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MILL CITY
North Santiam River
1892 - 1896 & 1898 - 1934
September 11, 1891: "Report of viewers in matter of Mill City bridge across Santiam read, and a copy ordered forwarded to county court of Linn. The report estimates the cost of a Howe truss bridge to be $2,500, and recommends the construction of the bridge." (Statesman Journal)
August 5, 1892: "The Mill City Bridge. --A petition is being circulated in this city asking the Linn county court to join with Marion county in building a bridge across the Santiam at Mill City. The petition is receiving many signatures. A bridge is needed there, and Linn county will doubtless do her share. The cost of the bridge will not be great, as there are solid embankments on each side and the river is quite narrow at that point." (Weekly Oregon Statesman)
August 12, 1892: "Upon returning from Mill City the county courts of Marion and Linn counties ordered that bids be received at Salem for building a bridge, above and below the railroad bridge at Mill City, the location to be selected when the same are opened." (The State Rights Democrat)
September 16, 1892: "Court adjourned until tomorrow morning in order to go to Salem to be present at opening of bids for Mill City bridge.
In the matter of the bridge at Mill City it was ordered that the contract be let to F.J. Miller for $1312, counties to furnish lumber." (The State Rights Democrat)
September 21, 1892: "The Mill City Lumbering Co. has contracted to furnish all rough lumber for the new Mill City bridge for $6 per thousand feet and smooth lumber $8...." (Statesman Journal)
October 15, 1892: "Judge Hubbard has returned from an inspection of the new bridge, building at Mill City. He was accompanied by Com'r Watson and there met the Linn county commissioners. They found the bridge nearly completed and it will be ready for travel in about ten days, with fair weather." (Daily Capital Journal)
November 11, 1892: "County Commission Watson and Frank J. Miller left last night for Albany and today they, with the Linn county court, will go to Mill City to inspect and receive the bridge built across the north fork of the Santiam by Mr. Miller. The bridge has been in use sometime and only awaits acceptance." (Statesman Journal)
August 19, 1898: "Gen. W.H. Odell, of Salem, and F.J. Miller, of Albany, the viewer appointed to locate and survey the site for a new bridge, to be built jointly by the two counties at Mill City, went to that point on Thursday and selected for the third member of the board B. Fuller, of Mill City. Yesterday Judge G.P. Terrell received the following report from the viewers, a copy of which had also been sent to the Linn county commissioners' court:
'We, the undersigned viewers, appointed to locate and survey a location for a wagon bridge across the North Santiam river at Mill City, beg leave to submit the following report:
'On August 11th we proceeded to Mill City and selected and surveyed a site for said bridge. We decided that the site upon which the old bridge was constructed is the most desirable and would recommend its adoption; we would also recommend that the style of the new bridge be what is known as the Howe truss: that the main span be 175 feet and 9 inches from center to center, and the span on the south side of the river 90 feet, each to be measured from center to center of pier; we would advise the use of an iron cylinder pier for the center foundation, the cylinder to be about four feet in diameter, and frame abutments for the shore foundations; we would further advise the construction of an open bridge." (Weekly Oregon Statesman)
September 16, 1898: "The Marion county commissioners' court returned from Albany yesterday morning, where the members had consulted with the Linn county commissioners' court in relation to the proposed Mill City bridge. The two courts decided upon a plan for the bridge, and will invite bids for its construction, the bids to be opened at an adjourned meeting of the court on September 29th. The estimated cost is $3,500. The plans offered by F.J. Miller, of Albany, were accepted. The bridge will consist of one span and will rest upon solid steel and concrete piers, so that it will withstand any such flood as carried the old bridge away." (Weekly Oregon Statesman)
September 30, 1898: "The judges and commissioners of Linn and Marion counties met at Albany and opened bids for the bridge at Mill City in place of the bridge washed out two years ago by the high water, a structure of two spans, Howe truss, of 176 and 190 foot spans." (Daily Capital Journal)
October 7, 1898: "County Judge G.P. Terrell returned from Albany yesterday, where he and the county judge of Linn county opened bids and let the contract for the Mill City bridge. The contract was awarded J.B. Tillotson at $29760." (Weekly Oregon Statesman)
December 2, 1898: "The Mill City bridge across the Santiam is now under construction." (Weekly Oregon Statesman)
December 19, 1898: "The Mill City bridge will be finished by the end of the week when it will be opened to the public of the two counties." (Daily Capital Journal)
January 4, 1899: "County Judge G.P. Terrell sent a telephone message from Albany, to the Statesman last night to the effect that he with the county commissioners of this county, and the court of Linn county, had returned to that place from Mill City last evening, where the six gentlemen had gone to inspect the new bridge prior to accepting it from the contractor. Judge Terrell stated that the bridge had been found erected to the terms of the contract, and has been accepted by the two courts, and that it was now open to travel and in use by the public." (Statesman Journal)
March 22, 1905: "The county bridge gang has returned from a trip up the Santiam. While gone they rebuilt the south approach to the Mill City bridge, and at Mehama they put in new stringers on the north span, and redecked the entire structure. The approach at Mill City was in a very bad fix, and at the present time there is a great of very heavy travel over it, as the new timber railroad now being built by the Curtis people start from this point." (Daily Capital Journal)
August 3, 1905: "The Marion county court, which has been in session yesterday and today, has so far spent all its time considering claims, except this forenoon, when members of the Linn county court came down. The object of the conference of the two courts was to consider the matter of rebuilding the Mill City bridge. A reasonable understanding has been arrived at between the two courts, and the time has been set for visiting the bridge site as next Friday evening. Some are of the opinion that the bridge should be repaired where is. Others think it should be removed from its present site, and it will not be known just what action will be taken until the two courts have visited the scene.
Commissioner Butler stated that the break in the bridge was the most peculiar he had ever seen. The bridge has two spans, and the end is at the sawmill plant of the Curtiss Lumber Company. In the one span a timber is 7 x 15 inches, and is as sound as a dollar, and he cannot explain why the break occurred. It is not uncommon for bridge timbers to give way where they are spliced, but in this case the splice held, and the timber broke in the center of the span. The Linn county court rather favors building a new bridge either above or below the present structure, one span being sufficient in either place, and a new bridge could be built for less money than it would cost to rebuild the old one, broken at it is." (Daily Capital Journal)
October 14, 1916: "The county courts of Marion and Linn counties have put painters at work painting the bridge over the Santiam river near Mill City. The bridge has lately undergone repairs under the direction of County Supervisor Thos. Butler. Two concrete piers and new stringers were placed beneath the structure and parts of the bridge were redecked and reroofed. The repairing will cost the two counties about $14,000." (Statesman Journal)
July 10, 1923: "The large oil truck of the Standard Oil company, of Stayton came to grief while crossing the bride over the Santiam river at Mill City Saturday. The bridge was too weak for the heavy truck and one wheel broke through. The car rested on the axle. Hurried efforts were made to extract the car, when a kind hearted Southern Pacific engineer observed the truck's plight. He stopped the engine, hooked a cable on the truck, the engine made one snort and the truck was on firm ground again, with no damage except to the bridge." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
January 13, 1927: “The Marion County bridge gang repaired the north end of the bridge here in town Saturday morning.” (Mill City Logue)
January 13, 1927: “Extensive improvements are being made on the covered bridge west of town, so the detour is still in vogue.” (Mill City Logue)
April 14, 1927: “The Linn county bridge crew did some repair work on the Santiam river bridge here in town the first of the week.” (Mill City Logue)
April 19, 1928: “The county bridge crew have been busy this week making repairs to the bridge across the Santiam River here, including the placing of new piling under the south approach.” (Mill City Logue)
September 13, 1928: “W.J. Culver, county roadmaster, and a crew of surveyors were here Tuesday trying to map out a logical location for a new bridge across the Santiam, should the commission decide to build one. It is more than probable that the new bridge will be a steel one, and be on the location of the present structure. Mr. Culver could not give any idea as to whether the bridge would be built or when.” (Mill City Logue)
November 8, 1928: “The Logue has received information from good authority that a new bridge across the river here will not be built in the near future as had been hoped for. It seems as though Linn county was ready to go ahead with the work, but that the Marion county court would not concur in the project at the present time. This will be a big disappointment to the people of the community who had hopes that the present situation would be improved. The present structure is not only unsightly, but is the scene of numerous collisions on account of it being narrow, and a strange driver has a tendency to keep too close to the center resulting in hitting other cars.
It is possible that Marion county is holding off thinking that perhaps some day they will run the highway up the north side of the river from Mehama to Mill City, but inasmuch as the present highway is in such good condition, the making of a new road would hardly be justifiable and with the amount of traffic that is now using the road, it is no more than right that an adequate bridge be built.” (Mill City Logue)
March 7, 1929: “The county judges and commissioners of both Marion and Linn counties and road supervisor Culver were in session Monday trying to decide of the location of the new bridge which will be built across the Santiam this summer, replacing the ancient-looking structure now spanning the stream.
As stated the bridge will be a steel one, 20 feet wide with six foot sidewalks on the east side. The south approach will be near the new service station and the north approach on the west side of the pool hall which will be moved over against the Hammond Hall, the Dawes confectionery to have a new location not yet determined. It will probably take two months to complete the work after starting.” (Mill City Logue)
March 14, 1929: “The county surveyors were in Mill City several days last week working on the location for the new bridge.” (Mill City Logue)
April 11, 1929: “County Judge J.C. Siegmund and County Roadmaster W.J. Culver spent Tuesday afternoon in Mill City conferring with property owners who will be affected by the new Santiam river bridge which Marion and Linn counties expect to build this summer within the Mill City limits.
According to the preliminary plans the new bridge approaches will necessitate the changing of the location of one of the Hammond lumber company halls standing at the end of the present bridge. The railroad crossing will also be moved more than 100 feet according to the new bridge plans.
The two counties have not yet advertised for bids on the bridge. --Capital Journal.” (Mill City Logue)
July 11, 1929: “While driving through the bridge in Mill City that crosses the Santiam, the Salem bread wagon ran into a car driven by Albert Millsap Monday morning. Neither car was materially damaged by the encounter.” (Mill City Logue)
November 1, 1929: "County Judge Siegmund, Roadmaster Frank Johnson and Marion county's bridge engineer, Phillip Fisher, conferred with Linn county officials at Mill City and Gates Friday morning regarding repairs to the bridges over the Santiam.
The talk of a new bridge at Mill City is quieting down says the Judge and there is no chance of a new bridge there this year at least." (The Capital Journal)
May 12, 1931: "The bridge at Mill City has aroused much discussion as to its proposed site, due to the fact that it will soon be on the new Santiam highway and a bridge of major importance between the two counties. The question of its location will settle in the near future and the bridge will be ready for the heavy traffic which will probably come when the highway is completed." (Statesman Journal)
May 14, 1931: “The bridge at Mill City has aroused much discussion as to its proposed site, due to the fact that it will soon be on the new Santiam highway and a bridge of major importance between the two counties. The question of its location will be settled in the near future and the bridge will be ready for the heavy heavy traffic which will probably come when the highway is completed.” (Mill City Logue)
May 14, 1931: “Members of both the Linn and Marion county courts were in Mill City Wednesday afternoon, inspecting the North Santiam bridge in Mill City for needed repairs, and also viewing possible site for the new highway bridge which at some time or another will be erected.” (Mill City Logue)
October 20, 1932: “Workmen were busy the last week making repairs on the Marion-Linn county bridge over the Santiam river in Mill City. New planks in the floor of the bridge and several new timbers have been placed under the floor by workmen.” (Mill City Logue)
December 26, 1933: "The Mill City bridge has been reopened to traffic after an examination of the structure by County Engineer Swart and Engineer Archibald for the state highway department.
Instructions were given to remove the siding on the covered bridge, the roof being left. Taking off the siding will lighten the load on the structure materially. Swart states that a false bent went out under the bridge, probably due to a heavy caterpillar going over the structure awhile before the bent went out. He stated the spring back in the bridge loosened the bent and the high water floated it away, but a careful examination revealed there is sufficient support left to allow traffic to pass over the structure. Inasmuch as a new bridge will be required at this point next summer no permanent repairing is planned.
County Engineer Swart expected to go to Mill City again today to further take up matters of right of way on the North Santiam highway section between there and Gates, especially in Mill City itself where several right of way matters are to be straightened out." (Daily Capital Journal)
September 17, 1934: "One of the older landmarks in Mill City is fast disappearing as work on the new highway bridge over the North Santiam progresses.
The bridge has been removed slowly by a force of workmen the past few weeks and on Tuesday a large crowd of spectators witnessed the removal of the last span.
This was the long span across the river proper. Dynamite was used. So forceful was the blast that windows in the Hill pool hall, the Turpin barber shop, the Mill City confectionery, the Hill apartments along the river front and a number of houses on the upper bench on the Marion county side and in the A.L. Baker home, on the Linn county side, were broken.
The long span was dropped into the river, where it now lies, a mass of twisted iron and broken timbers." (Albany Democrat-Herald)