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COAST FORK
Coast Fork of the Willamette River
May 19, 1915: "The county engineer has his plans completed for the Coast Fork bridge on the Pleasant Hill road. This, according to Commissioner Hawley, will cost approximately $11,000, replacing the present structure that was condemned and temporarily repaired last winter. Contracts will be called for within a few days." (Cottage Grove Leader)
June 10, 1915: "C. H. Purcell, state bridge engineer, arrived in Eugene Tuesday afternoon and left with the members of the Lane County court for the site of the Coast Fork bridge across the Willamette between Goshen and Pleasant Hill. The inspection was made with a view to determining whether or not the bridge shall be erected within one long span or with a pier in middle. As soon as this is done the county engineer will draw up the plans and bids advertised.
As soon as the cost can be determined the county court plans to make a survey of the amount in the bridge fund, but no action was taken pending the getting of figures on the Willamette structure." (The Lane County News)
June 13, 1915: "The new wagon bridge across the Coast Fork between Goshen and Pleasant Hill will be built of wood instead of steel, notwithstanding the recommendations of the two engineers from the state highway department who visited the site a few days ago. The Lane county court is convinced that a wooden bridge properly built will last as long as a steel bridge and they know that the cost is much less.
The court yesterday decided upon a covered Howe truss bridge with a long span of 200 feet resting upon two concrete piers, the excavation for which will be eight feet below the zero mark on the gauge at the present bridge. There will be a 30-foot pony span on the east side. The one on the east side will be covered the same as the big span. The ends of the two smaller spans will rest upon a concrete base. It is intended to build the bridge with a holding capacity of 15 tons and it will be 280 feet long over all.
The court will advertise for bids for the construction of the bridge as soon as County Engineer H.W. Libby gets out the plans and specifications. He will start work upon them immediately.
The contract for the erection of the bridge will call for the razing of the old structure before work is started on the new. In the meantime teams will ford the river, which is already low enough." (Morning Register)
July 11, 1915: "The lumber men of this city are busy figuring on the lumber for the Coast Fork bridge. This is a large bill and the county court has specified that it should be Oregon lumber." (Morning Register)
July 20, 1915: "The only bidder on a new wagon bridge to be erected across the Coast Fork, on the road between Eugene and Pleasant Hill, will be awarded the contract b y the county court which opened the bids yesterday. The Portland Bridge company, of Portland, had the lowest bid. R.E. Meath, the company's representative who was here, says his company will begin the work as soon as possible. The court has not yet signed up with him, but will do so in a day or so.
The Portland company's bid on the Coast Fork bridge was $9450.
The bridge is to be built of timber and is to be of the Howe truss design. It will have two concrete piers and three spans 30, 56, and 200 feet long respectively. The old approaches will be used, as they are still in good condition." (Morning Register)
July 22, 1915: "George Vallier this week secured the contract to supply all the sand and gravel required and to haul all structural material for the construction of the new bridge across the Coast Fork of the Willamette between Goshen and Pleasant Hill.
Howard Parsons received word last evening that he had been awarded the contract for pouring the concrete, and he went to Portland this morning to sign up the contract.
Hauling of material is to begin a week from today, and the actual construction work is expected to begin a week from Monday, on August 2.
The steel required for the tie rods and other parts of the bridge will be shipped to Goshen and hauled from there. The timbers are to be supplied by a Cottage Grove mill.
The contract for the bridge was awarded Monday by the County court to the Portland Bridge Company, at $9450, or but $37 lower than the next best bid. The highest bid was $12,885.
The bridge, which is to be of wood spans, supported by two concrete piers in the river, will require two or three months for construction. Between 20 and 30 men will be employed." (The Lane County News)
July 23, 1915: "Geo. Vallier this week secured the contract to supply all the sand and gravel required and to haul all structural material for the construction of the new bridge across the coast fork of the Willamette between Goshen and Pleasant Hill.
Howard Parsons received word last evening that he had been awarded the contract for pouring the concrete and he went to Portland this morning to sign up the contract.
Hauling of material is to begin a week from today and the actual construction work is expected to begin a week from Monday on August 2." (Morning Register)
July 26, 1915: "Tearing out of the planking on the bridge across the Coast Fork between Goshen and Pleasant Hill was begun today, and on Wednesday a charge of dynamite will drop the trusses into the river so they can be taken away and work of erecting the new structure be begun.
George Vallier will begin on Thursday hauling gravel from a bar a half mile above the site of the bridge and to bring the lumber from Cottage Grove. Some 60 tons of tie-bolts and plates will be shipped from Portland to Goshen and then be hauled from there to the bridge by Mr. Vallier." (The Lane County News)
July 29, 1915: "The old bridge across the Coast Fork between Goshen and Pleasant Hill was torn down Wednesday to make way for the new structure. A charge of dynamite placed a few feet from the bottom of one of the end timbers, cut that timber off a caused the whole structure to fall flat into the river, the wreckage floating on the water. The bridge was constructed of large timbers, held together with long tie rods, and with the breaking of one member, all fell apart.
J. J. Bryan had a motion picture man there to take pictures of the falling bridge and also of the remnants after the bridge had fallen." (The Lane County News)
August 5, 1915: "Because the water in the Coast Fork at the site of the new bridge between Goshen and Pleasant Hill is too deep to ford safely, a temporary bridge will be constructed over the deepest part, to be used while the new structure is being erected, County Commissioner M.H. Harlow yesterday ordered the temporary structure built of material from the old bridge which was torn down, and it will be completed within two or three days.
Commissioner Harlow says complaint had been heard that the contractors were charging farmers a dollar each to get their teams out of the water when they got in too deeply, and there has been considerable complaint upon this score.
Until the temporary bridge is completed, teamsters and autoists are requested to go to the Jasper bridge to get across the river." (Morning Register)
August 5, 1915: "Because the water in the Coast Fork at the site of the new bridge between Goshen and Pleasant Hill is too deep to ford safely, a temporary bridge will be constructed over the deepest part, to be used while the new structure is being erected. County Commissioner M. H. Harlow yesterday ordered the temporary structure built of the material from the old bridge which was torn down, and it will be completed within two or three days.
Until the temporary bridge is completed, teamsters and autoists are requested to go to the Jasper bridge to get across the river." (The Lane County News)
September 2, 1915: "A number of 60-foot timbers were brought this week from the mill at Mabel, consigned to Goshen, from which point George Vallier will haul them to the new bridge being constructed across the Coast Fork of the Willamette. The timber contract is held by a Cottage Grove mill, but they could not get out the timbers in time and had to have another do the work.
Parsons & Soliem, who are doing the concrete work on the Coast Fork bridge, have one pier completed and the abuttment in for another." ( The Lane County News)
September 9, 1915: "Messrs. Parsons and Soleim yesterday forenoon finished the pouring of the concrete for the piers of the new bridge being constructed across the Coast Fork of the Willamette between Goshen and Pleasant Hill. Timbers for the structure are now being framed." (The Lane County News)
September 23, 1925: "George Vallier has finished his contract for hauling material for the Coast Fork bridge. The last car of castings and rods was received at Goshen on Tuesday." (The Lane County News)
October 19, 1915: "The Coast Fork bridge near Pleasant Hill will be completed in the course of a week or 10 days, according to the bridge men. The rafters, frame and sheeting are all in place, and shingling will be started today or tomorrow." (Morning Register)