A few yards westward from the Monongahela House the road crosses Dunlap's creek over a handsome and expensive iron bridge, erected in 1835, and the first of the kind west of the Allegheny mountains. The vicissitudes attending the construction of this bridge have been alluded to in a previous chapter. The stone work of this bridge, which is a fine specimen of heavy masonry, was let by contract to William Searight, who pushed it forward and completed it with his characteristic energy. David Chipps, a well remembered old citizen of the vicinity of Uniontown, and an expert stone mason, was a boss workman on this bridge, and the late Gen. William W. Williams, who in the prime of his life was an excellent mason, also worked on its walls and abutments. The work was done under authority of the War Department of the general government. [Illustration: BRIDGE OVER THE MONONGAHELA.] After crossing the iron bridge the traveler is in the ancient borough of Bridgeport. Here Jack Arnold kept a tavern at a very early period. He was succeeded by John Riley, who for many years kept a wagon stand. Riley was a staunch citizen, and participated in the public affairs of his town. His tavern was near the market house, and was a popular resort in the olden time. Isaac Kimber, Robert Patterson and John Neelan kept taverns in Bridgeport before the National Road was made. The present Bar House is on the site of the old Kimber House. The Bar House is owned by Ephraim H. Bar, who conducted it as a tavern for many years. It was a wagon stand, and had a good trade. Robert Carter, old wagoner before mentioned, was one of the men who for a time successfully conducted the Bar House. Thornton Young, George Garrard, Matthew Story and Eli Bar kept this house in recent years at different times, and it is now conducted by W. F. Higinbotham. It is but a short distance from the iron bridge before mentioned to the long wooden bridge over the Monongahela river. This bridge, although a link of the National Road, was not built by the government. It is a private enterprise, and was erected in 1833. In 1810 an act was passed by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, authorizing the Governor to incorporate a company to build and operate a bridge at this point; but for some cause the company was not organized, and in 1830 a company was incorporated by the Legislature. Ephraim L. Blaine, father of the brilliant and popular statesman, was an incorporator under the provisions of the act of 1830, and the company authorized by that act promptly organized, and completed the bridge at the date above mentioned. Neil Gillespie, the grandfather of James G. Blaine, was named in the act of 1810, above mentioned, as one of the commissioners to solicit and receive subscriptions of stock for the bridge. CHAPTER XXXVI.