The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1919-01-09
BRIDGE MAY BE
SWEPT AWAY BY
HUGE ICE JAM
Structure Between Kennewick
and Richland is in Grave
Danger of Destruction
JAM is TWO MILES In LENGTH
Year Ago Country Was Flooded and
Bridge was Carried Away by
High Water

Only some mighty efficient work OF
the part of somebody or decidedly
propitious attitude on the part of ths
weather man can save the bridge
across the Yakima river between here
and Richland from complete destruc-
tion. An ice jam two miles in length
/, is now lodged against the piers and
piling of the structure and unless the
ice can be broken up or thaws out
gradually it is good night" bridge.
/ w. H. Wehmeier, county road en-
gineer, and County Commissioners
r. E. Pratt and F. L. Bash inspected
the bridge yesterday and force of
men will be put at work tomorrow
in an effort to save it. An attempt
will be made to support the structure
by means of cross and overhead ties
so that most of the. temporary piling
can be removed so as to clear the right
half of the channel. An effort will
also be made to cut across the ice at
a long angle SO that it will clear more
readily under the bridge.
This bridge was washed out a year
ago and the s.uth half is only of tenn
porary construction and viii undoubt-
edly be destroyed if thnrs is a quick
change in temperature. Al large ice
jam is also reported at the Fallon
bridge, but no fears are entertained
for its safety.
For the last ten days the tempera-
lures have ranged between 20 and 2
degrees above zero and there are no
indications of any considerable change
in the weather. Not in many wears
mas there been somuch ice in the Yali-
ma and Columbia rivers All man
ner of traffic, steamboat, launch and
ferry, is tied up on the, Columbia.
At places this side of Hanford the
.hannel from bank to bank is piled
ugh with huge jams. Richland, Han
ord and White Bluffs are cut off from
III communication by the river, and
temporary auto stage lines are operat-
ng between here and there, =
While the cold has not been severe
nough to cause any serious damage
o stock or fruit trees it has PLAYED
avoc with water pipes in many homes
the city and unless there is a change
oon it is feared that water mains
vill be frozen, in fact the homes in
siverview addition this side of the
:, +. d S. depot have been without
yater today because of frozen main.
The present weather is in violent
ontrast to the weather of year ago.
It that time the Yakima river was
ut of its banks in one of the worst
Ioods in many years. The present
rigidity and the ice menace in the
ivers recall the following from the
olumns of the Courier Reporter of
anuary 3, 1913:
Since last Saturday the lower Yak
ma has been experiencing one of the
'orst floods in its history. The full
mount of the damage, which will
mount to many thousands Of dollars.
MI not be known until the waters re-
ede. Every river bottom farm from
lie Horn to the rivers mouth has been
undated. = =
The general public has suffered
ong with the individual farmers in
le damage done to roads and bridges.
ne heaviest loss in this respect was
lstained at the bridge between here
I'd Richland, the north span of which
as carried away Tuesday afternoon.
last reports the Grosscup and Fal-
n bridges were still in place, but
e smaller of the Grosscup bridges
as reported as badly out of align
ent. The east approach to the Fal-
n bridge was washed out. as **
"A continued downpour of rain in
e mountains the last Of the week
MT the river up to higher level than
e flood stage of a week ago and by
Inday it was again out of its banks
the flats between here and Richland
Monday it was tearing deep chan
is thru meadows and across roads
the flats between here and Richland
mere no damage has been done by the
akima for years.