LOCATION OF BRIDGE ACROSS COLUMBIA NOW BEING STUDIED
UMATILLA GROUP AFTER SITE THERE

Umatilla people are vitally interested in having a bridge constructed across the Columbia just below the proposed Umatilla Rapids dam it was disclosed at the Commercial Club meeting in the Council room at Umatilla last Friday evening. Four proposed locations have been selected for investigation of the highway engineers, and one is the Umatilla site. The other three are Patterson Ferry, Hook and The Dalles. Considering the amount of traffic from the east to the northwest, the bridge near the dam site would be the most logical location, members of the Umatilla club believe.

W. R. Nugent, president of the club, presided over the meeting and kept the business moving along, while Johnny Blair took care of the secretarial duties. Nugent stated that highway engineers were busy last week surveying the federal highway through Umatilla with the prospect of a 4-lane highway being built there when the construction of the dam begins. The bridge across the Umatilla river also will be widened to accommodate four lanes of traffic and the proposed foot bridges constructed outside of the highway bridge.

A. J. Rathke and Herb Lane reported on the plans for the swimming pool and stated that two sites were being considered, one in the city park in the northwest part of Umatilla and the other near the high school building. Letters showing plans of the pools at Heppner and Wilbur, Wash., were read and the plans taken under advisement by the club to be used when construction starts.

Sixteen members of the club were present, and two visitors from Hermiston, Elmer Fritzke, secretary of the local Chamber of Commerce, and Dan Bartlett. President Nugent stated that the next meeting of the club would be held on August 24 and a dinner is being planned for that meeting. He also urged that the city arrange for a float to be entered in the Round-Up parade at Pendleton on Saturday, September 1.

During the next 30 days when a number of boys will be coming home, President Nugent stated that the flag would be displayed at three places in Umatilla. The housing situation in Umatilla also was under discussion during the meeting.

Hermiston Herald, July 20, 1945

STURGIS OUTLINES PLANS FOR BRIDGE ACROSS COLUMBIA

County Judge James Sturgis appeared before the Rotary club at the noon luncheon at the CRC today and urged organized action to get a bridge across the Columbia river near Umatilla. He directed his pointed remarks at the chambers of commerce in Umatilla county, demanding that they “get on their horses and do something.”

Sturgis said the people in Wasco county have paved the way for obtaining a crossing at Umatilla without obligating the taxpayers of Umatilla or Benton counties. Bonds amounting to over $3 million have been sold at The Dalles for construction of a bride there, to be redeemed solely from revenues of the bridge. He declared such a financial arrangement could be made in Umatilla county without the assistance of the state or federal government. “Bridge bonds are of high repute today” he declared. His argument was based on bridge bonds in the Pacific Northwest that have been redeemed many years before maturity.

He stated that all that is required to put the plan in motion is a request from the people in the county to petition the county court to place the question on the ballot, giving the court authority to proceed. No obligation is placed on the county in any way, Sturgis declared.

Wasco county now owns and operates ferries across the Columbia at The Dalles, the judge reported, and the net revenues to that county amount to $7,000 monthly. At this time Wasco county has about $450,000 in the fund to be used toward construction of the bridge and retirement of the bonds to finance the structure, which is estimated at about $3 million.

Sturgis said the county court discovered on a recent trip to Prosser and Yakima that not a single sign was found in Washington directing traffic to Oregon or McNary dam-the greatest single tourist attraction in the entire Northwest.

The crossing near Umatilla would prove a good financial enterprise and also a great aid to business in the areas of Oregon and Washington close to the crossing as well.

Sturgis emphasized the inactivity of people in this area in regard to the crossing and did not confine his terms to the “soft pedal” variety.