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Kathleen Merryman is a local news columnist for The News Tribune, where she's worked for a quarter of a century. Amazing, considering she is only 32. You're likely to find her fighting crime, righting wrongs or judging pies. You're less likely to find her in the newsroom. Call her at 253-597-8677 or e-mail her.

General assignment reporter Mike Archbold is a veteran Puget Sound journalist and a veteran veteran. He's ready to respond to your news tip. Call him at 253-597-8692 or e-mail him.

Brent Champaco is a communities reporter for The News Tribune, where he has worked since 2005. He covers areas west of Interstate 5, including Lakewood, and writes diversity stories. A native of the South Kitsap area, he has worked for newspapers in Eastern Washington, Idaho and the Bay Area. Call him at 253-597-8653 or e-mail him. You can also check out his Twitter page.

Steve Maynard is a communities reporter and religion reporter for The News Tribune. He covers Federal Way, Fife and Milton. He also has been the paper's religion reporter since joining The News Tribune in 1987. Maynard has reported for daily newspapers since 1979, previously in Walla Walla and Houston. Call him at 253-597-8647 or e-mail him.

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Here's what's happening around Tacoma, Pierce County and South Puget Sound today..
Monday, November 26th, 2007
Posted by Scott Fontaine @ 02:52:35 pm

Reader Nancy Cook asked these questions about the Murray Morgan Bridge:

I’d like to ask about the little house on the 11th Street Bridge. Is that where the bridgekeeper lived? If so, where will s/he live now? There is an even smaller house a level below the bridgekeeper’s house. Is that where the bridgekeeper’s dog lived? In the seven years I’ve lived in this area, I’ve been asking myself these questions, and have even toyed with the idea that perhaps in Tacoma, bridge trolls live above the bridges instead of under them. Unfortunately, the troll theory still doesn’t explain the little doghouse.

I just received an answer from Kip Wylie, the maintenance supervisor for the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. His answer is after the jump:

[More:]

These are very funny questions. As the troll, I much prefer living UNDER a bridge, and this is why I moved my operations over to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. And then with all that noisy construction, I've had to stay in hiding for the past 4 years. Thank God, or Gollum, they'll be leaving soon so I can get back to my business.

Actually, the large of those houses on the Murray Morgan Bridge is for the Machinery Room. It's were all the gears and lifting motors are. The smaller house a bit lower is the actual operators station. It has the lifting and lowering controls. In that larger house, there is also a side room that I believe is where Murray Morgan wrote most of his book about early Seattle "Skid Road". It looks to be the only place that could fit a desk and some comfort. He was a full time bridge tender in the 1950s.

Categories: Tacoma, Downtown, Tideflats