The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-01-12
THE COUNTY BRIDGE FIAsco.

been previously oruered by the old board
was the first business taken up after or
ganization. The bridges ordered wer,
one on the Natcheez at the old Nelson
bridge. the other three across the Yak
ina, one opposite Simcoe station, on,
opposite Toppenish station and one a
Kiona. By order OF the old board thu
county auditor was instructed to send
copies OF the plans and specifications fol
the bridges to at least four bridge com
panies and request them to submit esti
mates on the same as soon as possible
The estimates to be considered as bids
and the contract let thereon. On Mon.
day the 9th inst. when these estimates
were to be opened and considered, there
were four companies that submitted esti-
mates, three of which had agents present
before the board. The old board during
the remaining hours OF their term, up to
IL M, refused to act in the premises,
though they had fully investigated
the needs and necessities for these
bridges and had made the orders therefor.
The new board organized in the after
noon OF Monday and stated to the large
number OF interested citizens present and
to the representatives Of the various
bridge companies, that they would open
the bids at ii O'Clock a. m. on Tuesday
The board first showed its weakness and
bad faith by opening the bids on Mon
day evening or early Tuesday morning
when none of the parties interested were
present, either citizens or bridge company
representatives.
At IL o'clock, or soon thereafter, a pre-
pared order was read awarding the con-
tract for the building OF two bridges only
One at Simcoe station and the other ut
Kiona--for the sum of $l5,250, and this
for building the main structures only, the
citizens directly interested being required
to build the approaches.
Bridges are necessary for the develop
ment of this great county, and the bridge
most necessary at the present time is
the one at Toppenish station to accommo-
date the new town of Zillah and the set
tiers on the $4,000 acres OF irrigated land
Immediately tributary thereto. The fact
that there are three ferries in operation
two from Toppenish and one from Nab
ton Ito accommodate the traffic and
travel into the Sunnyside section, shows
the demand for bridge.
There Is no ferry at Simcoe and never
has been traffic and travel enough to JUS
tify one.
Over 200 people call regularly for their
mail at Zillah postoffice, the mail COM
ing across the river from Toppenish.
while there are not settlers enough &C.
commodated by the Simcoe bridge to
maintain a postoffice.
The greatest development in the county
is now being made in the Sunnyside Sec
ton and bridge built at Toppenish sta
ton would by the increased settlement
and development pay for itself in one
year by the revenue received from the in
crease OF the taxable wealth of the county.
While the section accommodated by the
Simcoe bridge is now and for years past
has been fully settled mp to its utmost ca
pacity by the fourteen settlers now there,
and the taxable wealth of the county will
not be increased one cent by the bridge.
The railroad company has always
maintained an agent at Toppenish and
never has had one at Simcoe, and has no
well or other facilities for maintaining
one there; nor is there tributary country
sufficient to justify the company keeping
one there. So that the fourteen settlers
accommodated by the Simcoe bridge will
of necessity have to go either to Topper
ish or to Yakima.
The wisdom OF the board gives bridge
to fourteen people who will be within six
miles OF the bridge at Union gap and
deaies bridge to over 200 actual settlers
who are over 20 miles from any bridge to
cross the river to shipping point.
The whole county will be burdened by
the bridge at Simcoe, as the fourteen set
tiers would not pay $1,000 in taxes in
years, while II bridge had been built at
Toppenish the increased development
would have paid for it in year.
The irrigation company has expended
over $500, 900 in developing the sunny
side country and is still prosecuting its
work, which demands bridge at Top
penish, but the board said ''No"
The whole bridge matter looks like a
job fixed up by the county auditor and
his friends. The auditor is Simcoe
bridge man and he manipulated the
board, thus putting the county to the ex-
pense OF building bridge at u cost Of
| 81 ,000-that begins nowhere and ends no.
where, and which will crafty and be used
by but few.
The great drawback to the more rapid
settlement and development OF the Sun.
nyside country is its inaccessibility. The
board refuses to make it accessible.
The action of the board in building the
Simcoe bridge will not add to the devel
opment OF the country; will not add Il
the population, and will not add to the
taxable wealth. Why should 1t be bull
when the needs of another section srs
more imperative?
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