|
|
|
|
|
||
| Washta
|
|---|
 |  |
| Washta,
IA Special: Recent heavy rains in northwest Iowa remind “old timers” of
the high water in June 1891, when the Little Sioux River washed out a
bridge within the town limits of Washta. Bridge building became the chief occupation of farmers and town dwellers alike, as three ways of crossing the river were hastily constructed to replace the washed out structure. Art Allen was first to span the river with a crude ferry boat which he built to carry foot passengers and loaded wagons. Next came a suspension bridge for foot passengers. The floor of this swaying bridge was of slats, placed some distance apart, so crossing the swift, swollen river by this precarious means provided thrills for old and young. After the ferry boat and foot bridge, a pontoon bridge about 150 feet long was built. This served west bound traffic for several months until a new bridge was completed. An accident that might have had a tragic ending was experienced by Will Culler, He was driving a team of horses hitched to a wagon load of barley, and on leaving the pontoon bridge to climb the rather steep river bank, some part of the harness or wagon gear broke, leaving the team “high and dry,” while loaded wagon and driver slipped swiftly into the muddy river. Wagon and man were rescued, but the barley was a total loss. The bridge which was washed away in this flood of 1891 lodged about a half mile downstream and later was salvaged and placed over Maple river, about 10 miles east of Washta where it still stands. The new bridge, erected in the same year, stood nearly 20 years. In August, 1909, a flood dammed it badly and in March of the following year it was so badly wrecked that again a pontoon bridge was called upon as a means of transportation. High water in 1910 was the direct result of a sudden “soft spell of weather” which caused an ice jam that wrecked the span beyond repair. Blacksmith Led Building John McCoun, a blacksmith in Washta for many years and one of the very early settlers in this part of Iowa, had charge of the pontoon building with a willing crew of helpers. Although Mr. McCoun died several years ago, his widow still lives in Washta where one of his sons, Frank, is in business. One son lives in Sioux City and another in Storm Lake. As “candid” cameras and kodaks were unknown in Washta in 1901, there is no photographic record of the various stages of bridge building at that time. But in 1910 many good pictures were taken of the wrecked bridge, the pontoon and the new structure, which still stands at the edge of the town of Washta. Source: Sioux City Journal (Sioux City, Iowa) 04 Jul 1937, Sun, pg. 8 |
Return to History Index
Return to Home Page