George WG Ferris

George WG Ferris

GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS notable structural engineers George W.G. Ferris, Jr. Mr. Ferris Wheel ® By Richard G. Weingardt, P.E. In reporting on a the latest batch of 500-feet-plus tall Ferris wheels being built around the globe, the headline for an article in the March 2008 issue of Popular Mechanics read, “Big-Money Race for World’s Tallest Ferris Wheels Heats Up.” The author of the article, Erin McCarthy, reported, “When it comes to status symbols, nothing beats a circle. There is a global race to create the biggest Ferris wheel, and while these attractions are built for fun, the stakes are serious. These wheels have almost replaced the skyscraper as icons.” The race to erect the largest observation wheel began in America 115 years ago at the World’s Fair in Chicago, and the individual behind it all was a daring young engineer from western Nevada – George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. Copyright George W.G. Ferris, Jr. at age 34. Courtesy of Douglas County Historic Society. the creator of one of the 19th century’s most imaginative lthough much has been written about inventions, the young U.S. Athe Ferris Wheel, little is widely known civil/structural engineer ex- about its creator. In commemorating the perienced world recognition 150th anniversary of his birth, ASCE Press while still in his early 30s. is publishing a new book about his life and A partner in one of Ferris’s times that will hopefully correct that – Circles two engineering firms, Gustav in the Sky (written by this author). It reveals Kaufman, said of Ferris, “He many secrets about Ferris and delves into his was eminently engaging and The 45-ton axle of the Ferris Wheel, the largest piece of steel ever personal and engineering life, where he came social, an entertaining story- forged at the time. Courtesy of Douglas County Historical Society. from and how he came to develop the great- teller who often amused est wheel ever built – and how, in the end, his friends with anecdotes. it consumed him. The following is excerpted He was an optimist, always from the book. magazinebright, hopeful and full of Tall, handsome and dashing, Ferris was an anticipation of good results imposingS figure, a legendT in his ownR time. He fromU all the ventures Che had T U R E commanded attention wherever he went long at hand, convinced that he before he became an international figure. As would ultimately overcome any troubles. These feelings he could always impart to whomever he addressed in a most wonderful degree, and therein lay the key to his success. Even in the darkest times, he was ever looking for View through the Ferris Wheel’s structural framework, overlooking the sunshine to come.” the surrounding countryside. Passengers were able to experience Carl Snyder, a reporter with panoramas never before imagined from the Wheel. Courtesy of The Review of Reviews: An Douglas County Historic Society. International Magazine, interviewed Ferris died on November 22, 1896, of typhoid fever in the early 1890s and stated, “He greets you and other complications. easily, his demeanor is quiet, his tones low. For George Ferris was born on a farm in a Western man, he is rather fastidious in his Galesburg, Illinois, on February 14, 1859, dress. Perhaps his most notable characteristic the youngest son of George, Sr. and Martha is his steel blue eyes of remarkable depth and (Hyde) Ferris. Young George had eight clarity. After listening to his easy, unaffected siblings – four brothers and four sisters, the talk, brilliant without effort for an hour, one youngest Mame, two years younger than he. feels he is in the presence of a man destined When George was five, his father, a relatively to play an important role in the industrial wealthy farmer, moved the family to Nevada and mechanical advancement of his country.” – the Wild West – during the summer of Ferris Wheel at Chicago World’s Fair, 1893. Unfortunately, Ferris’s career was cut short, 1864 while the Civil War was at its zenith. Courtesy of Douglas County Historic Society. long before his full potential was reached. He There he bought an expansive ranch along STRUCTURE magazine 50 September 2008 After graduating from RPI in 1881, with a degree in civil engineering, Ferris went to work for a consult- ing engineering and construction firm headquartered in New York APPROVAL City (NYC) – General James Ledlie’s ® company. Ledlie had played a major role in the construction of the Union FOR YOUR Pacific section of the transcontinental railroad and was prominent in railroad circles. While with Ledlie, Ferris worked on bridges, tunnels and railroad trestles throughout West Virginia. In 1883, Ferris secured a position as assistant engineer with the CopyrightLouisville Bridge and Iron Company in Louisville, Kentucky, to work on the design and construction of the ? Henderson Bridge. It was a tall, Ferris Wheel at night, illuminated with 27,995-foot-long structure crossing 3,000 incandescent lights. Courtesy of POOR QUALITY? UNDERSTAFFED? the Ohio River between Evansville, Indiana, ! Douglas County Historic Society. and Henderson, Kentucky. The $2 million, LOOMING DEADLINES? LOOMING record-setting bridge’s longest clear span was – For Advertiser ADVERTISEMENT Information, visit the Carson River next to the imposing Sierra 525 feet, which made it the longest trestle Nevada Mountains and near Carson City, span in the world at the time. NEED TO INCREASE PROFITS? soon to be named the state capital. Once the Henderson was completed in Young Ferris grew up on the family ranch; early 1885, Ferris relocated to Pittsburgh, happy and carefree with plenty of time and Pennsylvania, where the 26-year-old found- VISITSITE! OR WEB CALL OUR A G.E.T. GIVE open space to roam, ride horses, hunt and fish. ed G.W.G. Ferris and Company, a steel in- It is rumored that he developed his inspiration spection and consulting engineering firm. for the Ferris Wheel during these idyllic years. The following year, he married Margaret He was fascinated by – and spent countless Ann Beatty of Canton, Ohio. They would hours observing – the large water wheel at never have children. www. Cradlebaugh Bridge over the Carson Rivermagazine on One year later, he founded another engi- STRUCTURE a nearby ranch, imagining what it would feel neering company with old RPI pal Gustav likeS to ride such a movingT structure. R KaufmanU – Ferris, CKaufman and CompanyT U R Emag.org The Ferrises moved into Carson City in (FKC) – mainly to design bridges and sup- 1868, when George was nine. By then, the plement the services of G.W. Ferris and 502-589-2240 FAX: PHONE: 502-589-0149 PHONE: U.S. transcontinental railroad was well on its Company. Among FKC’s main projects were way to connecting the country from east to the Ninth Street Bridge over the Allegheny west, and many young Americans, including River in Pittsburgh and the Central Bridge Ferris, dreamed of how exciting it would be over the Ohio River between Cincinnati, to become a railroad engineer. After receiving Ohio, and Newport, Kentucky. Both were his early education in Carson City schools, record-setting bridges when opened. 14-year-old George left home to attend the By the early 1890s, Ferris had major WWW.GLOBALENGTECH.COM California Military Academy in Oakland. offices in NYC, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and By then, he had decided to become an Chicago, Illinois. Chicago had secured the engineer – and when he graduated in the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (Fair), spring of 1876, 17-year-old Ferris had set his and Ferris and many of his colleagues were 304 WEST LIBERTY STREET, SUITE 421 LIBERTY SUITE WEST 304 STREET, 40202 KENTUCKY LOUISVILLE, GLOBAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES, LLP sights high. He planned to attend Rensselaer involved in testing and inspecting structural Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York, steel for the massive buildings planned for Thank you for reviewing this ad proof for the upcoming issue of STRUCTURE® Magazine. the most respected and prestigious private the event. Many considered the architectural IT. DRAFT WE IT. DESIGN YOU To ensure that the proper advertisement for your company is run, please print out this engineering college in the nation. While designs for these structures to be outstanding. document, fi ll out the information below and fax it to us at: 608-524-4432. there, his willingness to take on challenges and All of their facades were white stucco, which accept difficult assignments was manifested, resulted in the complex of buildings being DRAWING Yes, the ad looks fi ne. both in the classroom and on the sports field. labeled the “White City.” Said RPI Professor Larry Feeser, “Ferris had The organizers for the Fair, however, were not No, we require the following changes: an admired reputation for invariably winning impressed with the event’s facilities. They ex- footraces and being able to throw a ball far- pressed great disappointment that American ther then anyone on campus.” engineers had not come up with anything 024 OF 102 If we recieve no fax within 48 hours of this email, we will assume that there is no change necessary and will run the ad as presented here. Thank you for your assistance. STRUCTURE magazine 51 September 2008 Inside_Cover_Outside_Cover_Perfe1 1 5/7/2008 2:17:31 PM “novel and original” to equal the Paris Exposition’s Eiffel Tower of 1889. Architect Daniel H. Burnham, head of the Fair com- mittee and in charge of selecting its showcase projects, complained at an engineers’ banquet in 1891 that although American architects had come up with great designs, nothing that ® the nation’s engineers had proposed would “meet the expectations of the people.” He said that what was needed was something to out- Eiffel Gustav Eiffel.

View Full Text

Details

  • File Type
    pdf
  • Upload Time
    -
  • Content Languages
    English
  • Upload User
    Anonymous/Not logged-in
  • File Pages
    4 Page
  • File Size
    -

Download

Channel Download Status
Express Download Enable

Copyright

We respect the copyrights and intellectual property rights of all users. All uploaded documents are either original works of the uploader or authorized works of the rightful owners.

  • Not to be reproduced or distributed without explicit permission.
  • Not used for commercial purposes outside of approved use cases.
  • Not used to infringe on the rights of the original creators.
  • If you believe any content infringes your copyright, please contact us immediately.

Support

For help with questions, suggestions, or problems, please contact us