Walter Burns Passes at 69
Long Illness Fatal To Bridge Builder
Walter Elliott Burns, 69, pioneer in Oregon’s automotive industry and ex-railroad bridge builder, died at his home, 2610 S. W. Vista avenue Tuesday night after a long illness. Mr. Burns in 1920 opened Salem’s first automotive supply store, which expanded to other cities. A resident of Portland since 1929, he managed his automotive supply wholesale business here until illness forced him into retirement last fall. A construction engineer by profession, Mrs. Burns had charge of construction of Southern Pacific railroad bridges in Oregon and California before going into the automotive parts business. The Holgate viaduct at Portland and the Southern Pacific bridge at Oregon City were among spans he built. Mr. Burns was born in Fairmont, W. Va., reared in Fresno, Cal., and was graduated from the University of California in 1906. Joining the Southern Pacific in 1909, he had charge of building the line of bridges from Corvallis to Yaquina in Oregon. Mr. Burns was a 33d degree Mason, a Shriner, a member for years of the Salem Cherrians, the Salem Rotary club, the Society of Automotive Engineers and various California honor societies. He was toastmaster for the annual “pig dinner” of the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta two years ago. Besides the widow, Mr. Burns is survived by a daughter, Ann Reed Burns, an Associated Press editor in Portland; a brother, Guy Burns, Albuquerque, N. M., and a sister, Minnie C. Burns, Fresno, Cal. Private funeral services will be Wednesday.
[The Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, Wednesday, August 18, 1948, page 23]
Long Illness Fatal To Bridge Builder
Walter Elliott Burns, 69, pioneer in Oregon’s automotive industry and ex-railroad bridge builder, died at his home, 2610 S. W. Vista avenue Tuesday night after a long illness. Mr. Burns in 1920 opened Salem’s first automotive supply store, which expanded to other cities. A resident of Portland since 1929, he managed his automotive supply wholesale business here until illness forced him into retirement last fall. A construction engineer by profession, Mrs. Burns had charge of construction of Southern Pacific railroad bridges in Oregon and California before going into the automotive parts business. The Holgate viaduct at Portland and the Southern Pacific bridge at Oregon City were among spans he built. Mr. Burns was born in Fairmont, W. Va., reared in Fresno, Cal., and was graduated from the University of California in 1906. Joining the Southern Pacific in 1909, he had charge of building the line of bridges from Corvallis to Yaquina in Oregon. Mr. Burns was a 33d degree Mason, a Shriner, a member for years of the Salem Cherrians, the Salem Rotary club, the Society of Automotive Engineers and various California honor societies. He was toastmaster for the annual “pig dinner” of the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta two years ago. Besides the widow, Mr. Burns is survived by a daughter, Ann Reed Burns, an Associated Press editor in Portland; a brother, Guy Burns, Albuquerque, N. M., and a sister, Minnie C. Burns, Fresno, Cal. Private funeral services will be Wednesday.
[The Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, Wednesday, August 18, 1948, page 23]
Walter Burns Passes at 69
Long Illness Fatal To Bridge Builder
Walter Elliott Burns, 69, pioneer in Oregon’s automotive industry and ex-railroad bridge builder, died at his home, 2610 S. W. Vista avenue Tuesday night after a long illness. Mr. Burns in 1920 opened Salem’s first automotive supply store, which expanded to other cities. A resident of Portland since 1929, he managed his automotive supply wholesale business here until illness forced him into retirement last fall. A construction engineer by profession, Mrs. Burns had charge of construction of Southern Pacific railroad bridges in Oregon and California before going into the automotive parts business. The Holgate viaduct at Portland and the Southern Pacific bridge at Oregon City were among spans he built. Mr. Burns was born in Fairmont, W. Va., reared in Fresno, Cal., and was graduated from the University of California in 1906. Joining the Southern Pacific in 1909, he had charge of building the line of bridges from Corvallis to Yaquina in Oregon. Mr. Burns was a 33d degree Mason, a Shriner, a member for years of the Salem Cherrians, the Salem Rotary club, the Society of Automotive Engineers and various California honor societies. He was toastmaster for the annual “pig dinner” of the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta two years ago. Besides the widow, Mr. Burns is survived by a daughter, Ann Reed Burns, an Associated Press editor in Portland; a brother, Guy Burns, Albuquerque, N. M., and a sister, Minnie C. Burns, Fresno, Cal. Private funeral services will be Wednesday.
[The Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, Wednesday, August 18, 1948, page 23]
Long Illness Fatal To Bridge Builder
Walter Elliott Burns, 69, pioneer in Oregon’s automotive industry and ex-railroad bridge builder, died at his home, 2610 S. W. Vista avenue Tuesday night after a long illness. Mr. Burns in 1920 opened Salem’s first automotive supply store, which expanded to other cities. A resident of Portland since 1929, he managed his automotive supply wholesale business here until illness forced him into retirement last fall. A construction engineer by profession, Mrs. Burns had charge of construction of Southern Pacific railroad bridges in Oregon and California before going into the automotive parts business. The Holgate viaduct at Portland and the Southern Pacific bridge at Oregon City were among spans he built. Mr. Burns was born in Fairmont, W. Va., reared in Fresno, Cal., and was graduated from the University of California in 1906. Joining the Southern Pacific in 1909, he had charge of building the line of bridges from Corvallis to Yaquina in Oregon. Mr. Burns was a 33d degree Mason, a Shriner, a member for years of the Salem Cherrians, the Salem Rotary club, the Society of Automotive Engineers and various California honor societies. He was toastmaster for the annual “pig dinner” of the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta two years ago. Besides the widow, Mr. Burns is survived by a daughter, Ann Reed Burns, an Associated Press editor in Portland; a brother, Guy Burns, Albuquerque, N. M., and a sister, Minnie C. Burns, Fresno, Cal. Private funeral services will be Wednesday.
[The Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, Wednesday, August 18, 1948, page 23]
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