The Indian Territory in the Civil War Message Board

Jack Beale Smith's Example Picture

Jack Beale Smith’s Example Bowstring Arch Bridge for Redbank Creek was shown at

https://bealewagonroad.com/2020/03/05/beale-bridges-in-oklahoma-1859/

This bowstring example is officially called in Missouri:

Steel's Fish Trap Bridge

See at https://bridgehunter.com/mo/saline/bowstring/

Location

Saline County, Missouri

History

Built 1882 by the Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co., using stone abutments from an earlier 1875 bridge

Builder

- Missouri Valley Bridge & Iron Co. of Leavenworth, Kansas

Design

Bowstring through truss

Dimensions

Span length: 100.0 ft.
Total length: 100.0 ft.
Deck width: 14.1 ft.
Vertical clearance above deck: 12.6 ft.

Overview

Bowstring through truss bridge over Salt Fork River on CR 225

WHERE DID ALL THE BEALE IRON BRIDGES GO??

Consider the following: It seems that most, if not all, of the six Iron Bridges built by the Federal Government for the Beale Wagon Road in Indian Territory just prior to the Civil War just disappeared sometime after the War, at least the iron bridges did by 1872. These iron bridges were under the control of the U.S. Army and perhaps even owned by them. No former Confederate operative could either claim ownership to them, or move them without the permission of federal authorities. So where did they go?? Especially, the four 100-foot Whipple bowstring arch spans??

As I looked at the above Steel’s Fish Trap Bridge, and checking Google Maps, I note that it was located on Salt Fork River in Saline County, Missouri. It was built on the former stone masonry foundations of a former 100-ft bridge (surely iron), said to have been built in 1875. It is strange that this former bridge didn’t last very long, even though it was built on the same foundations that the present 138-year old iron bowstring arch bridge now sets on.

Recall that the Saline County area, located south of the Missouri River, was an area heavily fought over by Sterling Price’s Confederate forces (twice in fact) against Missouri’s and other USV troops (once in October 1864), and must have suffered heavy damages to its infrastructure.

Perhaps the U.S. Army simply took the BWR iron bridges down, say about 1874, hauled them over to the newly built “Katy” Railroad depot at Eufaula (North Fork Town) and shipped them northbound (into Yankee country) to Kansas City, then east to Sedalia, Missouri to be used to rebuild the local county roads where Missouri General Egbert B. Brown used to command.

The 1875 Salt Fork bridge site looks a lot like the old 1859 BWR Little River bridge did. Fortunately, the USA didn’t take/destroy the stone masonry abutments, like those now seen at Little River and Redbank Creek, IT. You can bet the nearby former Confederate states or Indian Nations didn’t get them.

Messages In This Thread

Five Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges in IT
Redbank Creek
Sans Bois Creek
Re: Sans Bois Creek
Re: Five Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges in IT
Re: Five Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges in IT
Longtown Creek
Poteau River
Poteau River Beale Iron Bridge Location
Re: Poteau River Beale Iron Bridge Location
Re: Poteau River Beale Iron Bridge Location
Beale Bridge Location Not "E Street"
Re: Beale Bridge Location Not "E Street"
Stephen, Looking Back
Re: Stephen, Looking Back
Whipple's Iron Bridges?
Re: Beale Bridge Location Not "E Street"
Beale Wagon Road's Carnall St. Bridge in Ft. Smith
Re: Poteau River Beale Iron Bridge Location
Re: Poteau River Beale Iron Bridge Location
Carnall Ave. Crossing of Poteau--It's a FERRY
Summary: Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges in IT
Emachaya Creek was a Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridge
Otter Creek was Little Sans Bois
VIP Correction to Timeline of ARJ article
Beale Wagon Road’s Six Iron Bridges in IT
Re: Beale Wagon Road’s Six Iron Bridges in IT
More on Location of Poteau River Bridge
More on Site of Poteau River Iron Bridge
BWR Route Thru Winchester Mt.
Support for BWR Route Thru Winchester Mt.
Re: BWR Route Thru Winchester Mt.
Re: BWR Route Thru Winchester Mt.
Re: BWR Route Thru Winchester Mt.
What a night on Winchester Mt.
Fort Smith-Ft. Laramie-Ft. Worth Bowstring Bridges
Re: Fort Smith-Ft. Laramie-Ft. Worth Bowstring Bri
Historic Ft. Laramie Bridge Picture
Fort Scott Bowstring Arch Bridge
Six Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges in IT
The Beale - Edwards Connection
The Wanderer's Letters on the Beale Bridges
Re: The Wanderer's Letters on the Beale Bridges
Re: The Wanderer's Letters on the Beale Bridges
Wanderer's Eighth Letter Found
Re: Wanderer's Eighth Letter Found
Beale Wagon Road??
Wanderer's Nov. 3 Letter on the Beale Bridges
Re: Wanderer's Nov. 3 Letter on the Beale Bridges
Wanderer's Nov. 16 Letter on the Poteau Bridge
Who was the Wanderer?
More info on the Wanderer
Re: More info on the Wanderer
John Russell Young's biography
Re: John Russell Young's biography
Re: John Russell Young's biography
"Mr. President, Is That All?"
Wanderer's "North Fork Town" Letter
Re: The Wanderer's Letters on the Beale Bridges
Who was the Wanderer? Grant's Biographer??
Re: Who was the Wanderer? Grant's Biographer??
More on Wanderer=Young
Re: More on Wanderer=Young
Re: More on Wanderer=Young
Philadelphia Connection to Beale's Iron Bridges
New Book on Pencoyd Iron Works of Philadelphia
Edwards Goes To Washington
Signs for BWR in Pottawatomie County
Update for Six Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges in IT
Info on Iron Bridge Across Sans Bois Creek
Finding Iron Bridge Across Sans Bois Creek??
Greig & Graham--The Arkansas Stone Masons
Re: Update for Six Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges i
Jim Stewart's Commentary and Guidance
The Six 1859 Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges in IT
Re: Update for Six Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges i
Why Did Army Fund BWR in IT??
Army Using BWR to Supply Fort Cobb
Re: Update for Six Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges i
Beale Wagon Road in Indian Territory
Kerlin's Well Serving Beale Wagon Road
Primary References for Beale Wagon Road
Historical Sites for Western Beale Wagon Road
Updates on Western Beale Wagon Road
BWR Passing Thru Flagstaff, AZ
Update for BWR Passing Thru Flagstaff, AZ
Update for Historical Sites for Western BWR
Re: Update for Historical Sites for Western BWR
Re: Update for Historical Sites for Western BWR
Re: Update for Historical Sites for Western BWR
Location of Hardyville on Rumsey Map
Trouble Crossing the Colorado
Re: Trouble Crossing the Colorado
Re: Trouble Crossing the Colorado
Re: Trouble Crossing the Colorado
U.S. Cavalry - Regular Army
Re: U.S. Cavalry - Regular Army
Re: Update for Historical Sites for Western BWR
Correction for Overview
Video Updates for Historical Sites for Western BWR
Last Camp for Hi Jolly and U.S. Army's Camel Corps
Good URL for Hi Jolly and U.S. Army's Camels
Register Rock-- A Historical Site for Western BWR
Beale Wagon Road Historical Marker in Texas
Rock Mary-Oklahoma's First Marker to California
A New Reference for Beale Wagon Road is Done!
Your Copy of Beale Wagon Road is Available!
Websites for Wanderer's Eight Letters
Wanderer's Western Trip to Fort Smith
URL's to Wanderer's A,B,C Letters
Re: Five Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges in IT
Re: Five Beale Wagon Road Iron Bridges in IT
BEALE BRIDGE SITE FOUND
Re: BEALE BRIDGE SITE FOUND
Kyle Burch's Pictures at Redbank Creek
Jack Beale Smith's Example Picture
Re: Jack Beale Smith's Example Picture
Re: Jack Beale Smith's Example Picture
Beale Bridge Pictures at Redbank Creek
Beale Bridge Sign -- A National Treasure?
Another Pencoyd-Murphy Business Card
The Holy Grail Discovery for Beale Wagon Road
A Tribute to John Russell Young
Beale Wagon Road to Pacific Coast. Library Copy.
Direct URL's to Manuscript on Beale's Iron Bridges
The History Channel
Re: The History Channel