Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-10-29
SALEM MAKES PROTEST
LOSS OF BUSINESS MAY RESULT
IN REPAIRING BRIDGE.
Another Examination Of Inter- County
Structure Will Be Made With
out Unnecessary Delay.

The heavy loss of business to Salem
merchants as a result Of the closing Of
the inter-county bridge brought re-
monstrance from representatives Of
business interests which had ten
dency to materially lessen the danger
GUS condition of the structure. As a
result a thorough investigation and
examination was ordered at the meet
ing Of the county courts of Polk and
Marion counties at Salem on Tuesday
with the idea of determining the ap-
proximate cost for repairing the bridge
to fit it for light traffic until such
time as the Polk county court can le-
gally pay its share for new span
With the fact before them that almost
So per cent of the original strength Of
the bridge remains the Marion county
delegation had little choice in the mat
ter when confronted with the plea of
Salem business men, who are losing
many dollars each day that the bridge
remains closed to traffic. That the
idea of ferry is impracticable was
shown by a traffic report read at the
meeting in which it was stated that
120 automobiles and horse drawn We
hicles going over the bridge in an
hour was not an unusual traffic. A
ferry could not begin to carry that
amount and when such impossibilities
come into the game the OK of Salem
merchants is the one that is gored and
bridge tactics must take new course.
The second report from the state
highway engineers Office will probab-
ly carry different wording between
the lines than the first one and it is
reasonably to be expected that the
bridge will not long remain closed to
travel.
Assistant State Engineer Saddler
reported that probable expense for
repairs on the bridge would not ex-
ceed $4,000, in spite of the supposed
woefully dilapidated condition Of the
big span, and said that it would be
necessary to tear up parts of the
bridge floor to make the necessary ex-
animation. This would put the bridge
out Of commission for nearly a month,
and when all repairs are made the
bridge, according to Mr.. Saddler, will
carry so per cent of the load that it
carried when it was new, % years ago.
No loads over two tons will be safe
on the bridge that was originally con-
structed to carry 1900 pounds to the
foot. The repairs will fit the bridge
t@ f- Ie fx.,n
until such time as modern bridge
can legally be erected. When the
Polk county treasury is in better con-
dition there will be little opposition
in this county to building the stylish
structure that is the center of Salem
ambition and to building it directly
into the heart of Salem s business dis
trict. Judge McNary, who attended
the meeting, offered legal opinions re-
garding the liability of the counties
in case of accidents on the bridge be-
cause of its weakened condition. The
county is undoubtedly liable to dam
age suits, said the Judge, if the bridge
should collapse, as it has been held
that anyone who travels thereon pre-
sumes the structure to be safe, If it
is open for traffic, and the county
must pay if travellers are damaged.
At the conference Tuesday the
Polk county commissioners stated that
while they might raise the mohey by
taxation that it would be necessary to
call a special election and there was
a great probability of the proposition
being voted down and l. L. Patterson
Of Eola then presented his PROPOSE
ton as to the raising of the funds
necessary.
There is law in this state passed
by the 1915 session of the legislature
which limits the increased tax levy
FOR county purposes to 6 per cent in
,rease of the budget for either of the
previous two years. In 1913, said Mr..
Patterson, Polk eounty's budget call
ID for $288,000 and in 1914 for $685.
400 and of this $273,000 and some
100000 we're used to pay off outstand-
ng warrants. Now il a six per cent
Increase over the $2SS,0O0 were made
/ would provide a budget of about
1905, 900. Then If the county were
'un as cheaply as last year and no
warrants were bought in
he bridge fund would be enriched by
he difference between $305,000 and
i243, 900, or about 100000. To this
night be added $4,000 from the gen.
raj fund which was 100000 last
ear and by $4,000 from the road
und which was $51, 900 last year and
his would add $4,000 to the 100000
nd provide the $4,000 necessary for
'olk county's share Of the bridge.