A STONE ARCHED BRIDGE TO BAR ISLAND

ABOUT TOWN
BAR HARBOR RECORD
June 30,  1909

The selectmen have asked for bids for the construction of the bridge to Bar Island, which was voted at the last annual town meeting, after taking plenty of time to get all the necessary arrangements made, and every detail worked out.  Proposals will be received till 2 p.m., Saturday, July 10, and are to be made on blanks furnished by the town and directed to the selectmen.  The specifications and plans have been drawn up by Civil Engineer Edgar I. Lord.  The bridge itself is to be built using the lines of a railroad causeway, with four openings in it for the passage of boats.  The specifications call for a bridge to be built of stone, from 11 to 12 feet in height, and 1764 feet in length, on the crust of the Bar.  The bottom of the bridge is to be 50 feet wide, and the top 30, with a 20 foot driveway.  At mean high tide the top of the four openings of the bridge are to be six feet and one half from the water, so that it will be an easy matter for small boats, launches and dories to pass under.  The openings are to be 30 feet in length to be spanned by steel beams with corrugated arches between, covered with cement..  A galvanized rail is to run on each side of the bridge.  A road around the island is to be built by Mr. Pineo and the other owners of the island, and is to cost in the neighborhood of $5000.  It will open up a handsome drive, which will undoubtedly rival the Shore Path or the Bay Drive in popularity.  For their construction of the bridge the town appropriated $35,000 to be paid by a bond issue.  Any further sum over this amount will be paid by the owners of the island, or the matters to be dropped entirely, according to the vote taken at town meeting, and the contract entered into by Mr. Pineo on behalf of the owners of the island.  The bridge will be a unique feature when completed, and will openp up a handsome piece of land as well as giving a new and attractive walk and drive to the townspeople.

UPDATE

So whatever became of the new stone bridge that was to be built to Bar Island, after all, the town approved the building of the bridge, the money was approved for its construction, and a contractor chosen, yet clearly no such bridge was ever built.  Well, as it turns out it appears law suits were filed and a judge stepped in and ordered the halt to any new bridge being built, - see newspaper notification below;  this ran in the July 28, 1909 newspaper.

In a latter article from 1911, the Bridge to Bar Island is mentioned, stating that the bridge was not built after a large amount of taxpayers filed suit against the town, preventing the town from spending any money on a bridge to Bar Island.  

Bar Island - Acadia National Park