Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-08-13
DECIDE TO REPAIR
. THE STEEL BRIDGE
WILL BUILD LATER
Will Put in New Planking and
Replace Some Piling
That Is Decayed
ESTIMATE REPAIRS
WILL COST $500
Site for New Bridge Suggest
ed With East End at
Court Street


over the Willamette river here, to put
new stringers where needed, and to
stiffen the approach at the west end
was made this morning as the result
Of an examination of the bridge bv
the county courts of Marion and Polk
counties. This work is found neees-
sary to make the bridge passable until
new structure could be built. The
repairs will cost approximately $250O
and will be commenced as soon as pos
sible. The work will be done by the
Polk county court 1t is probable that
the expense will be equally divided be-
tween Polk and Marion counties and
the city of Salem.
During the examination this morning
it was found that the top portions of
the stringers had become infested with
dry rot, that the nails were working
loose from the planking, and that a
majority of the piling sustaining the
approach were mere hollow shells, the
inside being weakened by dry rot.
Founding on the outside with pocket
knife resulted in revealing the decayed
interior. Bolts were found to be loose.
although the bracings were strong and
well put together.
West Span Weakest.
The weakest span in the entire
bridge is the west one. When the
bridge was built the work was COM
menced on the east side and continued
as far as the third span. Bridge engi-
neers are at loss to understand the
reasons for the construction of this
span in the manner it was built. It ia
declared to be makeshift and utterly
unlike anything that has been put into
bridges in this vicinity. That it has
stood the strain of the past 90 years
causes wonder.
Fire was discovered yesterday on one
of the pilings on the west side at the
point where the approach joins the first
west span. The blaze was discovered
by Watchman Irwin and with the aid
of couple of men pressed into sery.
ice it was extinguished, but not before
the piling had been severed from the
ground, 1t is believed that had the
fire gained any headway it would have
destroyed that portion of the bridge.
1t is thought that tramps, who are
making the cool underbrush near there
a rendezvous at present, started the
fire, but that is mere conjecture.
New Site Suggested.
A tentative site for the new bridge
was picked out by City Attorney Page
and Councilman Southwick. This site
would start the approach from the
point where it now is and bring it
across the river so that the east an.
proach would end at the foot of Court
street. The steel structure would end
ON the banks and from the west bank
to the end of the west approach it ia
proposed to build concrete arches which
would not need repair and which would
last for at least 100 years. When the
work on the new structure begins. how
ever, careful survey of the ground will
be made and the site chosen that will
present the least engineering difficult
ties, The site chosen as ideal this
morning makes the distance less and
presents few difficulties. That this
site will be chosen finally is probable,
as it will bring the traffic from the
vest side directly into the heart of the
city instead of landing it half dozen
blocks away, as at present.
Railroad Is Interested.
Mr.. Powers, passenger agent for the
Oregon Electric, was present at the in
vestigation. Through him it was learn.
ed that the Oregon Electric company is
vitally interested in the construction
of the new bridge He will take up
the matter of assisting wit hthe con-
struction with the heads of the electric
system. 1t is believed that when the
bridge is built the Oregon Electric will
seek franchise across it for one Of
its interurban lines.
After the inspection, the county
courts of Marion and Polk counties ga
thered under tree at the west end Of
the approach and held an informal bus
mess meeting at which the replanking
and repairing was decided upon. The
Polk county court expressed itself as
being willing to do all within its pow
er to make the bridge as safe as pos
sible as soon as possible. 1t was real
lied that the present structure had to
be repaired sufficiently to stand until
the new bridge is built, which will ap-
proximate two years.
Must Protect Banks,
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