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~ Bridges
~ ~ FIrst Enderby Bridges
~ ~Fourth
Enderby Bridge
~ ~ Bawtree Bridge
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The fourth Enderby bridge was built
during the years 1942 and 1943. This bridge was the biggest bridge built to that date. The
bridge was approximately 714 feet long; it had a howe truss span of 130 feet, and an
elevation of 130 feet. While the bridge was being constructed a temporary bridge was built
for pedestrians. This bridge was built near the swimming site at Birchbark Park and
stretched across the river to the old mill site.
In the winter of 1943, the temperature dropped to -47 degrees Celsius and the temporary
bridge made by floating planks was frozen into the ice and thus enabled farmers to use it
as a roadway for horse and sleigh.
The crew of each bridge was a very important factor for the completion of the bridge. On
this bridge, the crew worked from both sides of the structure to meet at the middle.
People who worked on the third Enderby bridge were Bill Faulkner, John Penner, Jim Mack,
Cliff Lidstone, Billy and Harry Garrett, Harry Woollam, Pete Erickson and McMasters, the
head of the department of public works bridge crew. There were also crew members from
Salmon Arm, but all the names could not be remembered.
There were no serious accidents while building the bridge, but there are some good
stories. When the bridge was being built they did not stop for minor injuries. The only
day the construction stopped was on a day that it dropped to -47 degrees Celsius. It was
too cold to work. Harry Wollam had an accident while working on the bridge. He fell into
the ice-cold water. The crew, however, was not too worried about him as he was known as
the best swimmer in the valley. When they got him out of the water they took him to
Coulter's store where he was given a shot of whiskey and then he went back to work.
Some people have said that the crew worked for $3.00 a day at nine-hour shifts. Harry
Wollam, who worked on the bridge, received the following amounts: Jan. 20, $109.75; Feb
26, $82; March 8, $92.19; March 23, $70.29. The crew members of the bridge stayed at
Brown's Cafe ("Little City Fashions" today). There they rented out rooms to
anyone living out of town. The third Enderby Bridge is gone but the hard labour is not
forgotten.
Jim Mack had a lot of experience with barn repairs, so he did a lot of the high work on
the bridge. One day when Jim was working he asked for a maul to be thrown up for him, but
it was thrown too far away for him to catch so he reached for it and fell. They say that
he was just like a cat clinging to everything he saw. He did not fall into the river but
he did hit the deck. He picked himself up and climbed back up and continued working.
From an interview with Mary Woollam
Leo Meise, Shamis Burrel, Tammy Ayre
AlF School 1989