Document 23, p 4
| 42 | ||||
| Before the Bridge was |
That on the 11th day of March 1783 | |||
| for and even before the Arches were | the sd new Bridge was by w[?] | |||
| turned 2 or 3 of the piers recd so | violence etc | |||
| much Damage by a Flood that there | ||||
| was a total stop put to the work | ||||
| and Mr Smeaton was sent for from a | ||||
| great Distance to direct on Mr Erringtons | ||||
| part and those damaged piers were | ||||
| repaired in a most extraordinary manner | ||||
| by raising one of them and underputting | ||||
| it with wedges and filling up the | ||||
| Vacuum with loose stones – this Mr | ||||
| Smeaton or the pson who is produced | ||||
| on Mr Erringtons behalf to prove the | ||||
| completion of the Bridge must declare | ||||
| on being asked and which Defect it | ||||
| may fairly be presumed was the Cause of | ||||
| the Bridge being destroyed | ||||
| Mr Smeaton & Mr Errington well knew | from the weakness of the Stratum | |||
| & proved | ||||
| the Stratum before any proposals |
Bed of the River discovered ⁁ by this | |||
| given in therefore the Insinuation is | fatal Accident any Bridge built | |||
| not founded in Truth | thereon wld be liable to be thrown | |||
| The Accident wch happened to the piers | down by etc | |||
| above stated when building proves | ||||
| there was a former Flood But to | ||||
| put this out of Doubt there was | ||||
| anor Bridge a few yards higher up | ||||
| wch was compleated and in the great | ||||
| flood in Novr 1771 wch was sev Feet | ||||
| higher than that wch took away the | ||||
| Bridge in Question and wch |
||||
| Flood in 1771 took away Ncastle Bridge | ||||
| Haydon Bridge Ridley Hall Bridge | ||||
| & Fetherston Bridge all on the same | ||||
| former | ||||
| River also took away Hexham ⁁ Bridge | ||||
| The Foundation of wch it is supposed | ||||
| still remains, wch is a proof that tho’ | ||||
| built on the same Stratum with | ||||
| that of the new Bridge the Foundation | ||||
| of the petitioners Bridge was not good | ||||
| and the rather as the manner of securing | ||||
| it (tho’ advised by Mr Smeaton) is | ||||
| contrary to the old and apparently by | ||||
| Proof better Method of building Bridges | ||||
| on the same River | ||||
| Again – the Bridge over the same | ||||
| River at Corbridge near Hexham Bridge | ||||
Note: Remarks and objections to Mr Errington's petition p 4
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Transcribed by CTW and TB