50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
1883 - 1933
Pamphlet honoring the 50th Anniversary of the Brooklyn Bridge |
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Foreword The Brooklyn Bridge was formally opened to the public on May 24, 1883, and 50 years later on May 24, 1933, it is appropiate that special observance be made of that event. An historical account has been prepared, so that the public may know the difficulties that the sponsors of this project had to surmount in order to make this bridge a reality. The construction of this bridge involved the solving of the greatest engineering problems up to that time. The work of the engineers would have been impossible had it not been for the public spirited men of vision in the cities of New York and Brooklyn who could foresee the great advantages of such a bridge, and gave it their hearty support. At the present time the bridges over the East River and the tunnels for rapid transit under the river afford easy and quick means of crossing and one cannot readily visualize the conditions existing before this bridge was built, when the only means of crossing the river was by ferry or other water craft. For many years there was considerable agitation and discussion for a bridge which would afford a safe, comfortable and expeditious method of travel between the two important cities. On account of the magnitude and cost of such a bridge the enterprise seemed for a long time unattainable. A company was formed however in 1867 to construct the bridge, which company employed JOHN A. ROEBLING, an engineer who had built the longest suspension bridge ever constructed up to that time, and with the financial help of the public in the two cities the construction of the bridge was begun. Later the building of the bridge was taken over entirely by the two cities and the bridge was successfully completed in 1883. The attached narrative contains information regarding the promotion, the construction and the operation of the bridge, and how the growth in population together with property development was affected by the con- struction of the bridge. Chronological Narrative of Brooklyn Bridge The construction of a bridge over East River, connecting New York and Brooklyn, which was a fascinating and intriguing problem for so long to engi- neers and the general public, was suggested as early as the first part of the 19th century. However, engineering science had not been developed sufficiently at that time for designing a structure of the required length of span capable of accomodating traffic between the two cities. About 1840 considerable public attention was given to the subject but as no definite steps were taken, interest in the affair waned. The public zeal was revived, however, in 1857, when JOHN A. ROEBLING, who had completed a suspension bridge over Niagara River in 1854, sent a letter dated June 19, 1857, to ABRAM S. HEWITT, suggesting the feasibility of a bridge between the two cities, so constructed as to preserve unimpaired the freedom of navigation. MR. HEWITT was associated with PETER COOPER in the iron business and they had a rolling mill at Trenton, N. J. in which city was located MR. ROEBLING'S wire cable plant. MR. HEWITT, who was one of the speakers at the bridge opening ceremonies, stated in his address that he had MR. ROEBLING'S letter printed in the New York Journal of Commerce where it attracted great attention because it came from an engineer who had already demonstrated by successfully building suspension bridges that he spoke with the voice of experience and authority". Following the agitation in 1857, no immediate progress was made and the intervention of the Civil War necessarily diverted the activities and attention of the people to that conflict. After that war, interest in the project was revived. The officials of the two cities did not take any determined initiative for the construction of a bridge although they were enthusiastic over the demands for it. A group of citizens in the City of Brooklyn proceeded with the necessary and requisite steps to have the enterprise started and a tablet evi- dencing this fact was formerly located in a house situated in what is now Owl's Head Park, Brooklyn. This tablet reads as follows : |
 is now Owl's Head Park, Brooklyn. | "At a conference held in this room on the 21st day of December, A. D., 1866, between HENRY A. MURPHY, WILLIAM A. KINGSLEY and ALEXANDER McCUE, an agreement was reached which resulted in the passage of an Act by the Legislature of the State of New York on April 16, 1867, providing for the construction of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge". |
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A strong impetus was given the project by the ice conditions in the East River in the winter of 1866-1867, when the river was so choked with ice as to render transportation at times nearly helpless. A popular and vehement demand for the immediate construction of the bridge arose and the newspapers took up the subject with fervor. With public opinion behind him, MR. MURPHY who was a State Senator and who had been formerly Mayor of Brooklyn, devised the legislation which resulted in tbe passage on April 16, 1867, of Chapter 399 of the State Laws entitled "An act to incorporate the New York Bridge Company, for the purpose of constructing and maintaining a bridge over the East River, between the cities of New York and Brooklyn". The first meeting of the incorporators of the Company was held on May 13, 1867. At the second meeting held on May 16, 1867, HENRY C. MURPHY was elected President and three committees were appointed: Committee on By-Laws, a temporary Finance Committee and Committee on Plans and Surveys. The Committee on Plans and Surveys selected JOHN A. ROEBLING as the Chief Engineer of the proposed bridge, his appointment to take effect May 23, 1867. MR. ROEBLING at this time was nearly 61 years old. The Committee reported that it was guided in its choice of MR. ROEBLING by the consideration that the construction of a suspension bridge of a magnitude unprecedented in the previous history of such works, demanded the greatest experience and developed ability .on the' subject that could be obtained. On inquiry and after conferring with others, the Committee was satisfied that the constructor of the Niagara River Suspension Bridge and of the Ohio River Suspension Bridge at Cincinnati was that person. The Niagara River Bridge, main span 825 feet, was completed in 1854 and the Ohio River Bridge, main span 1057 feet, was completed in 1867. The Committee stated that confidence on the part of the public and of those whose money was to be invested in the undertaking would best be insured by employing the engineer who had achieved the most successful results and who was thus most likely to accomplish this great enterprise. MR. ROEBLING proceeded to make the necessary surveys and prepared plans and estimates of cost. Three routes were reported on by MR. ROEBLING, namely, the City Hall Park Line or route, the Chatham Square route and the Bowery-Canal Street route. He recommended the City Hall Park Line because it would command the uptown travel and the greater portion of the downtown travel and thus do a full and remunerative business at the outset, in competition with the ferries. MR. ROEBLING also mentioned that if a first bridge were built the erection of a second one and third one would follow sooner or later. The second one, he suggested, would connect to Williamsburg in Long Island and a proper route for the third one would be across Blackwell's Island (now called Welfare Island). The first bridge, if built on the City Hall Park Line, would not lose as much traffic when the second bridge were built as if the first bridge were located farther north. The estimated cost of the bridge was given as $7,000,000, exclusive of the cost of land for the approaches. The Committee on Plans and Surveys on October 19, 1867, submitted to the Board of Directors of the bridge company its report including the report of MR. ROEBLING. The Committee recommended for adoption the route with the City Hall Park Terminus in New York ; and in regard to the structural plan of the bridge submitted by MR. ROEBLING, recommended its adoption subject to such modifications as further study or other circumstances might prove to be advisable. The Committee further recommended the immediate commencenent of the work and that a committee be appointed to take the necessary steps to raise the capital from the public, capitalists and the cities of New York and Brooklyn. Under the provisions of Chapter 399, of the Laws of 1867, the cities of New York and Brooklyn were authorized to subscribe to the capital stock of the bridge company. The Board of Directors on October 24, 1867, authorized the Chairman to appoint a Committee of Ways and Means and an Executive Committee. At the third meeting of the incorporators of the bridge company held January 12, 1869, the Executive Committee reported that soundings had been made and that the City of Brooklyn had subscribed for stock to the amount of $3,000,000, and the City of N ew York had subscribed to stock to the amount of $1,500,000, conditioned upon ach city having three representatives on the Board of Directors of the company. The reason for the larger bscription on the part of Brooklyn was that the bridge would be more beneficial to Brooklyn than to New York. By Chapter 26, of the State Laws, passed February 20, 1869, the act of 1867 to incorporate: the New York Bridge Company was amended to provide for representatives of each city on the Board of Directors of the bridge company. Of the total capital stock of the bridge company nsisting of 50,000 shares of the par value of $100 each, the City of Brooklyn took stock to the amount of $3,000,000, the City of New York took stock to the amount of $1,500,000, and individuals took stock to the amount of $500,000. The stock was paid for in installments. An act was passed by the Congress of the United States and approverd March 3, 1869, to establish the bridge when completed as a lawful structure and post road. It was provided in this act that the bridge should not obstruct, impair or injuriously modify the navigation of the river, and the plan and location of the bridge should be submitted to the Secretary of War for his approval. A commission of engineers was authorized in January, 1869, by the bridge company, at the request of MR. ROEBLING, to review the plans, as he considered that it was right and proper that his plans should be subjected to careful scrutiny by a board of experienced engineers in order that, if the plans received their approval, the enterprise would stand before the public sustained by their professional judgment and not solely on the judg- ment of one engineer. Seven of the most eminent engi- neers of the profession were invited by MR. ROEBLING to sit in judgment upon his work. Meetings were held, commencing in March, 1869, in which this Board of Con- sulting Engineers of mature experience discussed the project from every angle, and studied the subjects of the foundations, towers, anchorages, cables, superstructures, approaches and modes of steam propulsion for the railway on the bridge. At the second meeting of the Board of Consulting Engineers, MR. ROEBLING expressed the view that its action upon his plans was very important, that the public was not a believer in the project and that men like HORACE GREELEY and MAYOR KALBFLEISCH, of Brooklyn, had doubts about the success of the venture, especially the great length of the span which staggered them. An inspection trip was made to Cincinnati and Niagara Falls to view the suspension bridges there erected by MR. ROEBLING and an opportunity was thus afforded the members of the Board to see the appearance of the new bridge when built, although on a smaller scale, and in this way to bear out MR. ROEBLING's contention that the principle of the design embodied in these bridges could be applied to a span of 1600 feet. After two months of consideration of the matters submitted to the members of the Board, during which many meetings were held and in which MR. ROEBLING explained his work in detail, a report was issued in May, 1869, unanimously concurred in by all members "that it is beyond, doubt entirely practicable to erect a steel wire suspension bridge of 1600 feet span, 135 feet elevation, across the East River, in accordance with the plans of MR. ROEBLING and that such structure will have all the strength and durability that should attend the permanent "connection by a bridge of the cities of New York and Brooklyn". The fact that a public work of such magnitude was so unanimously approved by recognized experts, in the face of possible professional jealousy, if not the mere desire to display the possession of a critical faculty, bore out the remarkable manner in which MR. ROEBLING was able to convince all of the thoroughness of his design and its practicability, and seemed to melt the frozen opposition of the skeptics. The Board of Consulting Engineers consisted of MESSRS. HORATIO ALLEN, Chairman, BENJ. H. LATROBE, WM. J. McALPIN, JOHN J. SERRELLI, JAMES P. KIRKWOOD, J. SUTTON STEELE, and JULIUS W. ADAMS, the latter having previously severely criticized the design as unsound. A commission, consisting of three Army engineers which had been appointed by the United States Wal Department to report upon the bridge in regard to itf being an obstruction to navigation, as well as upon the general feasibility of the project, submitted, on May 22 1869, its report to the Chief of Engineers of the U.S. Army. This commission recommended an increase of five feet, from 130 feet to 135 feet, in the clear height of the bridge and stated that there was no doubt of the entire practicability of the structure nor of its stability when completed. A communication dated June 21, 1869 was received by the bridge company from BRIGADIER GENERAL A. A. HUMPHREYS, Chief of Engineers of the U. S. Army, stating that the SECRETARY OF WAR, JOHN A. RAWLINS, had approved the plan and location of thE bridge at the increased clear height. In order to avoid an increase of grade due to the change in height and also to save an increase in the amount of masonry in the towers and approaches, it was determined to obtain the greater height by changing the plan of the superstructure so that the trusses would be above the floor instead of partly above and partly below the floor as was contemplated in the original design. John Roebling Dies The plans for the bridge having been accepted and approved, MR. ROEBLING, who had now won the confidence and hearty support of the public, felt justified in proceeding with the construction work. On June 28, 1869, when he was making surveys on the Brooklyn front of the river, a boat coming up to the bulkhead caused his right foot to be caught between the timbering, crushing his toes. He was taken to the house occupied by his son, COLONEL WASHINGTON A. ROEBLING, who was associated with him in the bridge work and who was then living at 137 Hicks Street, Brooklyn. At first his condition was not considered serious, but later tetanus developed with fatal effect and he died on July 22, 1869, at the age of 63 years. MR. ROEBLING'S death was a distinct shock to all who knew him or knew of him and the editorials appearing in the New York and Brooklyn newspapers and many trade and scientific journals all lauded his achievements as an engineer and expressed the sense of loss which the community and the country had suffered. In a tribute to his genius CHAS. B. STUART, one of his biographers, sums up his character: "One of his strongest moral traits was his power of will, not a will that was stubborn, but a certain spirit, tenacity of purpose, and confident reliance upon self, that was free of conceit; an instinctive faith in the resources of his art that no force of circumstance could divert him from carrying into effect a project once matured in his mind. His skill as an engineer was not surpassed by his exact probity. He held it to be the duty of an engineer, when charged with the designs of public works, to report previous to their execution fairly, accurately and candidly, and that honesty of design and execution; next to knowledge and experience, most surely guarantees professional reputation. Before entering upon any important work, he always demonstrated to the most minute detail its practicability, to his own mind at least, by scientific experiment and critical test; and when his own judgment was assured, no opposition, sarcasm, or pretended experience, could divert him from consummating his designs, and in his own way." HAMILTON SCHUYLER in his book "The Roeblings" states that one competent to speak of MR. ROEBLING's career and achievements wrote: "JOHN A. ROEBLING came to America a stranger to its life and customs, without influential friends, and with little capital other than character, energy and courage. He met a condition arising from the growth of his adopted country, proposing to carry new highways across rivers upon bridges, the like of which had not been known before. "There arose about him a chorus of protest, voiced by engineers more eminent than he, who denounced his plan as visionary and impracticable. With courage undaunted, a persistence not be to repelled, he insisted that he had discovered a principle of mechanics worthy of acceptance, and silenced his critics by building those great bridges which stand as beautiful and imposing monuments to his memory. " Washington Roebling Takes Charge The death of JOHN A. ROEBLING necessitated the immediate appointment of a successor, and his son COLONEL WASHINGTON A. ROEBLING was appointed Chief Engineer on August 3, 1869. The son had, for years shared in his father's professional confidences and activities, and he did not therefore succeed the father by inheritance merely. COLONEL ROEBLING had received a technical training at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Insti- tute at Troy, New York, from which he was graduated in 1857 as a Civil Engineer, and had been well grounded in the science of design and construction of bridges by his work with his father. As a matter of fact, the elder ROEBLING, according to his own statement, would not have undertaken the conduct of this work at his age if it were not for the fact that he had a son who was entirely capable of building this bridge. However, the main designs were practically completed before the elder ROEBLING met his untimely death and it was left to the son to carryon the work so sadly interrupted. On August 3, 1869, the subscriptions to the capital stock of the New York Bridge Company were filled and the Board of Directors, led by its President, HENRY C. MURPHY, who had helped so much in the accomplishment of the great task of the birth and organization of the Company, was now ready to proceed with actual construction of the bridge. On October 14, 1869, WILLIAM C. KINGSLEY was appointed General Superintendent of the work. He had been active in promoting the project and had given unsparingly of his time and energy to aid in having the bridge started. Just as the inception and leading features of the work were due to the genius of JOHN A. ROEBLING, so was the enormous labor connected with the preliminary legislation and organization credited to the effort of MR. KINGSLEY; and, as he had staked a large part of his personal funds in the success of the enterprise, he was therefore greatly interested in its management. Cassions Begin On October 25, 1869, in pursuance to a resolution of the Board of Directors, a contract for building the timber caisson for the Brooklyn tower was awarded to WEBB and BELL and work on this contract began immediately. This was the first construction work done upon the bridge. The caisson with a length of 168 feet and a width of 102 feet, the largest ever constructed up to that time, was towed to the tower site on May 3, 1870. Building of the caisson for the New York tower was commenced in October, 1870. This caisson was also built by WEBB and BELL and was 172 feet long by 102 feet wide. The sinking of the caissons for the tower foundations entailed many dangers and hazards which had to be guarded against by men employed on this portion of the work. The caisson for each foundation was a large inverted vessel or pan, resting bottom upward, with strong sides, into which air was forced under a sufficient pressure to drive out the water. It was necessary to increase the air pressure as the work in sinking the caissons progressed to a suitable and satisfactory bearing strata, previously determined upon by test borings. The men working in the air chambers of the caissons in removing the excavated material, were required to be of sound physical make-up to withstand the effects of confinement under pressure greater than atmospheric. Every precaution in avoiding violent exertion, excessive hard work and climbing of ladders was recommended to reduce the possibilities of contracting the "caisson disease" which to the persons affected, exhibited symptoms of nervousness and excitement, inciting excessive action of the heart and thus accelerating the general tendency to paralysis. Shorter working periods were adopted to reduce the exposure of the men to the greater pressure of the corn pressed air. In addition to the effects of compressed air upon the person of the workers which was ever present in the caissons, the danger from fire to the timber caissons had to be considered, since the method utilized in providing illumination for the men was to burn gas, supplied by the local gas companies, and candles. Several fires, one of serious proportion wherein the assistance of the Fire Department was required, were discovered in the Brooklyn caisson and by the heroic efforts of those working in the air chamber, including COL. ROEBLING, these serious threats to the structure were extinguished. Exceptional care had to be exercised to avoid future occurrences of this type and the duty developed upon the men working in the caissons to guard against danger from this source. During the days and nights that the work was going on within the caissons under the bed of the East River, COL. ROEBLING devoted nearly all his time directing the efforts of his men in the accomplishment of the task, remindful always of the fact that any slip, no matter how trivial, at this stage of the work, might prove to be disastrous. He spent more, hours in the compressed air of the caissons than anyone else, wore out his strength and one afternoon inthe spring of 1872, he was brought up out of the New York caisson nearly insensible, having an attack of "caisson disease", which had proved fatal to several of the workmen. For many weary years, this man, who was full of life and hope and daring at the inception of the work, was an invalid, confined to his home. Although his nervous system was shattered, his mind was not affected, indeed, his intellect appeared to be quickened, for realizing how incomplete the plans and instructions for the completion of the bridge were at that time, and fearful that he might not live to finish the work himself, he spent a large part of his time in his sick room writing and drawing, and the papers written contained the most minute and exact directions for making the cables and erection of all the complicated parts which compose the superstructure.  New York Masonry Tower under construction. Tower completed July, 1876. The work continued in this manner and it can be safely said that no' great project was ever conducted by a man who had to work under so great a handicap. Writing a great deal in his enfeebled condition, impaired his eyesight and he was too weak to carryon a long conversation with his assistants. In all justice to the man himself, who readily acknowledged the facts, the work could not have been accomplished but for the unselfish devotion of his assistant engineers. Each man had charge of a certain portion of the work and they united with all their energies to have their assignments properly performed in accordance with COL. ROEBLING'S plans and wishes. CHARLES C. MARTIN, Engineer-in-charge, had general supervision of the whole work. COL. W. H. PAINE; FRANCIS COLLINGWOOD, GEORGE W. McNuLTY and SAMUEL R. PROBASCO were Assistant Engineers-in-charge of construction of various parts. W ILHELM HILDENBRAND was Engineer-in-charge of the Drafting Room and E. F. F ARRINGTON was Master Mechanic. All of these men were engaged on the bridge from its inception to its completion. COL. ROEBLING acknowledged everlasting gratitude for their splendid cooperation and unhestitatingly credited the ultimate success of the work to their ability. Although the work was of such unexampled proportions and encountered so many difficulties, its progress appeared unnecessarily slow to the impatient public who longed for its completion. Many voiced the opinion that the direction and control of the project by the New York Bridge Company was influenced by political'and other complications prevalent at that time and the large prices paid for land for the approaches and the estimated increased cost of the structure far beyond the figure fixed at the outset, gave rise to suspicions, accusations and aspersions. Complaint was heard on every side backed by a strong sentiment in having the enterprise taken in hand as a public work by the cities of New York and Brooklyn, Accordingly steps were taken to obtain the necessary legislation to have the bridge completed by the cities directly. It should be stated, however, that later investigation showed that the funds had been expended in a proper manner. By Chapter 601, of the State Laws, passed June 5, 1874, the act of 1867 to incorporate the New York Bridge Company was amended to provide for the completion of the bridge by authorizing the cities of New York and Brooklyn to acquire the stock held by private stockholders and authorized the City of New York to acquire additional stock to the amount of $1,000,000 and the City of Brooklyn to acquire additional stock to the amount of $2,000,000. The said Chapter 601 provided that when the owners of two-thirds of the private stock had agreed to sell to the cities, and the cities or either of the cities had subscribed for the additional stock above mentioned, the Board of Directors of the bridge company should consist of twenty directors, composed of the Mayor and Comptroller of the City of New York and eight others to be appointed by the said Mayor and Comptroller and of the Mayor and Comptroller of the City of Brooklyn, and eight others to be appointed by the Mayor and Comptroller of the City of Brooklyn. On October 14, 1874, the Board of Directors of the bridge company adopted a resolution directing that the Mayor and Comptroller of each of the cities of New York and Brooklyn be notified that the owners of two-thirds of the private stock of the company had agreed to sell their stock to the cities in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 601 of the Laws of 1874. The first meeting of the Directors appointed by the Mayor and Comptroller of each of the cities of New York and Brooklyn was held on February 17, 1875, at which a committee was appointed to nominate permanent officers. At a meeting of the Directors held on February 23, 1875, HENRY C. MURPHY was elected President and ABRAM S. HEWITT, Vice-President. The new Board of Directors favored further legislation which would entirely eliminate the bridge company and have the construction work finished by trustees acting for the two cities and a bill to effect this result was presented to the State Legislature. Chapter 300, of the State Laws, passed May 14, 1875, provided that whenever two-thirds of the private stock of the New York Bridge Company shall have been retired, the Company should be dissolved and the bridge in course of construction should be completed by the cities. This chapter provided that the Mayor, Comptroller and President of the Board of Aldermen of the City of New York should appoint eight trustees and the Mayor, Comptroller and City Auditor of Brooklyn should appoint eight trustees. The said sixteen trustees so appointed together with the Mayors and Comptrollers of the two cities should constitute the Board of Trustees with full power, control and direction over the plan and construction of the bridge. The said Chapter 300 further provided that after the dissolution of the bridge company the bridge should be constructed by the two cities and the expense should be defrayed by the two cities in the proportion of two-thirds part by the City of Brooklyn and one third part by the City of New York. Pursuant to the provisions of the said Chapter 300, of the Laws of 1875, the Mayor, Comptroller and the President of the Board of Aldermen of the City of New York appointed on June 2, 1875, eight trustees and the Mayor, Comptroller and City Auditor of the City of Brooklyn on the same day appointed eight trustees.  Looking toward Brooklyn. New York Anchorage under Construction. This anchorage was completed July, 1876. The first meeting of the Board of Trustees of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, appointed by authority of Chapter 300 of the Laws of 1875, was held on June 9, 1875, and HENRY C. MURPHY was elected President and ABRAM S. HEWITT, Vice-President. At this time the masonry towers were nearly finished and work was well advanced on the construction of the anchorages. There was a large quantity of limestone and granite on hand, remaining from the supply bought by the bridge company from about twenty-five different quarries along the Atlantic Coast. The masonry tower in Brooklyn was completed in June, 1875, and the masonry tower in New York was finished.in July, 1876. The Brooklyn anchorage which had been commenced in February, 1873, was completed in October, 1875. The New York anchorage which had been started in October, 1871, was finished in July, 1876. Among the parcels of property acquired for the New York anchorage was N 0. 1 Cherry Street, where was located the first Presidential residence when New York was the capital city of the country. A tablet on this anchorage reads as follows: |
 | PRESIDENTIAL MANSION No.1 Cherry St. Occupied by GEORGE WASHINGTON from April 23, 1789 to February 23, 1790 Erected by the Mary Washington Colonial Chapter April 30, 1899 |
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During the winter of 1875-76, there was a delay in construction work due to lack of funds. With the com- pletion of the towers and anchorages in the summer of 1876, everything was in readiness for the engineers to enter into what seemed to outside obs~rvers the most picturesque as well as the most ingenius stages of Tablet on Manhattan Anchorage of Brooklyn Bridge. their task, naimely, the erection of the temporary foot bridge across the river and the spinning of the in bridge cables. The first Wire rope for the temporary foot-bridge was run over on August 25, 1876. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees on September 7,1876, the President reported that the injunction applied for in the name of ABRAHAM B. MILLER, in behalf of certain warehousemen and others, to restrain the further construction of the bridge on the ground of its being an illegal structure interfering with navigation, had been denied by JUDGE JOHNSON of the United States Circuit Court. JUDGE JOHNSON in his opinion asserted the absolute powers of the Legislature of the State and of Congress over the subject and that the same had been exercised in behalf of the bridge. The Board of Trustees at its meeting of January 15, 1877, authorized the award to J. Lloyd Haigh, of New York, of the contract for furnishing and delivering the steel wire for the main cables at a price of $0.087 per p The Board of Trustees on July 1, 1879, approved the award of the contract for furnishing and delivering the steel and iron for the suspended superstructure to the Edge Moor Iron Company. The construction of the suspended superstructure was begun in January 1881. The approaches were commenced in Augl.lst, 1877 and completed in July, 1882. By Chapter 105, of the State Laws, passed April 7, 1880, the City of New york was authorized to pay to the Trustees of the bridge $750,000 and the City of Brooklyn to pay to the Trustees $1,500,000 for completing the bridge. The Trustees were also authorized by said Chapter 105 to sell any gores, pieces or parcels of land which had been acquired but which were not needed for the bridge. Under Chapter 368, of the State Laws, passed June 29, 1882, the City of New York was authorized to pay to the Trustees $416,666.66 and the City of Brooklyn to pay $833,333.34 for completing the bridge and its approaches, including railway line and rolling stock for the railway. At the meeting of the Board of Trustees held on August 22, 1882, a contract was awarded to Jones and Benner at a price of $185,876 for constructing the viaduct and station building at the Brooklyn Terminal of the bridge and a contract was awarded to the Pittsburgh Bridge Company at a price of $117,117.50 for constructing the viaduct and station building at the New York Terminal. As the bridge was nearing completion the President of the Board of Trustees, HENRY C. M URPHY, died December 1,1882. He devised the legislation under which the bridge was commenced. He staked at its inception a large portion of his private fortune on its success. He upheld its feasibility and utility before committees, legislatures, law courts and every form of public discussion. He was President of the N ew York Bridge Company and later President of the Board of Trustees and his personal oversight was bestowed upon every stage of the progress of the enterprise.  Brooklyn Bridge. Wire Cables under Construction. Last Cable Wire was run October 5, 1878. In the course of the erection of the superstructure, the work was impeded to a great extent by the rapid depletion of the funds of the Trustees. It was necessary to make application time and again for additional moneys to carryon the work. Because of the increased cost of the structure made necessary by the change In its design as the work progressed and the increase in the prices of material on account of the delays incidental to the prosecution of the several contracts, much criticism was directed by the public and press toward the management of the enterprise, and a good deal of the blame was thrown upon the shoulders of the engineers. COL. ROEBLING, being physically incapacitated and therefore unable personally to direct the operations of the work, was charged by some of the Trustees with the cause in a great measure of the slow and tardy completion of the bridge, and an attempt was made in the summer of 1882, to displace him as Chief Engineer of the bridge. To place the blame upon him for the attendant delays because of the failure to continue delivery of material was a charge which COL. ROEBLING was constrained to disprove, and he showed to the satisfaction of the majority of the Trustees who supported him, that even though his absence from the site of the work caused suspicions of neglect of duty to arise, his constant thoughts and instructions, capably carried out by efficient assistants, would carry the bridge to completion more rapidly than if there were a change in the personnel of organization. By Chapter 228, of the Laws of the State of New York, passed April 13, 1883, the Trustees were authorized to acquire additional lands in the City of Brooklyn, as they deemed necessary for proper access and approach to the bridge, the cost of the land not to exceed $150,000 to be paid for by the City of Brooklyn. At a meeting of the Trustees held on May 14, 1883, the tolls for the use of the bridge were fixed as follows: (1) Foot passage, one cent. (2) Passage in railway cars, five cents with the understanding that after a few weeks, commission hours would be established at a lower rate. (3) Tolls for animals and vehicles, as follows: One horse or horse and man 5 cents One horse and vehicle 10 cents Two horses and vehicle 20 cents Additional horses, each 5 cents Neat cattle, each 5 cents Sheep and hogs, each 2 cents The bridge was opened to the public on May 24, 1883. The completion and opening of the bridge was recognized as one of national importance, and throughout the nation the opening ceremonies were regarded with intelligent concern and approval. Nearly every state contributed its representatives to the throng that attended the opening. The day was clear and the cities were decorated in gala attire. Business was generally suspended and the people turned out en mass. The photograph shows how the cables are fastened to the Acnhor Bars leading to the anchor plates under the masonry.  Excursions were run by the railroads from early in the afternoon, the President of the United States, CHESTER A. ARTHUR, and the Governor of the State of New York, GROVER CLEVELAND, the former accompanied by members of his Cabinet, and the latter by officers of his staff, were escorted from the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York to the New York City Hall, where they were met by the Mayor of New York, Franklin Edson, and other New York City officials. From the City Hall, the procession proceeded to the bridge accompanied by the Seventh Regiment of the National Guard of the State and a band of seventy-five pieces, and walked across the bridge on the promenade. At the New York Tower, a battalion of the Fifth United States Artillery joined the escort. The arrival at the New York Tower was proclaimed to the multitudes on shore by the thundering of many cannon. Salutes were fired from the forts in the harbor, from the United States Navy Yard and from the summit of Fort Greene. Five boats of the United States fleet were anchored in the river below the bridge and joined in the salute. As the procession moved over the bridge whistles were blown, and the chimes of Trinity Church rang out. The opening exercises were held in the railway terminal at the Brooklyn end of the bridge. The escort at the Brooklyn side was transferred to the 23rd Regiment of the National Guard of the State. Besides the President and his Cabinet and the Governor of New York and his Staff, there were present Governors of several States, the mayors of nearly all the cities in the vicinity and many Army and Navy officers. At the ceremonies, JAMES S. T. STRANAHAN, one of the Trustees presided. The opening prayer was offered by BISHOP A.N. LITTLEJOHN. The speakers were WILLIAM C. KINGSLEY, Vice-President of the Board of Trustees, SETH LOW, Mayor of Brooklyn, FRANKLIN EDSON, Mayor of New York, ABRAM S. HEWITT, orator for New York, and REV. RICHARD S. STORRS, orator for Brooklyn. After the exercises, the President, the Governor of New York, the speakers of the day and the Trustees were driven to the residence of the Chief Engineer, WASHINGTON A. ROEBLING, on Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, to offer him their felicitations on the completion of the bridge. COL. ROEBLING, owing to his disabilities, could pot attend the ceremonies. At night there was an elaborate display of fireworks on the bridge. A reception was given to PRESIDENT ARTHUR and GOVERNOR CLEVELAND in the Academy of Music in Brooklyn. Buildings were illuminated and concerts were held in various city parks. The construction of the bridge in general was done by men employed by the New York Bridge Company or by the Trustees of the bridge, the materials being purchased mainly by contract. This procedure was followed as the nature of the work was novel and experienced contractors on construction work of this nature were not available. The construction of this bridge, which was so vital to the interests of both cities, entailed an expenditure greatly in excess of the original estimate of cost of $7,000,000.00, exclusive of land. The expenditures to May 31, 1883, amounted to $15,211,982.92 of which $483,299.77 was for acquisition of privately owned stock of the New York Bridge Company; $3,886,544.53 for acquisition of property; $504,572.07 for engineering and $10,337,566.55 for construction, equipment and miscellaneous. There was due on contracts at that time $23,141.74. The increase in the cost of construction over the original estimate of JOHN A. ROEBLING was due to an increase in size and clear height of bridge, to changes in plans made necessary as the work progressed, to increased costs of materials and labor, to losses occasioned by delays in construction and to various incidental charges not originally contemplated. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees held June 2, 1883, WILLIAM C. KINGSLEY was elected President and J. ADRIANCE BUSH, Vice-President. COL. ROEBLING resigned as Chief Engineer on June 30, 1883, and his principal Assistant, CHARLES C. MARTIN, was appointed Chief Engineer and Superintendent. The local railway with cars operated by endless wire cables driven at a rate of ten miles per hour was opened for use September 24, 1883. The wire cables were driven from the power house located between Main and Prospect Streets, Brooklyn. The trains at first consisted of one and two-car trains and were switched at the terminals by steam locomotives. In the beginning these bridge cars were not operated in the early morning hours. There was later a demand for cars to be run all night and in 1885 trains were operated across the bridge by locomotives at intervals of fifteen minutes between the hours of 1 A.M. and 5 A.M. during which hours the operation of the hauling cables was suspended for economical reasons. From the opening day, it was evident that the bridge would be profitable as had been voiced at the outset by JOHN A. ROEBLING in support of his proposition for building the structure. The bridge was popular both to those using it as a means of crossing the river and to those, who, out of curiosity went across on the promenade to view the structure and obtain at that time unusual views of the two cities. For many years after its opening, honeymoon couples and other visitors to New York made it a point to see and walk on this structure which was long called the Eighth Wonder of the World. Even now its graceful lines and massive towers are a source of admiration and interest as is evidenced by the fact that visitors to the City consider the bridge as one of the sights of New York and views of the structure are extensively reproduced in publications, post cards and motion pictures. On December 9, 1884, the tolls were fixed as follows, being a reduction in some cases for use of roadways: Foot passengers 1 cent Railroad fare 5 cents One horse or horse and man 3 cents One horse and vehicle 5 cents Two horses and vehicle , 10 cents Additional horses, each 3 cents Neat cattle, each 5 cents Sheep and hogs, each 2 cents Beginning February 1, 1885 packages of 25 tickets for the promenade were placed on sale for 5 cents a package, single fare remaining at one cent. Beginning March 1, 1885, the railroad fare was reduced to 3 cents and packages of 10 tickets were sold for 25 cents. By Chapter 4, of the State Laws, passed February 2, 1886, the Trustees were authorized to erect an elevated platform across Chatham Street (now Park Row) and a footpath to the westerly side of Center Street. The purpose of the elevated platform across Chatham Street was to provide a track for switching back trains conveniently at the New York Terminal. The police force on the bridge was appointed by and was under the charge of the Trustees until the consolidation of Greater New York. Chapter 192, of the State Laws of 1887, provided that the bridge policemen were to be removed only after written charges had been preferred against them and a hearing held on the charges. Upon consolidation of the greater city on January 1, 1898, the bridge police force was put under the charge of the Police Department. The traffic on the bridge railway increased rapidly and as early as 1887 agitation arose for more commodious traffic facilities. Chapter 563, of the State Laws, passed June 15, 1887, authorized the Trustees to enact ordinances to regulate the use of the bridge and also to acquire additional property at the Brooklyn end of the bridge for terminal facilities proper and convenient for the bridge railroad. Chapter 128, of the State Laws of 1891, as amended by Chapter 248, of the State Laws of 1891, and Chapter 76, of the State- Laws of 1892, authorized the Trustees to improve the terminal facilities of the bridge and for this purpose to acquire additional lands. Chapter 956, of the State Laws of 1895, authorized the cities of New York and Brooklyn to pay to the Trustees additional moneys for the completion of the improvement to the terminal facilities. By Chapter 332, of the State Laws, approved by the Governor May 6, 1891, the Trustees were authorized to make the footwalk on the bridge free to pedestrians. Following the passage of this Act, the footwalk tolls were abolished at the close of May 31, 1891. In order to double the facilities for railway traffic which were inadequate, plans were prepared in 1892 for bunding new and enlarged stations, one at the New York Terminal and one at the Brooklyn Terminal, extending the car storage yard from Concord Street to Tillary Street in Brooklyn, and duplicating the cable driving plant. The contract for the new Brooklyn Station was let February 18, 1893, and the contract for the reconstruction of the New York Station was entered into on June 7, 1893. On account of the delays due to consideration of modifications in plans, the stations were not completed until the year 1896, but there was no cessation or reduction in train service during the time the reconstruction work was in progress. In 1896 arrangements were made to have the tracks at the terminals provided with an electric system whereby switching of trains at the terminals could be done bya number of the passenger cars fitted with electric motors instead of by steam locomotives and also have the tracks over the structure equipped with third rails and electric feeders so that if the hauling cables failed or were out of use, the trains could be operated across the bridge by electric power. Twenty new railway cars, each equipped with four motors and with cable grips as well, were purchased. The trains were run with one motor car and three trailers. Use of the motor cars began on November 30, 1896, and on January 23, 1897, enough motor cars were in service to permit of the abandonment of the locomotives. In the early morning hours when, to save expense the hauling cables were not used, the motor cars operated the trains across the bridge. By Chapter 278, of the State Laws, approved April 4, 1893, the number of Trustees was reduced to eight, of which the Mayor of New York was to appoint two members and the Mayor of Brooklyn was to appoint two members. The Mayors and Comptrollers of the two cities were to be ex-officio members. Beginning July 1, 1894, two tickets were sold for the bridge railway for 5 cents and one ticket for 3 cents. This did not make any change in the rate of fare as 10 tickets had been sold for 25 cents and single tickets for 3 cents. The new system was more convenient to the traveling public. In 1896 the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad Company and the Kings County Elevated Railway Company sought permission to run from their elevated lines in Brooklyn, through trains over the bridge railway to and from New York: Subsequently in 1896 request was made on behalf of certain surface railroad companies, whose lines approached the Brooklyn station, that the tracks of their lines be extended across the bridge to New York, either on the bridge roadways or otherwise as might be determined. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees held October 26, 1896, the matter of transit of elevated and surface cars over the bridge was referred to a Board of Engineers. This Board of Engineers consisted of LEFFERTS L. BUCK, VIRGIL G. BOGUE and GEORGE H. THOMPSON. Their report made on February 8, 1897, stated that it was feasible and practicable to operate cars or trains of the elevated railroads on the bridge and also to operate surface cars on the roadways spaced at least 102 feet apart. Chapter 663, of the State Laws, approved by the Governor May 22, 1897, authorized the Trustees to contract with any street surface or elevated railroad corporation or corporations operating in New York or Brooklyn to operate across the bridge. On August 23, 1897, an agreement was made between the Trustees and the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad Com- pany and also on the same date an agreement was made with the Kings County Elevated Railway Company to permit of the operation by those companies of elevated trains from Brooklyn across the bridge to the New York Terminal. On August 23, 1897, an agreement was made between the Trustees and each of the following companies for the operation by the companies of surface railway cars across the bridge to the New York Terminal: Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company, Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company, Brooklyn City and Newtown Railroad Company, and Nassau Electric Railroad Company. Chapter 378, of the State Laws, approved by the Governor May 4,1897, and known as the Greater New York Charter, consolidated into one municipality under the corporate name of The City of New York various communities lying in and about New York Harbor, including the City and County of New York, the City of Brooklyn and the County of Kings, the County of Richmond and part of the County of Queens. The consolidation took effect January 1, 1898.  View from Brooklyn Terminal showing cable for operating local railway line. Under the Charter, a Department of Bridges was created and the head of this department was designated the Commissioner of Bridges. The Charter provided that the offices of the Trustees of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge should be abolished and all the powers and duties vested in the Trustees should, so far as they were consistent with and conformable to the provisions of the Charter, be devolved upon the Commissioner of Bridges and the Municipal Assembly. The Charter provided that the Commissioner of Bridges should have cognizance and control of the management and maintenance of the bridge, of the operation of the railroad on the bridge and of the collection of fares and of tolls on the bridge. JOHN L. SHEA was appointed Commissioner of Bridges and took office January 1, 1898. Operation of surface railway cars was begun on January 23, 1898, in accordance with the agreement, dated August 23, 1897, with the various surface railway companies. A track had been laid by the companies on the inner side of each roadway for use of the surface railway cars. A modified agreement more advantageous to the City was entered into on June 23, 1898, between the Commissioner of Bridges and the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad Company for the operation of elevated railroad cars or trains across the bridge and .also for the operation of the local railroad on the bridge. The Commissioner of Bridges ceased the operation of the local railroad at the close of June 30,1898, and the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad Company began operation of the local railroad and of through trains from Brooklyn across the bridge on July 1, 1898. The Kings County Elevated Railway Company began operation of through trains from Brooklyn across the bridge on November 1,1898. In accordance with the agreements with the elevated and surface railway companies, these companies paid the City for the privilege of operating railway cars across the bridge. Chapter 712, of the State Laws, approved by the Governor on May 10, 1901, authorized the Commissioner of Bridges with the approvai of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment to improve the westerly or Manhattan Terminal of the bridge. Several plans were considered. Four new loops were built at this terminal for the surface railway cars, making eight loops in all. These new loops were put in service on November 15, 1903, and reduced the crowding at the terminal. An extension of switching tracks and platform for elevated trains was completed in February, 1906. This extension permitted the operation of five-car elevated trains across the bridge. Further extension to the west of the tracks and platfoI:ms for elevated trains was, however, deemed necessary. Chapter 89, of the State Laws, approved by the Governor March 28, 1907, authorized the Commissioner of Bridges to construct an extension of the Manhattan Terminal to such a point westerly as might be approved by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment. The purpose of this was to permit operation of six-car trains across the bridge. Under the provisions of this act the old foot-bridge over Centre Street which had been in use since 1886 was removed and the existing structure over Centre Street was built in 1907 and 1908. Operation of six-car through elevated trains began on January 27, 1908, and through service on the elevated lines at all hours began on that day. In order to distribute the additional weight and impact due to operation of the six-car elevated trains, the wooden track stringers were replaced with steel stringers, and the bottom chords of the stiffening trusses and the cross girders were reinforced by adding steel cover plates to same. The use of the hauling cables for bridge local trains was entirely discontinued on January 27,1908. The local service was transferred from the elevated railroad to the surface cars on January 26, 1908. New approaches for surface cars at the Brooklyn Terminal were built in 1907 and 1908 so that certain of the surface car lines could cross over Sands Street at the Brooklyn Terminal and use of these new approaches was begun on September 28, 1908. Chapter 90, of the State Laws, approved by the Governor March 28, 1907, authorized the Commissioner of Plant and Structures with the approval of the Board of Estimate and Apportionment to reconstruct the Manhattan Terminal and to acquire property therefor. Certain property north of the Manhattan Terminal was acquired under this act but the rebuilding of the terminal was not undertaken and part of the land acquired was used as a site for the Municipal Building. The first rapid transit subway under the East River was opened on January 9,1908, to Borough Hall, Brooklyn, and on May 1, 1908, operation was extended to Flatbush Avenue. The influence of this subway in diverting railway passenger traffic reduced congestion at the Brooklyn Bridge. The Manhattan Bridge located a short distance north of the Brooklyn Bridge was opened December 31, 1909. Owing to the opening of the new lines of travel between the Boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn and the consequent reduction of traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, the agitation for enlarging the Manhattan Terminal disappeared. By ordinance of the Board of Aldermen, effective January 26, 1915, the name of the bridge was changed from New York and Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn Bridge. As a matter of fact the bridge had been called Brooklyn Bridge from the beginning by the general public although its official name had been New York and Brooklyn Bridge. Under the provisions of an ordinance adopted by the Board of Aldermen and approved by the Mayor, July 18, 1911, the roadway tolls were abolished at the close of that day. By Chapter 528, of the State Laws, approved by the Governor May 12, 1916, the Greater New York Charter was amended and the Department of Bridges was changed to the Department of Plant and Structures and the head of the department became the Commissioner of Plant and Structures vested with the same powers and duties in connection with the Brooklyn Bridge as had been held by the Commissioner of Bridges. In the early part of 1925, the roadways on the suspended structure were paved with wood blocks replacing the spruce plank wearing surface. This effected a saving in maintenance costs of the roadway paving as the plank wearing surface had required renewal on the average twice a year and the wood blocks have not required any extensive renewals since they were laid. In 1921 a line of steel underfloor was placed adjacent to the outer curb on each roadway and wood blocks were laid over same. When the roadways were reconstructed early in 1925 a second line of steel underfloor was placed along each roadway with its center six feet six inches from outer curb, thus giving steel in place of plank underfloor for the wood block paving where the wheels of the outside lines of vehicles travel. In connection with the reconstruction of the roadways, the old four and five-eighth inch tee rails of the trolley car tracks were replaced with new seven inch girder rails resting on new timber ties. The construction of the bridge had great beneficial effect upon both New York and Brooklyn, especially upon Brooklyn. That Brooklyn would gain in numbers and in wealth more rapidly due to the bridge was a foregone conclusion, not necessarily at the expense of New York. Although the modern tendency is toward the concentration of population, this structure opened up large undeveloped areas in Brooklyn which were made easily accessible to those who had theretofore resided close to the center of the metropolis and to those who were seeking homes for the establishment of their families. Quick and ready contact could be had between the two cities and it was considered as if the boundaries of both cities had been widened. Indeed, before this permanent connection had been effectuated, serious thought had been given to the union of the twin cities under one name and one government and it can be reasonably said that the completion of the bridge, with its attendant shift of population aroused greater interest in this union and hastened the consolidation of the cities. Although the increase of population in a city from year to year is an indication of its growth and development, it is difficult to place the cause therefor directly upon anyone fact. It may be attributed to better and more sanitary living conditions, cheaper housing, more freedom of action, better communication or anyone of a number of various reasons. When the actual construction of the bridge was started in the latter part of 1869 the population of Brooklyn was 395,000 and that of New York was 940,000. Many people took advantage of the proposed improvement to establish homes and commercial enterprises in Brooklyn. At the time of the opening of the bridge the population of Brooklyn had increased to about 650,000 and that of New York to about 1,300,000. After the bridge was opened and ready transit was afforded between the two cities, both continued to grow as is noted in the census of 1890, when the population of Brooklyn was 838,000 and that of New York, 1,515,000. The rapid increase in population of the City of Brooklyn amounting to over 100 per cent from the commencement of the bridge to 1890 resulted naturally in a great rise in realty values throughout that City. Additional residences were constructed, existing manufacturing establishments expanded and new ones developed, commerce appeared in sizeable proportions and business in general clamored for expansion. With an assessed valuation of real property in 1870 in tlieCity of Brooklyn of about $183,000,000, it rose to $220,000,000 in 1880, preceding the opening of the bridge, and jumped to the astounding figures of $430,000,000 in 1890, and $540,000,000 in 1895. The development of the bridge railway was marked by great increases in traffic until, as previously explained, passenger traffic across the bridge decreased as other rapid transit routes between the Boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn were opened. Beginning in 1883 with one and two-car trains hauled by cable over the bridge and switched in the terminals by steam locomotives, the service developed to four-car trains in 1897 hauled by cable and switched by electric power and operated in rush hours on a headway of one minute between trains. Until July 1, 1898, the bridge railway was operated as a public enterprise and passengers on the Brooklyn elevated lines had to pay extra fare for crossing the bridge. When the operation of the bridge railway was taken over on July 1, 1898, by the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad Company and surface cars began running across the bridge in January 1898, passengers could cross the bridge without payment of extra fare and this saving concentrated upon the bridge the major portion of the passenger traffic between the Boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The volume of traffic increased. The trains were increased to five-car trains in 1906 and to six-car trains in 1908. When traffic on the elevated railway was very great the local or bridge railway trains were run during rush hours on a headway of one minute, making sixty trains per hour crossing the bridge in each direction. The count of traffic for one day of twenty-four hours showed a maximum in the year 1907 of 265,636 persons using the elevated railway with a rush hour traffic of 46,256 persons. The carrying of such a large number of people in an hour has never been accomplished by any other double track railway in the world.  Brooklyn Bridge. Blizzard, March 12, 1888. The usefulness of the bridge can best be demonstrated by relating the traffic conditions on the bridge, especially regarding the number of passengers in railway cars. In 1884, on a typical day, there were 25,300 people carried across the bridge on the railroad cars then operating, and in 1907, before the opening of the Manhattan Bridge close by and the first rapid transit subway under the East River, a count for one day showed 410,467 transported in elevated and surface cars. Because of this bridge, it can be safely said that the development of real estate values and of business in general in Brooklyn has been rarely paralleled, and these rapid advances have seldom been equalled except in towns of mushroom character, where a boom was generally followed by a decline. Likewise the City of New York, later the Borough of Manhattan, profited by the building of the structure which contributed to the reciprocal benefits of both New York and Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Bridge has now been in use for fifty years. On many occasions, the question arose as to whether or not the bridge was adequate to carry the demands of traffic. Several reports were made by bridge engineers outside the city service and in all cases these reports agreed with those of the Department engineers that the structure was safe. The builders of the bridge took every precaution in its erection to make sure that all materials and workmanship were of the best. The safe and satisfactory action of the structure even with the increased moving loads due to heavier railway cars and vehicles and the addition of trolley cars, not originally contemplated, shows that the constructors of the bridge "builded better than they knew". There is every reason to believe that the bridge, if it is carefully maintained and not overloaded, will continue its usefulness indefinitely. The following miscellaneous information and data are attached hereto: 1. Details of Construction. 2. Available Traffic Counts. 3. List of Presidents of the New York Bridge Company Presidents of the Trustees of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge Commissioners of the Department of Bridges Commissioners of the Department of Plant and Structures Chief Engineers. 4. Sketch of Life of JOHN A. ROEBLING. 5. Sketch of Life of COLONEL WASHINGTON A. ROEBLNG. 6. Sketch of Life of HENRY C. MURPHY. 7. Sketch of Life of WILLIAM C. KINGSLEY. 8. Description of an Influential Conference. Brooklyn Bridge Details of Construction Construction commenced January 3, 1870. Size of caisson, Manhattan tower, 172 x 102 feet. Size of caisson, Brooklyn tower, 168 x 102 feet. Depth of tower foundation in Manhattan, 78 feet below mean high water. Depth of tower foundation in Brooklyn, 45 feet below mean high water. Size at mean high water line of Manhattan tower, 140 x 59 feet. Size at mean high water line of Brooklyn tower, 140 x 56 feet. Size at coping course of Manhattan tower, 136 x 53 feet. Size at coping course of Brooklyn tower, 136 x 50 feet. Total height of towers above mean high water, 272 feet. Size of anchorages at base, 129 x 119 feet. Size of anchorages at top, 117 x 104 feet. Height of anchorages, 89 feet in front, 85 feet in rear. Length of main span, 1,595 feet, 6 inches. Length of each side span, 930 feet. Length of Manhattan approach, 1,562 feet, 6 inches. Length of Brooklyn approach, 998 feet. Total length from Park Row, Manhattan, to Sands Street, Brooklyn, 6016 feet. Width over all, 86 feet. Two roadways, each 16 feet, 9 inches wide, one foot-walk 15 feet, 7 inches wide. Height of roadway at towers, 119 feet, 3 inches above mean high water. Height of roadway at center of bridge, 137 feet above mean high water. Clear height of bridge at center of main span, 133 feet above mean high water. Roadway grade on each approach, 3.25%. Number of supporting cables, 4. Diameter of each cable, 15-1/2 inches. Length of each single wire in cables, 3,578.5 feet at 70° F. Total length of wire in four cables, 14,357 miles. Each cable contains 5,296 galvanized steel, oil coated wires, laid parallel and closely wrapped to a cylindrical form. Weight of four cables inclusive of wrapping wire and suspenders, 3,900 tons. Weight of remaining steel and iron in main bridge, 9,900 tons. Weight of steel and iron in approaches, 10,200 tons. Total weight of steel and iron in bridge and approaches, 24,000 tons. Bridge opened for pedestrians and vehicles, May 24,1883. Elevated railway began operation September 24, 1883. Surface railway began operation January 23, 1898. Cost of Construction , $17,909,412. Cost of Land , $ 7,185,165 Total Cost to 1933, $25,094,577. Bridge opened May 24, 1883. Bridge or elevated railway began operation September 24, 1883. Footwalk tolls abolished at close of May 31, 1891. Vehicular tolls abolished at close of July 18, 1911. Trolley car service began January 23, 1898. Local service transferred from elevated to surface cars, January 26, 1908. Through service on elevated at all hours began and cable operation discontinued, January 2-7, 1908. Facilities Affecting Traffic on Elevated Railway on Bridge January 9, 1908-I. R. T. Subway. Joralemon Street, opened to Borough Hall. May 1, 1908-I. R. T. Subway. Joralemon Street, extended to Flatbush Avenue. August 4, 1913-B. M. T. through train service on Williamsburg Bridge to Chambers Street Station (Municipal Building). June 22, 1915-B. M. T. Subway trains began operating across the Manhattan Bridge. September 4, 1917-B. M. T. Subway trains crossing Manhattan Bridge extended operation in Manhattan to 14th Street. January 5, 1918-B. M. T. Subway trains crossing Manhattan Bridge extended operation in Manhattan to 42nd Street. April 15, 1919-B. M. T. Subway, Montague Street opened. April 15, 1919-I. R. T. Subway, Clark Street opened. May 30, 1931-B. M. T. Subway, Nassau Street Loop opened, certain elevated trains rerouted from Brooklyn Bridge to this loop via Manhattan Bridge. Automobile Traffic was excluded from this bridge from July 6, 1922 to May 12, 1925. Traffic Counts  Brooklyn Bridge Traffic Counts for 24 hours, Both Directions.  View from Brooklyn Tower, looking toward Brooklyn - June 29, 1909. Presidents, Commissioners, Engineers List of Presidents of the New York Bridge Company, Presidents of the Trustees of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge, Commissioners of the Department of Bridges, Commissioners of the Department of Plant and Structures and Chief Engineers. New York Bridge Company PRESIDENTS : HENRY C. MURPHY, May 16,1867, to June 12, 1873, and February 23, 1875, to June 9, 1875. JEREMIAH P. ROBINSON, July 10, 1873, to February 17, 1875. CHIEF ENGINEERS:-JOHN A. ROEBLING, May 23, 1867, to July 22, 1869 (date of his death). WASHINGTON A. ROEBLING, August 3, 1869, to June 9, 1875. Trustees of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge PRESIDENTS: - HENRY C. MURPHY, June 9, 1875, to December 1, 1882 (date of his death). WILLIAM C. KINGSLEY, June 2, 1883, to January 12, 1885. JAMES S. T. STRANAHAN, January 12, 1885, to June 1, 1885. JAMES HOWELL, July 21, 1885, to June 8, 1891, and June 13, 1892, to January, 1897. ALFRED WAGSTAFF, June 8:, 1891, to June 13, 1892. WILLIAM BERRI, February 8, 1897, to December 31, 1897. CHIEF ENGINEER: WASHINGTON A. ROEBLING, June 9, 1875, to June 30, 1883. CHIEF ENGINEER AND SUPERINTENDENT : CHARLES C. MARTIN, July 1, 1883, to December 31, 1897. Department of Bridges January 1, 1898, to May 12, 1916 Department of Plant and Structures May 12, 1916, to date COMMISSIONERS: JOHN L. SHEA, January 1, 1898, to December 31, 1901. GUSTAV LINDENTHAL, January 1,1902, to December 31, 1903. GEORGE E. BEST, January 1, 1904, to December 31, 1905. JAMES W. STEVENSON, January 1, 1906, to December 31, 1909. KINGSLEY L. MARTIN, January 3, 1910, to June 7, 1911. ARTHUR J. O'KEEFE, Jun~ 8,1911, to December 31, 1913. F. J. H. KRACKE, January 1, 1914, to December 31, 1917. JOHN H. DELANEY, January 1, 1918, to May 31, 1919. GROVER A. WHALEN, June 1,1919, to July 15,1924. WILLIAM WIRT MILLS, July 16, 1924, to December 31, 1925. ALBERT GOLDMAN, January 1, 1926, to date. CHIEF ENGINEERS OF THE DEPARTMENTS: SAMUEL R. PROBASCO, 1898 to 1901. L. L. BUCK, Part of 1902. 0. F. NICHOLS, 1904 and 1905. C. M. INGERSOLL, 1906 to December, 1908. KINGSLEY L. MARTIN, December, 1908, to January, 1910. ALEXANDER JOHNSON, January, 1910, to July, 1914. A. L. BOWMAN, July, 1914, to June, 1915. EDWARD A. BYRNE, June 1915, to date. John A. Roebling |
| John A. Roebling was born in the City of Muehlhausen, Prussia, on June 12, 1806. At an early age, he displayed an eager desire to learn; received a preliminary education in the Muehlhausen public schools and then entered the City Gymnasium, or high school. He determined at this time to follow the engineering profession and fortunately being afforded excellent educational advantages, qualified for entrance to the famous Polytechnic Institute in Berlin, graduating therefrom as a Civil Engineer. During his college days, he devoted much of his time to the study of suspension bridges, making them the subject of his graduating thesis. |
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