One of my family folk wrote an Oregon Trail memoir (very brief) and mentions a "pole bridge" in Kansas, 1852, thus: "My Father, Mother & Brothers and 1 sister I was the Youngest. I was 11 years old July 26 That year we was thretened by the Indians whoo had taken possession of a Pole bridge built by the Indians across a Small Stream in a wet brushy bottom the Indians were Demanding toll for crossing the Bridge just at the time we got there the Emigrants had concluded They would not pay Tole the Indians Said must So the Emigrants armed Themselves and Started on The Indians armed and Painted were Peaking through the brush every where but made no Fight" Another memoir (different people, different train) called "On To Oregon," mentions "...what was then known as a corduroy bridge. This was made by placing poles and brush over the mud, on which all our train might pass without miring down." Is a corduroy bridge the same thing as a pole bridge? Lester Powers [email protected] ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

Hi folks A "pole bridge" would have been made by pine tree "poles" (the tree trunk, with branches removed) lashed together by rawhide, or twine woven out of branches over a river or stream--kind of like a bridge over a ravine seen in old western movies. A corduroy bridge (or "road" is the usual term) would have been pine poles laid side by side over a muddy area, not a stream, but wet and slushy, that would allow the stage coach or wagon to pass over without sinking down into the mud. There are places along the Overland Trail in Wyoming today that still have the "corduroy" logs in place, especially near the Big Laramie River west of Laramie. Elizabeth Visit the Overland Trail http://www.over-land.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lester M Powers" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2000 10:21 PM Subject: What is a "pole bridge"? > One of my family folk wrote an Oregon Trail > memoir (very brief) and mentions a "pole bridge" in > Kansas, 1852, thus: > > "My Father, Mother & Brothers and 1 sister I was the > Youngest. I was 11 years old July 26 That year we was > threatened by the Indians whoo had taken possession of a > Pole bridge built by the Indians across a Small Stream in > a wet brushy bottom the Indians were Demanding toll for > crossing the Bridge just at the time we got there the > Emigrants had concluded They would not pay Tole the > Indians Said must So the Emigrants armed Themselves and > Started on The Indians armed and Painted were Peaking > through the brush every where but made no Fight" > > Another memoir (different people, different train) > called "On To Oregon," mentions "...what was then known > as a corduroy bridge. This was made by placing poles > and brush over the mud, on which all our train might > pass without miring down." > > Is a corduroy bridge the same thing as a pole > bridge? > > Lester Powers > [email protected] > > > ________________________________________________________________ > YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! > Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! > Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: > http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lester M Powers" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2000 10:21 PM Subject: What is a "pole bridge"? > One of my family folk wrote an Oregon Trail > memoir (very brief) and mentions a "pole bridge" in > Kansas, 1852, thus: > > "My Father, Mother & Brothers and 1 sister I was the > Youngest. I was 11 years old July 26 That year we was > thretened by the Indians whoo had taken possession of a > Pole bridge built by the Indians across a Small Stream in > a wet brushy bottom the Indians were Demanding toll for > crossing the Bridge just at the time we got there the > Emigrants had concluded They would not pay Tole the > Indians Said must So the Emigrants armed Themselves and > Started on The Indians armed and Painted were Peaking > through the brush every where but made no Fight" > > Another memoir (different people, different train) > called "On To Oregon," mentions "...what was then known > as a corduroy bridge. This was made by placing poles > and brush over the mud, on which all our train might > pass without miring down." > > Is a corduroy bridge the same thing as a pole > bridge? > > Lester Powers > [email protected] > > > ________________________________________________________________ > YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! > Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! > Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: > http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. >