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SANDERSON
South Santiam River
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T11S-R2W-Sec3
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____ - 1932
February 14, 1890: "Mr. Dunc. Rankin, with some men and several hundred sacks left to-day for the Sanderson bridge, which is reported in a dangerous condition. The program is to fill the sacks with stone, and ballast the pier that is nearly gone." (The State Rights Democrat)
October 20, 1893: "County Judge J.N. Duncan and Commissioner J.W. Pugh have been over to see the Sanderson wagon bridge which is again threatened with destruction by the changing of the Santiam's channel. The recent flood washed away about fifty feet of the bank, and the river threatens to leave the bridge out on dry land. The river cut just this caper a few years ago, and the bridge was built twice its original length to cover the new channel. The bridge has already cost about $30,000 and the county officials are debating whether it will be cheaper to keep following up the changing channel or tear the bridge down and rebuild it at some point where is a more permanent channel. --Herald." (The Lebanon Express)
May 7, 1903: "At a mass meeting of Linn county farmers held in school district No. 114 recently some resolutions asking the county court to rebuild Sanderson's bridge were adopted and sent to the court. This bridge was carried away by the floods of last January. It was one of the longest bridges supported by Linn county and spanned the Santiam river, connecting this portion of the county with that rich section known as the forks of the Santiam." (Clackamas County Recorder)
May 24, 1907: "Though living within 15 miles of Albany, residents of the Santiam country are now forced to travel twice that far to reach this city. Unsafe and damaged bridges are the cause. When the Sanderson bridge was partially washed out in the Santiam floods last winter, residents of the 'Forks of the Santiam,' as that country is locally termed, could reach the county seat via Jefferson. But now that the big bridge at Jefferson has been closed to traffic by order of the courts of Linn and Marion counties, the nearest open bridge across the Santiam is at Lebanon. This makes the distance to Albany about 30 miles." (Hillsboro Independent)
October 4, 1907: "The cement work has been completed on the Sanderson bridge, now in the best condition it was ever in." (Albany Democrat)
April 10, 1908: "The members of the court this forenoon visited the Sanderson bridge, and decided that the two spans built in 1893 will have to be rebuilt this summer." (Albany Democrat)
April 17, 1908: "The county court and F.J. Miller inspected the Sanderson bridge last week, and the conclusion they came to was that the two spans built in 1903 would have to be repaired this summer, as the bottom chords are beginning to pull apart. Both spans will have to be put on false work and then jerked back to plan and fastened with iron clamps. It is supposed that this work will save the bridge, as the Gates bridge was treated in the same way three years ago and has held together all right ever since." (Albany Democrat)
April 29, 1925: "Sanderson's bridge will be closed for an indefinite period, beginning tomorrow morning, during each day from 8 o'clock a.m., until 5 o'clock p.m., according to a statement issued today by the Linn county court. This procedure is incidental to the placing of new decking upon the structure.
The court has instructed Bob Hays, bridge foreman, to proceed with the renewal of the decking tomorrow. The closing of the bridge between the hours specified has been made necessary to enable the bridge crew to complete its work.
The new decking will cover 600 feet of the bridge. It will consist of two by fours placed on edge, making a deck four inches thick. On top of the decking will be placed a coating of a preservative asphaltic pavement designed to relieve the decking from both wear and decay. With this treating it is expected that the wooden decking will never have to be renewed. The asphaltic coating can be renewed as it wears out, Judge Payne said today.
Not only will the decking be replaced, but new stringers will be be put in wherever needed while the work is in progress, and later about 400 feet of bridge housing will be rebuilt. This latter work, however, will be done later and will not necessitate the closing of the bridge.
The county court expects to prolong the life of Sanderson's bridge indefinitely, but is confronted with a serious problem due to the action of the Santiam river on its banks at and above the bridge. Two dangers threaten. One is that the river may cut away its bank at both ends of Sanderson's bridge, and the other is that a new channel between the two covered bridges on that road will be cut through, necessitating a third bridge.
The court will seek ways and means of warding off this catastrophe during the summer.
While Sanderson's bridge is closed traffic will be routed via Jefferson and Lebanon." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
December 19, 1929: "The Santiam river rose eight feet Wednesday night, inundating much low land along its banks and filling the valleys of its tributaries.
Transportation between Albany and Crabtree was shut off early Thursday morning when a large drift log struck the Sanderson bridge approach on the Crabtree side of the bridge, tearing out a bent of the structure.
County Judge B. M. Payne and County Commissioner H. F. Warren visited the bridge after the accident and closed it to traffic.
The county officials reached the bridge with difficulty owing to the high water over the Crabtree road a short distance this side of the bridge. They left their automobile at a farm house and chartered a span of horses on whose backs they negotiated the flood in safety. The water stood almost to the horses' bellies" (Albany Democrat-Herald)
June 2, 1932: “Travel over the temporary bridge at Sanderson's bridge site over the Santiam river at Crabtree will be possible next Wednesday, the county court estimated Saturday.
Residents of the fork of the Santiam community have been without ingress or egress to their locality since the Sanderson bridge was washed away by the spring freshet. The bridge is 200 feet long and is located a short distance upstream from the old bridge.
State bridge engineers are to be here this week to consider further the construction of the permanent bridge which will replace the disabled structure.” (Mill City Logue)
June 9, 1932: “The temporary bridge across the Santiam river at the site of the old Sanderson's bridge, was completed Thursday and travel has resumed. Elmer Holst, county bridge builder, reports that the temporary bridge was built and the old bridge torn down at a cost of less than $1500.” (Mill City Logue)