Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.djvu/82

COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES 53 caused to be incorporated the Columbia and Montour Electric Company.

The incorporators of this company were E. R. Sponsler, W. F. Lowry, Myron l. Low, C. M. Creveling, A. W. Duy, the company having an authorized capital of $525,000 and an authorized bond issue of $525,000. This company subsequently purchased outright from the holding company and from the various subsidiary companies all the right, property and franchises of the gas, electric light and power companies, and they arc now being operated by the Columbia and Montour Electric Company, which company also acquired ninety-five per cent of the capital stock of the Columbia and Montour Electric Railway Company, and controls the management and Operation of that corporation.

In 1913. the name of the Columbia and Montour Electric Railway Company, because of its similarity to the name of the power company, was changed by appropriate action and is now the North Branch Transit Company. Since June 1, 1913, both the power company and the transit company have been under the management of H. D. Walbridge & Company. No. 14 Wall street, New York. Nearly all of the original local incorporators retained an interest in the two companies.

Through the firm of H D. Walbridge & Company the local companies are affiliated with the Northern Central Company and the Northumberland County Gas and Electric Company and supply with gas and electricity the following territory: Nescopeck, in Luzerne county; Berwick, Ecst Berwick, Bloomsburg. Catawissa and intermediate villages, in Columbia county; Danville, in Montour county; Selinsgrove and Lewisburg. in Union county; Sunburym Northumberland, Milton, Watsontown and Turbotville, in Northumberland county.

BRIDGES

BERWICK

The first bridge across the Susquehanna at Berwick was authorized by the Legislature in 1807. and an organization was made five years Liter, with Abraham Miller as president; John Brown, treasurer, and Silas Engle, Thomas Bowman and Elisha Barton as managers. This bridge was completed in 1814 by Theodore Burr at a cost of $2,000. Its length was 1.260 feet and it rested on timber piers, boxed in with heavy planks. In the winter of 1835-36 it was carried away by the ice. The following year Jesse Bowman, Josiah T. Black, Samuel R Headley A. U. Wilson and Robert McCurdy secured an appropriation of $10,000 from the legislature and erected the second bridge. This was a covered wooden arch bridge, and was operated for some years as a toll bridge by the company. It was made a free county bridge by proceedings in court instituted by a petition of citizens of Berwick and Nescopeck tiled May 1, 1899. A. J. Derr, J. C. Brown and G. W. Keiter were appointed viewers, and on Sept. 25, 1899, they reported m favor of a free bridge, and assessed the damages to be paid to the bridge company at $25,349, which action was approved by the grand jury. After some delay caused by a motion for time to file an appeal by the bridge company, the court made an order on Feb. 5, 1900, declaring this bridge a free county bridge. This being a bridge between Columbia and Luzenie Counties similar action had been taken in the Luzerne County court, and a similar order made. The Luzerne county viewers were George J. Llewellyn, W. H, Sturdevant and C. A. Shea, who with the Columbia county viewers had met and considered the matter, and had made their joint report in favor of the bridge and assessing the damages on July 21, 1899. This bridge was destroyed by the flood of March, 1904. Proceedings were at once started to have it replaced by the State in April. 1904. The report being favorable, the contract was let on June 13,1905. to the York Bridge Company for $209,500. and an iron and steel bridge was erected and completed in 1906. It is one of the finest structures that crosses the river anywhere. A free ferry was maintained by the two counties during its construction.

DANVILLE

The Danville Bridge Company was chartered Jan. 2, 1828, the officers of the company being: Daniel Montgomery, president; James Loughead, treasurer; John Cooper, secretary; John C. Boyd, William Colt. Peter Baldy. Sr., William Boyd, Andrew McReynolds, Robert C. Orier, managers. On the 3d of March of that year a contract was made with John P. Schuyler and James Fletcher for the construction of the first bridge. The work on the foundations began in that month, and in January. 1829. the bridge was completed, the company accepting it the following month. The State held a small amount of stock in this bridge. Daniel Hoffman was appointed the first toll collector, at a salary of $65 a year.

On March 14, 1846, the bridge was swept