Morrison Run 1860 Arch Bridge
Warren, Warren County, PA

The history of the Morrison Run arched bridge tells us that the bridge was started in 1859 and completed in March of 1860. It was constructed on the Sunbury and Erie Railroad.

Remember that the Buffalo, Bradford, & Pittsburgh Railroad was granted permission by the State of Pennsylvania to connect to the Sunbury & Erie Railroad.

The bridge plate located in the keystone block states that it was constructed by Struthers & Co., Contractors J.E. Bering, Engineer; T.J. Hoskinson, Engineer in Charge; and John McLaughlin, Master Mason.

Thomas Struthers, a famous Lawyer and Capitalist from Warren, PA, promoted the building of the Sunbury and Erie railroad. Mr. Struthers also owned lands in McKean County.

It has been stated that at one time Struthers had over 300 men, and 100 horses and carts working on the construction.

In the 1860 Federal census, it can be found in the Warren Borough that 18 men were employed as Stone Masons. John McLaughlin was the Master Mason of the Morrison Run bridge. He came to America in 1848 from Ireland. Five men, Winslow Fay, Robert Kichen, James Halliday, Thomas Bell, and John M. Davidson, were listed as Master Masons. Many of the masons were from Ireland and Scotland. These men were probably responsible for all of the stone work along the Sunbury & Erie Railroad.

The workmanship of the Morrison Run and the 1864 Arch Bridge in Big Shanty are so similar in construction, it is hard to tell the difference between the two. The markings on the cut stones are like signatures - I will explain later in the story.

     
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