The Arizona copper camp., 1920-07-17

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out a portion Of the west approach.
Engineers of the Campbell admins
tration then went up the river where
they installed channel changers in an
effort to deflect the main stream back
under the bridge where it belonged
The gap on the west approach was
filled with earth. For some time the
channel changers performed splen-
dldly, for with a succession of small
floods the old channel cut deeper and
deeper until in the summer of 1919
the channel was about half the width
of the bridge and we'll centered, while
the old channel which clung to the
west approach had silted up about
six feet
In order further to improve condi-
tions a number of trees which con-
gested the stream were rooted out
with army caterpillars, and with each
successive high water stage the carry
ing capacity of the channel under the
center of the bridge was improved
Then came the disastrous flood of
Thanksgiving day, 1919, when the
flood gates of heaven opened and a
little harmless appearing brook mean
dering through sandy waste became
a mile-wide raging torrent carrying
everything before it to destruction.
The channel changers forced the
main current under the bridge but
with such force that seven spans
went out. This was attributed to the
fact that the foundations for the piers
had not been carried to sufficient
depth AS it was known that the
foundations on the eastern portion of
the structure were at least two feet
higher than those which had been
undermined, it was realized that the
entire bridge was apt to go out at
any time That time came in Janu-
ary of this year when smaller flood
took ten spans out of the center,
while not affecting in the slightest
the railroad tressel bridge a few feet
away.
With only two small portions of
the original structure left standing
and with the approaches at either end
filled with gaps created by the back
currents, the state highway depart
ment determined that it would be un-
wise to reconstruct along the original
lines. Hence it was determined to
fill the gaps in the bridge with tressel
work and the approaches with earth
A surplus of piling was ordered so
that the remaining portions of the
concrete structure might be replaced
at any time should they go out.
The material for this work was or
dered last January, but owing to in
ability to secure the extra long piling
required and because Of the railroad
transportation tie-up the material has
been slow in arriving, and the heavy
tlmbers which rest atop the piles
known as Gaping, did not arrive un-
til few days ago.
Under a law passed by the last leg
lslature an emergency fund was
created for the purpose of handling
any situation which might arise from
any untoWard act of nature. Applica-
ton for an appropriation from this
fund to repair the bridge was prompt
ly approved by the governor.
Since then the engineers have been
waiting for the arrival of the long
delayed material. Now that it is on
hand the steam pile driver is in ac-
ton, bridge carpenters are busy with
adj and saw and with gaps in the
approaches filled there is prospect
that the reconstructed bridge will be
ready for use in short order, unless
unforeseen difficulties arise.