10/27/2005
Pat Baker (This is a two-part series on the Sumner Avenue Bridge project, with Part 2 to appear in the Nov. 3 issue of the Humboldt Independent. It's hard to imagine downtown Humboldt without the Sumner Avenue bridge. It has been there for 85 years. For the 53 years before that, everyone used the Lewis Street bridge. This extended across the West Des Moines River from 1st Avenue South to Lewis Street. Steep, curving Lewis Street on the Johnston hill was often a problem. Muddy when wet, it was the scene of many accidents involving horses, wagons and buggies. Farmers drove cattle down it and across the bridge. In 1881 flood waters undermined the east end of the bridge. There were three Lewis Street bridges. The last was built in 1906 and demolished in 1972. With the popularity of automobiles increasing after 1912, local residents envisioned a new bridge that would connect the newly paved Sumner Avenue to the roads south and west of town. They also envisioned a road that would extend from the east end of Sumner Avenue, through Dakota City, over the East Des Moines River, and to the Volberding hill (located at the SW corner of Section 5, Beaver Township). This took years of planning, involving good business judgment, foresight and persuasion. It also called for patience. The Sumner Avenue bridge was started in 1919 and wasn't finished until 1922. What took so long? The story of the bridge and paving project reads in some places like "The Perils of Pauline." One of our local citizens carefully clipped all the news items about the bridge and paving project from The Humboldt Republican newspaper. We are grateful to have these to study. Humboldt Mayors R.J. Johnston (1912-1918), John Cunningham (1918-1919), John Devine (1920-1921), and George Bicknell (1922-1925) were involved with the project. In January 1916 an expert engineer from Ames surveyed the Johnston hill, where Lewis Street was located, and estimated that it could be graded to a six percent grade, and an 18-foot concrete or brick roadway placed on it from top to bottom for $6,500. "It would be one of the best investments Humboldt could make." To make a long story short, the new $25,000 concrete Sumner Avenue bridge and paving project, that reached from the high school corner on Highway 169 to east of the East Des Moines River cost more than $250,000. This included $32,000 Federal Aid. In February 1919, as the city of Humboldt was planning the paving of Sumner Avenue, Dakota City citizens were considering paving their main street, voting for the Dakota City bonus: "Dakota City has an opportunity to have a sum spent on her streets that is double what she is asked to give. It is well known that Dakota City spends more on the two hills each side of town than she does on any other portion of her roads or streets. The opportunity now presented her provides for a manner of unloading all this expense and to gain at the same time a permanent pavement through the town . . . three dollars where Dakota City contributes one." They agreed. By March 23, 1919, plans to spend $32,000 Federal Aid for the project were completed (see blueprint drawing). This included paving the road on the Johnston hill. "There is talk of changing the road and bridge one block further north, making the bridge span the river at the west end of main street, removing the Bottling Works, and allowing the road to traverse the flat west of the river and join the present road at the point where it turns east to go to the present bridge." The City of Humboldt was going to pay for paving Sumner Avenue from 9th Street to the Minneapolis and St. Louis railroad tracks. From there Federal Aid, with the Dakota City bonus, would pay for paving up the courthouse hill, through Dakota City main street, and down under the Chicago and Northwestern tracks to the west end of the bridge by the Dakota City mill. From this bridge to the Volberding hill the road would be drained, graded and graveled. Humboldt raised $5,000 in cash for remodeling the road up the Johnston hill and Dakota City pledged $13,000 to help remodel its streets and the east road. Dakota City turned her streets over to the county, relinquishing all claims for them. Humboldt retained and cared for her streets. Mineral Springs Bottling Company stood directly between Sumner Avenue and the proposed bridge. Bellows & Son, owners, agreed to accept a lot immediately adjacent to their plant, and $3,500 for their trouble. Land on the west side of the river was purchased from Halvor Anderson, W.J. Taft and W.G. Johnston. Securing the right-of-way for the new grade, and obtaining the endorsement of the State Highway Commission in making the new roadway was also a big task. Plans were made for the Sumner Avenue bridge. In August 1919 a contract was let for a three-span concrete bridge, with 20-foot roadway and five-foot sidewalk. Blueprints of the entire project can be seen at the Humboldt County Historical Museum. The Humboldt County Engineer in charge of the project was Kenneth J. Smith. The work of paving Sumner Avenue also began in August 1919. For one group of businessmen, it took too long. In October they called on the town council and were told the workmen were laying the paving as fast as the materials could be obtained. Humboldt people were invited to assist in hurrying-up the delivery of material needed. The Republican quoted poetry: "The mills of the God's grind slow, but grind exceeding fine." A week later someone intentionally or unintentionally poured some gasoline or kerosene on the new paving by the Russell House and showed that the paving material could be dissolved. At once a hue and cry was raised that the pavement was faulty. A sample of the damaged paving was sent to consulting engineer M.L. Patzig in Des Moines. After testing, he determined that there was no cause for alarm and the pavement would heal itself if left alone. By Nov. 7 the streets were finished on the west part of Sumner Avenue, and business men and shoppers were able to use the street. It was all finished before Christmas 1919. Humboldt was relieved. In January 1920, work began on the concrete bridge: "A cofferdam is going in and preparations are being made to rush the work as soon as the weather permits. Humboldt will heave a sigh of relief that this work is now underway." It was decided that the sidewalk on the bridge would be placed on the north side of the road. On February 20, 1920, The Humboldt Republican reported that the workmen on the new bridge failed to find a solid rock foundation for the piers at the west end of the bridge. It was decided to drive a foundation of long piles driven their entire length into the soft earth under the pier. The objection to this sort of a foundation was that it was expensive and would add several thousand dollars to the cost of the bridge. Foundation on solid rock was found for the east pier and the middle pier. In March 1920, the contract for excavation and grading on the Johnston hill was "practically let," needing only approval by the State Highway Commission. The price was high, but the board felt that the work was a necessity and they had best accept it. The work on the Johnston hill included not only cutting into the hillside, but also filling part of the low area on the west side of the river ("Island Park") to bring it up to grade. In April 1920, the supervisors approved a bid for paving the streets in Dakota City. It was planned to finish the east end of the project (C. & N.W. viaduct hill) first, and to work on the west end of the job (the Johnston hill) last. In May, cutting down the hill where the road runs under viaduct proved to be a big job. At the place where the top of the hill used to be, there was an eight-foot cut, and the new roadway was placed about where the sidewalk used to run on the south side of the former road. A temporary detour road was made to bear the traffic from the east river bridge to Dakota City. It ran through the flat north of the former road, winding around the hills and came out by the C. & N.W. depot (5th Ave & 5th Street North, Dakota City). "Friday last it was said that more than 100 autos were stuck in the soft earth where the grader was working. It was not that the mud was so deep, but that the soft earth allowed the cars to sink down until their axels settled on the earth, and they had to have help to get along." The courthouse hill was cut down two feet in some places to make a more gradual slope. The work of laying the concrete for the street paving in Dakota City began in June 1920. Long piles of material were laid up along the roadway. The mixer arrived and the job progressed quickly. On Aug. 6, the newspaper reported that the concrete paving up the river hill to Dakota City had been finished for some time, but the traffic was not allowed on it because the concrete needed several weeks to cure properly. It was finished in September. In June 1920, problems arose with work on the concrete bridge. When the immense load of concrete was poured on the arch at the west end of the bridge, the piling settled an inch or so and the arch cracked on the south side. The workmen immediately knocked out the concrete while it was green. Then they raised the mould into position, re-ran the concrete and it held nicely. Then they began working on the mould for the east arch. After it was reinforced and poured, the center arch was begun. When that was completed, the sides would be cast and the bridge finished. There is a general opinion that the bridge is solid concrete. This is in error. The arches are about 24 inches thick, and heavily reinforced with steel bars. The sides over the arches were then cast, and then the bridge was filled with dirt until it reached the level of the roadway. The contract for the bridge called only for the casting of the concrete. The filling with dirt was done by the county. Later the road over the bridge would be paved. That also was to be done by the county. In July 1920, following several heavy rains, there was a flood on the West Des Moines River. On July 16, 1920, The Humboldt Republican reported that the new concrete bridge suffered considerable damage. Several large trees that had lodged above the dam were permitted to go over. This was to prevent damage as the west dam was cracking. After the trees were released from where they were caught above the dam, they raced down the stream with the high waters and hit the piling supporting the new concrete arches. They swept out practically all the piles under the east arch and about half of what was under the middle arch Fortunately the piling under the east arch had served its purpose, for the concrete for that form had been poured and was set. But the concrete over the middle arch had only been two-thirds poured and new piling had to be put in before the last third could be finished. The work of pouring the concrete sides for the new bridge went forward, despite the damage to the structure by the sweeping away of the supports for the mould. The newspaper reported "the sides are assuming form and show a very handsome design in the work." By September 1920 the workmen on the bridge had finished the arches, the walls were complete, and the railings were being put in place. Eight lamp stands were erected on the railings - four on each side. The next move was to fill the arches with dirt until the roadway reached the proper height. However, the newspaper reported "the bridge cannot be used for travel until the roadway is completed over the Johnston hill. From present indications that will be a year or more yet" Will the Sumner Avenue bridge ever be completed and ready for use? Read our next installment about the project to find out.
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The Humboldt
Independent • Official paper of Humboldt County
Telephone: (515)
332-2514 |
