Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1912-12-09
THAT 'VEXATIOUS
BRIDGE PROBLEM
Another Attempt to Improve
Entrance to Aberdeen
Is Hampered
STREETS ARE DISGRACE
Problem Could Be Easily
Solved by Moving Heron
Street Bridge

To the disgrace of this city, the
worst piece of road between Seat
tile and Aberdeen for the past five
years has been within the limits OF
this city. extending from the eleva
ted road on the east to the bridge
across the Wishkah river. For some
reason or other, the city council has
repeatedly baked at improving the
thoroughfare leading into Aberdeen
Notwithstanding the fact that body
has been fully aware of the evil re-
pute the city was gaining thereby
When an attempt would be made to
improve a street in East Aberdeen,
an 0bject0r would bob up sufficient.
1y strong enough to smother it, and, to
the Herald. it appears that the time
has arrived for that body to pro.
coed upon its own initiative and give
the city an entrance that its citi.
5ens need not be ashamed of regard.
less Of objectors-
Ordinarily. the Herald believes in
making street improvements as near
" ~ practicable in accord with the
wishes Of the owners of abutting
property who have it to pay for. But.
aAts Improvement il more than To-
cal one. It ID Of general interest to
the entire city as well as to the trav-
cling public. whose trade our COM
meFcial organization b struggling to
secure. and. to = certain extent, the
wishes of interested parties may have
to b ignored. and the Improvement
made with = view Of benefltting the
city ~ q WhO3e.
TIE cityEs q aIEYY ~ sssss-in5ski b
another attempt along this line, and
1t looks Ike 1t will fail as did those
before it. At the last session of the
council, . resolution was read, for
the Improvement of East Heron street
from the bridge to Benn street. Up
on a showing made by w. B. Mack,
manager of the Slade mill, that this
Improvement would greatly hamper
his company during the six or more
months required for the work, the
council ordered new resolution
drawn that will exempt the block be-
tween the bridge and the railroad
crossing. and this new resolution will
be before the council next Wednes.
day night.
This plan should be promptly voted
down for several reasons, among
them: The owners east of this ex
empt property will resist the &C
ton in the courts. and are capable
OF delaying the work year or more
1t leaves the dangerous grade cross
ing and the Objectionable lumber
yard to drive through just as it IL
at present and Is but a temporary
makeshift ut best. What is demand
ed is a good and permanent street
from the Wlshkah river to the east
line OF the city at the earliest posi-
BILE moment.
Proposition Not Difficult.
The problem may be vexatiOus but
It Ia not difficult, If the council will
get rid of the idea that the bridge
at Heron street is immoveable. The
removal of this bridge to Wishkah
street, where it should have been ori
ginally bnilt. and the Improvement o1
Wishkah street from the river to the
elevated roadway would give 9
straight entrance to the city, with
no dangerous railroad crossing, and
would give the Wishkah river anoth
er block from it's mouth free of swing
bridges.
This plan appeals particularly al
this time, when the Heron street
bridge is in an unsafe condition and
a constant source of expense. Last
week consulting engineer examin
ed the structure, and gave an esti
mate that more than 100000 woult
be necessary to place it in temporar,
good order. As it is always safe tt
provide more money than the esti
mate OF an engineer or architect, i
may be assumed that $4,000 will bt
required to make the repairs suggest
ed by him. and the inconvience O
crossing ON q ferry will be fully al
long continued as IL the bridge wal
moved.
The Herald In reliably informed
and believes that for not to excee'
$4,000. . permanent pier could b.
built at WIshkah street; the bridg
taken down. made from six to tel
feet wider and reerected at its new
location. II this can be done. tn
duty Of the council appears plain. Tn
contsntion In some quarters that Gel
tain interests would suffer by thi
rsmoval should not be considered II