Do you remember the suspension bridge at Satok?
Long before the construction of the modern bridge that enabled vehicles to cross between Satok and Matang, there used to be a ferry that would bring cars across from one bank to the other, and there was also this suspension bridge.
The suspension bridge took three years to construct and was officially opened in 1926. It was 700 feet long and 7 feet wide. The architect was an A S Lowe.
I remember when I was a small boy, my grandma used to tell stories about the construction of the bridge, and how it was believed by some that human skulls placed under the foundations would strengthen the structure. As a result, during the early 1920s people actually avoided going out alone at nights in order not to be the victims of the penyamun (Iban word for "enemy", but in this context, it referred to the squad that was believed to be collecting the foundational heads).
Even after it was completed, the bridge was rather limited in function. Interestingly a primary reason why it was built in the first place was to carry two 12 inch pipes across the river, in order to supply fresh water from the Matang hills to Kuching town. Traffic-wise the bridge could only handle pedestrians and small vehicles up to 3000 pounds. I was told by elders that it could take the load of very small buses (those limited to 6 passengers), but during the actual crossing, the passengers had to alight and walk a short distance behind the bus, so as not to exceed the threshold weight.
Anyway the heads must have been effective, as the suspension bridge lasted a pretty long time - almost eighty years. One day after a storm on 7th October 2004, it collapsed. Fortunately no one was hurt. Not too surprising really, because since the new bridge was opened, few people actually used the suspension bridge.
Here's a nice picture that shows the old and new bridges side by side.
Happy reminiscing ...
xx
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