Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-03-19
ASKS GOVERNMENT TO
CLOSE WEST CHANNEL
CITY PROPOSES TO SUPPLANT
OLD WESTSIDE BRIDGE WITH
PERMANENT STRUCTURE.

Resolution calling upon the war
department to close the west water
way in the local harbor, so that it
will not be necessary to erect another
draw or lift bridge in place of the
old structure across West Fourth
street which collapsed Monday after
noon. was adopted by the city coun-
Gil at its regular meeting Wednesday
evening, and DR.. P. H. Carylon, who
has had considerable to do with such
plan in the past, was asked to take
the proposition up with Major Cava-
naugh at Seattle, representative of
the department in this district.
If the city is successful in carry
ing out this idea, the original capitol
plan of changing the present un-
slightly mud flats south of Fourth
street into a fresh water lake, will
doubtless be carried out, dam con-
structed in the channel just south Of
Fourth street, considerable of the
present waterway filed in and Z
shorter and permanent bridge erect
ed. Besides the erection of tenn
porary bridge across the waterway
and the removal Of the old structure,
the council expects to delay final
action on a new bridge until its re-
quest is disposed Of by the war de-
partment.
Plan Generally Approved.
Such q plan seems to meet with
seneral approval. for the common
opinion seems to be that such .
scheme will be carried out within tho
next few years anyhow and that the
present emergency makes It advisable
to undertake it at this time. The
city authorities first proposed to let
q contract Immediately tor new
bridge Of the lift design, to cost
some $4,000 or $4,000. but this
other plan soon gained such general
approval that the resolution adopted
night was the result.
\ Bids were opened at that meeting
for the 400-foot temporary structure.
the contract being awarded Thurs
day morning to ]. C. Percival for
$1,246.47. the lowest Of eight bids
received. Under the contract the
work is to be completed within 10
days.
Bridge Collapsed Monday.
The bridge collapsed about I
O'clock Monday afternoon while Pa
trolman McReavy was operating the
left to permit the passage Of q sman
tugboat. The machinery had raised
the span about half way when
the two east piers sank about 10
feet, breaking the water main ana
electric and telephone connections
temporarily. The city had just re-
Gently finished strengthening the
west approach to the bridge by driv-
ing new piles.
The accident was Immediately In
vestigated by the city officials and at
a special council meeting that even
ing it was decided to build tempo
rary bridge, 16 feet wide, south Of
the present structure at cost of
about $1,000, and to call for bids
on a permanent bridge.
to cost $4,000 to $4,000. The ac-
tion taken at the regular council
meeting Wednesday night supple
ments this decision.
The city authorities Immediately
served notice that the bridge was
closed to all kinds Of traffic. stipu-
lating that all who crossed on the
bridge did SO at their own risk, and
the approaches with gates.
The collapse of the structure. of
course, greatly inconvenienced West
side residents. some going back and
forth by way of the Northern Pacific
trestle further south and some by the
road, though the majority
of pedestrians hazarded the trip over
the old bridge.