Hancock County, Ohio - Chapter 10: First Roads and Bridges, 1881

AT the June session of the Commissioners, in the year 1829, "A petition being presented by sundry citizens of Hancock County, praying for a county road, commencing at the county line at John Smith's farm, running thence a north-westerly direction to John Longs, in Section one, thence to cross Blanchard Fork at or near John J. Hendricks, thence to run down the river to the mouth of the three mile run, thence the nearest and best direction to Findley, which was granted, and John Huff, John J. Hendricks and William Moreland were appointed viewers, and William Taylor, Surveyor." On the 16th of September the Commissioners met in special session to receive the report of the viewers of said road. Report received and the road established. This road is the one now known as the Findley and Vanlue road, which crosses the river at the ftirm of Richard Hall.

In August, 1830, the County Commissioners met for the purpose of apportioning the amount of the three x>G'i^ cent. fund on the several state roads, and the record says: "Whereupon it is agreed on by said Commissioners that the aforesaid amount of money appropriated, shall be laid out on the following roads, to-wit: The road leading from Bellefontaiue to Perrysburgh. and the road leading from

Upper Sandusky through Findley to Defiance, which work is to be performed in cutting out said roads, thirty-two feet wide, all timber twenty inches in diameter, and clearing the ground of all timber."

A petition was presented to the Commissioners July 28th, 1831, signed by numerous parties, "Humbly representing that it would conduce much to the public convenience if a county road was established between the following points, to-wit: Beginning at the west end of Main Cross Street, in the village of Findley (at a point where West street crosses Main Cross street, at the residence of Mrs. Dr. Detwiler,) thence on the nearest and best route to Solomon Foglesong's improvement on Toway Creek, thence on the nearest and best route in direction of Toway Village, (now Ottowa, Putnam County,) to the county line." As this is now one of the leading as well as one of the best roads in the county, I will give the report of the viewers in full.

" Gentlemen : We, the undersigned viewers, met at the time and place appointed in your order of December last, and after being qualified as the law directs, proceeded to view the ground as therein set forth. Surveying and making a line as we proceeded, having always a regard to the nature of the ground, and at the same time paying particular attention to have no more angles in the survey, than what could not possibly be avoided. We found it impossible, however, to take the line to the immediate point at Foglesong's. We went as near to it, notwithstanding, as the nature of the ground would admit, which was satisfactory to the petitioners. And we can assure you, the whole line (with the exception of a part of the first mile leaving Findley, which was unavoidable.) is on as good gTound for a road as we know of any where in this region of country. We also be-

After these followed the location and opening up of the Tiffin, Port Clinton, New Haven, Lima and other important roads. In fact, for the first ten years after the organization of the county, the principal part of the business of the Board of Commissioners, was to receive petitions for, and confirm reports of reviewers and surveyor of county roads. Such has been the desire of the people, and the acts of the Commissioners, that we have now public highways running by and bordering on almost every farm in the county, thus affording to all an easy and convenient means of communicating with his neighbors.

The records of Wood County, recite that the " Road from Fort Meigs, or the foot of the Rapids of the Miami of the- Lake (Maumee), to Bellefontaine, opened December 11th, 1829." This is the road now known as the Perrysburg and Bellefontaine state road, which crosses the county from north to south, and divides it into two almost equal parts. This road was laid out on and near " Hull's Trail."

The Commissioners of the same county, on the 6th day of June, 1826, "Ordered that four hundred dollars of the road fund be appropriated for Hancock County, to be expended on the Urbana road in said county." This road was the Perrysburg and Bellefontaine road.

The first roads in the county, were for years scarcely more than blazed paths through the woods. Very many places would have been utterly impassable had it not been for a system of bridging, then extensively indulged in, known as corduroy. This was a kind of rail road in which the position of the ties and rails on an ordinary rail road were reversed. That is, the ties were laid lengthwise and the rails crosswise. But as timter was abundant, and not much attention was paid to the smoothness of the road, they were not so very expensive.

The County authorities, and the citizens for many years contented themselves by bridging the smaller streams and water courses, wherever absolutely necessary, and then only with a temporary structure, barely answering the purpose of its building, without a thought of bridging the river. So impossible of completion, seemed such an undertaking, and so immense an amount of money was supposed to be necessary, that no one dared mention such a project.

In 1841, when it was seriously contemplated to build a bridge across the river at Findley, it was deemed of so much importance, that this order was made : " Ordered that the Auditor instruct the Assessors to take the vote of the people as to the propriety of laying a tax of eight hundred dollars for building a bridge across Blanchard River in Findley."

How the voters of the county decided the matter does not appear by the records, but the inference is, that they "seconded the motion," for in March, 1842, the following resolution was passed by the County Commissioners: "i?^- solved, That the Auditor receive proposals for building two bridges across Blanchard River, one at Findley, and the other at the crossing of the Findley and New Haven State road, (known as the INIarvin Bridge,) until the first day of April next, agreeable to the plans now in this office, as submitted to the Commissioners, one half the pay in January, 1843, and the other half in one year thereafter."

On opening the bids, at a special session, January 7th, 1843, for the completion of the extension of the bridge across the river at Findley, it was found that James Robinson was the lowest bidder, and the contract was awarded to him.

The records do not give the names of the contractors, nor the price paid, except as we find in the proceedings of the Commissioners at a special session in March, J 843, when it was "Ordered that the Auditor of Hancock County, Ohio, inquire into the cause why the bridge across the Blanchard Fork of the Auglaize River, at Findley, is not completed agreeable to contract by S. Carlin and H. Eaton, and if no good cause is shown, institute a suit against said contractors, and employ counsel if necessary."

June 1, 1843, the Commissioners "Ordered that the Auditor of Hancock County enter a suit against the contractors of the bridge at Findley, by the first of July next, if the same is not by that time finished to the satisfaction of the Commissioners."

It is fair to presume that the bridge was finished to the " satisfaction of the Commissioners," as there is no record of a suit being brought. The bridge was a wooden structure, known as a trestle bridge, the superstructure being supported by wooden trestles, placed, perhaps twenty feet apart. The finish was of the plainest kind, only ordinary railing, no cover, no paint.

In 1 850, the contract for a new and better bridge across the Blanchard, was let to Jesse Wheeler, William Klamroth and Edwin B. Vail, for the sum of fifteen hundred dollars. It too, was a wooden structure, but of a different plan, and whilst it was more pretentious in appearance, it was also a much more substantial piece of work. It consisted of two spans, being supported at the ends, by massive stone abutments, with a pier in the centre, of the same material. The sides were elevated - being a truss bridge - and inclosed, and the whole covered with a shingle roof. There was but a single track for wagons, with a foot path on either side. The bridge when finished and opened for travel, was regarded as a superb piece of work.

But in time, this structure wore out, and decayed, and the business and travel of the county demanded a better bridge. One that would not only answer the purpose for which it should be intended, but which would also be an honor to the county, and an ornament to the county seat.

In 1872, the old bridge was sold, torn down and taken away, and the Canton Iron Bridge Company, under contract with the County Commissioners, erected the present beautiful and substantial Iron Bridge, at a cost to the county of about thirteen thousand dollars.

In 1839, John Byal, Aquilla Gilbert and Daniel Fairchild, Commissioners, at their March session : " Ordered that there l)e appropriated for building a bridge across Eagle Creek, at what is now called the Upper Ford, or where the Melmore and Findley State road crosses the creek, the sum of ten dollars., provided, there is a good and sufficient bridge erected thereon before the first day of November next." This bridge was to be built where the Sandusky street bridge now is. What would our fi-iends in East Findley, and in the eastern part of the county say to a ten dollar bridge at that place now. But they must remember, that when this order was passed, that the place designated for the bridge, was a considerable distance out in the country.

lu 1845, the sum of iiiue hundred andj forty dollai*s was expended in the county for bridges. Numerous bridges, wooden structures, were built across the river at various times, and were gradually replaced by other and better structures, until now there are not less than thirteen good, substantial bridges spanning the Blanchard River within the limits of the county. Besides these, there are scores of smaller iron and wooden structures spanning the numerous creeks and water courses. The value of these bridges, is quite considerable, and their conveniences to the population cannot be estimated.