Brooklyn Bridge
Alternate Name/s: “New York and Brooklyn Bridge,” “Empire Bridge,” “Great East River Bridge”
Details:
Although the need for a bridge over New York’s East River had been understood since the early 1800’s, it was not discussed seriously until after the Civil War. By that time 50 million passengers and immense amounts of cargo were ferried across the river annually from Brooklyn, America’s third largest city, to the ever-growing New York City and points west. In order to cover the distance across the river and at a height that ocean going boats could navigate under, [built by] Roebling* was hired to build a 5,989 foot long suspension bridge from the industrial and agricultural facilities on Long Island to the docks and warehouses on Manhattan Island.
Work began in early June 1869 but within weeks, Roebling was involved in a seemingly minor accident on the Brooklyn side of the construction site. By July 21st he was dead of tetanus and his son Washington became Chief Engineer of the project.
The first several years of construction were dedicated to building the 276.5ft. stone towers that would anchor the enormous structure. This dangerous procedure, involving the use of caissons towed out into the water and then sunk, eventually had an adverse affect on the younger Roebling. On December 2 1870 he too was seriously injured in the aftermath of an accident and he was not able to regain his heath during the remainder of the project. Despite being invalided Roebling continued to oversee the project, using his wife Emily as an important liaison to the outside world.
The city government corruption scandal of Tammany Hall and “Boss Tweed”, accidents, lack of funds, and the weather all delayed work temporarily, but by July 1876 the two towers had been completed.
On May 29th 1877 the first of four 15.75 inch steel main cables were stretched between the towers and anchored. By October of the following year the last main cable had been laid and workmen began to string the 1,296 smaller suspension cables, which would ultimately support 6,620 tons of roadway.
Work on the road and pedestrian surfaces did not begin until December 1881 and it would take a further two years, working from both sides, to complete the span.
The bridge opened on May 24th 1883 with a spectacular celebration. It had taken several thousand workers, suffering 27 fatalities, almost 14 years to finish. Despite the human and financial cost of $16 million (in 1883 dollars), the building forever changed the fortunes of the two cities it linked. Ironically it was Brooklyn that paid two-thirds of the construction cost, only to be absorbed into a borough of New York City in 1898.
The Brooklyn Bridge remained in almost constant use for nearly 100 years before major repairs were needed. These were carried out for the monument’s centennial, and ensured that the iconic structure of the 19th century would last well into the 21st.
Oneliner: Brooklyn Bridge
Bibliography:
- McCullough, David, The Great Bridge, Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1972.
- Nevins, Deborah, et. al., The Great East River Bridge 1883-1983, Harry N. Adams, Inc. published for the Brooklyn Museum, 1983.