It is said to have been in existence before the Revolution. It is shown on many of the old military maps of the vicinity, published during 1776, and is supposed to have been built by the proprietors or people of the Manor of Fordham, to enable the inhabitants of that place to obtain more ready access to the city and save them a detour to get upon the State road, leading to Yonkers and Albany, via King's Bridge.

It was for a century kept in order by the city authorities of New York, as the authorities in West-

1 The authorities for above : The various Reports alluded to in the author's possession, Proceedings by Common Council, Board of Aldermen, Acts of New York Legislature, Proceedings Commissioners of Central Park, and private memoranda. Thanks are due to Captain Tuomey, clerk nf th« Board of Aldermen of New York City, for valuable assistance, as many of the documents referred to are rar» and difficult to find.

Chester County contended that as the whole of it was within the limits of New York County, it was the duty of the city corporation to keep it in repair.''

It is in contemplation by the city authorities to discontinue this bridge and King's Bridge, and erect either a tunnel or one large bridge at the upper end of Manhattan Island, but as yet the plans for this change are not perfected.

Between the Farmers' Bridge and the High Bridge commissioners are about erecting a new bridge, spanning the stream and extending from Aqueduct Avenue on the Westchester shore to the Tenth Avenue on the Manhattan Island aide. This bridge is to be built in pursuance of the Laws of 1885, and is to be a masonry structure with an arch spanning the entire channel of the river, over one hundred feet above high water-mark.