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BUNDY
Long Tom River
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T14S-R5W-Sec11
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____ - 1946 ; 1947 - ____
November 8, 1944: "The old Bundy bridge is being torn out to be replaced with a new one." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
January 17, 1946: "The county may seek redress for damages caused to the Bundy bridge by the flood three weeks ago, since it never approved plans for relocation of the approaches in this area.
The approaches to this bridge were completely washed away by the swift current in the Long Tom and the road over the bridge remains closed. Another bridge just north of Bundy was completely swept away in the flood and this road, in the lower Irish Bend vicinity, also is closed.
The county court has taken the view that the engineers carried out parts of the river program without gaining approval of the court, as was legally required, and hence the county feels it should not be called upon to repair the damages which were caused." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
June 19, 1946: "Repairs to the Bundy bridge in southeastern Benton county have at last been started, County Judge George McBee said today, nearly six months after the approach was washed out and the structure otherwise damaged in the early January flood of the Long Tom river.
Judge McBee said the long delay had been caused by inability of the county and the army engineers to reach a working agreement for the job.
The army engineers originally had constructed the approach when the Long Tom project was carried out, and acquired title to land 40 feet on either side of the river bank. They refused earlier county requests for permission to carry out the repair, but finally relented last week and told county officials to do the work and charge the federal government.
Mail and school routes and citizens in general have been handicapped by the long closure of the bridge, Judge McBee said." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
December 26, 1946: "Bundy's bridge in the Irish Bend section of southern Benton county, which was closed for several weeks last year when its approaches were washed out by a flood, is closed again, this time because a heavy caterpillar tractor crashed through the floor and partially demolished the structure.
County officials could give no estimate of the time the bridge will be out of commission, but it must be almost entirely rebuilt.
The accident that kayoed the bridge this time occurred Tuesday when a county road department truck and trailer, on which was loaded the county's six months old caterpillar tractor, attempted to cross the bridge, which apparently had become weakened by the flood conditions a week ago.
The trailer broke through the floor of the bridge, the tractor slid off and finished the job, crashing through into about six feet of water in the Long Tom river.
The tractor overturned in the water and required much labor before it could be extricated.
County Judge George McBee said the tractor, which has been obtained nearly two years after it was ordered, would have to be completely overhauled and cleaned up.
The caterpillar and other road equipment was enroute to Irish Bend to work on roads in that vicinity which had been damaged by the flood. Bundy's bridge itself was damaged but it had been believed sufficiently repaired to support the load." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
April 24, 1947: "The unusable Bundy Bridge over the Long Tom river is likely to remain unusable through most of this summer.
The county had planned to move an unused but serviceable bridge from the road near Hubbard Station to the Bundy site, but the U.S. engineers informed the county today that it would seek bids on constructing a fill at this bridge site rather than paying a set sum to the county and allowing the county to do the work.
Bids will not be opened until about June 1.
The bridge was rendered unnecessary when the bed of the Long Tom was diverted, but a fill will be needed before it can be moved.
If low bids are not received by the engineers, they reported, the original agreement with the county will be followed--but not until mid-summer in all probability." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
September 8, 1947: "The county bridge men are now working on the Bundy bridge. It is being replaced after several months since it went through with a heavy load. Irish Bend will surely be glad to have it repaired." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
September 30, 1947: "The Bundy bridge road on southeastern Benton county probably will be open to traffic tomorrow, after being closed for many months since the Bundy bridge collapsed under a heavy load.
The new Bundy bridge over the Long Tom river is not yet completed but is sufficiently ready to allow traffic to be resumed.
The covered bridge was moved onto the site from a location between Hubbard and Monroe, where it was left spanning the dry channel of the river when the stream bed was moved a considerable distance east. The old bridge site has been made into a fill with a 20-foot roadway across the dry bed." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
December 10, 1947: "The county bridge crew is working on Bundy bridge, putting up the cover of the bridge." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
January 16, 1948: "The county bridge and grader crews are at work in Irish Bend, fixing Bundy bridge where it washed around the west approach." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
November 11, 1950: "The county maintenance crew were out the first part of the week, repaired the approach to Bundy's Bridge, big holes that washed in the roads, and a culvert that washed out during the recent high water." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
December 30, 1959: "The approach to Bundy bridge over the Long Tom river on the Bruce-Martins lake road in south Benton county gave way yesterday and the bridge was closed today for repairs, the county court reported.
It was believed a heavy truck may have caused piling under the approach to give way, the court said.
The break revealed that it probably will be necessary to replace the bridge with a steel and concrete structure next summer, the court said. The need brings to four the number of bridges that are being scheduled for replacement in the coming year. The court pointed out that money accumulated in a surplus fund for bridge purposes will be available for the new construction. There is some $129,000 in the fund." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
February 10, 1962: "Acceptance of 1.3 acres to become part of the Benton County Park system has been approved by the county court.
The land, along the Martina Lake road beside the Long Tom river in South Benton County, includes a covered bridge being abandoned by the county.
The bridge, known as the Bundy bridge, is being replaced by a reinforced concrete structure. A triangular-shaped strip of land between an L-shaped section of road and the river was deeded to the county by Paul and Elfriede Buxbaum without cost to the county.
The court said the land would be put under the jurisdiction of the county park board." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
December 29, 1962: "A $47,000 bridge was constructed over the Long Tom river on Martins Lake Road, replacing the old Bundy's bridge. It was contracted December 22, 1961, and completed September 11, 1962." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)