Engineering Works, 1922-1926
from WESTERN CONSTRUCTION, July 1975:
FAST BRIDGE JOB
Building a 2,460-ft.-long bridge with 600,000 lb. of steel, 3,100 lin. ft. of pilings, and excavating 13,274 cu. yd. ordinarily isn't so tough for an experienced contractor but when its done in 62 days, that contractor is really humping. It's especially tough when your equipment and transportation facilities are circa 1926.
But Pacific Bridge Co. of Portland, Oregon did it in the summer of 1926, according to WESTERN CONSTRUCTION NEWS, in the State of Washington to link the Pacific State Highway with the lumbering city of Longview. The bridge consisted of 2,052 ft. of timber pile approaches, one steel deck-span, 168 ft. long, and a through-span of 280 ft. over the Cowlitz River.
On April 20, construction superintendent Jack Graham, who supervised some of the biggest western projects including the Golden Gate Bridge, put his rigs to work excavating foundations for the three river piers... On June 9 the last concrete for piers was poured and on June 13 the falsework was struck and the channel cleared for river traffic. The trusses and other prefabricated forms were picked up by the floating derricks and hoisted into place. The floor system was placed and riveted. On June 21, the bridge and approaches were decked and ready for traffic and on July 1, the bridge formally was turned over to the city of Longview as completed.
Graham had five pile-driver crews, six carpenter gangs, three derricks, two pile-drivers, two tow boats, and numerous laborers working two and three shift days almost from the start.
Actually, Graham and Pacific Bridge finished the job eight days short of the alloted 70 days with help of Long-Bell Lumber Co. (now International Paper Co.) engineer E. N. Larry.
Background drawing: Rodgers Residence, 1912, McMinnville OR, E.N. Larry, Architect
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