indorsed on said bonds or obligations, and upon each and every one of them.  

DANIEL HUNT,
G.W. WESLEY, 
E.G. SUTHERLAND, 
A.R. CLARK,

Judiciary Commimttee.

The report was considered and adopted, two-thirds of all the members elected to the Board, including the Supervisor of Eastchester, voting in favor thereof, as follows:

Ayes -- Messrs. Birney, Brown, F. M. Carpenter, Jesse G. Carpenter, Clark, Davids, Dusenberry, Fish, Hoag, Hopkins, Hunt, Hyatt, Lunny, Pemberton, Rockwell, Secor, Sutherland, Tompkins, Wesley, Willets, Willsea -- 21

Mr. HUNT, from the Judiciary Committee, to which was referred the application of the town officers of Pelham to borrow money upon the credit of said town, presented the following report thereon:

To the Board of Supervisors:

The Judiciary Committee, to whom was referred the application of the Justices of the Peace, Town Clerk and Commissioners of Highways of the town of Pelham, praying for authority to borrow on the credit of said town, the sum of $3,000, for the purpose of building a bridge over Eastchester Creek, partly in the town of Eastchester, and partly in the town of Pelham, respectfully report in favor of granting the same, and recommend the adoption of the following resolution:

Resolved, That the Supervisor of the town of Pelham be and he is hereby authorized with the consent of the Justices of the Peace, Town Clerk and Commissioners of Highways of said town, to borrow on the credit of said town, the sum of $3,000, for the purpose of building a bridge across Eastchester Creek (where it crosses the Boston Post Road), partly in the town of Pelham and partly in the adjoining town of Eastchester in said County of Westchester, and the abutments and draw to said bridge.  That the bonds or obligations to be issued to secure such loan shall be executed by the Supervisor and Town Clerk of said town under the seal of said town, and shall be of the denomination of $500 each, and bear interest respectively at the rate of seven per cent. per annum.  That $1,000 of said principal sum shall be made payable on the 1st day of February in each and every year thereafter until the whole principal shall be paid, with interest thereon, payable semi-annually, on the first days of February and August in each year, after the dates of said bonds.  The said bonds and interest shall be made payable at such place as the Supervisor may designate, in the town of Pelham or in the city of New York, and the consent of the Justices of the Peace, Town Clerk and commissioners of highways of said town to the issuing thereof shall be endorsed on said bonds or obligations and upon each and every one of them.

DANIEL HUNT,
G.W. WESLEY,
E.G. SUTHERLAND,
A.R. CLARK.

Judiciary Committee.

The report was considered and adopted, two-thirds of all the members elected to the Board, including the Supervisor of Pelham voting in favor thereof as follows:

Ayes -- Messrs. Birney, Brown, F.M. Carpenter, Jesse G. Carpenter, Clark, Davids, C. R. Dusenberry, Fish, Hoag, Hopkins, Hunt, Hyatt, Lunny, Pemberton, Rockwell, Secor, Sutherland, Tompkins, Wesley, Willets and Willsea -- 21."

Source:  Johnson, Charles E., Clerk, Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors of the County of Westchester For the Year 1873, pp. 495-98 (NY, NY:  James Sutton & Co. 1874). 

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