The Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, by spanning the East River.
The pride of the Roebling family and the world's first steel suspension bridge, with a span of 1596 feet. The building of the bridge is a tale in it's own right, taking the lives of its architect John Roebling, the man who carried on his late fathers work, Washington Roebling, and the latter's wife, Emily..
The Brooklyn Bridge was, initially, designed by the German immigrant engineer, John Augustus Roebling. Unfortunately, Roebling suffered a crushed foot injury, when a ferry pinned it against a piling, during early surveying for the project. Although the foot was amputated, Roebling later died of a tetanus infection. His 32-year-old son, Washington, took charge of the project.
Washington Roebling appeared to have inherited his father's luck when he suffered from decompression sickness shortly after construction began, on January 3, 1870.
The pride of the Roebling family and the world's first steel suspension bridge, with a span of 1596 feet. The building of the bridge is a tale in it's own right, taking the lives of its architect John Roebling, the man who carried on his late fathers work, Washington Roebling, and the latter's wife, Emily..
The Brooklyn Bridge was, initially, designed by the German immigrant engineer, John Augustus Roebling. Unfortunately, Roebling suffered a crushed foot injury, when a ferry pinned it against a piling, during early surveying for the project. Although the foot was amputated, Roebling later died of a tetanus infection. His 32-year-old son, Washington, took charge of the project.
Washington Roebling appeared to have inherited his father's luck when he suffered from decompression sickness shortly after construction began, on January 3, 1870.
Caisson Disease
Decompression sickness had, originally, been called 'caisson disease', as the condition affected the men working within the caissons. These wooden boxes were sunk to the floor of the unforgiving, chilly, muddy waters of the East River, and fed with compressed air. Although primitive, they proved, really quite effective albeit, very dangerous. It did allow men to excavate at the river bed, the caisson sinking with them as they laboured. The science behind it all was evolving as they worked and, only after men had fallen ill with decompression sickness did anyone realise that it had something to do with how quickly you returned to the surface, pressure, blood and bubbles.
Naturally, all of the other dangers of the bridge-building business were at least as problematic or, worse, in the rarefied atmosphere of the caissons.
Naturally, all of the other dangers of the bridge-building business were at least as problematic or, worse, in the rarefied atmosphere of the caissons.
Emily Roebling
After Roebling's condition left him unable to physically supervise the construction first hand, his wife, Emily, stepped in. Under her husband's guidance, Emily studied higher mathematics, the calculations of catenary curves, the strengths of materials, bridge specifications, and the intricacies of cable construction. For the next 11 years she was the one supervising the bridge's construction.
Roebling halted construction 30 feet above the bedrock, due to worries about the men suffering from decompression sickness. He concluded that it was firm enough to support the tower base. Construction continued.
A mark of Roebling's skill was that he, actually, designed a bridge and truss system that was six times as strong as he thought it needed to be. Even, in spite of the substitution of inferior quality wire supplied by the contractor, Roebling determined that the poorer wire would leave the bridge four - rather than six - times as strong as necessary. So, with the addition of 250 diagonal cables, from the towers to the deck, intended to stiffen the bridge, the bridge was eventually completed. They extra cables turned out to be unnecessary, but were kept for their distinctive beauty.
Roebling halted construction 30 feet above the bedrock, due to worries about the men suffering from decompression sickness. He concluded that it was firm enough to support the tower base. Construction continued.
A mark of Roebling's skill was that he, actually, designed a bridge and truss system that was six times as strong as he thought it needed to be. Even, in spite of the substitution of inferior quality wire supplied by the contractor, Roebling determined that the poorer wire would leave the bridge four - rather than six - times as strong as necessary. So, with the addition of 250 diagonal cables, from the towers to the deck, intended to stiffen the bridge, the bridge was eventually completed. They extra cables turned out to be unnecessary, but were kept for their distinctive beauty.
Bridge Across The East River
The Brooklyn Bridge was opened for use on May 24, 1883.
The opening ceremony was attended by several thousand people, and President Chester A. Arthur and New York Mayor Franklin Edson crossed the bridge to celebratory cannon fire, being greeted by Brooklyn Mayor Seth Low when they reached the Brooklyn-side tower.
Arthur later shook hands with Washington Roebling at the latter's home, after the ceremony. Roebling was unable to attend the ceremony (and in fact rarely visited the site again), but held a celebratory banquet at his house on the day of the bridge's opening.
The opening ceremony was attended by several thousand people, and President Chester A. Arthur and New York Mayor Franklin Edson crossed the bridge to celebratory cannon fire, being greeted by Brooklyn Mayor Seth Low when they reached the Brooklyn-side tower.
Arthur later shook hands with Washington Roebling at the latter's home, after the ceremony. Roebling was unable to attend the ceremony (and in fact rarely visited the site again), but held a celebratory banquet at his house on the day of the bridge's opening.
Did You Know?
- On that first day, a total of 1,800 vehicles and 150,300 people crossed what was, then, the only non-boat option of journeying between Manhattan and Brooklyn.
- Emily Warren Roebling was the first person to cross the bridge.
- The distinctive towers are fabricated from limestone, granite, and Rosendale cement.
- The bridge's main span is 1,595 feet 6 inches (486.3 m).
- The original build cost was $15.5 million.
- Approximately 27 people died during its construction.
- At the time it opened, and for several years after, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world—50% longer than any previously built.
- Since the 1980s, it has been floodlit at night to highlight its architectural features.
- The architectural style is neo-Gothic, with characteristic pointed arches above the passageways through the stone towers.
- The paint scheme of the bridge is "Brooklyn Bridge Tan" and "Silver".
- Today, The Brooklyn Bridge is the 79th longest suspension bridge in the world.
- If you have an anorak, you may find this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_suspension_bridges fascinating.
