Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-03-27

the minutes OF February 3, 1913,
warrants for different expenses con-
rcctca with the construction OF this
bridge appear quite frequently in the
monthly payro}ls and a hasty tabula-
ton OF these hgurcs made by your
Commute" show that the bridge cost
the count, approximately S1,l91.4O.
In the meantime your committee is
informed that one pier constructed
10y the county engineer collapsed and
had to be rebuilt entirely.
The Back River Bridge.
The uncompletpd bridge on the un-
completed Dave Johnston road, across
Black river which the county COM
missioners are now considering re-
moving to the point where the Case
road crosses Scatter creek, upon the
recommendation of County Engineer
Yeager. made February 16, 1914, and
against which removal some 1875 res
idents OF Rochester and that vicinity
have made vigorous protest, was first
constructed by the county in the sum-
mer of 1911. August 3, 1911, the
com missioners directed the county
auditor TO advertise for bids for a
60-foot span standard steel bridge
across Black river on the Dave John
ston road.
piIC
in the minutes for that date appears
this statement:
Bids for the bridge across Black
river on the Dave Johnston road were
opened and considered. Upon recon-
mendation OF the county engineer,
the contract was awarded to the
Coast Bridge company at 1895, in
accordance with the plans and sneci-
ftcations submitted. their bid being
considered the best bid received"
The minutes for November IS,
state the following:
''On motion the clerk was directed
to notify the Coast Bridge company,
contractors in charge of construction
of the bridge across Black river on
the Dave Johnston road that the
county engineer has reported that
the tubing for the piers now on the
ground is not according to agreement,
it being made Of 3-16 inch iron in
stead of a inch as agreed upon, and
that the board will not accept piers
of iron lighter than n inch thick"
Never FiniSlled--Never Used.
The report of the county engineer
filed with the board February 16,
1914 when he recommended the re-
moval of this bridge to another site
says that the county has spent S.
1870 on this bridge and road to
date, and that neither has been fin
ished and neither has been used, and
that $3,962.00 with be required to
complete it. 1t occurs to your COM
mittee that the manner in which the
commissioners handled the COnst;uc-
ton of this bridge shows even poorer
judgment and management than does
the Gibson bridge.
Other Bridges in 1913.
Two more emergencies were de-
clared by the county commissioners
and two more bridges built during
1913. The first is mentioned in the
commissioners minutes for Septem-
Der %, 1913, when it is stated:
"a petition under date Of Septem-
Der 1.-TWO weeks before) signed by
forty residents of the Southern part
of the county, in the vicinity of the
Prather bridge across the Chehalis
river was read, asking for new
bridge to be built at once as they be-
lieve the present bridge unsafe and
in a dangerous condition. The coun-
ty engineer, having inspected the said
bridge reported it to be in a very
dangerous condition, and recommend
ed that it be condemned at once, and
a new bridge built, recommending
steel construction. The board, after
consideration of the petition and re-
port declared that an emergency ex-
listed and entered into a contract with
the Coast Bridge company of Port
land, Oregon, for 240-foot steel
span bridge set on steel tubes five
feet in diameter, to be completed
within ninety days at the contract
price of s15,60O, and to be erected
in accordance with plans and speci-
fication submitted and made part OF
the contract, the said contract being
given upon condition that the con-
tractors furnish good and sufficient
bond in the amount of the contract
for the faithful performance of the
same"
The minutes for October 10, 1913
state:
"The county engineer was directed
to inspect the Prateher bridge now
under construction by the Coast
Bridge company and determine the
advisability of installing a ferry at