The following is excerpted from pp. 15-16 of Crossing the Delaware River Via Toll Bridges: Port Jervis, Pend Eddy, Barryville-Shohola, Narrowsburg, Milanville, Cochecton-Damascus, Callicoon, Kellams-Stalker, Lordille-Equinunk, Hancock, Arthur N. Meyers (Town of Tusten Historian), Delaware Valley Press, Narrowsburg, NY, 1970.
The Milanville Bridge Company had quite a task to get started. In 1901, a charter was granted to the company and its officers as follows: Milton L. Skinner, president; L.J. Hocker, treasurer; Chas. E. Beach, secretary; W.L. Brandt, H.W. Tegeler, George Schoonover, Joseph Page and Isaac Lovelass, directors. An attempt was made earlier but there were objections on the part of the Cochecton Bridge Co. stating that it would take some of their revenues. John F. Anderson, prominent Callicoon attorney, went to Albany to oppose granting of the charter, Cochecton was 3 miles up stream from Milanville.
The contract to build the bridge was let to the American Bridge Co. (so it states in the booklet, Milanville, The Center of Cushetunk) for $14,000. The structure was completed in November, 1902. During the Spring of 1904, the flood and ice took the New York section out. It floated on the ice to near Skinners Falls. A contract was let to either the Oswego or Horseheads Bridge Co. for $7,000. They used the girders from the damaged section to make the repairs.
The 'free bridge fever' hit the Milanville Co. in 1928. The States of Pennsylvania and New York completed transactions and paid the Stock Company $19,542.22 for the 470 ft. bridge which is still used today. It was then thrown open for public use.
There had been traffic across the river before the building of the bridge by means of a scow run by Milton L. Skinner who with his brother Volney operated a larger sawmill located on the Pennsylvania side of the "Falls" on the property now owned by Louis J. Hocker. His father, L.J. Hocker was long time treasurer of the Bridge Co.
It was about this time that the opening of the bridge in 1902 spurned the establishment of the Skinners Falls R.R. station on the Erie. This provided a siding and freight station for the Milanville Acid Factory run by the Brant-Ross Chemical Co. The building of the Skinners Falls Creamery took place at this time also. There were many large dairies located near Milanville. The Fullersbone Dairy Co. was the original builder of the creamery. They paid 1 1/2 cent per quart of milk at that time. The creamery and the new railroad station provided toll revenues for the Bridge Company.
A charge of 25 centers was made for a team and a load, 3 cents for a pedestrian, five cents for a round trip.
The 1911 financial statement was loaned to me by Mrs. Laurena Fisher. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Milton Skinner. This was at the time I wrote Milanville, The Center of Cushetunk. Statement of the Milanville Bridge Co. for the year ending December 30, 1911: Debits -- To cash on hand, $1,048.07; To Received Toll and commutes, 1911, $1,254.59; Credits -- By paid F.D. Calkins, Att. bridge $148.96; Taxes $111.23; Redeeming 37 Bonds $925.00; Interest, $31.89; Redeeming 8 Bonds, $2,000.00; Insurance toll house, $10.00; Advertising Bonds and printing stationery, $19.25; By Paid Postage and Notary fees, $8.35; Repairing, etc., $102.88; Resources -- Cash on hand $1,187.72; Due from tolls, $432.63; Liabilities -- Due F.D. Calkin, collector $135.78; Repairs on bridge, $29.00; Bonds as advertised, $800.00; Interest on Bonds $394.50; For Printing and Postage, $6.49.
The toll house was located on the Pennsylvania side. Mr. and Mrs. Albro Dexter were the last bridge tenders.
