1920-06-26-colville-examiner-p6-nee-bridge-condemned
June 26, 1920 Colville Examiner Page 6:
MILES NEWS NOTES
A. E. Lewis
The long wooden historic structural bridge across the Spokane river at Lincoln near the river mouth, known as the “Nee” bridge, between Lincoln and Stevens counties, has been condemned by the engineers, as dangerous to loads of over four tons including vehicle. This bridge was built when the soldiers were at Fort Spokane, and was constructed for the traffic at that time consisting of horse drawn vehicles, and is now found inadequate for carrying safely heavily loaded trucks or tourists. The foundation piers have been dangerously washed by the grinding of the water flow, and have been temporarily repaired several times. The constant action of weather, wind and travel has gradually disintegrated the wood fiber of the timbers of the bridge until danger threatens. About ten years ago a span of the old wooden Detillion bridge fell of its own weight, fortunately no one was on the span at the time. It was found that the piers were washed and badly out of line, caused by not having bedrock foundations. The engineers in constructing the new steel structure transferred the bridge site to cliff rock foundation. A new bridge will have to be constructed to serve in place of the old “Nee” structure, and in the near future. The new bridge will have to be constructed to meet the present conditions of heavy traffic. The increased cost of structural iron will more than double the expense of replacing the bridge. A narrower point of the river for throwing the bridge across will materially reduce the cost. The solid rock cliffs of the Narrows at Fort Spokane will admit of only one span, and furnish solid rock piers without the expense of building. The only expense to the two counties outside of building one steel span for the bridge will be the construction of roads to the Narrows, which an examination will show is an easy matter. The road from Lincoln up the Spokane can follow the water grade to the Narrows on the south side of the river, while a road from Miles would follow the natural grade of the old government road to the narrows. The Stevens county side on the Spokane reservation would easily connect both roads, i. e. the one via Little Mill and the road via McCoy’s lake. This plan was examined by the engineers and commissioners of both Lincoln and Stevens counties a few years ago when repairs were being made on the old "Nee" bridge, and thought the most economical and permanent plan of constructing a new bridge.
