Final Link in New Highway Completed
Susanville and Westwood Dedicate $40,000 Bridge
November 12, 1923
The final link in the Susanville-Westwood highway was completed here Sunday when more than 1,200 people attended the dedication of a new $40,000 bridge.
Assemblyman Art J. Mathews, Judge H. D. Burroughs, Joe Hunter, county supervisor, M. E. Ditmeyer, secretary of the Lassen Volcanic -national park, Jules Alexander and S. C. Mitchell made brief speeches.
Music was furnished by the Red River Lumber company’s band of 40 pieces from Westwood.
This new bridge marks one of the largest engineering moves in the highway work of northern California as it serves to complete a three-way span in eliminating a steep grade to the present bridge.
It also eliminates a dangerous crossing on the Westwood line of the Southern Pacific company and serves as a crossing to the Susan River All of this despite the fact that the structure is less than 200 feet in length.
Pioneers and modern day motorists will place the old Devil’s Corral detour into history. That bridge, constructed across Devil’s Corral, dates back to immigrant days when pioneers were often forced to turn back with their wagon trains in the days of the gold rush due to the perpendicular walls of the lava rock formation on the banks of the Susan River.
The bridge was designed by bridge engineers of the Highway Commission.
