CB
Menu
EUGENE CITY (FERRY STREET)
Willamette River
1876 - 1914
July 23, 1875: "The contract for building a bridge across the Willamette at Eugene has been let at $10,200, which is certainly very cheap." (Albany Democrat)
November 5, 1875: "The bridge across the river at Eugene will be commenced immediately. Its completion will prove of much benefit to the city and adjoining country." (The Albany Register)
May 23, 1876: "Work has been commenced on the bridge across the river at Eugene." (Morning Oregonian)
July 22, 1876: "The Eugene bridge will be ready for crossing in six weeks." "The work of driving piles for the Eugene bridge was completed on Tuesday and the pile driver taken down and shipped to McMinnville." (The Eugene City Guard)
August 4, 1876: "The west pier of the Eugene bridge is finished." (The Albany Register)
August 4, 1876: "Messrs. A.S. Miller & Son, of Eugene City are now building a bridge across the Willamette at Eugene City." (The Albany Register)
August 18, 1876: "The Eugene City bridge will be ready for the siding next week." (The Albany Register)
December 6, 1879: "Men were engaged clearing drift from the approach to the Eugene bridge, sufficient having accumulated to endanger it." (The Eugene City Guard)
January 29, 1881: "The County Commissioners and County Judge, accompanied by the committee appointed by the bridge meeting examined the Eugene bridge and the river above it. We understand that they concluded that it would be necessary to build another span of 190 feet on the north end of the Eugene bridge, this being necessitated by the new channel which has been made by the river on the north bank. The small span will be removed, and placed on the end of the new span." (The Eugene City Guard)
February 5, 1881: "The short span on the north end of the Eugene bridge fell Thursday night. The lower side of the span fell almost to the bottom, while the upper side remains about ten feet above the lower side, thus throwing it in a bad twist. The span is 80 feet long, Smith's patent truss, and cost probably $1,000. It will probably be a total loss." (The Eugene City Guard)
February 19, 1881: "The County Commissioners Court met Monday and after a thorough survey of the situation decided to adopt the plans for the repair of the Eugene bridge, as presented by W. T. Campbell. A crib, 10 feet square, of heavy timbers, and about 200 feet long will be built across the chute just above the bridge on the bank of the river. This will be filled with rock and gravel and is expected to keep out the drift. The short span will be raised and repaired, and the approach put back as before, with the exception that the piles will be solid oak instead of fir as before. The end of the approach will be at least seven feet from the ground, the rest being filled with gravel. Bids will be received March 25th for the construction of the work. The cost of the work will not exceed $2,500. It is not expected that the work will be completed before the first of July. Two ferries, one at Eugene and the other at Springfield are expected to be in running order next week." (The Eugene City Guard)
February 26, 1881: "The short span of the Eugene bridge was raised this week from the unsatisfactory position it occupied to its old level. It was found that the chords and trusses are all in good condition, with the exception of a few chord timbers. New lateral braces will be required, the twisting position in which the span fell having caused them to break. The work was done by Mr. Nelson Roney. A false pier was built under the end of the span." (The Eugene City Guard)
April 2, 1881: "The contract for repairing the Eugene bridge was let last Saturday, to Miller and Son, for $1,219. The breakwater was not included in this contract, and will not be let at present. The work must be completed by the 10th of May." (The Eugene City Guard)
April 16, 1881: "Work at the Eugene bridge is progressing rapidly. The spikes are about all driven in a substantial manner. It is expected that the bridge will be ready for travel by the 10th of May.
Notices are stuck around on boards that plans for the construction of a breakwater at or near the bridge will be received until May 4th, and that the contract will be let by the County Court at the May term thereof." (The Eugene City Guard)
May 7, 1881: "The Eugene bridge will be finished by today." (The Eugene City Guard)
May 21, 1881: :Mr. S. A. Ogden has men at work getting out the necessary timbers for the breakwater at the Eugene bridge." (The Eugene City Guard)
June 25, 1881: "The breakwater, near the Eugene bridge, is progressing nicely under the Superintendency of Mr. J. R. Ream. It will be completed in about ten days." (The Eugene City Guard)
March 4, 1882: "We are informed that the high water this week washed the filling out of one of the cribs of the breakwater above the Eugene bridge, and otherwise weakened it." (The Eugene City Guard)
February 3, 1883: "The breakwater above the Eugene bridge remains almost intact, but the river has cut a channel through, below the end of the crib, some 60 yards wide, which must be cribbed, else the body of the river at high stages will break through and thus endanger the bridge." (The Eugene City Guard)
July 14, 1883: "At this time the contract for repairing the breakwater at the Eugene bridge was let to E. J. McClanahan for the sum of $1480, he being the lowest responsible bidder therefor." (The Eugene City Guard)
November 20, 1886: "The U.S. Signal office of Portland has had the water gauge on the Eugene bridge lowered fifteen inches, to make it actually conform to the low water stage of the river." (The Eugene City Guard)
February 11, 1888: "Several hundred feet of new sidewalk have been built from the south end of the Eugene bridge to connect with the walk already built. Pedestrians can now travel to the bridge and river without wading through mud." (The Eugene City Guard)
June 9, 1888: "The flooring of the south approach of the Eugene bridge across the Willamette has been replaced with new lumber." (The Eugene City Guard)
February 8, 1890: "The short span and the approach of the Eugene bridge across the Willamette on the east side of the river could not withstand the mass of drift that came against it and went Sunday evening at 7 o'clock. Scores of people had been standing on it all day, and although frequently warned of the danger would not stay off. Fortunately, darkness had driven them away, else we would in all probability have to record loss of life as when it gave away the immense amount of drift crushed it into kindling wood. This was built in 1881 at a cost of $1400, to replace the one washed away by that flood." (The Eugene City Guard)
March 1, 1890: "N.L. Roney will commence work on the repair of the Eugene bridge Monday." (The Eugene City Guard)
March 8, 1890: "The rain the first of the week caused the river to rise rapidly and it attained a height Wednesday night of 14 1/2 feet above low water mark. The foot bridge on the east end of the Eugene bridge washed out. A ferry will soon be in operation so that people may cross." (The Eugene City Guard)
April 18, 1890: "A workman named Allen, engaged in rebuilding the Eugene bridge, fell to-day about 30 feet, from the bridge timbers, striking among rocks and gravel, and is horribly mangled. His head is mashed so that his recovery is not deemed possible." (The Daily Morning Astorian)
April 19, 1890: "The false work has been taken from under the new span of the Eugene bridge." (The Eugene City Bridge)
May 3, 1890: "The repairs on the Eugene bridge were completed last Saturday and the bridge was opened to travel. It was washed out the first week in February, and since that time the public have been without means of crossing vehicles, except the past month when a ferry supplied the travel. The people do not properly appreciate bridges until after they are washed out. Supervisor Ogden placed the road in excellent condition on the north side of the bridge." (The Eugene City Guard)
October 18, 1890: "L. N. Roney will probably be ready with material to commence work replacing the pier on the north end of the Eugene bridge Monday. He will drive piling in the river and place on them three bents of 12 by 12 inch timbers with which to support the bridge while the old pier is being removed. The tops of the pikes on which the old pier is built are now 3 1.2 feet above low water. When the was built in 1875 the piles were sawed off below the water. The bed of the river below has washed out since that time. The bridge will have to be closed for travel for several days when the old pier is taken out. It is thought the river can be safely forded a short distance above." (The Eugene City Guard)
November 1, 1890: "The old pier of the Eugene bridge was torn out Monday and the new one is nearly completed. Travel will be resumed over the bridge by tomorrow, Saturday noon." (The Eugene City Guard)
January 2, 1892: "A water gauge should by all means be placed on the east pier of the Eugene bridge. It is nearly a necessity." (The Eugene City Guard)
July 16, 1892: "Ordered that S.O. Garrison be appointed suoerintendent of repairs on the Eugene bridge at a salary of $3 per day." (The Eugene City Guard)
July 16, 1892: "Workmen are repairing the Eugene bridge." (The Eugene City Guard)
August 17, 1895: "At this time the court authorized Judge A. H. Fisk to procure ten cedar pilings for Eugene bridge." (The Eugene City Guard)
September 7, 1895: "The piling for the repairs to the north approach of the Eugene bridge are being delivered on the ground to-day. They are cedar." (The Eugene City Guard)
October 26, 1895: "Some one having public spirit should place the water gauge on the pier of the Eugene bridge so as to conform to low water mark. It should be raised about two feet to give a correct reading." (The Eugene City Guard)
January 24, 1896: "This mornings Register says there was danger of the Eugene bridge going out. It was evidently weakening. The bridge has been built 20 years. The gypsy was just below it and considerable uneasiness was felt." (The State Rights Democrat)
January 25, 1896: "The Eugene bridge has stood the test of another high water." (The Eugene City Guard)
November 21, 1896: "Workmen have been endeavoring to remove the drift wood from the north approach of the Eugene bridge today but the task is difficult owing to the high stage of the water." (The Eugene City Guard)
November 21, 1896: "Everet Paterson today answered in Justice Wheeler's court to the charge of fast riding on the Eugene bridge in violation of the law. The complaint was entered by County Judge Potter. The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Harris, and Attorney J. M. Williams had charge of the defense.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty and a fine of $10 and costs was imposed." (The Eugene City Guard)
September 30, 1899: "During the last few years the river has tried to get out from under the Eugene bridge, so now the stream passes nearly under the small north span, leaving the main span of the bridge suspended over a dry gravel bar. It can be but a short time at most until another pier must be built and the Eugene bridge extended farther out across the country." (The Eugene City Guard)
January 22, 1901: "Repairs to the approach of the Eugene bridge are finished." (Morning Oregonian)
January 25, 1903: "Driftwood is piling up against the Eugene bridge and endangering that structure. The north approach will no doubt be swept away." (The Sunday Oregonian)
September 1, 1903: "It is reported an attempt was made at a hold-up on the Eugene bridge last night. A young man and woman drove into the bridge, and when about midway somebody grabbed the bridle of the horse. The man called for help, which came at once. F. T. Plank and C. F. Sherer had just come through the bridge, and had noticed two men in the darkness and waited at the end of the bride to see if the young couple went through without being disturbed." (Morning Oregonian)
January 3, 1913: "The old wooden bridge which has done service for the past 38 years across the Willamette at Eugene, will shortly be replaced by a modern steel structure to cost $35,000, the County Court having let the contracts yesterday to Coast Bridge Company of Portland for the necessary steel. There are to be two spans, one of 100 feet and the other of 301 feet, besides the approaches. The longer span is placed on the north side of the river." (Morning Oregonian)