Construction of the Milwaukee Road Bridge at Beverly, WA in 1908

Copyright 2012 by James E. Lancaster
Photos may not be reused without permission.

Before my mother passed away she gave me ten photos taken in 1908 during the construction of the Milwaukee Road's railroad bridge across the Columbia River at Beverly, Washington.  She said her father (my grandfather), James H. Wilson, had worked at the construction site with his drilling rig.  She believed he was in several of the photos.  I stuck the photos away in a box and just came across them recently. The envelope containing the photos has "Pictures of Pop's drill on the Columbia River" written on it. 

All of the photos are very faded.  I have used Photoshop to restore them as best I can. 

My grandfather would have been 42 years old in 1908.  He and his family probably lived in Ritzville, WA at the time since my mother was born there in 1907.  My grandfather died in 1959 when I was 21 years old.



Photo Gallery


Photo 346. Pier 8. March 11, 1908.
The man on the right looks very much like my grandfather. The machine on the right behind the floating crane looks like a steam-powered drilling rig or pile driver.  It may have been his rig since well drilling was his profession.


Photo 352.
Pier 8. March 15, 1908.
The man on the right in the hat may be my grandfather.


Photo 353. Pier 11. Cofferdam. Looking downstream. March 15, 1908.


Photo 354. Pier 11. Cofferdam. Looking upstream. March 15, 1908.


Photo 356. Pier 11. Cofferdam pumped out showing concrete footing. March 1908.
The man standing with his back to the camera could be my grandfather. He is dressed the way my grandfather dressed when I would see him 40 years later.


Photo 360. Pier 8. Looking southwest. March 16, 1908.
The steam-powered drilling rig or pile driver visible on the right in Photo 346 is now on the left.


Photo 362. Pier 8. Grouting (part of the photo has been torn off).


Photo 363. Pier 11. Looking east. Forms to El. 480. March 19, 1908.


Photo 363 (second). Pier 11. Looking downstream. March 19, 1908. (A double exposure.)


Photo 370. Pier 10. March 23, 1908.


Web page created 7/21/12
Last update: 7/29/12