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/84

COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES 55 bridge across the Susquehanna river at Bloomsburg, and on the same day the court appointed C. H. Moore, M. C. Vance and Simon Hons viewers to report on the same. On Sept. 21st a petition was presented by citizens of Catawissa to stay the proceedings. An answer was filed and depositions taken, and Judge Savidge of Sunbury was called in by Judge Ikeler to hear and decide the case. The latter petition was dismissed by Judge Savidge, and to this action exceptions were filed, and also a petition for reviewers, the first viewers having reported in favor of a bridge. After some skirmishing between the parties, C. W. Eves, W. S. Fisher and G. B. Hendershott were appointed, and on May 1, 1893, they reported in favor of a bridge; this report was laid before the grand jury on May 3d and approved by them with the recommendation that the bridge be erected at the expense of the county.

On May 4th more exceptions were filed by opponents of the bridge, and the matter dragged along from lime to time until Nov. 9th. when the court made the following order: "And now, November 9, 1893, all exceptions having been withdrawn in open court and all adverse proceedings abandoned, the report of the reviewers and Grand Jury is approved, and it is adjudged that the said bridge is necessary as a county bridge, and that the same is too expensive for the township of Catawissa and the Town of Bloomsburg to bear, and upon the concurrent approval of the same by the county commissioners the said bridge is ordered to be entered of record as a county bridge."

The commissioners concurred, and on Nov. 25th they had a letting, and after due consideration awarded the contract for the superstructure to the King Bridge Company, and for the masonry and other work to Joseph Hendler. J. C. Brown was employed by the commissioners to prepare the plans and specifications. and to make an estimate of cost, and also to be the supervising engineer of the work. The estimated cost was $69,256. Jesse Rittenhouse, B. F. Edgar and C. L. Sands were the county commissioners at the time. The bridge is iron and steel, and is 1,150 feet long, with six spans. The cost of the superstructure was $35,500; of the substructure $35,415.46, and the riprapping and filling $2,384.21, making the total cost $73,299.67.

MIFFLIN

Feeling the necessity for a bridge across the river at Mifflinville, citizens of Mifflin and Centre township presented a petition to the court on January 7, 1901, asking for the appointment of viewers. T. H. B. Davis, J. P. Fry and J. C. Brown were appointed. On Feb. 4th the viewers reported in favor of a bridge, and on the same day the grand jury approved it. Then came exceptions and a petition for reviewers, but this finally resulted in an order of the court in favor of the bridge on July 7, 1902, and the same day the commissioners approved the same. On July 26th the commissioners adopted plans, specifications and estimates submitted by J. C. Brown at their request, he having been selected as supervising engineer. The estimated cost was $96,547. The contract was awarded to C. H. Keimard for $93,985, who sublet the superstructure to the King Bridge Company for $56,600. The work was well under way, and three spans were completed when the Flood of 1904 destroyed the bridge. It looked then as if the bridge would never be rebuilt by the county. In 1905 a bill passed the Legislature which authorized the State to build uncompleted bridges exceeding 1,000 feet in length over any river, whenever any portions of said bridge already erected have been destroyed by floods before final completion thereof, and where it appears that over half of the contract price has already been paid before such destruction. The bill was drawn by Hon. Fred Ikeler while a member, and was passed largely through his influence. Proceeding under this law, a petition was filed in the Dauphin County court asking for the appointment of viewers in the matter of rebuilding the bridge across the Susquehanna river at Mifflinville. W. H. Eyer, C. A. Small and E. C. Hummer were appointed, and filed their report on June 25, 1905. in favor of the bridge. The report was approved by the court, and the bridge ordered to be built by the State. Exceptions were filed and after some delay by litigation the contract was awarded to the York Bridge Company for the superstructure.

The work was progressing and the second span was just completed when, Dec. 10, 1907. as the workmen were fastening it to the pier, the false work underneath was carried away by the flood in the river at the time, and the entire span went down, carrying with it forty men, all but seven of whom were rescued. The bodies of the latter excepting two were recovered down the river at various points, some a long distance away. The loss to the builders was about $10,000. The bridge was completed and opened for travel in 1908. A long delay was caused by litigation with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, the latter