BRIDGE. A building constructed over a river, creek, or other stream, or
ditch or other place, in order to facilitate the passage over the same. 3
Harr. 108.
2. Bridges are of several kinds, public and private. Public bridges may
be divided into, 1st. Those which belong to the public; as state, county, or
township bridges, over which all the people have a right to pass, with or
without paying toll these are built by public authority at the public
expense, either of the state itself, or a district or part of the state.
3. - 2d. Those which have been built by companies, or at the expense of
private individuals, and over Which all the people have a right to pass, on
the payment of a toll fixed by law. 3d. Those which have been built by
private individuals and which have been dedicated to public uses. 2 East, R.
356; 5 Burr. R. 2594; 2 Bl. R. 685 1 Camp. R. 262, n.; 2 M. & S. 262.
4. A private bridge is one erected for the use of one or more private
persons; such a bridge will not be considered a public bridge, although it
may be occasionally used by the public. 12 East, R. 203-4. Vide 7 Pick. R.
844; 11 Pet. R. 539; 7 N. H. Rcp. 59; 1 Pick. R. 432; 4 John. Ch. R. 150.