No. 4446 Granite Bridge 2004
The first bridge at this location was constructed beginning in 1837.
In 1914, the Massachusetts Legislature authorized constructed of a bascule bridge (a draw bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span through its upward swing). The bridge rises for the passage of boats.
In 1960, the commonwealth of Massachusetts named the bridge the Francis J. Mitchell Bridge in memory of the former Commander of the Old Dorchester Post.
The following is from
Private and Special Statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, from May 1830, to April 1837 …. Boston, 1837. Vol 7, 779.
An Act to establish the Granite Bridge Corporation.
BE it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives,
in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same,
as follows:
SECT. 1. Edward Glover, Thomas Taylor and Lewis Pierce, their associates and successors, are hereby made a corporation, by the name of ” The Proprietors of the Granite Bridge ;” with all the powers and privileges, and subject to the Powers and
liabilities, contained in the forty-fourth chapter of the Revised Statutes.
SECT. 2. Said corporation is hereby authorized to locate, build and construct, or to cause to be built and constructed, a road, beginning at a point on the old county road at or near the store of T. Babcock, Jr., in the town of Milton, in the county of Norfolk; thence running north ten and three quarters degrees west, about two hundred and seventy-two rods ; thence turning and running north nineteen degrees west, about fifty-six rods ; thence turning and running north twenty-five and a half degrees west, about one hundred and twenty-eight rods, to the Neponset river ; and to locate, build and construct a bridge across said river, in continuation of said last mentioned line of said road to Dorchester, in said county of Norfolk; and thence to continue said road running north eight and three quarters degrees west, about one hundred and eight rods to the lower road in Dorchester, so called, on or near the land of Rev. Ephraim Randall: said bridge to be built and constructed with a good and sufficient draw, of thirty-one feet in width ; said draw to be located by commissioners, to be appointed by the governor, with advice of council, at the expense of said corporation; and shall erect a wharf or pier near said draw, on each side of said bridge, for the accommodation of vessels passing through the same ; said draw and said wharves to be planked upon the inside, from the top of low water to the top of said draw and wharves ; said wharves to be at the southerly end of said bridge, and to extend seventy-five feet in length on each side of said draw in a straight line with the southerly side of said draw ; and said bridge, together with the wharves and piers, shall be built of good and sufficient materials; the bridge not to be less than thirty feet in
SECT. 3. That said corporation shall be held liable to keep said bridge and draw in good repair, and to raise the draw, and afford all necessary and proper accommodation to vessels having occasion to pass the same, by day or by night; and shall keep a sufficient light for vessels at said draw; and if any vessel shall be unreasonably delayed or hindered in passing said draw, by the negligence of said corporation or their agents in discharging the duties enjoined by this act, the owners or commanders of such vessels may receive reasonable damages therefor, of said corporation, in an action on the case, before any court proper to try the same ; and on one side of said bridge there shall be an inside railing, five feet distant front the outside railing, for the safety of passengers.
SECT. 4. The said corporation may lay out their road on the . upland not less than three, and not more than four rods wide, and on the marsh not less than five, and not more than six rods wide, and may purchase or take land and gravel for the construction thereof, in the same way and manner as rail-road corporations are allowed to do, by the thirty-ninth chapter of the Revised Statutes ; and said corporation shall be holden to pay for all damages to any and all real estate which shall be taken for the use of said road or bridge, which damages shall be estimated and assessed as is provided in the twenty-fourth chapter of the Revised Statutes, on highways.
SECT. 5. That for the purpose of reimbursing the said proprietors for the money expended and to be expended in building and supporting said road and bridge, a toll be and hereby is granted for the sole benefit of said proprietors, according to the rates following; for each person and horse, three cents; for each horse and card, or wagon, four cents; for each team drawn by more than one beast, five cents; for each horse and chaise, or sulkey, six cents; for each horse and sleigh, four cents; for each coach, chariot, phaeton or curricle, ten cents; for each mand wheelbarrow, one cent; for each horse and neat cattle, exclusive of those in teams, or rode on, one cent; the said toll to commence from the time when said road and bridge shall revert to and become the property of the Commonwealth, and shall be surrendered by said proprietors, in good repair, and the obligations herein imposed on said corporation shall then cease.
SECT. 6. The stock or said corporation, shall be divided into three hundred shares 3 and no assessments shall be laid on said shares over and above the stun of fifty dollars on each share.
SECT. 7. It shall be the duty of said proprietors as soon as said road and bridge are completed, to make to the Governor and Council an exhibit of the cost of the same, which shall not exceed the sum of fifteen thousand dollars ; and, on the second Monday of January, annually, to exhibit as aforesaid, a statement of !he profits accruing front the toll, stating particularly the amount of money received, and the amount expended ; the expenses in no case to exceed fifteen hundred dollars annually; all said statements to be sworn to by the treasurer and if said corporation shall not, within three years from the passing of this act, locate, construct, build and complete said bridge, agreeably to the provisions or this act, then this act shall be null and void. [April 13, 1837.]