The Great Bridge Bid: Seattle’s War for the Snoqualmie Crossing
As county commissioners open bids for a massive new bridge over the Snoqualmie River at Novelty, local engineers face stiff competition from San Francisco giants in a contest that will define Seattle's western infrastructure.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The county commissioners today opened the bids for the construction of a steel truss bridge across the Snoqualmie River at Novelty. The bids were as follows:
San Francisco Bridge Co., $14,000; California Bridge Construction Co., $13,850; Havens & Field Northwest Bridge Co., $12,900 for approaches and supports.
Pacific Bridge Co., $16,000; St. Louis Bridge Co., $15,500; J. Austin, $11,150.
The contract has not been awarded yet.
In related infrastructure news, the bid for the construction of the first Washington ferry boat will be awarded to Moran Bros. Co.
This 1906 bidding war highlights Seattle's early struggle with regional connectivity and the dominance of outside contractors in local infrastructure projects. The 'Novelty' bridge was a critical link for the growing western suburbs, mirroring modern debates over who gets to build our highways and whether local firms can compete with national conglomerates.
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