Yuba County
History
Chapter XXXIX - Public Works - transcribed by Craig Hahn, Nov. 2003
Bridges—Old Structures—Hanson Bridge—Feather River Free Bridge—Yuba River Bridge—Simpson Bridge—Yuba River Free Bridge—Park’s Bar Bridge—Bridges in 1858—1850 Court House—Jail of 1851—Purchase of St. Charles Hotel—Erection of the present Court House—The City Hospital of 1853—French Hospital—The County Hospital—City Hall—Powder Magazine
BRIDGES
The facilities afforded by the ferries were not sufficient to meet the demands of the increasing travel on the routes in this region, and bridges were resorted to. In the mountain parts these structures were erected at an early day, an account of which will be found in other portions of this volume. Notable among these was the bridge across Yuba river at Parks Bar, constructed by the Parks Bar Bridge Company in the last part of 1851, and which opened a shorter route from South Yuba and Deer creek. The first bridge across Feather river was built between Marysville and Yuba City in 1853, being completed in September, by George M. Hanson and John C. Fall. It was a cheap truss bridge about three hundred and fifty feet in length, and cost twenty thousand dollars. In 1854, one span broke down under the weight of a drove of cattle, but was soon repaired. This bridge remained until the summer of 1861, when it fell while two teams were crossing, injuring one man slightly. Previous to this time Hon. W. H. Parks, who was representing Yuba and Sutter counties in the Senate, introduced a bill authorizing the construction by Sutter county of a bridge across Feather river. The tolls collected were to be applied to the payment of the cost of construction, and as soon as this had been accomplished, they were to be discontinued. This collection was only to be resumed when repairs were necessary. The bill was stoutly resisted by Messrs. Fall, Hanson and Webb, and created a great deal of public interest. The toll-bridge owners across the State, believing this to be an infringement of their interests, joined the above firm in resisting the passage of the act, but their efforts proved futile. Yuba county has five Assemblymen and two Senators, and Sutter one Assmeblymen and one Senator joint with Yuba. All of these were opposed to the act except Mr. Parks, and it was only by the most strenuous exertions that this gentleman could gain his desired point. The old company fought in the courts the construction of a bridge by an injunction, alleging that it was an infringement on their charter. The court held the act to be constitutional, and the bridge was completed in 1861, and was know as “Parks’ Free Bridge.” The contract was taken by Mr. Brown for thirty-six thousand dollars, be he was soon compelled to surrender it, and it was assigned to Mr. Parks. The work was completed by a committee of ten citizens of Sutter county. The foreman was Joseph Lee, and the foundation was built by I. N. Hubbard, for two thousand two hundred and fifty dollars. Before its completion the old company had built a new bridge, and now the two structures within five hundred feet of each other, costing from twenty-five thousand to forty thousand dollars each were striving for patronage. The county fixed a toll on its bridge at ten cents a team, while the others made theirs free. Affairs remained in this condition until about the middle of December, 1861, when the bridge was carried away by the flood of that season. The ended the great controversy and the county bridge was left without a competitor. The rates of toll were then fixed as they are now, two horses and a wagon, twelve and one-half cents, and for each additional span of horses, six and one-fourth cents. The travel was so great that, September 1, 1871, it was declared a free bridge, the indebtedness having been discharged, and with the exception of short intervals it has been free ever since. It has a double track, and is one of the finest bridges in the State.
John C. Fall constructed the first bride across the Yuba river, at a cost of thirty thousand dollars. The work was done under the supervision of John Steele; subsequently it became the property of William Hawley. The Yuba bridge was undermined by the current in May, 1858, and one-half of it fell into the stream and was cut away. In consequence of the mining debris filling the lowland between the bridge and highland, it became useless, and was bought by the county and was taken down. The Simpson bridge, across Yuba river at Simpson’s ferry, about one mile and one-half above the junction of the rivers, was built in 1861, by Mrs. Simpson. It was constructed by Mr. Brown and George Neal, and was an ordinary pile structure. The original bridge was added to, until the length was eight hundred feet. It became the property of Cockrill & Wilcoxon, and remained until the flood of December, 1861, when three hundred feet of it were washed away. This stimulated the citizens, who had now no bridge, and a meeting was held in Judge Filkin’s office, to take into consideration the propriety of the county constructing a bridge under the provisions of an act which had been prepared by the committee composed of Hon. William H. Parks, Judge Charles Filkins and Charles Schidell, and had become a law. At this meeting, W. H. Parks, Peter Decker, W. T. Ellis, Charles Schidell and one other, were appointed to report a plan and probable cost of constructing a bridge and road from Marysville to the highland on the opposite side. The committee presented their report, and favored the foot of D street as the location. Jealousies and differences of opinion in regards to the locality created considerable contention, and resulted in the purchase by the county of the other bridges, and building of the present structure. A. J. Binney furnished the plans and specifications for both road and bridge. Messrs. Binney and Parks became the contractors for the bridge, fifteen hundred feet long, at thirty-six thousand dollars, and Charles Hedges for the road, about three-fourth of a mile in length. The latter contract was subsequently assigned to Binney & Parks, who completed the entire work. In payment the contractors received scrip on the bridge fund, which was paid by the receipts from tolls. This was the second bridge leading into Marysville, that had been built upon Mr. Park’s plan for making tolls pay for the construction, and both have proved successful. A curious experiment in bridge construction was tried above Parks Bar, by Matt. Woods. He erected an iron tubular bridge, but it proved so faulty that it was not able to sustain its own weight, and when the supports were removed, it fell. The bridges standing in the county in 1858, were as follows:--
Marysville bridge, across the Yuba river, three quarters of a mile above its mouth.
Feather River bridge, across Feather river, between Marysville and Yuba City.
Linda bridge, across the Yuba, three miles above Marysville.
Dry Creek bridge, across Dry creek, on the Foster Bar Turnpike, twenty miles above Marysville.
Foster Bar bride, across the North Yuba, thirty-five miles above Marysville, five miles below Camptonville.
Bullard’s Bar bridge, across the North Yuba, one mile below Foster bar, on the county road leading from Galena ranch, via Dobbins ranch, to Camptonville.
New bridge across the North Yuba, five miles below Foster Bar, thirty-two miles from Marysville.
Freeman’s bridge, across the Middle Yuba, on the road from Marysville to Camptonville, via San Juan, French Corrall, Sweetlands, and Sabastopol, thirty-six miles from Marysville.
Emory’s bridge, across the Middle Yuba, four miles above Freeman’s, and on the road from Marysville to Forest city, Minnesota and Downieville, forty miles from Marysville.
Slate Range bridge, across the North Yuba, eight miles above Fosters Bar, forty-four miles from Marysville.
Cherokee bridge, across the North Yuba, three miles above Slate Range, on the road from Camptonville to Strawberry Valley and La Porte, forty seven miles from Marysville.
Honcut bridge, across Honcut creek, on the road from Marysville to Oroville, twelve miles from Marysville.
McAdam bridge, across Dry creek, near its mouth on the road from Marysville to Timbuctoo, Smartsville, and Empire ranch, twelve miles from Marysville.
COUNTY BUILDINGS
The first building erected for the transaction of county business was a canvas structure on the corner of E and third streets in 1850. It was a room about twenty feet wide and thirty feet long, the second story being used as a Masonic hall. In this place were held the sessions of the Courts, public meetings and religions services. September, 1850, a one-story frame jail was completed on the lot, corner of D and Sixth streets, 18x28 feet, costing eight thousand dollars. The jail lot cost three hundred dollars. The expense of grading it the first year was more than the original cost. In December, 1852, the court of Sessions appropriated six thousand dollars for the purchase of the St. Charles Hotel property, on the southwest corner of D and Third streets, for a Court House. They also gave five thousand dollars to repair it. There were only canvas partitions in the building at the time. When the present Court House was completed the old property was sold in June, 1855, for ten thousand seven hundred and twenty-five dollars. In 1854, lot five, block three, was bought by the Court of Sessions. The need was now felt for a more improved and convenient Court House, accordingly in 1855, such a building with jail attached, was built at the corner of D and Sixth streets, and was occupied in November. The contract was for twenty-eight thousand dollars, but it probably cost as high as forty-five thousand dollars. A Jailor’s dwelling was erected in 1856, at a cost of five thousand eight hundred dollars.
In September, 1853, the city established a hospital in charge of Jno. T. McLean, M. D., on Maiden Lane, between Sixth and Seventh streets. It was in part a private institution. The French citizens at this time also had a hospital which they maintained, in charge of Dr. Amouroux. The county hospital was erected in 1856, the lot costing sixteen hundred dollars. The contract as first arranged for a one story structure, was eight thousand two hundred and ninety two dollars. Before it was completed a second story was added at an additional cost of six thousand, eight hundred and twenty dollars. Before it was ready for occupation more money had to be expended in furnishing and making the necessary arrangements for the reception of the patients. It is on the north side of Seventeenth street, between H and I streets. The dimensions were 54x75 feet.
The new City Hall was contracted for in October, 1854, for sixteen thousand dollars, although when finished it cost nearly twenty thousand. The Station House was erected in 1857, being completed in the spring of 1858. It adjoins the City Hall and contains several cells and apartments. The city also erected a circular building on Franklin Square, thirty feet in diameter, one story high and thoroughly fire-proof. This was used as a powder magazine for the storage of that dangerous substance.