East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1912-09-12
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SCHOOL BOARD ASKS
FOR FOOT BRIDGE
Desire Connecting Link Across River
In East End To Relieve Con-
gestion.

Appealing to the city council to
build a footbridge across the river
in the west end of the city in order
to relieve the congested condition of
the Washington school, the entire
school board appeared before the al
dermen last evening and presented
their request On account of the
unsanitary surroundings of the old
Field school on West Alta street, it
has been closed. which necessitates
the removal of many children on this
side of the river to the new rooms of
the north side school. However, un-
less foot bridge Is constructed in
the west part of the CITY. it will be
impossible for many of the children
to attend the north side school, ac-
cording to the statements of the
schoolmen.
DIR. c. J. Smith acted as the prin-
cipay spokesman for the board. He
pointed out the fact that the frame
building known as the Fields school
has outlived its usefulness. being now
a fire trap and in an unsanitary
community. An addition has been
built to the north side school at a
cost of $4,000, he said, and, with
the Fields school closed and the
Washington school crowded to its
capacity 1T is imperative to send
many of the children on the south
side of the river across to the Lincoln
school. However, he pointed out
with no means of crossing the river
except at Main street, those children
living several blocks west of Main
would be required to walk a distance
impossible for little tots in the win
ter. He therefore, asked the council
to consider seriously and immediate
ly the construction of a foot bridge,
preferably near Blaine street
Would Serve J"O Families.
DIR. Smith estimated that there
would be $50 families on the south
side of the river served by auch a
bridge and 150 on the north s'd3 who
have children in the high school.
Thus, he said, fully onefourth of the
citys population would be served,
from a school point only, and he went
on to show how such bridge would
We Il convenience W lllt Stlltldl pun
lie.
The speaker also emphasized the
need of the immediate installation of
the north side sewer in order that the
Lincoln school can be connected.
j. " Tallman, j. Il. Brown and +.
L. Smith, all members of the board,
and Supt. ]. S. Landers, also spoke
briefly to the council, emphasizing
the points brought out by DR.. Smith.
Mayor Matlock announced to the
board that he would appoint COM
mittee to investigate the matter, but
stated that the city was being put to
a consider able expense in the matter
of sewer extension and must needs
be careful of additional expenditures.
Following the retirement of the
board, Councilman Brock, who is also
a member of the school board, urged
an immediate investigation of the
matter. stating that unless the bridge
was undertaken at once, the Fields
school would have to be opened again,
though much against the will of the
board and in the face of the objec-
tion of parents. The mayor referred
the matter to the street committee
and the city engineer.
Another Bridge, Too.
Councilman Kirkpatrick asked that
while the council was considering
bridges, 1t determine whose business
1t was to repair the little foot bridge
across the mill race at Post street, as
1t was in a very bad condition.