The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1910-03-18
ENGINEER ]. NJ. M'CAN
TALKS ON BRIDGES
Flood Loss to County Not as
Great as Supposed.
Several Wooden Structures Will Be
Replaced With Steel of
Bridges Washed Away by High
Water Much Work Ahead.

county Engineer McCaW, VINO mas Deen
over a good portion OF the county since
the recent floods seeing what must be
done to replace bridges washed away and
the best way to do it, was seen by
representative of The Gazette Wednes.
day and had this to say:
"The total loss to the county by the
destruction OF the bridges is not as great
as it might seem nor as much as first
estimated. The principal bridges washed
out were as follows: South Palouse-the
Henry Clark, three at Pullman, River
side, Risbeck and three at Colfax. On
the Palouse, below Colfax-Fair ground,
DrLong, Matlock, Allen, Fisher and
ton. Union flat-Steward, Young, Peter
son, Anderson, kegley, West Hamilton,
Sutton, Guske. Horton and Lower Union
fat. Quite a number OF small bridges
across less important creeks we're washed
out or injured. The bridges across creeks
in the northern part OF the county were
not seriously damaged other than few
small ones.
"Of the bridges listed the Steward,
Peterson, Young and Lower Union fat,
over UaiOn fat creek, and the Henry
Clark bridge on the South PalOuse were
old structures, and would have served
but year or two at most. In fact, the
Young and Henry Clark bridges were to
be rebuilt this year anyway. The Ander.
son, Kegley. West Hamilton and some
other bridges on Union fat and River.
side bridge on South Palouse are not de-
strOyed, but have lodged short dis
tance below their sites and can be re-
placed at no great expense to the county.
Some of the combination bridges, such
as the Henry Fisher and West ElbertOn,
were faulty, the steel in them having been
taken iron other old bridges, and was
detective. The greatest real loss to the
county was in the wrecking of the fair
ground and Winona bridges, they being
duplicate 120 foot pin connected steel
trueses, constructed in 1907 They are
badly damaged, but sufficient good ma
terial can be saved from them to make
one span Of same length.
An Erroneous impression.
MANY persons have the idea that steel
bridges will not Withstand the floods and
are little better than combination bridges.
TNh;., hoc hoap cfr honnH
by the destruction OF the Pullman, Col
fax, fair ground and Winona steel bridg
by the recent high water. These struct-
ures were pin connected trusses. The
fret two had stood from Is to 20 years,
we're badly rusted and poorly designed.
All of them we're struck by large build
ings or railroad bridges. Of the bridges
remaining on the Palouse between Pull
man and the Adams county line are the
two Albion bridges and the four bridges
constructed last year under the super
as the Armstrong, Shawnee, Stipes and
Torrance bridges They are riveted steel
trusses, resting On tubular steel piers
filed with concrete, and are capable OF
withstandipg the most rigid tests, as
was demonstrated By the recent flood.
They stand practically uniniured, al
though sut jected to the same destroying
conditions which wrecked other bridges
along the Palouse. l am told by lead
ing contractors OF the Northwest that
whitman county is building by far the
best highway bridges Of any county in
the state, and that the prices paid by
this county are much less than paid
elsewhere on account OF the keen compe-
titiOn between contractors.
"We are now making surveys, plans
and specifications for the FIVE steel bridges
to be let on the 9th of April. These are
Winona, Fisher, fair ground, West Elber-
ton and Young bridges. Contracts have
already been let for the Pine City, Mat
lock, Cooper lake and Grand street
bridges. Tie latter two will have con-
crete floors. A number OF combination
and wooden bridges will also be con-
structed this year. 1t is the intention OF
this Office to recommend the construc-
ton of one or more concrete bridges to
replace certain bridges that we're de.
stroyed by the flood. Eventually con-
crete will enter largely into the construc-
ton OF our bridges. This change cannot
be made all at once under present condi-
tiops. but must necessarily be a matter
of growth and education. The object
now is to take conditions as we find
them and endeavor to get the best results
possible consistent with economy.
Joe has returned to Colfax for the win
ter and will serve Hot Chicken Tamales
m ns--d.u rhf from d f0