Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-08-13
BRIDGE MATTERS.
Danger That the Main Pier May Prove
as Bad as That Of the Old
Oup.

One.
There is a-good deal of talk and
excitement on the streets to-day
about the new bridge across the
Willamette here, caused by apple-
hendcd dagger that the formation
Of the mair piers is such AS to iDsu.o
no greater sa.2iy or permanenoy
than was given by the old bridge.
The trouble is the result of sev-
eral causes. UpSn the recommen-
datiou of Engineer Grondahl, Wny
hes charge Of the work on behalf OF
the municipalities Interested, some
/ changes have been made in the
specifications, whereby it is feared
the strength and service of the
structure have teen decreased, and
/ another cause Cf ,aiarm is the posi-
bilitv hat these changes, made since
! the contract and bonds lave Jcyu
" !, NAV invalidale ihc bonds aEd
rel eve the 5ureties from liability lr
case of a botched job.
Then it alleged that the concrete
going into The main piers, upon
which the life of the bridge most
surely depends, is not of the right
character FOR lasting solidity. 1t is
formed Of five parts of gravel, two
parts Of live river sand and one part
cement, these being the proportions
specified, but either the cement used
is not the proper kind or else the
proportions are not right. Assist
ant Supt. j. f.. Mccoy mixed bloc;
Of the nateriG rs specified Mond3%
afternoon and pressed it down s. ii
~ in box. This has stood sincc
that time, and to-day it can be broH-
en- easily by hand aud crumbles
apart without showing ony cohesive
force OF strength. 1t is said by men
of knowledge and experience in the
business that the 5loWest dry
ing concrete is hard and solid in
4S hours, therefore this mixture can
not be the kind desired for such
strength as will be required in those
piers. The cement called for in the
contract is Whites brand Portland
cement or "a brand of equal strength.
That is not the brand being used.
Mr.. Mccoy recently insisted upon
the performance of work according
to contract, which those doing the
job were about to leave undone and
he is now in receipt of letter from
Mr. Grondahl from Portland, saying
that the contractors, Hoffman d
Bates, have been complaining to him
that Mccoy has been Ietarding the |
work, and Grondahl tells him not to
cause delay. There is Il slight sus-
picion freely expressed on the street
by interested citizens that Nr Gron-
dahl's sympathies are rather with |
the contractors thau with the coun- !
ties and the city. If such is the ease,
the authorities should give Che mat
ter close attention.
County Judg. Waldo is away t.
Mehama to-day, or it is probable the
work would he ordered stopped un-
til an investigation could be had aad
proper tests made. He will proba-
big be home tomorrow. Mr.. Me-
Coy is determined that us far rs
lies in his power the work shall be
we'll ami faithfully done, but he is
of course under Mr.. Gronlahps di-
rectious AID must be governed there
. ty. A bridge Of this size may not
seem Il very important matter TO big
contractors or to railroad engineers, .
but to the taxpayers Of this city and .
these two counties it is highly inn
portant. They do not wish to re-
peat bridge experiments of this eX- .
tent every year or two,