Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-07-11
WORK ON BRIDGE
may BE STARTED
EARLY NEXT week
Company Cuts $4,000 From
Bid and This Practically
Settles II
WILL MOVE OLD BRIDGE
ONTO new PILENG PIERS
Expect by This Plan To Have
1t Ready for Traffic In
Fifty Days

The bid of the Coast Construction
company for the building of steel
bridge across the Willamette river here
has been practically accepted by the
Marion county court, and it is expected
that work will commence early next
week.
The state highway department, by in
sisting that the bid on the piers was ex-
cessive, while admitting the bids on the
steel superstructure and the approaches
were reasonably low secured a reduc-
tion of $4,000 from the company on
the pier work, which will make the
general cost Of construction amount to
$237, ,s04. With the $4,000 that Polk
county is to put up for its share of the
work, this will leave Marion county
to pay $l95,000 for the new bridge.
1t has been finally decided that the
Coast Construction company, in accept
ing the conditions laid down by the
highway department and the county
court, is to put in a series of pile piers
on which the steel superstructure Of
the old bridge is to transferred so as to
afford safe and convenient method Of
the period of construction.
WIN Shorten Spans.
This new pile bridge win cost about
$l2 900 and will be built by the com
pany with Marion county paying the
cost of materials. 1t is estimated that
this price is considerably less than the
actual cost of construction, and will,
in general reduce the entire cost to
Marion county between $4,000 and
$4,000.
The cost of planking the railroad
bridge was estimated at $4,000 with
much danger and inconvenience on ac-
count of passing trains. The ferry
would cost the county about $1,000 a
month to operate so the latter method
of meeting the problem was suggested
as being the most practicable
In making the new piling bridge, the
distance between the piers will be short
ened and the superstructure strengthen
ed so that serviceable bridge will be
the result. Just as soon as the remod-
eled bid is accepted, and the prelim-
inaries over, which will take several
days, the worl. of building the new
bridge, will begin This is expected to
be early next week When the piling
are all in, the steel superstructure will
be placed on them. The Coast Con
struction company will assume all re
sponsibility for the care and upkeep OF
the bridge during the period of con.
struction of the new steel one.
Ready in Fifty Days.
This new bridge is expected to be
ready for traffic in about so days SO
that the present inconvenience on ae'
count of the ferry will soon be thing
Of the past. With many unexpected
things to contend with, the time of fin
ishing the temporary structure may be
extended to 60 days. With this solution
Of the present problem in view, the sit
uation assumes brighter aspect. The
steel bridge is to be completed by
March l.
The county court and the highway
department were up against a number
of difficulties in the problem presented
by the contract with Polk county, the
high cost of materials, and labor, and
the war situation. However, after look
ing at the matter from practically ev-
cry angle, and making special effort
TO get the company to reduce its bid
on the pier WORK. II ~ bticftu thhtJ
considering the situation, that Marion
county is getting a square deal. That
Is the opinion of Herbert Num-, state
highway engineer, who did all he could
TO get the best arrangement of the diff
fieulty.
Although the state highway depart
ment was of the opinion that the piers
should be built now and a wood super
structure placed on them at this time
until the price of steel goes down to
normal, yet the contract with Polk
county requires steel bridge, and the
erection Of any other kind would yitiate
the contract and lose the $4,000 that
county puts up. It was steel bridge
nor nothing.
Forced to Act Quickly.
In building a steel bridge at this
time, there are number of serious diff
ficuities to be met. One of these is
getting the steel; another is the rising
labor market, which may soar more and
more as the country gets deeper into
the European war. Steel may be secured
,or.-. H.,F otv rnanfho froun noFr II NAV