East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-10-30
BRAN NEW BRIDGE SW|NDLE FOUND;
LET G|LuAND TRY TO EXPLAIN It
Discovery Made That Plans Were Changed Six "Eberhat Bridges
After Contracts Had Been Awarded Lighter Bridges Built But County
Paid for Heavy Bridges.


Further evidence showing crooked work connection with the
building Of bridges under the Eberhart SYSTEM vogue during the
time T. Gnd county Judge has Just been discovered The
facts show that after Eear had secured contract for
ing six bridges 1909 the plans changed allow him
build lighter and inferior bridges thus netting him additional
profit of 81 03O On TOP of the excessive price he was already getting
The substitution in the plans discovered few days ago by
Geary Kmbre county surveyor while making personal inspection
of the bridges question: accompanied by County Judge Maoney
Both Geary Kmbe and his father W. Kimb the evil
dence clear and plain that wnde worked the county
These six bridges the bridges referred in the story from Mr.
J'W Kimbe published in the East Orgonn October 81 in which
ne ced how ne found frame up the part of Ebeart and
named Gallagher who had been brought here hopes he would
hart satisfied with getting his 1884 contract at hold up fig
ure proceeded build seemingly with the courts lighter
bridges than had been contracted for and thus sung the county for
additional $1,000
In the following affidavit J. W. Kimbe exposes the steal:
THE SWINDLE EXPOSED.
State of Oregon County Of Umailla-ss.
j. W. Kimbe, being first duly sworn say that am now and
have been for number of years past resident Pendeon Ore
that during the 1909 county surveyor of Umaa county
Ore that during that year the county called for bids six
steel bridges all 60 feet length the persrucure being the
each they namely the Lee bridge Dry the
Adams bridge the Rauone bridge the John Price bridge the East
land bridge and the Tachea bridge Being anxious to secure compe
tion asked the Northwest Bridge Works of Portland compete
these bridges At their request made copies the plans for the
bridges and had duplicate typewriter copies of the Specifications
sent bnepns Of these plans and copy of the specifications the
Northwest Bridge Works retaining in office the original copies
OF plans and copy Of the Specifications The contract for these six
bridges let E. Ebehart for the lump of $11 SS4O0
the bridges erected supposedly in compliance with that
after those bridges constructed discovered that the bridges
built not in conformity with the original plans and specifications
being lighter type of bridge then the House and
found that the original plans and specifications had been removed
from the files and had been repaced by plans ny conforming
the lighter bridges erected further found that Mr. Eberhar had
been paid for these bridges the full price of his for the heavier
bridges. JOHN w. KINBRELL.
Subscribed and sworn before me this 29 day of October 1911
FRANK j. DORSEY, |
Notary Public for Oregon
HOW THE COUNTY WAS "STUNG"
Following the affidavit of Geary Kimbrel verifying his
fathers story and giving careful estimate what the county lost
by the substitution in plans:
State of Oregon Umalla Comty-ss.
Geary Kmbe being first duly sworn say that am now and
have been for number of years past resident Umat County
Oregon and the County Surveyor of Umata County, that
familiar with the facts stated in the affidavit given by j.
Kimbre relative six bridges erected by Umala County 1909
and atesed the ufunes of the From the copy the
gna plans in the County Surveyors office have made careful
estimate of the weight of the steel that would be required for the
bridges originally contracted for by the County and the weight of
the steel in the bridges that actually built found that had
the bridges been built according the contract the total weight of
he steel the six bridges would have been $1,000 lbs that the
weight of the steel in the bridges actually built is 400 lbs At
he the County paying Mr. Ebehard for steel cents per
oud the loss to the County through his substitution plans was
100000. GEARY KIMBRELL.
Subscribed and before this Doth dav of October 1914
FRANK ]. DORSEY,
Notary Public for Oregon