As Her Husband Was Observing the Construction from Afar, Emily Made
BrooklynBrooklyn BridgeBridge
►►Location:Location: ManhattanManhattan andand Brooklyn,Brooklyn, NewNew York,York, USAUSA ►►FirstFirst settlementsettlement inin BrooklynBrooklyn -- 16361636 byby DutchDutch FarmersFarmers ►►FirstFirst ferryferry betweenbetween BrooklynBrooklyn andand ManhattanManhattan -- 1642,1642, operatedoperated byby CorneliusCornelius DircksenDircksen,, aa rowrow boatboat ►►StateState LegislatureLegislature receivesreceives petitionpetition toto constructconstruct aa bridgebridge overover thethe EastEast RiverRiver -- 18021802 ►►NewNew YorkYork LegislatureLegislature considersconsiders aa billbill toto buildbuild aa bridgebridge overover thethe EastEast RiverRiver –– 18571857 BrooklynBrooklyn populationpopulation 18601860 -- 266,000266,000 BrooklynBrooklyn populationpopulation 18701870 -- 396,000396,000 -- 50%50% increase,increase, thethe fastestfastest growinggrowing citycity onon thethe countrycountry ►►BillBill passedpassed byby thethe NewNew YorkYork StateState LegislatureLegislature forfor constructionconstruction -- 18661866
Manhattan Bridge opens 1909
VitalVital StatisticsStatistics
►►TotalTotal length:length: 5,9895,989 feetfeet ►►LengthLength ofof mainmain span:span: 1,5951,595 feet,feet, 66 inchesinches ►►LengthLength ofof approach:approach: 971971 feetfeet (Brooklyn(Brooklyn approach)approach) 1,5621,562 feet,feet, 66 inchesinches (Manhattan(Manhattan approach)approach)
►►OverallOverall width:width: 8585 feetfeet ►►HeightHeight ofof towers:towers: 273273 feetfeet ►►DepthDepth ofof towertower foundationfoundation belowbelow highhigh waterwater mark:mark: BrooklynBrooklyn tower:tower: 4545 feetfeet ►►ManhattanManhattan tower:tower: 7878 feetfeet ►►SizeSize ofof towertower atat highhigh waterwater line:line: 140/59140/59 feetfeet ►►TotalTotal heightheight ofof towertower aboveabove highhigh water:water: 277277 feetfeet ►►ClearClear heightheight ofof bridgebridge inin centercenter ofof riverriver spanspan aboveabove highhigh water:water: 119119 feet,feet, 33 inchesinches ►►GradeGrade ofof roadway:roadway: 33 ¼¼ feetfeet inin 100100 feetfeet ►►FirstFirst toto JumpJump fromfrom Bridge:Bridge: MayMay 19,19, 18851885 R.E.R.E. OdlumOdlum (he(he dieddied fromfrom thethe jump)jump)
Plan of One Tower for the East River Bridge, 1867. From the National Archives.
DateDate workwork beganbegan onon BridgeBridge -- 22 JanuaryJanuary 1870,1870, clearingclearing thethe sitesite forfor thethe BrooklynBrooklyn TowerTower
Caisson details drawn by Roebling 80 feet into the earth
102 feet by 172, be built to a thickness The whole cavernous interior be lined of 22 feet of dense Southern pitch-pine with boiler iron, seamed air-tight, for its in timbers twelve inches square, laid in perfection as a diving-bell, and for solid courses crossing each other, protection against the danger of fire. fastened with powerful through-bolts ►►InitialInitial raterate ofof caissoncaisson excavationexcavation andand loweringlowering -- 66 inchesinches perper weekweek (DBS)(DBS) ►►WorkforceWorkforce onon BrooklynBrooklyn TowerTower -- 360360 (DBS)(DBS) ►►MaximumMaximum airair pressurepressure inin BrooklynBrooklyn CaissonCaisson -- 2323 psigpsig
►►TheThe caissoncaisson waswas placedplaced inin itsits berthberth inin October,October, 1871,1871, andand restedrested onon thethe rockrock inin May,May, 1872,1872, afterafter lessless thanthan oneone year'syear's workwork inin sinkingsinking itit toto itsits bed.bed.
►►TheThe BrooklynBrooklyn towertower waswas completedcompleted inin May,May, 1875,1875, andand thethe NewNew YorkYork towertower inin July,July, 1876.1876. Friday afternoon, August 25, 1876
Mr. E. F. Farrington, the master-mechanic
►►Wires,Wires, notnot twisted,twisted, butbut laidlaid parallel,parallel, andand boundbound togethertogether byby aa continuouscontinuous wrappingwrapping ofof wire.wire. ►►TheThe wireswires areare ofof sizesize No.No. 7,7, oror aa littlelittle overover oneone--eightheighth inchinch inin thickness;thickness; theythey numbernumber overover 50005000 inin eacheach cable,cable, andand makemake aa bundlebundle 1515¾¾ inchesinches thick.thick. The great steel cables, fifteen and three-quarter inches in diameter ►►EachEach cablecable containscontains nineteennineteen strandsstrands ofof 278278 wireswires each.each. ►►EachEach skeinskein isis aa continuouscontinuous wirewire almostalmost exactlyexactly oneone millionmillion feet,feet, oror nearlynearly 200200 miles,miles, inin length,length, passingpassing fromfrom anchorageanchorage toto anchorage,anchorage, backback andand forth,forth, 278278 times.times. ►►AfterAfter aa skeinskein isis fullyfully laidlaid inin positionposition (passing,(passing, ofof course,course, overover thethe topstops ofof thethe towers)towers) itit isis compressedcompressed toto aa cylindricalcylindrical formform atat everyevery pointpoint byby largelarge clampclamp tongs,tongs, andand tightlytightly boundbound withwith wirewire atat intervalsintervals ofof aboutabout fifteenfifteen inchesinches throughoutthroughout itsits length.length.
►►TheThe runningrunning andand regulatingregulating ofof thethe cablecable wireswires commencedcommenced JuneJune 11,11, 1877,1877, andand thethe lastlast wirewire waswas runrun overover OctoberOctober 15,15, 1878.1878. These plates measure 16½ by 17½ feet on the face, and are 21 feet thick at the centre. The weight of each plate is over 46,000 pounds.
The anchorages are solid cubical structures of stone masonry, measuring 119 by 132 feet at the base, and rising some 90 feet above high-water mark. Their weight is about 60,000 tons each, which is utilized to resist the pull of the cables. 1877 1877
► TheThe weightweight ofof thethe wholewhole suspendedsuspended structurestructure (central(central span),span), cablescables andand all,all, isis 67406740 tons,tons, andand thethe maximummaximum weightweight withwith whichwhich thethe bridgebridge cancan bebe crowdedcrowded byby freelyfreely movingmoving passengers,passengers, vehicles,vehicles, andand carscars isis estimatedestimated atat 13801380 tons,tons, makingmaking aa totaltotal weightweight borneborne byby thethe cablescables andand staysstays ofof 81208120 tons,tons, inin thethe proportionproportion ofof 69206920 tonstons byby thethe cablescables andand 11901190 tonstons byby thethe stays.stays. ► TheThe stressstress (or(or lengthwiselengthwise pull)pull) inin thethe cablescables duedue toto thethe loadload becomesbecomes aboutabout 11,70011,700 tons,tons, andand theirtheir ultimateultimate strengthstrength isis 49,20049,200 tons.tons. 1883 Opening ► BridgeBridge openedopened toto public:public: MayMay 24,24, 18831883 atat 2:002:00 PMPM ► TotalTotal ofof 150,300150,300 peoplepeople crossedcrossed openingopening day.day. ► PeoplePeople chargedcharged 11 centcent toto cross,cross, 33 centscents thereafterthereafter
► BoxBox officeoffice opensopens onon BrooklynBrooklyn sideside toto sellsell tolltoll ticketstickets -- 11:2011:20 PMPM (5/23)(5/23) ► NewNew YorkYork ticketticket officeoffice opensopens -- 11:3011:30 PMPM (5/23)(5/23) WorldWorld RecordRecord StatusStatus atat TimeTime ofof CompletionCompletion
►►FiftyFifty percentpercent longerlonger thanthan anyany suspensionsuspension bridgebridge (total(total length)length) ►►FirstFirst useuse ofof pneumaticpneumatic caissonscaissons ►►FirstFirst SteelSteel CableCable SuspensionSuspension BridgeBridge ►►BrooklynBrooklyn BridgeBridge Traffic:Traffic: -- 144,000144,000 VehicleVehicle CrossingsCrossings (average(average weekdayweekday inin 1998)1998)
►►ByBy comparison:comparison: QueensboroQueensboro BridgeBridge -- 192,000192,000 vehiclesvehicles WilliamsburgWilliamsburg BridgeBridge -- 110,000110,000 ManhattanManhattan BridgeBridge -- 78,00078,000
►►BridgeBridge openedopened toto vehicles:vehicles: MayMay 24,24, 18831883 atat 5:005:00 PMPM afterafter speechesspeeches atat openingopening ceremony.ceremony. ►►TotalTotal ofof 18001800 vehiclesvehicles crossedcrossed onon thethe firstfirst day.day. ►►VehiclesVehicles chargedcharged 55 centscents toto cross.cross. ►►FirstFirst PassengerPassenger TrainTrain overover bridge:bridge: SeptemberSeptember 18831883 ►►LastLast TrainTrain overover bridge:bridge: 19481948 1885 1890 1892 1896 1900 1900 1906 1915 1920
► TheThe bridgebridge waswas designeddesigned byby anan architecturalarchitectural firmfirm ownedowned byby JohnJohn AugustusAugustus RoeblingRoebling inin Trenton,Trenton, NewNew JerseyJersey.. Roebling and his firm had built smaller suspension bridges, such as the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge in Cincinnati, Ohio and the Waco Suspension Bridge in Waco, Texas, that served as the engineering prototypes for the final design. ►►JohnJohn A.A. RoeblingRoebling birthdatebirthdate -- JuneJune 12,12, 18061806 ►►JohnJohn A.A. RoeblingRoebling birthplacebirthplace -- MuehlhausenMuehlhausen,, ThuringiaThuringia (Prussia)(Prussia) ►►JohnJohn A.A. RoeblingRoebling educationeducation -- CivilCivil EngineeringEngineering RoyalRoyal PolytechnicPolytechnic InstituteInstitute ofof Berlin,Berlin, 18261826 ►►JohnJohn A.A. RoeblingRoebling immigratedimmigrated -- 18311831 (to(to PennsylvaniaPennsylvania intendingintending toto bebe aa farmer)farmer) ►►InIn thethe summersummer ofof 1869,1869, whilewhile engagedengaged inin fixingfixing thethe locationlocation ofof thethe BrooklynBrooklyn tower,tower, aa ferryferry--boatboat enteringentering thethe slipslip thrustthrust thethe timberstimbers onon whichwhich bebe stoodstood inin suchsuch aa mannermanner asas toto catchcatch andand crushcrush hishis foot.foot. ►►TheThe injuryinjury resultedresulted inin locklock--jaw,jaw, hehe dieddied ofof tetanustetanus （破傷風）（破傷風） sixteensixteen daysdays after.after. ►►HowHow toughtough waswas JohnJohn RoeblingRoebling?? -- DeclinedDeclined anastheticanasthetic forfor thethe amputationamputation ofof hishis toestoes crushedcrushed inin thethe 99 JulyJuly 18691869 accident.accident. ►►JohnJohn A.A. Roebling'sRoebling's AgeAge atat DeathDeath -- 6363 ►►18061806 -- BornBorn inin MuhlhausenMuhlhausen,, Prussia.Prussia. ►►18261826 -- GraduatesGraduates fromfrom RoyalRoyal PolytechnicPolytechnic SchoolSchool ofof BerlinBerlin (Civil(Civil Engineer).Engineer). ►►18311831 -- ArrivesArrives inin U.S.;U.S.; EstablishesEstablishes utopianutopian farmingfarming community,community, ButlerButler Co.,Co., Pa.Pa. ►►18361836 -- MarriesMarries JohannaJohanna HertingHerting.. ►►18371837 -- FarmingFarming communitycommunity fails;fails; worksworks asas aa surveyor.surveyor. ►►18421842 -- FirstFirst successfulsuccessful useuse ofof Roebling'sRoebling's wirewire rope:rope: AlleghenyAllegheny PortagePortage RRRR.. ►►18451845 -- CompletesCompletes firstfirst suspensionsuspension bridge:bridge: AlleghenyAllegheny AqueductAqueduct forfor MainMain LineLine CanalCanal inin PittsburghPittsburgh (removed(removed 1861).1861). ►►18461846 -- SmithfieldSmithfield StreetStreet Bridge,Bridge, PittsburghPittsburgh (( replacedreplaced 18831883).). ►►18471847——18511851 -- BuildsBuilds fourfour D&HD&H CanalCanal aqueductsaqueducts (three(three removedremoved afterafter 1898).1898). ► 1850 - Founds wire rope factory in Trenton. ► 1855 - Bridge at Niagara Falls (removed 1897). ► 1860 - Sixth Street Bridge, Pittsburgh (removed 1893). ► 1867 - Cincinnati Bridge completed. Begins plans for Brooklyn Bridge. ► 1869 - Dies of tetanus from accident at Brooklyn Bridge site. Son, Washington Roebling, carries on John Roebling's work. ► 1883 - Brooklyn Bridge completed under the direction of Washington Roebling and his wife Emily. ► HisHis son,son, WashingtonWashington,, succeededsucceeded him,him, butbut waswas strickenstricken withwith caissoncaisson diseasedisease ((decompressiondecompression sicknesssickness),), duedue toto workingworking inin compressedcompressed airair withwith thethe sandhogssandhogs,, andand waswas onlyonly capablecapable ofof limitedlimited speechspeech oror movement.movement. ► DateDate W.RoeblingW.Roebling isis strickenstricken byby caissoncaisson disease,disease, becomingbecoming anan invalidinvalid -- EarlyEarly summersummer 18721872 ► Washington'sWashington's wife,wife, EmilyEmily WarrenWarren RoeblingRoebling,, trainedtrained herselfherself inin engineeringengineering soso sheshe couldcould communicatecommunicate hishis wisheswishes toto thethe builders.builders. ► WashingtonWashington RoeblingRoebling waswas unableunable toto leaveleave hishis homehome andand watchedwatched thethe constructionconstruction throughthrough aa telescope.telescope. ► WhenWhen thethe bridgebridge openedopened sheshe waswas alsoalso thethe firstfirst personperson toto crosscross it.it. ► EmilyEmily WarrenWarren RoeblingRoebling ((18431843 –– 19031903)) ► HerHer husbandhusband WashingtonWashington RoeblingRoebling waswas struckstruck downdown withwith caissoncaisson diseasedisease ((decompressiondecompression sicknesssickness)) duringduring thethe works.works. ► EmilyEmily RoeblingRoebling thenthen becamebecame aa constantconstant advocateadvocate ofof herher husbandhusband andand becamebecame hishis spokesman.spokesman. ► SheShe taughttaught herselfherself civilcivil engineeringengineering andand directeddirected muchmuch ofof thethe workwork duringduring thethe finalfinal stagesstages ofof thethe buildingbuilding ofof thethe bridge.bridge. but I had but I had
my wife, a my wife, a
wisest counsel. wisest counsel.
WASHINGTON ROEBLING WASHINGTON ROEBLING
-- --
a strong tower to lean upon, a strong tower to lean upon, woman of infinite tact and woman of infinite tact and
At first I thought would succumb, At first I thought would succumb, ► Emily Warren Roebling was born in 1843, in a small town called Cold Springs. She was the second youngest of twelve Warren children. However, only six of the twelve children survived past childhood. The Warren family was one of the prominent families in the county. ► Cold Springs is in the upper Hudson Valley and is near the river. Because of this she knew the way of a life based upon a river and was very familiar with the Hudson itself. The town of Cold Springs was not a rich town in itself and the Warrens were not wealthy people. However, they were considered to be people of high social standing. The town was mostly made up of people who were distinguished artists and literary writers. This was the society in which Emily was raised. ► On January 18, 1865, Emily got married to Washington Roebling in a small brick church on Main Street. His love for her is shown in his description of her found in a letter to his sister:
"I"I wouldwould sendsend youyou aa littlelittle tintyptintyp aa horridhorrid picture,picture, notnot doingdoing aa partpart people'speople's beautybeauty lieslies notnot inin thethe featuresfeatures butbut inin thethe variedvaried expreexpre thatthat thethe countenancecountenance willwill assumeassume teeth,teeth,….. She Shenono dimplesdimplesisis darkdark inin herher cheeks,cheeks, likelike LauraLaura thethe cornerscorners ofof thethe mm etcetc e [of Emily] if it didn't happe supplysupply that,that, andand aa mostmost entertainingentertaininge [of Emily] talker,talker, if it didn'twhichwhich happeisis aa mightymighty gg --brownbrown eyed,eyed, slightlyslightly pugpug thingthing youyou know,know, II myselfmyself beingbeing icleiclesoso stupid. stupid.ofof justnessjustness SheShe isistoto a a thethe littlelittle subjecsubjec aboveabove sizesize andand hashas aa mostmost lovelylovely complexioncomplexion…"" (McCullough,(McCullough, 454)454) underunder thethe variousvarious emotions,emotions,nn toto bebe etcetcsuchsuch --nosed,nosed, lovelylovely mouthmouth andand t.t. SomeSome ssionssion outhouth.,., oodood mediummedium TheThe MainMain TasksTasks
► AsAs herher husbandhusband waswas observingobserving thethe constructionconstruction fromfrom afar,afar, EmilyEmily mademade inspectioninspection visitsvisits toto thethe BrooklynBrooklyn BridgeBridge everyday.everyday. As time progressed, the number of jobs and tasks Emily Roebling took on increased. She soon began taking her husband’s visitors - answering the questions of the bridge officials, representatives and contractors. ► ItIt isis saidsaid thatthat sheshe answeredanswered theirtheir questionsquestions soso wellwell thatthat manymany ofof thesethese businessmenbusinessmen believedbelieved thatthat sheshe waswas thethe ChiefChief Engineer.Engineer. ►►OtherOther taskstasks thatthat EmilyEmily oftenoften completedcompleted included:included: KeepingKeeping allall thethe records;records; AnsweringAnswering WashingtonWashington RoeblingRoebling’’ss mail;mail; DeliveringDelivering messagesmessages andand requestsrequests toto thethe bridgebridge office;office; RepresentingRepresenting WashingtonWashington atat socialsocial functions.functions. Emily'sEmily's MonumentalMonumental AccomplishmentAccomplishment
► OneOne ofof thethe thingsthings EmilyEmily RoeblingRoebling isis mostmost famousfamous forfor stemmedstemmed fromfrom representingrepresenting herher husbandhusband atat oneone ofof thesethese socialsocial gatherings.gatherings. ► EmilyEmily RoeblingRoebling waswas thethe firstfirst womanwoman toto everever addressaddress thethe AmericanAmerican SocietySociety ofof CivilCivil Engineers.Engineers. ► EmilyEmily spokespoke atat thisthis meetingmeeting toto defenddefend herher husbandhusband afterafter questionsquestions arosearose ofof hishis abilityability toto headhead thethe BrooklynBrooklyn BridgeBridge project.project. ► TheseThese questionsquestions werewere causedcaused byby anan increaseincrease inin thethe estimatedestimated costcost andand timetime requiredrequired toto completecomplete thethe project.project. s] English, which may have been the case. s] English, which may have been the case. ’ ’
husband husband But by and it was common gossip that hers But by and it was common gossip that hers was the real mind behind great work and that was the real mind behind great work and that this, the most monumental engineering triumph of this, the most monumental engineering triumph of the age, was actually doing of a woman, which the age, was actually doing of a woman, which as a general proposition was taken in some as a general proposition was taken in some quarters to be both preposterous and calamitous. quarters to be both preposterous and calamitous. In truth she had by then a thorough grasp of the In truth she had by then a thorough grasp of the engineering involved. She had a quick and engineering involved. She had a quick and retentive mind, a natural gift for mathematics, and retentive mind, a natural gift for mathematics, and she had been a diligent student during the long she had been a diligent student during the long years he had been incapacitated" years he had been incapacitated"
"At first she was credited only with brushing up [her "At first she was credited only with brushing up [her ►►AlthoughAlthough nevernever planningplanning onon beingbeing anan engineer,engineer, EmilyEmily RoeblingRoebling accomplishedaccomplished whatwhat waswas aa hugehuge engineeringengineering featfeat atat thethe time.time. ►►ThroughoutThroughout herher workwork onon thethe BrooklynBrooklyn Bridge,Bridge, sheshe mademade manymany advancesadvances forfor womenwomen engineers.engineers. ►►EmilyEmily laterlater dieddied inin 19031903 atat thethe ageage ofof 60.60.