History

Geo. S. Morison, Ch. Eng'r

chusetts, on December 19, 1842, the son of a Unitarian minister. He moved to Milton, ~ith an unwavering quest for Massachusetts, in 1846; however, he spent a truth and accuracy, Morison great deal of time at his grandparents' home in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Family tradi­ parlayed a prolific bridge­ tion had it that as a child he was a loner and building spree into an esteemed did not seem to need friends his own age, consulting career that being content to associate with adults. Family stories indicated that he frequently spent time ultimately changed global in designing and building various mechanical economics and politics. toys, etc., and was independent and introspec­ tive. At age 14 he went to Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, a school that his FRANCIS E. GRIGGS, JR. father and uncles had attended earlier. Even eorge Shattuck Morison was one of though the curriculum at Exeter emphasized the greatest bridge builders of the late the Classics, it did offer a significant amount of G nineteenth century. He built many mathematics - a subject in which Morison major bridges over the Missouri, Ohio and excelled. After two years, he was accepted at Mississippi rivers in the Midwest as well as Harvard University and began his studies, many in the far West. He earned the title of again in Classics, in 1859. His father graduated Pontifex Maximus for his work, which he from Harvard, and it was thought that the described in many monographs (that he also young George might end up in the ministry like wrote himself). He was the first assistant of him. While at Harvard, he does not appear to Octave Chanute who went on to an exception­ have continued his study in mathematics and al career. He was a member of many special instead took the standard liberal arts curricu­ commissions of engineers who passed judg­ lum, which included some science. He graduat­ ment on a wide range of engineering projects, ed ninth out of 121 students. As a student, how­ including the Panama Canal. ever, his classmates would later write:

Early Life "that although the capacity of his mind and Morison was born in New Bedford, Massa- strength of his character were recognized

CNIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/ WINTER 2009 7 He returned to Harvard in 1864 to study law. For the next two years, he was a success­ ful student and won the prestigious Bowdoin Prize for best dissertation in his class. Professional Life He received a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1866 and went to work for the New York City law firm named Evarts, Southmayd and Choate, which was located at 52 Wall Street. He was admitted to the bar in New York State shortly thereafter. Evarts and Choate were Harvard Law School graduates and the firm was one of the most prestigious in the city, with a practice that spread across the country. Morison found that the practice of law was not to his liking and he noted that the law was "a heteroge­ neous mass of precedents through which cases were more often determined upon .former decisions than upon the abstract merits."2 He reflected on his situation, according to his nephew George A. Morison (whose memoir of his famous uncle furnishes most of the early history of the elder Morison). At the time, Morison came up with three alternatives for his future and entered them into his journal. These alternatives were: The Young George Morison. • To continue the practice of law, and per­ they did not appreciate the fact that he was haps become a successful lawyer, which likely to become perhaps the most distin­ did not attract him at all; guished graduate of the class of 1863."1 • To study the theories behind the practice of law, and render signal service to his The Civil War was in progress when he profession by formulating these theories . graduated and his father paid for a substitute either as a professor in a law school or so Morison would not be drafted and exposed elsewhere; or, to fighting. Instead, Morison went to St. • To "relinquish the profession and enter Helena Island off the coast of South Carolina without previous training the compara­ after it came under control of the Union forces tively new profession of civil engineering, in 1862. When Union troops took over the which with the development of our island, they found that most of the white plan­ Western country, offered a unique oppor­ tation owners had already fled, leaving over tunity to an original and ambitious mind."3 12,000 slaves who were now freemen. Many northern abolitionists came to educate the for­ In order to reflect on his options further, he mer slaves and help them run the plantations decided that, even though he was leaning to on their own. Morison spent a year on the leaving the profession of law, he would wait island, and it is thought that he was involved until May 1, 1867, to make his final decision. in running one or more of the plantations. Part On August 1, he resigned his position at of the time it is believed he worked for the Evarts, Southmayd and Choate and never United States Sanitary Commission in north­ returned to the practice of law. In the three ern Virginia. months between his decision and resignation,

8 CiVIL E NGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 FIGURE 1. Kansas City Bridge 1869-1917.

he looked into potential openings in the field feet long or greater, and piers parallel with the and identified people who could help him current. If the bridge had a swing span, it obtain his first job. There is little doubt that his should be 160 feet clear on each side of the colleagues in the law firm knew everybody swing span pier, with adjoining spans not less who was anybody in the railroad business. than 250 feet in length. The spans had to be 30 His father also had contacts in Boston, and it feet above low water and not less than 10 feet was probably through them that he linked up above high water. These requirements were with the so-called "Boston party." Members of against Chanute's better judgment and he was the Boston party were financing projects of the forced to build the bridge with a swing span at Detroit railroad man James F. Joy, who was 363 feet. He got some relief, however, from the building extensions to the Michigan Central War Department on the length of the adjacent and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy rail­ spans and was allowed to build them at 134 roads in Illinois and Michigan. Octave feet and 200 feet instead of 250 feet (see Chanute was appointed Chief Engineer in Figures 1 through 4). January 1867 on the construction of a bridge Prior to this project, the Missouri River had across the Missouri River at Kansas City for not been bridged, and the placement of foun­ the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, one of dations for piers in the turbulent river created Joy's subsidiaries. Joy wrote a letter recom­ many problems. Starting work on the founda­ mending Morison to Chanute. tions in the fall of 1867, Chanute developed By an Act of Congress in July 1866, the techniques to design and place each pier foun­ bridge company was required to meet the dation based on the different current and soil same clearances as set forth for the Mississippi conditions found at each particular location. River bridges approved at the same time. If Between the fall of 1867 and May 5, 1869, the bridge was to be a continuous span (no work continued on the foundations when the swing spans), it was required to be 50 feet masonry on Pier #2, the last of the five piers above extreme high water, with all spans 250 and two abutments, was completed. Chanute

CML ENGINEERING PRACTICE FA~~/WlNTER 2009 9 FIGURE 2. A profile of the Kansas City Bridge.

and another assistant engineer, T. Tomlinson, which he felt was "a simple and stupid task at had completed designs for the fixed spans and which I suppose I must be kept for the pres­ thereupon in early August 1867 requested ent, it certainly does not furnish very good construction bids for the fixed spans based on opportunities to learn engineering."4 either their design or designs proposed by the However, even though the record is not contractor. The contract to build the super­ clear just what Morison did to gain the confi­ structure was awarded to Jacob Hays Linville dence of Chanute, he advanced to the posi­ and the Keystone Bridge Company on tion of Assistant Engineer during the con­ October 30, 1867. struction of the Missouri River bridge. There Morison arrived at the project on October is little doubt that under the mentorship of 16, 1867. He wrote in his journal: Chanute and with a fair amount of self-study, Morison became a key member of the team. A "took train to Kansas City; put up at Pacific month and a half after he began his civil engi­ House; a wretched place. Went to Kansas neering career, Morison began a program of City Bridge office and presented my letters study that would lead him to success. The to Mr. Chanute, the Chief Engineer; he said program was: he thought this a very poor place to learn, but in the afternoon he told me I might stay "To the end that my time may be spent here and receive $60 a month and in the with advantage, my mind improved, my meanwhile consider whether it would be professional standing bettered, and my life best to continue."4 made a useful one, the following resolves are this day made: Chanute may have remembered the day eight­ "1st. That my working hours (as far as een years previously when he approached the they lie in my own choice) shall be from 8. . Chief Engineer of the Hudson River Railroad at A.M. to 6 P.M. while here in Kansas City, and Sing Sing, New York, with no letters of recom­ that during these hours I will devote myself mendation and no engineering education, say­ to the utmost to learn the practical work of ing that he wanted to be a civil engineer. When an engineer. told there were no positions open, Chanute "2nd. That my evenings from 6:30 to 9:30 offered to work for nothing in order to learn the be devoted to study, not more than one role of surveyor. The Chief Engineer later evening in the week being ever excepted; added him to the payroll and that marked the my study to be systematic and thorough, beginning of an illustrious career. and at least two-thirds of it to related to my Chanute started Morison off measuring, for profession. payment purposes, the volume of stone used "3rd. That my Sunday be spent as a sea­ in the masonry piers. Two days later, Morison son of rest, my usual vocations, so far as by was writing in his journal about this work, avoidance and anything but opposition it is

10 CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 ?\\/OT SPA N

KANSAS CITY BR IDGE.

ENO V J[W. n...... _,_

FIGURE 3. The swing span for the Kansas City Bridge.

possible, be suspended, and the day devot­ For the next year and a half he worked on ed to mental and religious study, to writing the construction of the bridge, which was to friends, and to solitary walks with such opened for traffic and was dedicated on July 3, other occupations as seem fitting to the 1869. On that day Engineering quoted a Kansas day."3 City newspaper as follows:

There is reason to believe; given his ambi­ "Science and skill has woven from iron tion that he did follow these resolves. On the and stone a highway for the fleet feet of last day of the year he wrote in his journal: steam steeds. Massive in its great repose ere yet it has been starred thick with flags and "And now with the close of this year this electrified under the tread of the swart volume is concluded. It bears witness to horse, steam-driven, it seems a monstrous wider changes than were ever anticipated genie upheaved from the restless river, and when it was begun, and in whatever form poised aloft in [seven] granite hands to my diary may be continued this will remain be launched into the zenith of a nations' the record of the four years of doubt, vacil­ wonder, and fixed there a giant of skill, a lation and search which have formed the mastodon of mechanism. It is a bridge of introduction to my life. How I am to suc­ destiny. That network of iron bars was ceed remains to be seen, but I sincerely woven and interlaced by the cunning and hope and pray that the blunder which has skillful hand of Chanute, who embroidered wasted so much of these four years is to be upon the tawny tapestry of a grand old expiated and that I may yet lead a good and river, the grandest architectural picture of useful life."3 the century, and that bridge is standing

CML ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/ WTNnR 2009 11 FIGURE 4. Looking towards Kansas City at the wood/iron trusses and the trestle.

there, the iron crown of Kansas suprema- its entire length... the roadway is 18 feet wide, ,,5 cy. and the footpath 4 feet."7 The results of the test loading: Chanute and Morison wrote o'f the bridge: "were entirely satisfactory, reflecting great "All the delays, difficulties and failures credit on all concerned in its construction, which took place were directly owing to the especially upon the Chief Engineer, Mr. 0. violence of the current, and its capacity for Chanute, who has shown the greatest scien­ rapid scour. The precautions and watchful­ tific skill and administrative ability in its ness which these required, both by night design and superintendence, and in success­ and by day, were endless, and not always fully accomplishing the building of this, the successful. The moods of the river were first bridge across the Missouri River."7 constantly changing, and its bottom and banks of most unstable regimen, thus caus­ Figure 5 shows Chanute and Morison and other ing no little anxiety and expense, while the engineers on the fixed span. absence of precedent in this kind of work, Descriptions of the bridge were carried in in this country, left the engineers to depend most of the engineering journals of the time mostly upon their own resources."6 with the most complete description being Van Nostrand's Eclectic Engineering magazine of The bridge was set 47 feet above low water September 1870 and Engineering (London) and 11 feet above high water. It was "construct­ magazine on December 3, 1869.5 In addition, ed with a view to the allowing of buggies and Chanute and Morison prepared an illustrated wagons to pass over it when not in use by the report entitled, The Kansas City Bridge, which railroads. There is a footpath along the side for was published by Van Nostrand's in 1870.

12 CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 FIGURE 5. Chanute (center) and Morison (seated) on the fixed span of the Kansas City Bridge.

This report included an account of the regi­ them. Morison accompanied Chanute as his men of the Missouri River, and the description assistant on the Leavenworth, Lawrence and of methods used for founding in that river. Galveston Railroad where he remained until Morison could not have found a better proj­ June 1871, leaving just before the line reached ect, or a better mentor, to begin his career in Coffeyville, Kansas. During his time on the civil engineering. A Kansas City newspaper Leavenworth line, he continued to learn from reporting on the opening of the bridge noted Chanute about railroad layout and construc­ that: tion. He continued his strict program of self­ study and he took every opportunity to "[t]he method employed in building this observe the work of, and study the plans of, pier #4, which is a great triumph of engi­ other engineers who were working in the neering, was suggested by the Chief area. In July 1871, the Detroit, Eel River and Engineer, Mr. Chanute, but the details were Illinois Railroad gave Morison his first all worked out by a young Massachusetts appointment as Chief Engineer. The line was man, Mr. G. S. Morison, who bids fair to initially designed to run from Ypsilanti, take a high rank among civil engineers."8 Michigan, to Logansport, Indiana, but it was built only through Indiana from Butler to Chanute was then named Chief Engineer Logansport. The line was completed in 1874, for several railroads, called the "Joy roads" after Morison left in the spring of 1873. after that Detroit financer who promoted Apparently, even though it was an important

CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 13 lIWII /JIIJIJUE. P0/1'/'.\(:}l. •vr

f j t' rf . '

FIGURE 6. Seymour's portage viaduct across the Genesee Gorge. position, Morison saw that the railroad was disappeared. With only about $5 million in poorly managed and looked for another hand, they succeeded in changing the gauge, opportunity. improving grades, double tracking and That opportunity came later in 1873 when upgrading locomotives on the line, making it Octave Chanute was named Chief Engineer possible to increase the number of cars per for the Erie Railroad and asked Morison to be train from 18 to 35. One of the first things his chief assistant. At the time, when the Erie Chanute did, with the assistance of Morison, recruited Chanute, they planned a $50 million was prepare a set of bridge specifications that upgrade, with extensions to Chicago and bridge fabricators had to follow in proposing Boston, including a major bridge over the bridges for the Erie Railroad. They were not Hudson River at Poughkeepsie, as well as the first set of bridge specifications proposed, double tracking and a change of gauge from 6 but they were one of the first. feet to the standard gauge of 4 feet 8.5 inches A major challenge came on March 17, on the entire line. Shortly after Chanute and 1875, when a major ice jam took out the five­ Mqrison arrived, however, the financial panic span double track bridge over the Delaware of 1873 made this plan impossible since an River near Port Jervis, New York. After anticipated investment by English financiers building a temporary wooden bridge,

14 CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 FIGURE 7. Morison's portage bridge replacement plan for the Genesee Gorge.

Morison, along with the Watson repair the piers. Morison cut the damaged Manufacturing Company of Paterson, New piers back to sound masonry and encased Jersey, replaced the structure within forty some of them in concrete up to a new grade. days after its collapse. The next, and very At the same time, he designed new iron truss similar, crisis was the replacement of the deck spans and new iron towers (see Figures 7 . Portage Bridge, near Hornell, New York, and 8) . over the Genesee River. The Genesee Gorge The trusses were standard Pratt deck truss­ at the site was nearly 850 feet across and 234 es and his iron towers were similar to other feet deep. The massive wooden bridge that bridges that had been built around that time. had been built across the gorge in 1851- 52 by What was significant about the bridge was the Silas Seymour burned on May 6, 1875 (see speed with which it was designed, fabricated, Figure 6). It appears from the record that shipped and erected. A contract for the iron - Morison took the lead in designing and once again with the Watson Manufacturing supervising the construction · of an iron Company - was signed on May 10th. The replacement span. Given the importance of first iron arrived at the site on June 30th and the line, it was necessary to have a new the entire structure was completed on July bridge in place in the shortest possible time. 29th, the track laid across on the next day and Morison described the process he used in was tested under load on July 31st. The total designing the replacement bridge in his first elapsed time from the fire until the new bridge published article, which appeared in the was open for traffic was eighty-six days. Of Transactions of the ASCE on November 27, the design Morison wrote: 1875.9 The Erie Railroad, probably at the sug­ gestion of Chanute, made a decision to rebuild "The plans of this viaduct were prepared the bridge in iron, build new abutments and in the hurry of a pressing necessity, and

CIVIL ENGlNEERING PRACTICE FALL/ WINTER 2009 15 FIGURE 8. An engraving of Morison's replacement bridge for the Genesee Gorge.

were obliged to conform in a measure to the known of the work completed by this firm, plan of the original timber structure. Had which was based tn Buffalo, New York. there been no masonry already standing it Morison, apparently, gave little attention to would have been preferred to place the two the company, since he was now acting as a bents of each tower only 25 to 30 feet apart, representative for the Baring Brothers & Co., a [they were 50 feet apart] and so avoid the London financial institution. As was common unusual length of the longitudinal struts. at the time, British investors were stockhold­ The main principle of the plan may be said ers in many American railroads. To protect to be that which characterized all American their interests, they appointed men to serve on bridge building, and is the leading differ­ boards of the lines in which they invested. ence between the works of American and Morison was selected by Barings to sit on the European engineering in the department; board of the Eastern Railroad of Massa­ the concentration of the material into the chusetts between 1876 and 1888, the board of least possible number of parts, a principle the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern whose advantages are believed to be Railroad between 1876 and 1880, the Board of greater in large and lofty viaducts of the the Maine Central between 1877 and 1885, and class of the portage bridge than in the con­ finally on the board of the Ohio & Mississippi struction of trusses of long span, to which it Railroad between 1884 and 1892. His work has been so generally and successfully with Field and Barings over the next five years applied."10 had him traveling over much of the country in order to observe work on the lines and to note On His Own the methods used in building and maintaining Shortly after finishing the Genesee bridge, their bridges. Morison left the Erie Railroad and formed a In 1880, Morison and Field terminated their construction company with George S. Field relationship, with Field becoming a partner in named Morison, Field Company. Not much is the Central Bridge Company in Buffalo along

16 CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 with Charles Kellogg and Charles Maurice. In listing of Morison's major bridges over the 1884, Maurice and Field formed the Union next fifteen years is shown in Table l. Bridge Company with Charles MacDonald Morison's first contract for a major bridge and Edmund Hayes and located their manu­ of his own design and construction came facturing plant in Athens, Pennsylvania. Field when the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail­ and the Union Bridge Company became the road (CB&Q) determined it needed a bridge fabricator of choice for many future Morison across the Missouri River at Plattsmouth, bridges. Nebraska (about 80 miles north of the Kansas Starting in 1880, Morison - now prima­ state line and just south of the junction of the rily a consulting engineer - received major Platte River with the Missouri). Charles contracts to build bridges over the Perkins of the CB&Q contacted him in Missouri, Ohio, Columbia, Snake, Des February 1879 (when he was still associated Moines, St. Johns and Mississippi rivers. with George Field) to visit Plattsmouth and Over the previous thirteen years, he had determine the best location for a bridge. visited many of the major bridges built over Earlier, two other engineers had prepared the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. He saw designs for a low-level bridge with a swing T. C. Clarke's Quincy Bridge and Linville's span and each picked a different site. Morison Dubuque and Keokuk bridges over the recommended a third site and a preliminary Mississippi, as well as C. Shaler Smith's St. design and estimate for a high-level bridge to Charles Bridge over 'the Missouri. the company. Later in May, he was authorized Following the Kansas City Bridge, the to prepare construction drawings based on his Missouri was crossed upstream at Leaven­ preliminary design. For this bridge, he worth in 1871, St. Joseph in 1873 and appointed C. C. Schneider as one of his assis­ Atchison in 1875. Over that same time peri­ tant engineers. Schneider became the first of od, Jacob Hays Linville led the move to many Morison assistants to go on to very suc­ change from combination cast and wrought cessful careers in bridge building on their iron bridges to all wrought iron, using his own. Keystone column sections for all compres­ Morison's design was for two 400-foot sion members of the truss. Most bridges through spans with three 204-foot deck spans built were to Whipple's double intersection (see Figure 9). The high spans had a clearance truss pattern, with the exception of the of 50 feet above high water. Pneumatic cais­ Omaha Bridge over the Missouri built by sons by General Sooy Smith were used to the American Bridge Compan y to the S. S. place foundations for Piers II and III. (Sooy Post patent. It is not known if Morison vis­ Smith had just finished the Glasgow Bridge ited Linville's bridges over the Ohio River and used the same equipment he used on that at Steubenville, Parkersburg, · Benwood or bridge for the Plattsmouth Bridge.) The other Cincinnati (where Linville used wrought piers were either on piles or concrete footings. iron almost exclusively for both his tension On the two channel spans, Morison used steel and compression members). Most impor­ for his top chords, inclined end posts, lower tantly, for future projects, Morison had seen chord links, counter ties and lateral rods. He the Glasgow Bridge built in 1879 by General · used wrought iron for the rest of his members Sooy Smith over the Missouri in which he, and for the 200-foot deck spans. The Keystone for the first time, used steel as his bridge Bridge Company fabricated the iron and steel material. At the time, the use of steel was for the long spans and Kellogg and Maurice considered to be a major experiment. supplied the iron for the 200-foot spans and Morison learned from Chanute to make viaduct. sure that he knew what other men had done Upon· completion, as he and Chanute did previously and to only change methods or with the Kansas City bridge, Morison wrote a materials if the site and economics indicat­ complete book on the design and construction ed that the owner would receive additional of the bridge, which was tested and opened on value in his structure from those changes. A August 30, 1880. A team of engineers -

CIVI L ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 17 TABLE 1. Morison's Major Bridges

Main Spans Year Location River (#@ feet) Truss Type Material*

1880 Plattsmouth, Missouri Missouri 2@400 Whipple WI & Steel 1882 Bismarck, North Dakota Missouri 3@400 Whipple 60%WI 1883 Blair Crossing, Nebraska Missouri 3@220 Whipple 1884 Ainsworth, Washington Snake 4@248, swing 346 Pratt 1884 Belknap, Montana Columbia Whipple 1884 Marent Gulch, Montana Marent 3@140, [email protected] Pratt WI 1887 Omaha, Nebraska Missouri 4@246 Whipple With Corthe/1 1888 Sioux City, South Dakota Missouri 4@400 Whipple 1888 Nebraska City, Nebraska Missouri 2@400 Whipple 1889 Rulo, Nebraska Missouri 3@375 Whipple 90% Steel 1889 Willamette, Oregon Willamette 1 @325, swing 340 Whipple Steel 1889 Cairo, Illinois Ohio 2@518, 7@400 Whipple Steel 1889 Riparia, Washington Snake 3@325, swing 324 Whipple Steel 1890 St. Louis (Merchants) Mississippi 3@520 Pennsylvania Steel Without Corthe/1 1890 Jacksonville, Florida St. Johns 4 fixed, 1 swing 1891 Winona, Montana M ississippi 1@360, swing 440 Parker WI 1893 Bellfontaine, Missouri Missouri 4@440 Baltimore 1893 Leavenworth, Kansas Missouri 2@320, swing 450 Parker 1893 Burlington, Iowa Mississippi 6@248, swing 356 Whipple 1893 Memphis, Tennessee Mississippi 1@621, 1@790 Cantil'ever Steel 1894 Alton, Illinois Mississippi 1 @360, swing 450 Pratt Steel 1898 Atchison, Missouri Missouri 3 fixed, 1 swing Pratt Steel 1901 Boone, Iowa Des Moines 1 @300, 39 girders Steel

Note: •w1 = Wrought Iron

including Charles MacDonald of the Union upon the successful completion of this fine Bridge Company - witnessed the test loading work.''2 and inspected the bridge. MacDonald noted that: With the success of the Plattsmouth bridge, Morison established himself as one of the "I was impressed with the accuracy of the leading bridge engineers in the United States. workmanship, and the symmetry and His reputation led to contracts to design the beauty of the structure as whole. I take Bismarck Bridge in North Dakota, the Blair pleasure in offering my congratulations Crossing Bridge in Nebraska (both bridges

18 CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 FIGURE 9. Morison's Plattsmouth bridge. crossed the Missouri River). He also built his ever built and at that length showed a notice­ second viaduct, the Marent Gulch Viaduct in able loss in rigidity. Montana, as well as bridges across the Snake and Columbia rivers before being given the Working With Cothren job of rebuilding the Omaha Bridge. In April 1887, Morison and Corthell estab­ In February 1887, he was asked by the lished a partnership that lasted for two years Illinois Central Railroad to review the design - until May 1, 1889. Morison moved from for a bridge across the Ohio River at Cairo, New York City to Chicago and set up a new Illinois, just above its intersection with the office with Corthell. After preparing the plans Mississippi River. On this project, he worked for the bridge, he left Corthell in charge and with a classmate from Philips Exeter, Elmer took a six-month tour around the world with Corthell. Corthell went to Brown University to his sister, returning in February 1889. Before study for the ministry but like Morison leaving he also prepared designs for bridges at . changed his career to that of civil engineering. Sioux City, South Dakota; Nebraska City, Cothrell worked with Captain James Eads on Nebraska; Rulo, Nebraska; and a bridge over the jetties at the mouth of the Mississippi the Willamette River near Portland, Oregon. River and on plans for Eads's great ship rail­ Corthell, with the aid of his assistants, worked way across the Isthmus of Tehauntepec. on all of these bridges. Cothren later worked on the bridge across the When the Cairo Bridge was being con­ Mississippi River at Louisiana, Missouri. Both structed, the efficiency of design and erection Cothren and Mori~on, along with George by Morison and his team was evidenced when Field, inspected the site and submitted a final they built one of the 518-foot spans in just over report on March 23. What they recommended four days. The journals of the time published turned out to be the longest bridge in the photographs of the construction with the time world at that time, with fifty-two spans of of day the photos were taken. When complet­ Whipple trusses for a total length of 10,560 ed on October 20, 1889, it was the largest and feet, and with a height above high water of 53 one of the most expensive bridge projects of feet. Two spans were 518 feet long, making the period - costing over $2.6 million. The them the longest spans in the United States Memphis Appeal noted the bridge "spans the and only 18 inches longer than Jacob Hays Ohio River at its broadest point. It is indeed Linville's span at Cincinnati across the Ohio one of the wonders of the world, a work that River. Morison was designated Chief Engineer fills the beholder with amazement, so extraor­ shortly after submitting this report. The spans dinary is the demonstration of man's ability to 2 for this bridge were the longest Whipple spans overcome natural obstacles."

CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/ WINTER 2009 19 FIGURE 10. The Cairo Bridge.

The last project Corthell and Morison a hub for goods moving from Kansas City to worked on together was the Merchants Bridge the Atlantic coast and back. There were across the Mississippi at St. Louis just down­ already ten railroad lines entering the city stream from the Eads Bridge. Its three main from the west and east. channel spans carried twin tracks and were In late 1884, two corporations submitted a approximately 521 feet long, compared to the request to the U.S. Congress for authorization 502-, 520- and 502-foot spans of the Eads to build a railroad bridge at Memphis. The act Bridge. For the first time, Morison and called the "Casey Young Bridge Bill" was Corthell adopted the use of broken chord passed and granted the two companies - the Pennsylvania trusses. The Union Bridge Tennessee and Arkansas Bridge Company and Company built the main sp ans and the the Tennessee Construction and Contracting approach spans were built by the Phoenix Company, organized separately as private cor­ Bridge Company. The bridge opened in May porations in Arkansas and Tennessee - the 1890 after the partnership of Morison and right to build a bridge. The authorization was Corthell was mutually dissolved. approved on February 26, 1885, with the fol­ lowing conditions: On His Own Again While Morison built many other major • "The bridge is to be built with unbroken bridges (as shown in Table 1) perhaps his and continuous spans (in other words no greatest bridge was the huge cantilever bridge swing spans). over the Mississippi River at Memphis, • "The length of the channel spans (two in Tennessee. It was clear to many in the 1880s number) were not to be less than 550 that the Memphis area needed a railroad feet. bridge across the river if it were to continue as • "No span shall be less than 300 feet.

20 CIVIL ENGINEERJNG PRACTICE FALL/W INTER 2009 • "The lowest part of the superstructure He proposed making his anchor spans 375 feet shall be no less than 65 feet above long. His final conclusion was: extreme high water."11 "comparing the two structures when once The two companies approached Morison completed, I think the three span bridge about their bridges in 1886 before he started would be the better one for the railroads. It construction on the Cairo Bridge. Morison, would be a perfectly simple structure, the based on preliminary information, "contem­ expense for maintaining which would be a plated crossing the river with two long spans minimum. It would involve no complicated having a double pier on a single foundation in details, and as it consists of simply straight the middle of the river."11 Throughout 1886, t~usses resting on masonry piers, [it] would Morison took borings and worked on the be subject to a minimum degree of distur­ design of foundations for the bridge and its bance should any slight settlement occur in superstructure. In February 1887, he submit­ the foundation. In brief, it would fulfill the ted a report to the bridge company for a universal requirement that the simplest bridge with three 660-foot-long simple spans structure is the best."11 and a preliminary plan for a 1,300-foot can­ tilever span. This design would make the can­ Troubles with the original charter required tilever span the longest in North America and that a new company, the Kansas City and second only to the Firth of Forth Bridge, which Memphis Railway and Bridge Company, be was then under construction. The three-span formed. This company then went back to proposal would cost $1,546,800 and his can­ Congress in the winter of 1886-87 with a tilever would cost $1,599,600. The three spans request for authorization to build the bridge. would be regular parallel chord trusses. Of Congress denied the company's request. The these trusses Morison said: company refiled the following year, and even though the charter was revised, it was revised "While these dimensions are greater in the wrong direction. The charter, approved than those of any trusses yet built, they are on April 24, 1888, required that: entirely within practicable limits and not so great an undertaking now as 400 feet spans • "The bridge shall be made with unbroken were twenty years ago."11 and continuous spans. • "The main channel span shall in no event For the cantilever for the Cairo Bridge, he be less than seven hundred feet. envisioned a Firth of Forth type cantilever, but • "The lowest part of the superstructure of built with American methods. He wrote: said bridge shall be at least 75 feet above extreme high-water mark."11 "I have estimated on making the can­ tilever 150 feet deep at the ends and build­ The charter change thus increased the mini­ ing them with curved upper and lower mum span length and raised the clearance chords, the masonry to finish ten feet above height by ten feet. high water. This arrangement is not strictly The authorization act appointed "three in accordance with the requirements of the engineer officers from the Engineers Bureau to charter hitherto granted; it gives the be detailed to the duty of examining, by actu­ required height [65 feet] for a distance of al inspection, the locality where said bridge is about 400 feet at the center, but this height to be built and to report what shall be the is reduced at either side ... length of the main channel span and of the "To secure lateral stability I have pro­ other spans."11 The board of engineers consist­ posed to put the cantilever trusses 75 feet ed of Col. W. E. Merrill, Major 0. H. Ernst and apart at the base and to build them in Captain D. C. Kingman. They visited the site inclined planes, these planes to be put 15 with Morison and after due deliberation could feet apart at the highest point."11 not agree on a span length. The two junior

CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTrCE FALL/ WINTER 2009 21 officers recommended a span of 1,000 feet and spans of a common bridge; whereas, the Merrill, the more experienced of the three and longer span by its cantilever construction author of a book entitled Iron Truss Bridges for was held rigidly at the ends. The central Railroads (published in 1878), recommended span being 620 feet long, it did not seem 700 feet. The Secretary of War, William wise to make the width between the trusses Endicott, made his own decision, which was less that 30 feet. This corresponded with for "a clear width of 730 feet, at all stages of widths which have been adopted with water."11 He also wanted the bridge to handle good results in shorter spans. The channel "wagons and vehicles of all kinds [and] for the spans of the Cairo Bridge are 518.5 feet transit of anirnals."11 Morison took Endicott's openings and the trusses placed 25 feet suggestion and made his channel span 790 between centers, the ratio between length feet with two side spans of 621.5 feet and and width being almost exactly the same as added provisions for wagons and animals. between 621 feet and 30 feet. A width of 30 His 790-foot span would be built as a can­ feet was adopted."12 tilever, with all other spans being built on falsework. Morison wrote that the cantilever It appears, therefore, that the width was span "could have been built on falsework, but determined mostly by past practice and an it could not have been raised until the fall of intuitive feel for what was an appropriate 1892, and this delay would practically have value. The final information needed to com­ made nearly a year's difference in the earning plete the design was the truss pattern to be capacity of the bridge."11 used, the loadings and the grade of steel to be Morison knew this plan was not ideal and used for each part. Morison chose a double­ wrote that: intersection Warren pattern since he thought it had "advantages in the manner in which it sus­ "the arrangement that would have been tained the upper chords from which the work most satisfactory to the engineer would have would be done."12 This bridge would repre­ been three equal spans of about 675 feet sent the first time he did not use the Whipple each. If however, one span of extra length double-intersection truss pattern in any of his was required it would have been preferable long-span bridges. He chose steel but of three to place it at the center, making this central different grades. He required "highest grade span a cantilever structure, the cantilevers steel" with a minimum elastic limit of 40,000 projecting from the ends of two heavy side psi for all the principal truss members, "medi­ spans. The arrangement required by the War um steel" with a minimum elastic limit of Department, however, placed the long span 37,000 psi for the rest of his deck and members, next to the east shore, so that if this plan was and "soft steel with a minimum elastic limit of built as a cantilever span it was necessary to 30,000 psi for rivets and in locations where provide an independent anchorage on the wrought iron was specified."11 Memphis Bluff."12 With these design assumptions, he had to make the truss determinate so that he could find His next decision was to determine the the reactions necessary to begin his truss design. width of the span. He knew the bridge was The bridge was to be continuous over five sup­ had to be designed to handle one line of track ports so he needed to insert two pins in the and wagons; therefore, he knew his minimum structure. One was at the end of the easterly can­ width but what width was necessary to give tilever arm and one was at the end of the west­ the span the lateral stiffness to resist wind erly cantilever arm. The truss between these pins loading? He wrote: was continuous. The continuous truss would be fixed at Piers I, III and IV and rest on expansion "The principal limit in determining this rollers on Pier II, and links at the end of the east­ was the length of the central span. In the erly anchor span (see Figure 11). matter of transverse stiffness the position of After completing the design, Morison sent this span corresponded with the separate out a very detailed specification for various

22 CNIL E NGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 K.G. &M.R.&B.C o, MEMPHIS BRIDGE. <;ENERAL ELEVATION.AND PLAN. Seale.

Elcvulion..

5 4 3 2 1

FIGURE 11. Plan for the Memphis Bridge. bridge companies to bid on. The specification house and stack on all steamboats then using required that the contractor: the Mississippi River. He further argued the additional 10 feet of clearance would increase "will be expected to verify the correctness the heights of fill on the Memphis side, of the plans, and will be required to make lengthen the approach on the Arkansas side any changes in the work which are neces­ and require locomotives to work harder get­ sitated by errors in these plans, without ting up the slope, particularly from the west. extra charge, where such errors could be All of these arguments were for naught and discovered by an inspection of the .the 75-foot clearance remained part of the plans."12 charter. The bridge profile required a 2,290.6- foot-long iron viaduct and a 3,097.5-foot-long Work did not start until late in 1888 when wooden viaduct to get from the bridge deck the company authorized Morison to build elevation to existing grade on the Arkansas one pier because "the information to be side of the river (see Figure 11). obtained by sinking this pier might .be of The foundations were a major part of the assistance in preparing the plans for the other project but with his pneumatic equipment, piers."11 Morison appointed Alfred Noble, which was tried and tested successfully on who was then in the process of finishing the the Missouri River and Ohio River bridges, Cairo Bridge, as his resident engineer. Full­ along with an experienced work-force, scale work was authorized to begin on Morison was able to sink the deepest pneu­ January 1, 1889. While foundation work con­ matic caissons in the country (with the tinued, the company went back to Congress exception of James Eads's caisson on the east to request that the 75 feet clearance be end of the St. Louis Bridge). His maximum reduced to 65 feet. Morison prepared a report caisson tip depth was 130.5 feet below high supporting the adequacy of 65 feet. He water, or 5 feet less than Eads and about 50 looked at the previously specified clearance feet deeper than Roebling at Brooklyn (the on the Ohio River (which was 53 feet), the Manhattan caisson). For the first time, clearance on Eads's Bridge just upstream Morison, in order to prevent scour around (which was 50 feet) and the height of pilot- his caissons wove together large mats (240

CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 23 by 400 feet) of willow branches that had been They had to rely mostly on temperature, but in wired together and sank them to the bottom the end it was the effective force that they put with rocks. The mats were positioned so that on a specially built toggle that resulted in the the caissons would be installed in the center motion that loosened the erection pins at the of the mats. The caisson easily penetrated the east and west end of the suspended span. mats. When the caissons were completed, The bridge officially opened on May 12, stone rip rap was placed on the mats to pre­ 1892, when the testing of the bridge was com­ vent future scour. pleted. The tests were made with eighteen The superstructure contract was awarded locomotives placed on the deck at various to the Union Bridge Company, which, along locations. The tests were successful, with min­ with the Baird brothers, once again did the imal deflections under the worst loading con­ erection. The last phase of the project, namely ditions. the connection and "swinging free" of the sus­ Morison, evidently anticipating some criti­ pended span of the main cantilever truss, took cism of his bridge by his colleagues, wrote: over two weeks and was a cause of some con­ cern for Morison and his erectors. In "In many respects the design of the Morison's own words: superstructure may be criticized as not strictly economical. This is admitted, but "the removal of all appliances from the west such criticisms are ill-considered unless half span not only caused the free end to rise they include, not merely the metal in the above the elevation intended, but, by reduc­ superstructure, but all the material in the ing the strains in all members, caused the piers and masonry. The substructure of the free end of the upper chord to be about 1 bridge, which under the present design cost inch west of the place expected. On the other more than the superstructure, would have hand, the time required for erecting the span been rendered much more expensive by was greater than expected, so that the con­ those changes which mere economy of nection at the center was made much later in superstructure design called for. the season and at a higher temperature than "In the design attention was everywhere had been asswned. These two changes in given to stiffness as well as to strain. This is condition almost balanced each other... a matter to which too little attention has When the half spans met at the center they been given, and which has often been over­ were so nearly the same elevation that little looked in competitive designs. It is perfect­ difficulty was met in driving the center pins ly possible to design a structure in which no of the upper chords, which closed the span metal under any ordinary supposition will and completed the connection between the be over-strained, and yet without such upper chords and the web systems."12 overstrain vibration can exist which would be utterly inadmissible. This may occur in However, this phase was the easy part. Taking trusses of extreme depth, and also in struc­ the erection pins out at the ends of the lower tures with cantilever details in which loose chords of the suspended span proved to be fitting is permitted at expansion joints."12 much more difficult. These pins had to be removed to "swing" the suspended span. The structure they erected was a 2,256.37- Morison admitted that he made a mistake foot-long bridge, plus a 338.75 deck span on the when he calculated "the final position of the westerly side of the river and long approach half span... [with] the erecting outfit of trav­ spans on each side of the river. The construc­ eler, engines, lines and scaffolds... [remain­ tion time from the beginning of the placing of ing] on it until the span was swung."12 the first caisson on December 21, 1889, to the It is hard for us to imagine the problems end of steel erection was two years and four they had in causing a little more than 4 inches months. The total cost of the bridge (including of movement in a structure of over 700 feet in approaches) was $2,542,365.45. Morison length and weighing over 7.5 million pounds. designed and built the longest cantilever span

24 CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/W INTER 2009 i - ...... H ,,. .... -N-

FIGURE 12. The Columbian Exposition tower. in the United States and would hold this dis­ meter-high tower at the 1889 Paris World's tinction for twelve years until the Monongahela Fair, the organizers of the Columbian River Bridge, with its 812-foot cantilever span, Exposition, scheduled for Chicago between opened on 1904, despite a serious collapse dur­ May and October 1893, solicited proposals ing its construction. Morison held the record for a tower of equal or greater height. Many for a single span truss bridge as well as the proposals were submitted, but the organiz­ longest cantilever. The Railroad Gazette called it: ers required that the proposers prove that they had the financial means to build, run "one of the greatest bridges of the world, one and remove their tower. After it was clear that is remarkable not only for the length of that no one had submitted an acceptable pro­ the span, but for the depth of the founda­ posal, Morison organized a group of m en - tions, the originality of the methods used in including Andrew Carnegie, the Keystone erecting them, and for the simplicity and skill Bridge Company and others, called the in its design. No bridge anywhere nearly as American Tower Company - to submit a remarkable has ever been so quietly built."13 proposal in October 1891 for a 1,120-foot tower that they indicated could be built for Columbian Exposition Tower $1.5 million and in time for the exposition Noting the success of Gustav Eiffel's 324- (see Figure 12).

CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/ WINTER 2009 25 FIGURE 13. The Kate Shelley Bridge over the Des Moines River.

The tower consisted of a central concrete As a resident of Chicago and one of the core that housed eight elevators and that was leading advocates of steel in structures, it was flanked by a steel framework starting with a not a large leap for Morison to propose a Greek cross 400 feet wide at the base and design for the highest structure in the world at tapering to 40 feet square at the lantern. The that time. As in many endeavors, however, main circular concession platform was at 200 mega-structures need a large influx of money feet above grade; the second platform was 400 to build and that influx just was not available. feet above grade. Morison estimated that 75,000 people a day would go up the tower Later Works and yield a total of $4 million in income in The financial panic of 1893 slowed down admission fees over the duration of the expo­ bridge and railroad construction around the sition. After an early show of interest by fin­ country. Morison only built the Alton Bridge anciers, it was clear that Morison and his in 1894 over the Mississippi River and his group could not get the project bankrolled. Atchison Bridge, to replace a pontoon bridge, Instead, the iconic structure of the exposition over the Missouri River in 1898. Three· years would be George Washington Ferris's giant later, he built his greatest viaduct over the Des wheel.14 Even though he did not build his Moines River - now called the Kate Shelley tower, Morison was one of the leaders of the Bridge (see Figure 13). The bridge is 186 feet American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) high and consists of thirty-nine deck plate who planned the International Engineering girders (for a total of 2,386 feet in length) and Congress at the exposition and to which he the main span (a deck pin truss) is 300 feet in presented a paper on his Memphis Bridge length. With the completion of this bridge in superstructure. 1901, Morison finished his river bridge build-

26 CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 ing career in the Western United States. the War Department was usually to ensure However, starting in 1894 he spent most of his that navigation was not impeded by any time serving on Boards of Engineers in New bridge over navigable waters and, thus, not York and Washington, D.C. interfere with the nation's defenses. This com­ mittee concluded: Hudson River Bridge After several proposals and several proposed "that $23 million is a reasonable estimate locations, an act was finally passed by for a six-track railroad suspension bridge Congress in 1894 authorizing the New York 3,200 feet long, and they consider the and New Jersey Bridge Company to build a amount of traffic which such a bridge bridge between 59th and 60th streets across would accommodate sufficient to warrant the Hudson River. The act included a stipula­ the expense of construction."16 tion that the War Department had to approve the structure. Gustav Lindenthal's North Their comprehensive report in the words of River Bridge Company had also been Engineering News was "one of the most valu­ approved by Congress to build a bridge across able and instructive engineering investiga­ the river here but lacked the financial backing tions of the day."17 to proceed. The act requested President The Morison board concluded that, as Grover Cleveland to appoint a board of "five reported in the Engineering Record: competent, disinterested expert bridge engi­ neers, to recommend to the Secretary of War "a single span from pier-head to pier-head, 'what length of span, not less than 2,000 feet, built on either the cantilever or suspension would be safe and practicable for a railway principle, would be safe. The estimated cost bridge across the Hudson River between 59th of the 3,100 foot clear-span cantilever being and 69th Street."'15 The five men selected about twice that of the shorter span, your were: William Burr, Morison, Theodore Board considers themselves justified in pro­ Cooper, L. G. F. Bouscaren and Major Charles nouncing it impracticable on financial W. Raymond. Raymond represented the grounds... While from such a professional United States Army Corps of Engineers and view they must pronounce the suspension was required to sit on the board; he was also bridge practicable, they do not in this con­ appointed chairman. The civilian members of clusion give an opinion on the financial the board were all acknowledged leaders of practicability and merit of either plan."15 the profession and Raymond compiled a fine record with the Corps of Engineers. Prior to In their studies, the board had also looked at the appointment of this board in early January a 2,000-foot cantilever with a river pier. 1894, the Secretary of War also appointed a Based upon these studies, the Secretary of Board of Army Engineers: War disapproved of the proposed cantilever of the New York and New Jersey Bridge "to investigate and report their conclusions Company. as to the maximum length of span practica­ For comparison purposes, the Morison ble for suspension bridges and consistent board also had Theodore Cooper, probably with an amount of traffic probably suffi­ with the advice and approval of the board, cient to warrant the expense of construc­ design a suspension bridge. His 3,100-foot tion. " 15 span bridge, with two huge stiffening side trusses pinned at mid-span, was frequently The latter committee, with Raymond also as called the plan recommended by the Secretary its chairman, consisted of Capt. Edward Burr of War (see Figure 14). Cooper was then and Capt. William Bixby. This committee retained by the New York and New Jersey received an unusual charge from the Secretary Bridge Company to advise them on how they of War since he required that the committee could design such a bridge that met the delve into financial matters. The purview of requirements of the War Department.

CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/ W INTER 2009 27 1 :0,1 I I I .,. t I I !ro-" fr.IT '!'c;_...... _,.....,_! __ ,.,_\" __ '°'.,_ , -~•r MIETflU'

1et:CTION AT CENTER

MUD ANO 8.lt~O- APPR()XIMA.TE POI ITION Of ROCt<

ELEVATION

PLAN

l"IG,l.

FIGURE 15. Morison's plans for a North River Bridge.

designs, by competition, for a bridge or every point of view, and that it will con­ viaduct across Rock Creek on the line of the form to the spirit as well as the letter of extension of Connecticut Avenue, and the the act. " 19 sum of two thousand dollars is appropriat­ ed therefore."19 The deck of the structure was to be at ele­ vation 150 feet, with a roadway width of 50 The engineers who were invited to submit feet and 10-foot sidewalks on each side. plans were L. L. Buck, Morison and William Provision had to be made for two lines of elec­ H. Breithaupt. tric railways across the viaduct, as well as for The prizes would be $600, $500 and $400 for water mains, gas mains and electric conduit. the first-, second- and third-place designs. The All metal work was required to correspond to letter inviting the engineers to submit their Cooper's specifications for steel highway designs stated: bridges. The act specified that:

"it has seemed best to us to restrict the "the structure will be topographically locat­ number of participants in such a degree ed in a conspicuous site, and its propor­ as will enable a suitable prize to be tions, type and style should comport with awarded to each one, while at the same this fact and with the dignity of the thor­ time preserving the competitive nature of oughfare of which it is a part."19 the designs and securing for the District of Columbia a proper equivalent for its In addition to fixing some design specifica­ out-lay.. . It is believed that the proce­ tions set by the act, the board instructed the dure will commend itself as sound from designers to:

C!Vll. ENGIN EERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 29 PLAN OF SUSPENSION BAIOGE, 3100 FEET CLEAR SPAN. RCC-UIOIOIV-•CUTARY~W/111,

FIGURE 14. Cooper's suspension bridge design for the Hudson River.

Based on Morison's experience on this 'that a great suspension bridge which board, he wrote a lengthy paper (122 pages would be well adapted to railroad service, with discussions) entitled "Suspension would involve no insurmountable difficul­ Bridges - A Study" and presented it to ASCE ties of construction,' and at an estimated 18 on October 21, 1896. In that paper, he pro­ cost, the total of which does not greatly dif­ posed a design for a 3,000-foot span suspen­ fer from that of the writer. That he does not sion bridge "corresponding to the dimensions agree, however, with all the views of the proposed for the North River at New York" author, this discussion sufficiently indi­ (see Figure 15).18 The most unique feature of cates."18 his design was his proposal to cantilever his deck truss out 150 feet from each tower, with a Morison estimated that the bridge, using 500-foot anchor span, thus eliminating the steel towers, could be built for $22.5 million need for suspenders for the ends of the main and be finished within five years. However, a suspended span. His cable was also different bridge would not be built across the Hudson than the cables that the Roeblings used in their for another thirty-five years. bridges; instead of having continuous parallel In 1895, Morison was elected President of wires from anchorage to anchorage, he had ASCE. Under his presidency, the Proceedings twisted ropes, fabricated off-site to the correct and Transactions of the Society were changed, lengths, which were socketed at the tops of the and he was involved in the decision to build a towers and anchorages. Many men associated larger office for the staff and library. with suspension bridges contributed to the discussion about the differing designs. Some Connecticut Avenue Bridge were supportive of Morison's approach and (Taft Memorial Bridge) some were unsupportive. As might be expect­ In 1897, the federal government sponsored a ed, the longest discussion (fourteen pages) design competition for a bridge to carry was by Gustav Lindenthal. He summarized Connecticut Avenue over the Rock Creek his thoughts with: Valley near its junction with the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The act stated that: "it is gratifying to the writer, that the author has arrived at the same general view he "The Commissioners of the District of held and promulgated long ago, namely, Columbia are hereby authorized to secure

28 CJVn. ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/ WINTER 2009 FIGURE 16. Morison's winning design for the Rock Creek Bridge.

"submit whatever seems best to you in the the creek with the Potomac River. It would direction of more fully setting forth your cross the creek as well as Belmont Avenue, intention and informing this board for Waterside Drive and a proposed new street their judgment thereof. In determining the along the creek valley. The government was comparative merits and suitability of sub­ looking for a monumental structure, but many mitted designs the cost of execution will people would not see this bridge in profile be given a proper weight by the board of since the structure was constrained to be a awards."19 deck type. This design stipulation required that the parts of the bridge that could be seen Up to two designs could be submitted by each by vehicles and pedestrians had also be of a engineer but no engineer could receive more monumental scale. than one prize. The designs were to be sub­ Buck and Breithaupt submitted two entries mitted on or before December 1, 1897. That while Morison submitted a single entry. deadline gave the participants only two Morison's entry in the competition is show n in months to prepare designs since the invitation Figure 16. letter was dated September 28, 1897. The main The commissioners selected the design by incentive to the three engineers was the state­ Morison as the first place entry. They evi­ ment: dently were in favor of a concrete structure since it could be made "to simulate, if "the Commissioners further intend to rec­ desired, the highest class of finished ommend to Congress, in reporting the stonework, or it can be prepared as a mono­ results of this competition, that the most lithic type, which shall possess the simple meritorious design be used in the construc­ dignity of massiveness."19 The Engineering tion of the proposed viaduct; that a suitable News concluded its review of the competition appropriation for the work be made, and by noting that Morison "handles masonry that in its execution the services of the with the same boldness and mastery of author of the design so used be employed details as generalities which characterize his in the capacity of consulting engineer."19 famous metallic structures."20 The bridge, started in 1898 but not complet­ The bridge would cross Rock Creek, which ed until 1907, was based on the plans of flowed through a 120-foot deep canyon at the Morison but with modifications. The major site, which was just above the intersection of change was to drop the cast iron brackets,

30 ClVlL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 which Morison used to cantilever his side­ necting the North with the South. The Engin­ walks 10 feet off his main arch structure. The eering Record put its significance very nicely, brackets were "molded to harmonize with the writing: masonry, and their proposed use is a provi­ sion which reduces the cost of the structure in "the location between the capital city of the a marked degree."20 The idea of a cantilever living and the city of the noble dead would was retained but they were to be concrete be graced in a most .beautiful and fitting moldings about 2 feet in width. In addition, manner by this memorial structure."22 Morison's spandrels were infilled with con­ crete between the minor arches above the The engineering review board eventually main arch; in the final design this detail was determined: omitted. Morison died in 1903 and the bridge was "[t]hat the most expeditious and probably finished under the guidance of W. J. Douglas, the most satisfactory method of carrying bridge engineer, with E. P. Casey serving as · out the provisions of that act wbuld be architect. Great care in the final design was through a competition of a limited number taken to make the concrete look like masonry of prominent and experienced bridge engi­ through the use of molded concrete blocks neers and designers invited to present - and jointing. The entire concrete surface was designs in accordance with general outline bush hammered to give a uniform surface tex­ specifications to be drawn up under the ture. The bridge was renamed in 1931 in honor supervision of the Engineer's Depart­ of President William Howard Taft. ment."21

Arlington Memorial Bridge The list of engineers invited to submit A bridge across the Potomac River connecting designs consisted of Morison, L. L. Buck, Arlington, Virginia, with the District of William Burr and William R. Hutton. The gov­ Columbia had been under study since the ernment engineers, in drawing up the specifi­ administration of President Ulysses S. Grant. cations, were looking for a bridge that was Designs for a truss bridge and a series of steel monumental in nature. In July 1899, the arch bridges, all with movable spans, were designers were told to submit two designs, prepared in 1888. Plans for a suspension one with: bridge with a central span of 1,100 feet with two 652-foot side spans was proposed by Col. "a steel structure for the river spans with Peter Connover Hains in 1890. provision for the street cars on a deck below In 1899, Congress put this bridge forward, the roadway and the other for an all­ creating an engineering board and appropriat­ masonry structure with no provision for the ing $5,000: street car tracks. The original requirements also called for a 40-foot roadway and two "to enable the Chief of Engineers of the 10-foot sidewalks; a draw span with a clear Army to continue the examination of the opening of 125 feet; a clear headway of 24 subject and to make or secure designs, cal­ feet above low tide under the lowest part of culations and estimates for a memorial the superstructure and at least 40 feet under bridge from the most convenient point of the center of the channel spans, so that the the Naval Observatory grounds, or adja­ draw need not be raised for the passage of cent thereto, across the Potomac River to small boats. The superstructure of the main the most convenient point on the Arlington bridge over the Potomac was to be of steel, estate property. "21 while the open work of the approaches could be of steel or masonry."21 This bridge was to be very symbolic since it connected the Lincoln Memorial with the Later, the requirements were significantly Arlington National Cemetery, as well as con- changed to permit:

C IVTL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 31 FIGURE 17. Morison's Arlington Bridge plan.

"plans contemplating the use of such very detailed analysis of their reasons for their materials for piers and superstructure as decision, simply stating that: might appear to them to be most appropri­ ate, provided the masonry was durable "after full consideration of the various and suitable to the character of the struc­ plans for the proposed bridge and ture. "22 approaches, including the architectural fea­ tures, ornamentation, and cost, the Board With this rather significant change, the engi­ places the comparative merits of the design neers would now be able to design struc­ as follows. . . the Board is of the opinion tures using their own experience and cre­ that the general design of Mr. Burr _desig­ ativity. nated as the first in the order of merit, This competition, again in the words of the meets the conditions of the problem and Engineering Record: should be adopted, subject to certain rec­ ommendations and modifications set forth "was the most important in the field of in the report."21 bridge design which, it is believed, has ever occurred, and the names of the competitors Isthmian Canal Commission constitutes a guarantee that no better In 1875, President Grant authorized the sur­ results could be expected than those which vey of seven routes that were proposed for a the competition would produce."22 canal to cross between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. As a result of that study, the Nicaragua The prizes would be $1,200, $1,100, $1,000 route became the "American" route across the and $900 for first, second, third and fourth isthmus. A private French company obtained place. a concession from Columbia and started work Morison's design was for a 4,020-foot-long on a sea-level canal in 1880 under Ferdinand bridge, with the main feature being a series of de Lesseps, the builder of the Suez Canal. Due five Melan arches similar in appearance to his to disease, corruption and the Chagres River, Connecticut Avenue Bridge (see Figure 17). He the company went into receivership in late flanked these approximately 180-foot spans 1888. The New Panama Canal Company was with 64-foot bascule spans at each end. The formed to protect the work that had already rest of the structure was a conventional steel been done and to perform enough work to viaduct. maintain the concession from Columbia. Morison's design, however, did not win In March 1895, President Grover Cleveland approval. The Board of Officers did not give a appointed a Nicaragua Canal Board to:

32 CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/ WINTER 2009 FIGURE 18. The Isthmian Canal Commission. Morison is in the front row on the far left. His protege Alfred Noble is second from right in the first row. Civilian engineers on the com­ mission were Lewis Haupt (far left back row) and William Burr (second from left, back row).

"make the survey and examination neces­ studied the Nicaragua route for a three-month sary in order ascertain the feasibility, per­ period. In addition, they also visited Panama. manence and cost of the construction and The commission reported to the President in completion of the Nicaragua ship Canal by March 1898. They recommended some a certain route mentioned in the act, and to changes to the earlier report and estimated consider the plans, specifications, and esti­ that. the canal through Nicaragua could be 23 mates therefore." built for just over $118 million, reaffirming what many had expected - that the This board of three engineers included Alfred Nicaragua route was the best choice. Several Noble, Morison's long-time assistant, and rec­ senators rejected the report and urged one ommended an extensive study to serve as the more comprehensive study, including the basis for a final plan. Panama route. President McKinley appointed In 1897, President William McKinley a new commission in March 1899, with appointed a Nicaragua Canal Commission to Admiral Walker again as chair of what was study the route through Lake Managua. renamed the Isthmian Canal Commission (see Headed by Admiral Walker, the commission, Figure 18). called the First Walker Commission, included The commission went to Paris to study all Lewis Haupt and Col. Peter Connover Hains. of the records of the New Panama Canal The commissioners went to Nicaragua with a Company and talk with their engineers and large staff of engineers in December 1897 and administrators. After this visit, they journeyed

CIVIL E N GTN EERING P RACTICE FA L L/W INTER 2009 33 to the isthmus, with Morison heading up a report, however, was picked up by the New committee (consisting of himself, Prof. York Journal and the Chicago American and William Burr and Lt. Col. Oswald Ernst) to used it to attack the findings of the final study the Panama route and other alternative report. It is clear that Morison still thought the routes. After working almost constantly for Panama route was the best since he gave sev­ two years, the commission sent its report to eral talks in support of that position subse­ the printers on November 30, 1899. The com­ quently over the next several months. mission decided that Nicaragua was the best On December 10, 1901, he wrote directly to route, with the exception of George Morison. President Theodore Roosevelt stating his five The main factors influencing the commission's reasons for opposing the recommendations of decision were that Columbia could not give . the commission. Evidently, Morison was the right to build a canal in Panama without unhappy with the way the press (the Journal the approval of the new Panama Canal and American) were handling his minority Company and the price the New Panama report and wanted to write directly to Canal Company wanted for its concession, President Roosevelt since he had been "led to equipment, etc., was excessive. Although no do so largely by the kind assurances which firm price had been given to the commission, you have given me that you know my record the figure of $109 million had been discussed. and value my opinion."23 He gave five reasons They determined that Nicaragua was: for his action and wrote:

"the most practicable and feasible after con­ "I have not changed my views since I sidering all the facts developed by the signed the minority report in August. I still investigation and having in view the terms feel that the Panama route is very much offered by the New Panama Canal better than the Nicaragua route, and I sin­ Company, which were so unreasonable that cerely hope that matters may yet take a its acceptance cannot be recommended by shape which will permit our involvement this commission."23 to complete the unfinished work at Panama rather than to build the Nicaragua canal."23 Morison. in his minority report had argued that the commission wa.s wrong in assuming The matters that were yet to take shape was the New Panama Canal Company would not the price demanded by the French sell its property and rights to the United On January 4, 1902, the New Panama States. He also placed a value of $40 million on Company agreed to sell its rights and proper­ the French property and concession. ty to the United States for $40 million. The In its final report dated November 16, 1901, commission issued a supplemental report on the commission again recommended the Nica­ January 18, 1902, at the urging of President ragua route since the cost was estimated to be Roosevelt, stating: $45 million lower than the Panama route. What the report noted, however, was that "After considering the changed condition there were many physical advantages to the the Commission is of the opinion that the Panama Route and the main reason they rec­ 'most practicable and feasible route' for an ommended Nicaragua was the price the New isthmian canal. . . is that known as the Panama Canal Company was asking for their Panama route."23 works. They wrote that their recommendation was influenced by "having in view the terms Having convinced Theodore Roosevelt and offered by the new Panama Canal Com­ Senator Mark Hanna that Panama was the right pany."23 Morison signed this report apparent­ route, and after an extensive lobbying campaign ly under the belief that the French would drop by Philip Bunau-Varilla (an engineer for the the asking price and if that occurred, then his Panama Canal Company) and Nelson case could be made for the Panama route. His Cromwell (an attorney and lobbyist), the minority report to the commission's first Spooner Act, an amendment to the Hepburn

34 CNIL E NGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/W INTER 2009 Act that called for a canal in Nicaragua was "been injured by heat in the two cables on passed in the Senate on June 19 and signed into the southern side of the bridge; 200 of the law by President Roosevelt on June 28. injured wires were in the outside cable and Morison's testimony at the Senate's hearing the injury was confined to the top of the were in the words of author David McCullough cable over the saddle, and 300 were in the "unassailable." Morison told the Senate com­ inside cable."24 mittee that the Panama plan was sound, the dam at Bohio could be built and the Chagres After testing the wire, the commission found River tamed and that "we can get rid of yellow that the inside cable had its strength reduced fever by killing the mosquitos."23 In describing by 6.5 percent while the outside cable (there the Culebra Cut, the cutting of the canal were two cables on each side of the bridge) through the cordilleras, he noted that it was: had its strength reduced by only 2.5 percent. However, since the wire as furnished was 12 "a piece of work that reminds me of what a percent stronger than specified, they deter­ teacher said to me when I was in Exeter mined that the cables were still stronger than over forty years ago, that if he had five min­ needed. In order to make sure, they recom­ utes in which to solve a problem he would mended that all the bad wires be cut out and spend three deciding the best way to do replaced by new ones. With these repairs, the it. ,,23 cables were only 0.5 and 2.0 percent weaker than prior to the fire. They were quick to point The record is clear that without Morison the out, however, that they were from 8 to 10 per­ United States would probably never have cent stronger than specifications. built a canal at Panama. His persistence in the The fire also burned the wooden cable sup­ face of an almost universal belief that Nicara­ ported foot walks. The only way up the tower gua was the proper route was in keeping with to inspect the damage was by ladder or to be his ideas on bridge building. He believed that hoisted up. Morison's nephew wrote that once he studied an issue and came to a logical Morison "considered it his duty to inspect and correct solution, he had no reason to these cables personally and although in his change his opinion and was obligated to con­ sixtieth year, he was hoisted in a skip to the vince others of their errors. Morison, there­ top of the tower 332 feet about the river. Few fore, deserves great credit for his work on the engineers of his age would have deemed such commission and President Roosevelt noted a personal investigation necessary. When one that he changed his mind about Panama based of his engineering friends asked him after­ on the counsel of his engineers on the com­ ward why he had done such a perilous thing, mission. His engineer in this case was George at his age and weight, his simple answer was S. Morison. the one word, 'Duty.'"3 Williamsburg Cable Commission Manhattan Bridge On November 10, 1902, a worker's shanty on Bridge Commissioner Gustav Lindenthal top of the Manhattan tower of the Williams­ incurred the wrath of L. L. Buck and his asso­ burg Bridge caught fire. According to the ciates when he changed the design for the newspapers at that time, it was a spectacular Manhattan Bridge, then under construction, fire while it lasted. Within a week, Gustav from a wire cable to a chain bridge in 1903. He Lindenthal, New York's Bridge Commission­ claimed it would be faster and cheaper to er, appointed a commission consisting of L. L. - build a chain bridge than a wire cable bridge Buck, the Chief Engineer of the Bridge, and that it would also be more aesthically Morison and C. C. Schneider to report "as to pleasing. This change resulted in an extensive the extent and ·manner in which repairs shall debate among engineers in the city's newspa­ be made to the steel wire cables and to the pers and journals. New York City Mayor Seth other steelwork."24 The commission's investi­ Low was pressured to create a panel of engi­ gation indicated that 500 wires had: neers to report on these changes. He chose

CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 35 Theodore Cooper (succeeding Major Ray­ respect to Lindenthal's chain bridge. The mond), Morison, C. C. Schneider, Mansfield panel made its preliminary report on March 9, Merriman and Henry Hodge. H odge was a 1903, and its final report on June 29, 1903. classmate of Henry LaChiotte, who was one of They determined in the preliminary report Lindenthal's main assistants and was one of that the: the consultants on Blackwell's Island Bridge. Schneider designed several cantilever bridges "design contains three features which, and railroad bridges in the United States and though not properly novel, are departures Canada and became a member of the Board of from the common practices with suspen­ Engineers on the new Quebec Bridge, as well sion bridges, they are the cables, the stiffen­ as having served as Morison 's assistant on ing trusses and the metal towers, each of several bridges in the West. Merriman was a which may be considered by itself."25 professor and author, and Cooper was a well­ known engineer and was in charge of the The last three questions were answered as fol­ Quebec Bridge's design. It was definitely a lows: blue ribbon panel. Cooper, Morison and Raymond also had worked together on the • "The strength, stability and carrying Hudson River Bridge Commission. capacity of the bridge will be adequate for Given the charged political atmosphere, any congestion of traffic that may occur Morison and his team were well aware that on the railroad tracks, roadways and they stepped into a very difficult situation. To promenades if the provisions for loads laid make their task as clear and well defined as down heretofore are followed . . possible, they, working with Mayor Low, set • "The structure, as designed, will be incom­ down a list of four questions to be answered. bustible. These questions were: • "The design favors speedy erection of the superstrµcture, after the masonry is com­ • "Are the plans in accord ance with plete. "25 advanced knowledge of suspension bridge design, with a view to economy of The response to the last question is interest­ construction, provision for temperature ing since the commission simply stated that stresses, rigidity under concentrated the design would permit speedy construction. loads, and resistance to wind pressure; It did not say how speedy, or if it would be also as regards quality of steel and its pro­ "speedier" than a wire cable bridge. ·It also tection against corrosion? turns out that both the original and Linden­ • "Will the strength, stability and carrying thal bridge would be incombustible. capacity of the bridge be adequate for any In summary, in the commission's response congestion of traffic that may occur on to the first question, it concluded that: the railroad tracks, roadways and prome­ nades? "the plans are in accordance with advanced • "Will the structure, as designed, be fire- knowledge of suspension bridge designing. proof? · They are likely to be as economical in con­ • "Do the plans permit of speedy erection of struction as other forms of suspension the superstructure, after the completion of bridges. They provide fully for temperature the anchorage and tower foundations?"25 stresses. They provide for a structure of unusual rigidity under concentrated load. The mayor did not ask the panel to com­ Ample provision is made for wind pres­ pare the original bridge with the Lindenthal sures. They are consistent with the best pro­ design and make a recommendation as to tection from corrosion. "25 which bridge would be the best for the city of New York; instead, he charged the panel to In the preliminary report, it withheld judg­ answer the four questions listed above with ment on whether nickel steel links of the size

36 CfVTL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 George S. Morison's tombstone. required could be manufactured with ade­ was not able to support his positions, even quate quality control. In the final report issued though Schneider did. The main question was on June 29, 1903, after determining that nickel not answered until 1927 when Othmar steel links of the size needed would be avail­ Ammann, on his George Washington Bridge able, it reported they "unanimously recom­ project, gave contractors the option of bidding mend the adoption and execution of the pro­ wire cables or chain cables. The wire cables posed design of the Manhattan Bridge."26 came in costing 10 percent lower than the The commission, under the leadership of chain cables. Morison, was completely behind Lindenthal and his chain bridge. Morison signed the final Morison's Legacy report only several days before his death in After a visit to Puerto Rico, Morison became July 1903. It came under great criticism by sick in May 1903 and never recovered, dying many engineers in the newspapers and jour­ on July 1, 1903. His obituary was carried in nals of the day. The bridge was later changed most major newspapers, especially in cities back to a wire cable bridge by the next Bridge where he had worked. The engineering jour­ Commissioner, George Best, in 1904. The nals of the day included long summaries of his debate on which bridge would have been less career and profiles of his personality. The first expensive, faster to build and more pleasing to journal to carry a notice of his death was the the eye went on for many years, but Morison Engineering Record, which noted:

CNIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 37 "By the death of George S. Morison on Chanute were long involved, was published July 1 the engineering profession has lost February 1904, with one of the contributors one of it most able and successful members, being Octave Chanute. They wrote about him Along with engineering attainments of the as follows: · highest order, he possessed a knowledge of the law and grasp of financial subjects that "It is not necessary to state that such work rendered his advice of exceptional value. required a mastermind, and when it is con­ While not a popular man among engineers, sidered that Mr. Morison had no special owing to his aggressive personality, he had technical training in engineering, but the respect of practically everybody on entered the field when he was nearly twen­ account of his independence and great abil­ ty-five years of age, it is indeed marvelous. ity; and his wonderfully active mind and Nature endowed him with a strong intellect, conversational gifts won for him among and a strong will, and he made the most of prominent men of affairs a large circle of them. The whole grand success may be strong business friends. summed up in the word work. He had no "His was an intensely individual person­ influential friends to help him, whom he did ality marked by great abilities and marred not make himself by his indomitable energy by a few eccentricities, which those who and proven ability. He studied his work knew him best readily overlooked. Unfor­ carefully and thoroughly, and the minutest tunately the eccentricities are always more detail was not too small to be worked out noticeable than the sterling qualities, and it with the greatest consideration before it was is probably doubly true in Mr. Morison's executed. One of his rules was that if he had case. five minutes in which to do a thing he would "A gentleman long associated with take three, if necessary to think it out, and do Mr. Morison affords a glimpse of his char­ it in the other two .... While Mr. Morison acter... I think I am safe in saying that always studied out and knew every detail of most of the people who were connected his work himself, he was careful to surround with him any length .of time learned to himself with competent, faithful and consci­ respect and admire him for his knowledge, entious staff. An indefatigable seeker after his accurate judgment on most matters, truth and the best obtainable, himself, he and his absolute integrity and fairness expected his staff to be no less energetic, towards all with whom he had dealings. accurate and conscientious in the work than His actions were regulated not so much by he, and indolent or slovenly workers did not conventional usage as by what after remain long in his service."27 mature thought he considered right. He had a reason for every act and the courage It was also customary for ASCE to publish to act according to his reason. The kinder memoirs of its members upon their deaths. side of his nature was probably not so well These memoirs were written by the deceased's know to people who came in contact with colleagues. The Morison memoir was pub­ him in a business way only. That he had a lished in June 1905 and written by his former large measure of this I was in a peculiar assistants C. C. Schneider and E. Gerber. Their position for many years to know, and take nine-page memoir traced Morison's career pleasure in saying that to me this side of and works and described his character in his character far outweighed any peculiar­ these words: ities which he may have had, and I am sure that most former members of his staff "He had a powerful intelligence which entertain the same feelings."26 would have distinguished him in any call­ ing, and added to that he had in large meas­ A collaborative memoir in the Journal of the· ure those special gifts which make a man an Western Society of Engineers, an organization engineer in spite of accident of education. with which Morison and his mentor Octave He had contrivance, he had a quick and

38 CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/ WINTER 2009 clear perception of cause and effect in mate­ of George S. Morison. There is no better title rial phenomena; he had a feeling for the than Pontifex Maximus to befit a man whose laws and forces of nature... With a strong tombstone notes that he was a Civil Engineer mind, Mr. Morison had also a strong will. and whose religion and commitment to truth He followed his purposes, great and small, shaped his engineering career and, to an with a persistence and determination extent, helped shape the development of the which made him hard to work with, but United States between 1867 and 1903, as well Which secured his ends. . . Beneath these as the role of the United States in the world attributes, which were evident, were others, through most of the twentieth century as which were not evident to those who knew guardian of the Panama Canal. him but superficially. With all his strength and self-reliance, he was a very modest FRANCIS E. GRIGGS, JR., is Professor Emeritus of man. . . he was also a diffident man, and Civil Engineering at Merrimack College in North had in great measure that reticence about Andover, Mass. He holds the following degrees: his own affairs which is characteristic of his B.S. in Civil Engineering, M.S. in Management, race and of the region where he was born M.S. in Civil Engineering and Ph.D. in Engin­ and bred. These characteristics should be eering - all from Rensselear Polytechnic Institute. kept in mind by those of his contempo­ He is interested in nineteenth-century civil engi­ raries who did not know him closely and neering, particularly bridge engineering with spe­ who try to sum him up as he appeared to cial focus on iron bridges and their builders. them... Although Mr. Morison was in his sixty-first year when he died, he was still growing intellectually, and as he was a man REFERENCES of great physical strength and of frugal and 1. Record of the Class 1913, 50th Anniversary of class abstemious life, and of undiminished ener­ of 1863, Harvard College. gy and abundant means, we can but feel that had he been spared he would have 2. Fraser, C., Nebras/ai City Bridge, HAER No. MB-2, accomplished some great work greater than 1986. 28 any which he yet done." 3. Morison, G.A., George Shattuck Morison 1842- 1903: A Memoir, presented to the Peterborough His nephew, George Abbot Morison, sum­ Historical Society September 12, 1932, published marized his character as follows: 1940. 4. Morison, G.S., Journal of the Western Society of "[H]e never hesitated to express posi­ Engineers, Memoir, Vol. IX, February 1876. tively his impressions of things or individ­ uals, sometime to the embarrassment of the 5. Engineering, London, 1869. latter. Like other powerful personalities, he 6. Chanute, 0., & Morison, G., The Kansas City was a person of prejudices... Such are the Bridge, With an Account of the Regimen of the Missouri achievements and character of George River, and the Description of Methods Used for Shattuck Morison... One cannot epitomize Founding in That River, Van Nostrand, 1870. such a life as his, but perhaps the most 7. Journal of the Franklin Institute, September 1869. striking characteristics of his personality to one who casually meets him is power. But 8. Newspaper article dated July 3, 1869, from the one word which guided all his actions, Morison scrapbook, Peterborough, New Hamp­ and which was the foundation for all of his shire. achievements, is that word which stands 9. Transactions of the ASCE, 1875. alone on the blue stone in the Pine Hill Cemetery in Peterborough, VERITAS. " 3 10. Morison, G.S., "The New Portage Bridge," Transactions ASCE, Volume V, 1876.

This passage provides no better way to 11. Morison, G.S., The Memphis Bridge, A Report to summarize a life as full and rewarding as that George Nettleton President of the Kansas City and

CNIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE FALL/WINTER 2009 39 Memphis Railway and Bridge Company, John Wiley & 20. Engineering News, April 30, 1898. Sons, New York, 1891. 21. House of Representatives Document No. 578, 56th 12. Morison, G.S., 1893. Congress, 2nd Session, 1899.

13. Railroad Gazette, June 1890. 22. The Engineering Record, April 21, 1900.

14. Engineering News, "The Proposed Tower for the 23. McCullough, D., The Path Between the Seas, The World's Columbian Exposition," December 5, 1891. Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1977. 15. Engineering Record, "The North River Bridge, Report of Board of Engineers," September 8, 1894. 24. New York Times, November 16, 1902. [Report dated August 23, 1894] · 25. Engineering News, March 12, 1903. 16. Ammann, 0., "George Washington Bridge: General Conception and Development of Design," 26. Engineering Record, July 11, 1903. Transactions ASCE, Volume 97, 1933. 27. Journal of the Western Society of Engineers, 1904. 17. Engineering News, Nov. 22, 1894. 28. Transactions of the ASCE, "George Shattuck 18. Morison, G., "Suspension Bridges - A Study," Morison, ASCE Memoir," Vol. 54, June 1905. Transactions ASCE, Vol. XXXVI, December 1896.

19. Senate Document No. 96, 55th Congress, 2nd Session, "Viaduct Across Rock Creek, District of Columbia," 1897.

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