Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/559

kelley's ferry and bridge. 455 publick benifet and priviledge : so that William Ingraham, John Twoogood, Dunkin Killey held sd ferry under sd town, and allowed sd town of Swanzey a rent for the same and fur- ther saith not: Joseph Mason." In 1777 the ferry was still run by John Kelley, son of Dun- can, as the General Assembly allowed him, "for the ferriages of a number of soldiers and their baggage, ;^ 15, 9s., 4p." On the death of Mr. Kelley, in 1777, his son Duncan suc- ceeded him in charge of the ferry. In June, 1792, it was Voted and Resolved, by the General Assembly of Rhode Island, " that Duncan Kelley, the propri- etor of the Ferry on the East side of the Town of Barrington, upon the Post Road from Newport to Boston, be permitted to extend and continue a warp from Posts erected upon oppo- site Sides of the said River, for the greater Convenience of transporting Passengers, without Molestation from any Per- son or Persons whosoever," and it was further Voted and Resolved, "that whenever Boat or Vessel shall pass or re- pass through the said Passage, the said Warp shall be doused, so that such Boat or Vessel may pass without any obstruction." In February, 1794, the General Assembly passed an Act granting to Duncan Kelley, license to erect a bridge across Palmer's River, at a Place called Kelley's Ferry, as a toll bridge, with a convenient draw for the passage of vessels without expense, with an able bodied man to aid and assist in raising the draw for the passage of vessels and in lowering the same : that the toll shall at no time exceed the present rate of ferriage as established by law: that when the toll shall amount in value to the costs, charges and expenses of erecting and keeping in repair said bridge, with interest thereon, a reasonable allowance shall go to Duncan Kelley for advance made and "for the risque of his property." To facilitate the travel between the two peninsulas, New Meadow Neck and the main body of the town on the west,