Bridge photo courtesy of Anita Merritt   THE ST. MARY’S BRIDGE From the earliest times the passage of the river here has been affected by a ferry. The first ferryman in St. Mary’s was B. F. Pickens, who carried passengers over in a skiff and had a small flatboat, propelled with two oars for wagons and cattle. For a time in days of the greatest oil excitement, a steam ferryboat was used, a typical boat to the shuttle style. The ferry rights were bought by Charles F. Ruttencutter and finally passed into the hands of Hiram A. Carpenter. He increased the capacity and service, also improving the landing of the Ohio shore regarding and paving it and erecting a concrete retaining wall. With better roads and many motor cars it became evident that no ferry service would be adequate to meet the new demands of traffic. A bill permitting construction of the bridge was passed by Congress in February, 1927. It was not until August that a Commission reported favorably to the head of the department at Washington, but the matter had to follow the regular slow routine of business so that the final approval was delayed until the first of October. The company, incorporated as the Clarksburg-Columbus Bridge Company, was organized by electing H. A. Carpenter, President and R. C. Griffin, Secretary. Plans of the bridge were drafted by the J. E. Greiner Company of Baltimore, being substantially the same as those of the bridge over the Ohio at Point Pleasant, which was then under construction. The resident engineer was J. W. Richardson of Baltimore, who had spent several years in South America on railroad construction and was engineer of the Point Pleasant Bridge. The contract was let to the General Contracting Company of Pittsburg, the work of erecting the piers being in charge of Harry Bogan,, but the superstructure, or bridge proper, was let to the American Bridge Company, George Compson in charge. Immediately, material was ordered from Pittsburg and shipped by boat, and on Sunday, November 6, the first actual work was done in excavating for the anchorage pier at the foot of George Street, St. Mary’s. All though the winter, the work was carried on although frequently interrupted by high water. The three piers and the two terminals or anchorage piers were completed in the spring of 1928, and then the erection of the steel superstructure was begun. Instead of using steel cables, eye-bars fifty feet long were used to suspend the bridge, second structure of this kind in America, the first being the Point Pleasant Bridge. The total length of the steel work is 1,771 feet. The is 27 feet wide, and at the highest part in 93 feet above the normal height of the river in the pool, and 40 feet above the 1913 flood. The length of the main span is 700 feet, affording ample space for the navigation of steamboats and large fleets of barges. By reason of the enormous tension of the eye-bars and the improved method of construction, this bridge is pronounced probably the strongest that spans the river. Coated with lustrous aluminum paint, when seen at a distance it bears a striking resemblance to the delicate arch of a spider’s web: but its roadway, covered with two and one-half inches of Amesite, feels as solid as if one were walking or riding over a hard surfaced street. The bridge was completed in time for the opening celebration on October 25, in about two weeks less than a year from the time when work was begun, November 6, 1927 and on that occasion there gathered in St. Mary’s the largest assemblage ever held in Pleasants County. There was a procession of the high school bands of New Martinsville, Marietta, and St. Mary’s, with the Citizens Band. Pageants showing the progress in methods of travel both on land and water, addresses by prominent men, their voices carried by microphones to loud speakers on both sides of the river. Twin children of Mr. Carpenter, only twenty-two months old, Mary Helen, and Barbara Ann loosened the bowknot of a ribbon stretched across the bridge, and another daughter Rebecca, broke a bottle and christened the structure, the Short Route Bridge. The celebration closed with a fine display of fireworks at the lower point of the island, which had been cleared of trees for that purpose. A peculiar feature of the bridge is a ramp leading from the first pier down to Middle Island, thus connecting that valuable tract directly with main land. While almost all the island is above ordinary high water the southern part is rather low, The people of Newport enjoyed an ox roast and sweet cider on the Ohio side. The Short Route Bridge was renamed in the 1960’s as the Hi-Carpenter Bridge. The Silver Bridge at Point Pleasant, West Virginia collapsed December 15, 1967. The disaster took the lives of 46 persons. Because the two bridges were similar in design and age, the West Virginia State Road Commission ordered the Hi Carpenter Bridge closed on December 30, 1968. A supporting eye-bar was blamed for the disaster at Point Pleasant, no actual faults were ever found on the, Hi Carpenter span. It was decided to tear the bridge down and erect a new one on the old piers. The American Bridge crew began dismantling the flooring and truss work in 1971. The string of eye-bars linking the towers stayed, while short spans of bridge flooring remained at each end of the span. Demolition plans called for explosive charges to be placed on the eye-bars form the anchorages to the towers is expected to pull the towers which rest on rocker ledges above the piers toward the West Virginia and Ohio shores. The date for the explosion and the dramatic fall of the tall towers was given to the Coast Guard, which required 35 days advance notification. If some unforeseen circumstances prevented the demolition on the designated date an additional 15 days notification is required by the Coast Guard. Workers estimated that only two or three weeks would be required to pick up and clear away the towers, eye-bars and other debris after the big explosion. “D” Day for the bridge explosion was set Tuesday, June 29, 1971. The Controlled Demolition, Inc. placed explosive charges on the chains. A large crowd lined Route 7 for a view of the dramatic end of the Hiram Carpenter Bridge. Governor Moore has promised residents a new bridge. Federal funds have been available to replace the structure. The Department of Highways has advertised for bids on the first contract for a new Ohio River bridge between St. Mary’s and Newport. The department will open bids March 20, 1973 on a contract for construction of the only river pier on the project. The pier, which will be located 400 feet from the West Virginia shore, will be 115 feet high (from bedrock to its top) 100 feet wide and 20 feet thick. A basically solid shaft will support two 30 foot columns.The governor said the department expects to advertise shortly for demolition of the piers from the original St. Mary’s span. Site A has been chosen for the span. Work yet to be let to contract for the new structure includes eight land piers (four on each shore) the superstructure and the approaches, which will tie into West Virginia 2 and Ohio 7. The new bridges will be of Cantilever truss design. Its overall length will be 2,550 feet, with the main span or that part over the navigable portion of the river to be 900 feet. The bridge will be 70 feet above the water. A ferry has been chugging back and forth across the Ohio River since 1968. The two ferry landings are within site of the Hi Carpenter Bridge Piers. Fare is 50 cents. Newport workers still form car pools and long lines of passenger vehicles al the ferry approaches before and after shift change at the factories located near St. Mary’s River traffic, high water, mechanical breakdown, and fog are reasons for the ferry not running. You couldn’t depend on the ferry service. People of both communities were not very happy about the situation. The new bridge was dedicated on November 19, 1977 named Hi Carpenter Memorial Bridge. The dedication ceremonies included musical selections by: Frontier Band and St. Mary’s Band. Invocation was given by Rev. R. A. Atkinson of United Methodist Church of St. Mary’s Color’s were presented by VFW Post 222, St. Mary’s, American Legion Post 79, St. Mary’s. Pledge of Allegiance: was lead by Mayor Robert Doty of Belmont, West Virginia, National Anthem was played by Frontier High School Band, Welcome and Introductions were given by Mayor Arthur G. Olds, St. Mary’s, Musical Selections were: “Evergreen” by Frontier High School Band “Country Roads” vocalist Joy Catsos, of Charleston, West Virginia. Accompaniment St Mary’s High School Band. Remarks were given by: Assistant Director Dennis Garwood-Ohio department of Transportation Senator Jennings Randolph-State of West Virginia . Commissioner Charles L. Miller-West Virginia Department of Highways: Governor John D. Rockefeller 1V-State of West Virginia. Musical Selections: “Chicago, My Kind of Sound” Frontier High School Band “Theme From Rocky” St. Mary’s High School Band. Proclamation: Governor John D. Rockefeller IV-State of West Virginia. Benediction: Charles Newell-Church of Christ Newport, Ohio. Ribbon Cutting: Governor John D. Rockefeller IV. FERRY BOAT Bill Greene run a passenger ferry boat, named the Isabell, from Newport to St. Mary’s, a tug boat afterwards. Bernard Reynolds run a freight boat from Newport to Marietta, and a passenger boat from Newport to SL Mary’s. The passenger boat was named Mary. Dan Bogard run the ferry boat at Newell’s Run