The proprietors of the Charles River Bridge (St 1784, c 53) and of the Warren Bridge (St 1827, c 127) were empowered to erect bridges over the Charles River and to collect tolls until such time as the cost for building the bridges was recovered and the bridges surrendered to the Commonwealth. St 1832, c 170; St 1833, c 219; and St 1835, c 155 began the legal process of transfer for the Warren Bridge. St 1841, c 88 called for similar arrangements to buy out the proprietors of the Charles River Bridge. The act called for the repair of the Charles River Bridge and the Warren Bridge and for responsibility for the bridges to be turned over to Boston and Charlestown. Tolls for both bridges continued until the Commonwealth received reimbursement for the repair. The statute required quarterly reports of receipts and expenditures and annual reports to be sent to the legislature by agents appointed by the governor and on the advice of commissioners also appointed by him. The state secretary maintained these and other financial records of the corporations and the governor's agents in this series. Financial records include returns of receipts and expenditures for the Warren Bridge, schedule of bills, accounts of the agent, vouchers (1828-1841), recommendations for repairs to the Warren Bridge by the agent and commissioners, and petitions for repairs (1841); recommendations for repairs to the Charles River Bridge, returns of expenditures, accounts of the agent, and vouchers (1841-1849).
