Swing bridge over Maumee River at Toledo

The original bridge was constructed around 1855. Do any of you know if an Ohio governmental entity provided any funding of that structure? Also, was there any provision that the bridge could be used by any carrier that needed to cross the river?

One must seriously doubt any Ohio government would have assisted in the construction of a private railroad's right of way, bridges included.

As for other railroads using the bridge, they would have had to arrange the contract terms with the original bridge's owner/operator. Trackage rights don't come for free.

Back then Ohio nearly bankrupted itself funding RR's. Later they changed the state constitution to preclude state money being invested in RR's. They have to wiggle around that clause to do contemporary projects like grade crossing improvements and relocating tracks during other public projects.