Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Colonial
A considerable" number of persons followed the line of procession , and the windows of all the surrounding houses were filled with smiling faces . A few of the houses also had flags hoisted in honour of the event . Eor a considerable time before the procession arrived at the site of the bridge , a large assemblage had collected / consisting chiefly of ladies , to the number of several hundred , arid the children of nine or ten schools in East ColliDgwood , altogether about six hundred .
The ladies occupied raised seats in front of the spot , and the children , under the care of their teachers , and many of them bearing banners , drew up in line and exercised their tiny voices in a "Hip , hip , hip , hurrah , " as the procession passed . The whole spectacle had a most cheerful and interesting appearance , and the cheers of the spectators on this side of the water were caught up and reverberated by numbers of children and their friends who had been ferried across the river , and occupied the heights on the other side .
The bridge will be supported by a massive blue stone abutment on each side of the river , and will consist of a laminated wooden arch , 170 feet in span , and therefore the widest at present in the colony , Prince ' s Bridge being 150 feet only . The abutments , which will be ready for the bridge to be thrown over in about six weeks from the present , are based— -the one on the east side of the river on a solid rock , at an elevation of 30 feet from the level of the river , and the western side on piles averaging 25 feet in length , filled up with concrete-to a depth of three feet . The
height of the centre of the span of the arch from the level of the river will he about 50 feet . The whole cost of the bridge and approaches will be about £ 20 , 000 . The contracts are three in number , viz ., for the abutments , ^ 8 , 000 ; the span , in wood , £ 7 , 000 ; arid the approaches , £ 5 , 000 / Of this sum , £ 8 , 000 were voted by the Government , and a few hundreds of pounds raised among the inhabitants . The contracts for the span and approaches are taken , but they cannot he proceeded with until additional funds are , forthcoming in the shape of a further grant from the Government .
On the arrival of the procession at the spot , the band played , and the assemblage took up the 100 th Psalm . The upper stone was then raised and the lower one adjusted , the Master depositing the phial of coins in the cavity of the lower stone . The Master then read the inscription-roll , and placed it in its proper position . The acting Prov . Grand Chaplain offered up a prayer ; "So mote it be , " by the Brethren . The chairman of the Municipal Council then presented the trowel to the Prov . G . M .
The trowel , which was manufactured of silver , was an elegant piece of workmanship , and bore a suitable inscription . Its value is £ 25 , and it was subscribed for , for presentation to Captain Clarke , by the chairman and members of the East Collingwood Municipality from their private funds . Captain Clarke , on receiving the trowel , said he accepted it as a present to Ereemasonry in the colony , of which he had been appointed the Prov . Grand Master , rather than to him as an individual . He received it with the fullest assurance . that he could do so with honour to himself , for his sympathies were closely bound up with the best interests of the colony . ( Cheers . )
A workman with the cement having previously rough-spread it on the stone , the Prov . Grand Master with the trowel completed the work . The upper stone was then lowered slowly , the band playing at the time . The Master bearing the plumb , level , and square , presented them successively to the Prov . G . M . Bro . Smith ; and the acting Prov . S . and J . Grand Wardens , who respectively proved the stone with each . The Prov . G . M . then received the mallet from the Master bearing it , and gave three knocks on the stone , and said : — ci
Having laid this foundation-stone in just position , according to the rules of our ancient Craft , we pray the G . A . O . T . TL , of his kind Providence , to enable us to carry on and complete the work we have begun , and that he would be pleased to guard the structure , and preserve it from ruin and decay , to the latest posterity . " « So mote it be " by the Brethren . mi Hie cornucopia with corn , the ewer with corn , the ewer with wine , and the ewer with oil were then successively presented to the Prov . G . M ., who said : — On strewing corn on the stone , — " I scatter this corn as a symbol of plenty . " "So mote it be , " by the Brethren ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Colonial
A considerable" number of persons followed the line of procession , and the windows of all the surrounding houses were filled with smiling faces . A few of the houses also had flags hoisted in honour of the event . Eor a considerable time before the procession arrived at the site of the bridge , a large assemblage had collected / consisting chiefly of ladies , to the number of several hundred , arid the children of nine or ten schools in East ColliDgwood , altogether about six hundred .
The ladies occupied raised seats in front of the spot , and the children , under the care of their teachers , and many of them bearing banners , drew up in line and exercised their tiny voices in a "Hip , hip , hip , hurrah , " as the procession passed . The whole spectacle had a most cheerful and interesting appearance , and the cheers of the spectators on this side of the water were caught up and reverberated by numbers of children and their friends who had been ferried across the river , and occupied the heights on the other side .
The bridge will be supported by a massive blue stone abutment on each side of the river , and will consist of a laminated wooden arch , 170 feet in span , and therefore the widest at present in the colony , Prince ' s Bridge being 150 feet only . The abutments , which will be ready for the bridge to be thrown over in about six weeks from the present , are based— -the one on the east side of the river on a solid rock , at an elevation of 30 feet from the level of the river , and the western side on piles averaging 25 feet in length , filled up with concrete-to a depth of three feet . The
height of the centre of the span of the arch from the level of the river will he about 50 feet . The whole cost of the bridge and approaches will be about £ 20 , 000 . The contracts are three in number , viz ., for the abutments , ^ 8 , 000 ; the span , in wood , £ 7 , 000 ; arid the approaches , £ 5 , 000 / Of this sum , £ 8 , 000 were voted by the Government , and a few hundreds of pounds raised among the inhabitants . The contracts for the span and approaches are taken , but they cannot he proceeded with until additional funds are , forthcoming in the shape of a further grant from the Government .
On the arrival of the procession at the spot , the band played , and the assemblage took up the 100 th Psalm . The upper stone was then raised and the lower one adjusted , the Master depositing the phial of coins in the cavity of the lower stone . The Master then read the inscription-roll , and placed it in its proper position . The acting Prov . Grand Chaplain offered up a prayer ; "So mote it be , " by the Brethren . The chairman of the Municipal Council then presented the trowel to the Prov . G . M .
The trowel , which was manufactured of silver , was an elegant piece of workmanship , and bore a suitable inscription . Its value is £ 25 , and it was subscribed for , for presentation to Captain Clarke , by the chairman and members of the East Collingwood Municipality from their private funds . Captain Clarke , on receiving the trowel , said he accepted it as a present to Ereemasonry in the colony , of which he had been appointed the Prov . Grand Master , rather than to him as an individual . He received it with the fullest assurance . that he could do so with honour to himself , for his sympathies were closely bound up with the best interests of the colony . ( Cheers . )
A workman with the cement having previously rough-spread it on the stone , the Prov . Grand Master with the trowel completed the work . The upper stone was then lowered slowly , the band playing at the time . The Master bearing the plumb , level , and square , presented them successively to the Prov . G . M . Bro . Smith ; and the acting Prov . S . and J . Grand Wardens , who respectively proved the stone with each . The Prov . G . M . then received the mallet from the Master bearing it , and gave three knocks on the stone , and said : — ci
Having laid this foundation-stone in just position , according to the rules of our ancient Craft , we pray the G . A . O . T . TL , of his kind Providence , to enable us to carry on and complete the work we have begun , and that he would be pleased to guard the structure , and preserve it from ruin and decay , to the latest posterity . " « So mote it be " by the Brethren . mi Hie cornucopia with corn , the ewer with corn , the ewer with wine , and the ewer with oil were then successively presented to the Prov . G . M ., who said : — On strewing corn on the stone , — " I scatter this corn as a symbol of plenty . " "So mote it be , " by the Brethren ,