Near the beginning of the nineteenth century a covered bridge spanned the river at the foot of Wolfe street, landing on the farm on the opposite side of the Rappahannock. The farm was then owned by a Mr. Thompson. No one knows when this bridge was built or to whom it belonged. It was known as the Stafford bridge, as the one above it was known as the Chatham bridge, until it was purchased by Mr. Scott, after which it was known as Scott’s bridge. The two bridges were destroyed in the flood of 1820 and the Stafford bridge was never rebuilt.
CARE OF THE DEPENDENT POOR.
The first move made by the Common Council, or any other town organization, to provide for the dependent poor of the town was on the 25th of January, 1805, when the hustings court appointed five commissioners—Elisha Thatcher, James Smock, Wm. Benson, Benjamin Botts and Wm. Taylor—to “enquire into the probable and comparative expense of erecting or renting a poor and work house for the reception of the poor of the corporation, and ascertain the probable salary of a steward for such poor and work house and the annual expense of supporting the same.”
These commissioners were empowered to receive propositions from persons desiring to rent suitable houses for the purpose, and to ascertain who would be willing to act as steward and report at the next session of the court. The report was submitted at the March term of the court and was approved and filed; when another commission was appointed, with Dr. George French as chairman, to “rent a house for a term of one or more years,” at a cost not exceeding fifty pounds, and John F. Gaullier was appointed steward of the poor and work house.
The steward was to be “allowed a salary at the rate of one hundred and fifty dollars per annum, with two rooms and so much provisions as may be necessary for himself and family,” which should not exceed three in number. He was to be at his post at all times to receive the poor into the poor and work house, to “treat them with tenderness and humanity, but at the same time to make them work.” For the better government of the institution five inspectors were appointed by the court, consisting of George French, from the lower end of the town to Wolfe street; James Brown, from Wolfe to Hanover street; James Smock, from Hanover to William street; Stephen Winchester, from William to Lewis street, and Wm. Taylor, from Lewis street to the upper end of town. From the record it appears that John Minor was appointed inspector for the town at large.
The inspectors were instructed to place all the poor in the poor and work house and to “advertise a request to the inhabitants to assist no poor person residing in town, lest imposition and idleness be encouraged.” This manner of providing for the poor seems to have been continued to the beginning of the Civil war, and, in addition to looking after the steward and the inmates of the poor and work house, the inspectors (more frequently recorded overseers of the poor), were to bind out all orphans who had no one to look after and provide for them.
The Exchange Hotel.
(See [page 166])
The Fredericksburg College.
(See [page 198])