Historical Clippings Book (HC-04) (198 pages)

* ne THE SACRAMENTO BEE Sunday, June 4, 1967 Page BS The first suspension bridge, left, over the Klamath River at Orleans was constructed by Humboldt County in 1912 at a cost of $9,800. Built entirely of timber except for the suspension cables, it lasted for 24 years, was destroyed by Residents Of Orleans Keep Wary Eye On Klamath River After Losing Six Bridges When the river receded, th ejtimber trestle, 570 feet long was,enough to reach from Orleans McClaichy Newspapers Servicw Since the devastating flood of 1964, the residents of Orleans keep wary watch on the Klamath River. Each has his own way of measuring the height of the river ~ a rock on the bank or a tree on the bluff. When the river comes up, they buy groceries by the case instead of the bag and if it rains during the night, they consider parking the family’s second car on the other side so they will have transportation available on both sides if the bridge goes out. Losing the bridge at Orleans is an old story. In the last 55 years, five bridges have been washed away and one was’ temporary. and crowning of the queen of burned out. One {from March 1965 to the follow-!sometimes exuberant: river has,Happy Camp — 100 miles of ORLEANS, Humboldt Co, —ing January, before it was car-\ varied from $2,044.67 for a tem-. river. ried away by the Klamath in flood. The cost of bridging the porary span constructed in 13 days in 1926 to $1,556,000 for the newest structure which will Dedication Is Slated McClatchy Newspapers Service ORLEANS, Humboldt Co.— State Sen, Randolph Collier, of Yreka County, Supervisor Guy Rusher and Sam Helwer, District I engineer with the California Division of Highways, will be the speakers today when the Klamath River Bridge is dedicated at OrJeans. The dedication will be the highlight of a two-day celebration which will include a barbecue, baseball game, dance be dedicated at Orleans today. Early families along the Klamath used dugout canoes and boats to cross the river. Around 1880, Wilder’s ferry carried passengers and supplies but the ferry was discontinued in 1890. Pack trains coming through Orleans forded the river when the water was low, sometimes: waited impatiently for days for the waters to recede. First Bridge In 1912, Humboldt County at Orleans, It was the first bridge to cross the Klamath from the mouth of the river at bridge lasted only 10 months,! the celebration, Requa to the Seiad Valley above built the first suspension bridge} The spun was 374 feet long and cost $9,800. It had timber towers, decking and trusses and lasted for 14 years, On June 13, 1926, a fire damaged the wooden structure, causing the cables on one side to break thereby wrecking all of the central span. Suitable lumber could not be found on short notice to build a replacement, so crews from the State Division of Highways started from scratch, logging as they built. Thirteen days after work began, a 470-foot bridge, constructed over flowing water 7 feet deep, was in operation. The old bridge was then reconstructed, using the towers from the original bridge. It provided an 8-foot roadway and cost $21,000. fire in 1926. The new bridge at Orleans, right, to be dedicated today, replaces a structure washed away in the severe flood of 1964. This bridge is constructed of reinforced concrete, cost $1,556,000. A fourth bridge was constructed in 1940 after the old one gradually weakened and became unsafe for heavy loads. The new structure was a steel suspension span and carried two lanes of traffic on a 20-foot roadway. It cost $139,915. The pleasing curves of the steel towers and graceful lines of the span won it an award of merit from the American Institute of Steel Construction. 1964 Storm ‘In December 1964, the area was hit by storms more severe than any previously recorded, The river crested at 13 feet above the December 1955 storm period and the deck of the suspension span was several feet, under water. The tremendous pressure of the water buckled the span and both steel towers. prize-winning bridge was a wreck. It had lasted 24 years. Orleans was without a bridge for the next three months. There were as many persons living on the east side of the river as on the west and such mundane things as shopping for groceries or attending school were major: problems, Many families had to leave their homes on the east bank and move into Orleans. The school burned during the flood so the children on that side used the Seventh-day Adventist School while children on the other side used a church for, classrooms. Army helicopters flew in desks and other equipSeventh Bridge On Sept. 23, 1965, work was begun on the seventh bridge at Orleans. It was opened Dec. 28, 11966. The new structure is a hopeful 14 feet above the 1964 flood level. The towers are of reinforced concrete instead of steel and the deck rests on a welded box girder, the first time this type of construction has been used for a suspension bridge. The bridge is suspended from built but was washed out the, following January. It was re! built and opened Feb. 8, 1966.’ six cables, each 3 inches in diameter. Each cable is spun: to San Francisco. The bridge is 770 feet long and the towers extend 50 feet above the roadway, It cost $1,556,000 including $129,000 for the approaches. All things being equal, the new bridge at Orleans should outlast all the previous ones, but things. are never quite equal on the Klamath, The unusual is the norm. Residents have seen flood-proof bridges go out before when the river became swollen and ugly. By all engineering standards and meterological predictions, the new bridge at Orleans will never be washed away. But that ment. Teachers crossed the from 198 high-strength steelidoes not keep the residents from Klamath each day by boat, . In March 1965, a temporary wires which, if unraveled, would) extend 378 miles, more than 703 daily eyeing the river, measuring its rise and fall.

* ne THE SACRAMENTO BEE Sunday, June 4, 1967 Page BS The first suspension bridge, left, over the Klamath River at Orleans was constructed by Humboldt County in 1912 at a cost of $9,800. Built entirely of timber except for the suspension cables, it lasted for 24 years, was destroyed by Residents Of Orleans Keep Wary Eye On Klamath River After Losing Six Bridges When the river receded, th ejtimber trestle, 570 feet long was,enough to reach from Orleans McClaichy Newspapers Servicw Since the devastating flood of 1964, the residents of Orleans keep wary watch on the Klamath River. Each has his own way of measuring the height of the river ~ a rock on the bank or a tree on the bluff. When the river comes up, they buy groceries by the case instead of the bag and if it rains during the night, they consider parking the family’s second car on the other side so they will have transportation available on both sides if the bridge goes out. Losing the bridge at Orleans is an old story. In the last 55 years, five bridges have been washed away and one was’ temporary. and crowning of the queen of burned out. One {from March 1965 to the follow-!sometimes exuberant: river has,Happy Camp — 100 miles of ORLEANS, Humboldt Co, —ing January, before it was car-\ varied from $2,044.67 for a tem-. river. ried away by the Klamath in flood. The cost of bridging the porary span constructed in 13 days in 1926 to $1,556,000 for the newest structure which will Dedication Is Slated McClatchy Newspapers Service ORLEANS, Humboldt Co.— State Sen, Randolph Collier, of Yreka County, Supervisor Guy Rusher and Sam Helwer, District I engineer with the California Division of Highways, will be the speakers today when the Klamath River Bridge is dedicated at OrJeans. The dedication will be the highlight of a two-day celebration which will include a barbecue, baseball game, dance be dedicated at Orleans today. Early families along the Klamath used dugout canoes and boats to cross the river. Around 1880, Wilder’s ferry carried passengers and supplies but the ferry was discontinued in 1890. Pack trains coming through Orleans forded the river when the water was low, sometimes: waited impatiently for days for the waters to recede. First Bridge In 1912, Humboldt County at Orleans, It was the first bridge to cross the Klamath from the mouth of the river at bridge lasted only 10 months,! the celebration, Requa to the Seiad Valley above built the first suspension bridge} The spun was 374 feet long and cost $9,800. It had timber towers, decking and trusses and lasted for 14 years, On June 13, 1926, a fire damaged the wooden structure, causing the cables on one side to break thereby wrecking all of the central span. Suitable lumber could not be found on short notice to build a replacement, so crews from the State Division of Highways started from scratch, logging as they built. Thirteen days after work began, a 470-foot bridge, constructed over flowing water 7 feet deep, was in operation. The old bridge was then reconstructed, using the towers from the original bridge. It provided an 8-foot roadway and cost $21,000. fire in 1926. The new bridge at Orleans, right, to be dedicated today, replaces a structure washed away in the severe flood of 1964. This bridge is constructed of reinforced concrete, cost $1,556,000.

A fourth bridge was constructed in 1940 after the old one gradually weakened and became unsafe for heavy loads. The new structure was a steel suspension span and carried two lanes of traffic on a 20-foot roadway. It cost $139,915. The pleasing curves of the steel towers and graceful lines of the span won it an award of merit from the American Institute of Steel Construction. 1964 Storm ‘In December 1964, the area was hit by storms more severe than any previously recorded, The river crested at 13 feet above the December 1955 storm period and the deck of the suspension span was several feet, under water. The tremendous pressure of the water buckled the span and both steel towers. prize-winning bridge was a wreck. It had lasted 24 years. Orleans was without a bridge for the next three months. There were as many persons living on the east side of the river as on the west and such mundane things as shopping for groceries or attending school were major: problems, Many families had to leave their homes on the east bank and move into Orleans. The school burned during the flood so the children on that side used the Seventh-day Adventist School while children on the other side used a church for, classrooms. Army helicopters flew in desks and other equipSeventh Bridge On Sept. 23, 1965, work was begun on the seventh bridge at Orleans. It was opened Dec. 28, 11966. The new structure is a hopeful 14 feet above the 1964 flood level. The towers are of reinforced concrete instead of steel and the deck rests on a welded box girder, the first time this type of construction has been used for a suspension bridge. The bridge is suspended from built but was washed out the, following January. It was re! built and opened Feb. 8, 1966.’ six cables, each 3 inches in diameter. Each cable is spun: to San Francisco. The bridge is 770 feet long and the towers extend 50 feet above the roadway, It cost $1,556,000 including $129,000 for the approaches. All things being equal, the new bridge at Orleans should outlast all the previous ones, but things. are never quite equal on the Klamath, The unusual is the norm. Residents have seen flood-proof bridges go out before when the river became swollen and ugly. By all engineering standards and meterological predictions, the new bridge at Orleans will never be washed away. But that ment. Teachers crossed the from 198 high-strength steelidoes not keep the residents from Klamath each day by boat, . In March 1965, a temporary wires which, if unraveled, would) extend 378 miles, more than 703 daily eyeing the river, measuring its rise and fall.