PLATA, TEXAS and CASA PIEDRA, TEXAS
In 1959 I was on this job between two ghost towns on ranch road 169. The bridge was where the pavement ended. It was over a dry creek bed that was about one hundred yards across, and that's where the road stopped. The bridge contractor as TERMAN ROBERTS from Dallas, Texas and the drilling company was DRILLING CONTRACTORS from Austin, Texas.
I was the driller for the bridge's piers. The nearest ready mix plant was in Alpine, Texas and that was far away. So the state allowed the contractor to use the sand and gravel out of the dry creek bed. TXI Industries hauled bag cement instead of bulk, so the cement was mixed on the site in an old side arm mixer. There were no scales on site to weigh the sand and gravel, but as long as it looked good the inspector would let them use it. Every once in a while the mixer would turn over, so they would stand it back up and continue to mix. But the bridge did get built.That was the good old days! I bet there never was another bridge built like that. But it was a fun job.