Friday, October 2, 1925: The matter of an interstate bridge across the Columbia river just below Rainier is now up to the state highway commission of Oregon.
When the matter of a permit to build the bridge was before congress, Senator McNary of Oregon tacked on a proviso that before the bridge could be built the joint permission of the highway commissions of Oregon and Washington should be obtained.
The State Highway Commission of Oregon delegated its authority in the matter to the Port of Portland, thus virtually washing its hands of the matter, and leaving the decision as to whether or not there shall be a bridge between Rainier and Longview in the hands of the Portland Port commission.
Realizing that Portland was violently opposed to the construction of the bridge, proponents started another bill, known as the Jones- Johnson act, through congress that would eliminate the proviso of Senator McNary. They were able to convince congress that the intent of the original bill had been violated by the McNary amendment.
Under the Jones-Johnson act the decision to build the bridge was left in the hands of the secretary of war, the secretary of commerce, and the secretary of agriculture. Each departmental head, under the proposed congressional measure, must approve the character of the bridge which it is proposed to build. Separate hearings are to be held by each department.
Senator McNary was able to delay the Jones-Johnson act in congress by parlimentary procedure and dilatory tactics through one session. But in the next session congress approved the act.
Friday, December 17, 1926: Approval and passage of the Longview- Rainier interstate bridge was one of the surprises of the latter part of the week, when the United States senate by a vote of opposition to Senator McNary of Oregon, approved and passed the measure.
Friday, January 21, 1927: A longstanding fight came to a close in the house Friday with the passage without a recorded vote of a bill to grant authority for construction of a bridge across the river between Longview and Rainier.
When Portland was forced to yield on the highway department proviso
it was considered to be an abandonment of the fight, as it is
conceded on all sides that if the bridge is constructed in a way
not to seriously affect navigation, the several departments will
give their approval to the project.
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Portland hopes to be able to stall the project with some one of the departmental heads, but it is extremely doubtful if they can do so, provided the bridge is built so as not to obstruct navigation.
JOHN W. DAVIS, NOTED LAWYER, SO ADVISES PORTLAND
Friday, March 30, 1928: Any effort to prevent by judicial process
the construction of the Longview-Rainier bridge would inevitably
fail, according to John W. Davis of New York in an opinion received
in Portland Saturday as a result of his review of all issues in the
bridge matter.
-- Oregonian, March 24, 1928
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