WASHOUT AT PARKER LAKE AND FISHING RIVER.
MONDAY, JUNE 1st, 1903.
On Monday, June 1st, 1903, there occurred a very disastrous washout
at Parker
Lake, M.P. 422+1578, old Bridge No. 591, new No. 422-A and at Fishing River,
M.P. 423+640., old Bridge No. 592 new No. 423-A.
At the first named there was a 110-ft. Pile bridge, put into the embankment by the Construction Company to allow a Public Road to pass under. Fishing River and the Missouri River broke over their banks and the flood waters poured through this hole and took out about 700-ft. Of embankment and track and ploughed out a great lake below the bridge, afterward called Parker Lake. A temporary pile bridge was driven and gradually filled up by Work Train and the embankment restored. It took several years to to the filling, which extended well out into the lake or hole on the South side. The road under the bridge is still maintained, but raised sufficiently to be above high water.
At Fishing River, the original bridge was a Howe Truss and pile approaches.
Rebuilt with three 60-ft. Deck girders, a 14-ft. Pile approach on the East
end and an 86-ft. pile approach on the West end. After the above flood
the grade was raised 8.41-ft. And seven 90-ft. Deck girders put in on concrete
piers with pile foundations.
The flood washed off one-60' girder at the East End and dropped it in the mud. The East pier was washed away. The next two piers and one-60' girder were left standing. The two piers were not damaged nor the West Girder; they remained intact and helped to do their part in holding up the trains while the new bridge was being rebuilt. James Standard & Co., of Kansas City, Mo., had the contract for putting in the pile foundations, remodeling and raising the old masonry and rebuilding the bridge.
Page 46 Meade's manual transcribed in altered form for the Web b