Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The Oregon state employee. (Salem, Oregon.) 1944-195? | View Entire Issue (May 1, 1945)
11 New Ideas and Improved Methods By FLOYD QUERY The Bridge That D idn’t Fall Many of the bridges built on the state highway system fifteen or more years ago are too narrow for modern heavy high-speed traffic. Where these bridges are through trusses, the struc tures themselves are sometimes endan gered by hèavÿ vehicles or overhanging loads striking vital, stress members. This has been particularly true with logging trucks. Over the past ten years a procedure minimizing this danger has been worked out. Travelers over our highways will often see heavy timbers fastened to the, top and bottom of the sloping end posts of narrow steel trusses. These timbers take up the shock and stiffen the member so that failure is generally avoided. In other cases extra steel struts have been placed to brace the end posts and prevent buckling. It was one of these struts that pre vented the failure of the Yamhill River Bridge near Valley Junction when it was struck by a logging tru ck on April IL Credit for the development of these reinforcements should be given to the bridge maintenance superintendents of the State Highway Department. Many of these men have cooperated in work ing out the details. Some of the earlier installations were suggested by W alter G\ Krueger of Coquille and H orton H ughlett of Salem. $28,000,000 saved by employees’ sug gestions in U. S. N avy Yards during 1944. Editor’s N o te. Department heads and employees are invited to send in any new methods de vised by a department, division or indi vidual which show a decrease in cost of operation, a more efficient method, or any other instance which reflects an employee contribution to better, more efficient state government. These ar ticles should be addressed to Improved Methods Editor, 1615 Nebraska Avenue, Salem, Oregon. Moderft Methods Fay Organization of a special Collections Division under the supervision of H. E. Osborn that consolidated responsibilities previously divided between three divi sions has resulted in a reduction df 6 3 ^ j in the accounts receivable of the State Industrial Accident Commission. Since Osborn took over on May 1, 1943, the accounts receivable have dropped from $394,907 to $14?;017, a reduction of $251,890. Even though economic conditions were favorable, this reduction was ac complished during a period of greatly increased volume. Organization of a modern credit control unit with mod ern credit procedures was planned by Administrator Ralph W . Emmons, to cut accounts receivable in half and eventually to effect a reduction of 50% iir credit losses to the Industrial A c cident Fund. Ray Lafky, as attorney for the Com mission, has made outstanding improve ments; in legal procedure which have materially contributed to the reduction. Other personnel assisting Mr. Osborn are H . V. Carpenter, O. R. Christman, R uth Kellogg, Anna Barr, Eva Hansen, R uth Kriesel, Josephine Lange, June Paine, Mary Burke, Virginia Petersen, Doris Albin and Frank Gordon.
