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.pdf/84

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

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court on Jan u ary 7, 19 0 1, asking for the eppoinim au o f viewers. T. H. B. Davis, J. P. F ry and J. C. Brow n w'crc appointed. On Feb. 4th the viewers reported in favor of a bridge, and on the same day the grand ju ry ap­ proved it. Then came exceptions and a peti­ tion for reviewers, but this finally resulted in an order of the court in favo r of the bridge on Ju ly 7, 1902, and the same day the commis­ sioners approved the same. U n Ju ly 26th the commissioners adopted plans, specifications and estimates submitted by J. C. Brown at their request, he having been selected as supervis­ ing engineer. The estimated cost w as $ ^ ,5 4 7. The contract w as awarded to C. H. Keimard fo r $93,985, who sublet the superstructure to the K in g Bridge Company for $56,600. The work was well under way, and three spans were completed when the Hood o f 1904 de­ stroyed the bridge. It looked then as i f 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 i.ooo feet in length over any river, whenever any portions o f 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. T he bill was drawn by Hon. Fred Ikeler while a member, and was passed largely through his influence. Proceeding under this law, a petition w as filed in the Dauphin County court asking for the appointment o f viewers in the matter o f rebuilding the bridge across the Susqueham u river at Mifflinville. W. H. Eyer, C. A. Small and E. C. Hummer were appointed, and filed their report on Ju n e 25, 1905. in favor of the bridge. The report was approved bv 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 Y o rk Bridge Company for the superstructure. T he work w as progressing and the second span w as just completed when, Dec. 10, 1907. as the workmen were fastening it to the pier, the false work underneath w as 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 o f whom were rescued. The bodies of the latter excepting two were recovered down the river at various points, some a long distance aw ay. T he loss to the M IF n .IK builders w as about $10,000. T he bridge was Feeling the necessity for a bridge across the completed and opened for travel in 1 9 ^. A river at MifBinvillc, citizens o f Mifflin and long delay w as caused by litigation with the Centre township presented a petition to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, the latter

bridge across the Susquelianna river at Btoofm* burg, and on the same day the court appointed C. 11- Moore, M. C. Vance and Simon Hoits viewers to report on the same. On Sept. 2 1s t a petition w as presented by citizens of Cata­ wissa to stay the proceedings. A n answer was filed and depositions taken, and Ju d ge Savidge o f Sunbury w as called in by Ju d ge Ikeler to hear and decide the case. T he latter petition w as dismissed by Ju d ge Savidge, and to this action exceptions were filed, and also a peti­ tion fo r reviewers, the first viewers having re­ ported in fa*or o f a bridge. A fte r some skirm ishing between the parties, C. W. Eves, V. S. Fisher and C. B. ilcndcrshott were a]>pointed, and on M ay 1, 1893, they reported in favo r o f a bridge; this report was laid before the grand ju ry on M ay 3d and approved by them with the recommendation that the bridge be erected at the expense of the cotmty. On ^ iay 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 o rd e r: "A n d tww, November 9, 1893, all excep­ tions having been withdrawn in open court and all adverse proceedings abandoned, the report of the reviewers and Grand Ju r y is approved, and it is adjudged that the said bridge is neces­ sary as a county bridge, and that the same is too expensive fo r the township o f Catawissa and the Tow'n o f Bloomsburo to bear, and upon the concurrent approval of the same by the county commissioners the said bridge is ordered to be entered o f record as a county bridge." T he commissioners concurred, and on Nov. 35th they had a letting, and after due consid­ eration awarded the contract for the super­ structure to the K in g Bridge Company, and fo r the masonry and other work to Joseph Hendler. J. C. Brown was employed by the commissioners to prepare the plans and speci­ fications. and to nulke an estimate o f cost, and also to be the supervising engineer of the work. T h e estimated cost w as $69,256. Jesse Rittcnhousc, B. F. E dgar and C. L. Sands w-ere the county comnii.ssioncrs at the time. The bridge is iron and steel, and is 1.15 0 feet long, with six spans. U ie cost of the superstruc­ ture was $35,5< »; of the substructure $35,415.46. and the riprapping and filling $2,384.21, making the total cost $73,299.67.