Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 3.

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[p. 22] was that the ford was easy and convenient, and that Medford people seldom or never travelled that way. Each time the towns were found not guilty. In 1746 a petition was presented to Governor Shirley and the General Court, by a number of inhabitants of several towns in Middlesex County, asking for a bridge across Mistick river, at the wears. The town of Medford was notified of this petition, and at a meeting held May 19, 1746, a committee was chosen to draw up an answer thereto. At an adjourned meeting held May 25, 1746, the committee reported; the town accepted their report and voted an answer, in accordance with said report, as follows: ‘To His Excellency William Shirley Esq. Captain General and Governor in chief, in and over His Majesties Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, to the Honorable His Majesties Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled at Boston on Thursday 29th of May, 1746. The town taking into deliberate consideration the beforementioned petition, humbly beg leave to suggest, that inasmuch as the inhabitants of many of the towns, do pass and repass said place much oftener than the inhabitants of Medford, it being out of our way of marketing, etc. and but seldom used by any of us, we having and helping to maintain a bridge over Mistick river, in the road leading most directly to Boston. And even the inhabitants of the westerly part of Medford, who are nearest to the Wears, rarely travel that way, nor would if there was a bridge. Besides it may be worthy of consideration, that although the town of Medford be one of the smallest in the Province, both as to lands, as well as inhabitants, yet its charges as to the gospel ministry, a grammar school and a representative, are perhaps equal to almost any of the large and wealthy towns about us: therefore and for other reasons (for we would not be tedious) we pray that if your Excellency and Honors, should in your great wisdom, order a bridge to be erected at the place abovementioned, the charge of building and maintaining ’