Kyle Burch's discovery of the Masonry Stone Abutments for Squire Whipple's Cast and Wrought Iron Bowstring Arch Truss Bridge across Redbank Creek, built for Lt. E. F. Beale's Wagon Road to the Pacific in 1859 was a great and important discovery. When I first saw his pictures, I instantly knew that "Kyle had found it." It was my "Eureka" moment. I simply couldn't have been more excited.
And then I looked at his next picture, his disjointed "bridge nameplate" the 36" x 4" iron bar with embossed (stamped) writing on it, which is truly historically significant for Oklahoma Archaeology and its segment of the Beale Wagon Road to the Pacific in 1859...
WHAT DO YOU THINK BOTH BARS SAID?? See Kyle's picture at:
https://bealewagonroad.com/2020/03/05/beale-iron-bridges-in-oklahoma-1859/
I think the small bit on the top small piece of bar may have said:
BEALE WAGON ROAD.
TO PACIFIC COAST.
I think the main bar said, in toto:
E.F. BEALE. J.W. MURPHY’S
SUPT. 59 WHIPPLE BRIDGE.
[note in the main bar: the left half is 25% smaller font that the right half.]
[John W. Murphy was the project bridge engineer for these six iron bridges.]
Feel free to post your answers here, by reply, or e-mail them to cj.messer@att.net