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Show PAGE 19 THE ZEPHYROCTOBER 89 During the early settlement period of Moab and southeastern Utah the crossing was still via one of the three Islands shown on United States Geological Survey maps of the river. Ferdinand Dickert of the surveyor generals office In Salt Lake City In November of 1878. surveyed the road through the valley passing on the south edge of the Mormon Fort west of present day Moab and crossing by way of an Island across from the uranium mills tailings pond today. A few years later in 1882 or 1883, Norman Taylor had a flat boat 60 feet by 16 feet wide built, as a ferry boat which ran on a cable across the river and was propelled by the force of the stream current The ferry was located above the present concrete bridge at about the site of the old steel bridge. The ferry remained In use under various owners, Including the county; some of them were lost down stream, until the steel bridge was built in 1911. The three span, simple truss, steel bridge on concrete pilings was built across the Colorado River at a cost of $45,000.00 by the Midland Bridge Company of Kansas City, Missouri. In 1920 it was raised some four feet at a cost of $70,000.00. The concrete piling at the north end of the bridge remains on the bank of the river today to remind us of past endeavors. The mouth of Courthouse Wash was bridged In March, 1915. The steel, simple truss bridge was 101 feet long, 16 feet wide, weighed 85 tons, had a concrete floor VIDEO REAL ESTATE SERVICE LUDEAN WALKER Arches Realty 690 South Main 259-502- 6 -8- 9-124 3 Bedroom Bath & half, Portal View, Carport, Has lots of potential Owner Financing $35,000.00 -8- 9-125 PRICE REDUCED! Nice Refurbished 3 Bedroom - Woodstove, Out of Town Setting, Close to store - Window Picture of the La Sals wowner financing $36,500.00 Courthouse Wash Bridge, 1936 (Harry Reed photo, Dan OLaurie Museum) and was painted olive green. The bridge, dedicated on March 13, 1915, replaced, a ford and a dugway road on what must have been a treacherous crossing of the wash especially when Colorado River flood waters backed up into the mouth of Courthouse Wash or when summer floods came down the wash. The remains of within the dugway are still visible today Just outside of the highway Arches National Park Just as they were in the photograph taken at the bridge dedication. The only thing missing in the photograph are todays willows, and cottonwoods the imported tamarisk now growing in profusion along the stream right-of-w- ay bed. The old steel bridge over Courthouse Wash gave way to progress In 1934 when a new three span concrete bridge in the style of several others in southeastern Utah was built. The request for bids on the project was advertised In November of 1933. It was to be rigid concrete, three spans, gravel surface approaches, .359 miles In length and costing approximately $40,000.00. A temporary bridge and detour were part of the project Skilled labor was to be paid a minimum wage of 60 cents per hour, unskilled 50 cents. A 1936 photograph In the Dan OLaurie Museum collection taken by Harry Reed, Moab photographer, shows a new bridge and a deep road cut leading to the river. Previously the road from the river apparently went around the small mound of dirt and rock to the southwest of the present bridge, between it and the river Hey Guys, It Doesnt Get Any FATTER Than This bridge. The old three span steel river .Colorado bridge was replaced in 1955 as heavy traffic from uranium ore trucks from mines to the south proceeded to the buying station and new mill north of the river. The legally overweight ore trucks were too hard on the old horse and buggy age bridge. tires-shocks-struts-br- alignment ake state inspection GRAND TIRE 300 No. Main 259-790- 7 8AM-6P- M 8AM-Noo- n The old steel bridge, 1948 M-- Fr Sat VISA, MASTERCARD, PHILLIPS 66. TEXACO |
