The Caldwell tribune., 1922-10-27
BRIDGE OPENED
To PUBLIC USE
IN NEAR FUTURE
Fine y, New Structure Over
The Boise River Almost
Completed; Economy
Marks Building.

Iomlng almost in the way of an
election day gift to Canyon county. the
new bridge over the Boise river north
OF Caldwell will be thrown open to
public use about November l. Plan
ned by the board of county commits
sioners of which C. Ben Ross was
Chairman, but built entirely by the
present board headed by D. J. West
cott, the structure marks a new de-
parture in Idaho bridge construction
No bonds were sold to finance the
bridge and so economically was the
work handled that the completed
bridge shows a cost on a unit basis
far below that of bridges recently
built over Snake river. In addition,
the completed, bridge is paid for,
thereby saving the county thousands
OF dollars in interest on the ordinary
method of financing such ventures
thru the sale OF bonds.
Work on the bridge is now prac-
tically complete with the exception Of
final painting and some bank railing
construction now being carried on.
Recently, to test the bridge for
strength, two trucks. each carrying
10 tons, and IS ton roller, were plac-
ed on single bridge span. The
bridge is designed to a larger load
than this terrific weight
Planned to cost about $4,000 final
figures show that the structure has
been built for $42,2S7.4l. This in
creased cost is due to changes that
were made in the original plans. At
first an IS foot driveway was planned
with lumber floors. The width of the
bridge was subsequently increased to
p feet and the floor is of bitulithic.
These alterations necessitated changes
in the quantity of steel used to in
crease the strength of the bridge be-
cause of added weight.
Just how cheaply this bridge has
been built may be gathered from the
fact that its completed cost, figured
on a square foot basis, is about $5.42
while the similarly built Homedale
bridge cost about $855 and the Pickle
Butte bridge required an outlay OF
$500 per square foot of driveway
This latter structure, however, has a
cheaper wood floor and some wooden
stringers.
Construction has been under the
direction of the c. f. Silbaugh COM
pany of Caldwell. Bidding on the
concrete foundations, this concern
submitted an offer of $l3,3S4. Other
bids ranged far above this hgure
some of them being as high as Slo,
600.
When this work was undertaken
il was found that more excavatioi
was required than that used as TN
basis for these bids and the cost O
building the substructure was increas
+, ed as a reult by $2,953.4l, the success
ful bidder doing the work tor tn
same rate. on a unit basis, that wa
made in the original low bid.
Charges have been made, during thi
political campaign that the bridg
cost more than was necessary by VII
tue of the commissioners declaring a
emergency and buying the steel 10
the structure at cost above bids sur
seouently submitted. That there is n
justification for this charge may u
gathered from the county recoras an
The facts on the cost of the bridge
il stands today. As matter OF Ia.
the contract for the steel was n''o
IN December II, 1921, the 'oun'
commissioners under an emergehe
..c,orat;on from Salt Lake concer
:. wh,t is still regarded as beng
h;ob,v satisfactory price suoseqne"
10 ~ that time, bid was suohn"'
- the commissioners and re'urh'
,,onened Those who have i'auh''
,he fact that this bid was submits :
oaer;ne to supply the steel at a II
.o somewhat below the contra
n,;ees are believed to have eneo"ras
,be submission OF that bid tor p'n's
''' a.,;heratelv offering b
below the known contract price WI
tr,, knowledge that it would DC =
,urned without consideration, anu !. -; =
~. .sars was no possibility OF 1t bel
awarded.