Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-03-31
HISTORY OF
RIVER BRIDGES
COMMUNICATED

Editor Of Montour American Some
facts of historic interest to your read
ers, CLEANED from the records OF the
Danville Bridge Company are present
ed by the writer to show the changes
and repairs undergone during
period of three quarters of century.
The first bridge was erected in 1928,
under a contract to John p. Schuyler
and James Fletcher for the sum of
S27, ,25O The abutmeuts, wing walls
and piers were built in eight months
Work was commenced in March 1928,
and the entire structure completed
May 18th, 1929. The State having APP
propriated $4,000, the bridge was
viewed and approved by Lewis DewaTt,
Gen'l r. II. Hammond and ThoS. \.
Lloyd commissioners appointed by the
Governor The piers were damaged by
the freshets of 1881 and ,. and repair
ed at a cost of SlO47, 90 In 1888, the
Bridge Co. were sued by II. II. Burr,
assignee of Theo. Burr, for using his
system of truss which cost the com:
pany SIOS8. 81 In 1888 and further
freshet damages occurred TO the
amount of S6S33 the tate appropriate
ing $1,000 For the accommodation of
travellers on dark nights, in the year
1874, a lantern was placed at the bridge.
In lS45 lot at the North end was
purchased from Hon. ID. ). Montgom
cry. and a toll house erected. On
March 18th 1916, the bridge was swept
away by a freshet; plans and speciii-
cations for rebuilding were presented
by Robert FAIRIES and adopted. A con
tract was awarded to Chester b. Evans
Of Elmira, N.Y. and David W. Kownov-
er, Danville, Pa, and Chas. S. Beard
appointed engineer at g. 90 per day,
with the understanding that he was to
give his whole time Sundays included.
Spans of the lata bridge lodged near
Sunbury. By the 9th day of Nov. 1917,
one track Of the new bridge was pass
able. The State Legislature Jan. >,
1851 authorized the company to issue
$4,000 in bonds at per cent per an
mum, the interest payable semi-annual-
ly and the principal $4,000 May lst,
1857, $4,000 May lst, 1858, $1,000 May
lst, 1859 These bonds were sold for
$40 on 500. On March Goth, 1852 in
place of permits being issued the tick
ct system was aCupteU,
$500 in tickets for 5 300 in cash
100 in tickets for 800 in cash.
1900 in tickets for 1000 in cash.
$500 in tickets for 1900 in cash
$500 in tickets for 5000 III cash,
but in 1865 the annual permit system
was revived Aug. 10Th. 1851, Joseph
Hunter was chosen collector of tolls.
The freshet of 1868 reached height of
2G feet, bat no damage was done to the
bridge.
In 1869 the toll receipts were large
ly increased by the building up of
Riverside on the south side of the riv-
er. The freshet of March 18th, 1875,
carried away the superstructure and
slightly damaged the piers. a contract
was awarded to H. +. Hawke & Co.
for repairing the piers, which were
raised 4 feet above the former level
The building of the wooden super
structure was awarded to the Toledo
Bridge Co. Work was commenced
April lst, 1875 and finished Aug. 18th,
the same year.
In 1894 the bridge property was pur-
chased by the counties Of Montour
and Northumberland, and was kept up
aud maintained as an inter-county
structure Intil the 9th day of March
1904, when destroyed by an ice freshet
which reached the unprecedented
height of 20 feet, inches and marked
an important epoch in the history of
the Susquehanua River.
Under a late act of Assembly the
State will now const Ict a new high
way bridge which may be commenced
about June lst and barring accident,
can be completed aud made ready for
public travel within period Of six
months. Mean while transportation by
ferry with its incOnveniences must be
accepted by the public.