Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-10-20
POLK COUNTY COURT
HAS FINAL WORD IN
MATTER OF BRIDGE
Marion County Court Ready
to Judge Teal Said
To Be Opposed

The report of Assistant State Engin-
eer Holmes condemning the steel bridge
across the river at this place has
brought the matter again to the at
tention of the county courts of Polk
and Marion counties and now that the
responsibility has been shifted to tne
county courts it is necessary that some
action be taken at once. The Marion
county court is ready and willing to ap
propriate its part to construct new
bridge and il remains only for the
Polk county court to agree to contri.
butte its share to secure a new bridge.
Thus the responsibility is shifted to the
Polk county court and IL is rumored
that the Polk county commissioners are
in favor of a new bridge and Judge
Teal alone is said to be opposed to the
move.
| The county courts were warned in
| 1919 that the bridge was unsafe and
the government engineers condemned it
in tnat year and it is not likely tbat
the structure has improved much in the
last three years. Now that the physi-
cal examination revealed the fact that
the steel has rusted out. aud excessive
strain falls upon different parts of the
structure which is likely to cause the
bridge to collapse at any time, the Ma
rion county court considers tnat il Is
time TO act.
alt is necessary for the county courts
to safeguard the people," said Judge
Bushey today, "and there has been
ample warning that the bridge is un
safe. If the bridge were closed, there
would be howl and if it is left open
and it falls into the river there viii be
another howl, so about the only thing
to do is to build another bridge as soon
as possible. Marion county was ready
last year and the laws wuld not permit,
This county is ready again and the laws
have been remedied and it only remains
for the two county courts to get to-
gether on the proposition. -
A delegation will confer with the
Polk county court today or tomorrow
relative to the new bridge and upon the
result of this conference hinges tho
probability of new bridge.
That the bridge has been unsafe for
several years has been known to most
Of tne residents OF both counties who
have occasion to use il but in the past
! lnt tNiIU ldA lHdI Will Dt htNthShIN W
build the bridge has been a serious bar
to new structure.
In concluding his report submitted to
the county court on the bridge, Mr.
Holmes said:
The examination made shows that all
the metal work has deteriorated ant
the metal at the connections has de
preciated to sucO an extent that tn,
structure cannot be depended upon Il
safely carry the loads now imposed up
on it. This condition is further EN-
phGsized by the ract that certain plates
r connecting the lower laternls and shoes
b. have rusted TO such an extent as to al
. most make the passage Of traffic ovei
4 the structure somewhat venturesomt
i and hazardous.
n As result Of this examination il
a may be stated without hesitation tnaf
' all attempts to repair or strengthen The
4 structure in order to meet the demands
). Of present day traffic conditions woult
+ prove to be a waste Of public funds, al
n the bridge has clearly outliyed al
: practical usefulness.
q In our opinion we deem il imperative
y in the interest of public safety, TO pro
q hibit the passage of vehicles over thu
!. structure such as now are making daily
a use Of The bridge.