May 24 1883 – Brooklyn Bridge Opens to Traffic

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On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the oldest suspension bridges of the U.S., was opened to the public. The bridge connects the Manhattan and Brooklyn boroughs of New York City and stretches over 1,595.5 feet across the East River. The Brooklyn Bridge was the world’s longest suspension bridge since its inauguration in 1883 till about 1903. It also holds the distinction of being the world’s first steel-wire suspension bridge. Apart from being an iconic structure representing New York City (NYC), the bridge is currently a National Historic Landmark of the US (since 1964) and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark (since 1972). The Brooklyn Bridge took some 14 years to construct and cost 27 lives during this period. On May 24, 1883, thousands of residents Manhattan Island and Brooklyn turned out to witness the inauguration. President Chester A. Arthur and New York Governor Grover Cleveland presided over the opening ceremony. On that day about 150,300 people and 1,800 vehicles crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. John Augustus Roebling, a German immigrant, had previously worked as a bridge and road constructor for the Prussian government and had undertaken many constructions in the U.S. Roebling came up with the idea of constructing a bridge across the East River after the ferry that he had taken across the river hit ice. Roebling’s idea of a strong suspension bridge was considered to be a mammoth folly by many critics. Roebling’s design was simple – he enforced the bridge with a mesh of cables some even 11 inches in diameter. Most of these were anchored to the ground. He claimed that even if the cables snapped, the structure would not collapse. John Roebling did not live to see his project come to life. During the course of the construction, his foot was crushed by an injury. Amputation led to tetanus and to his death. Washington Roebling, John Roebling’s son took over his father’s labor and oversaw much of the rest of the construction work. Washington Roebling soon came to suffer decompression sickness and was paralyzed. His wife, Emily Warren Roebling carried out his instructions to get the project completed. Upon construction, critics persisted in doubting the strength of the construction. To demonstrate the soundness of the bridge, P.T. Barnum led a caravan of circus animals which included over 21 elephants across the bridge. In the mid-17th century, when construction of the Brooklyn Bridge commenced, Brooklyn was still an independent American city. The construction of the bridge was one of the main factors that brought Brooklyn and Manhattan close enough for the residents to vote in favor of being a New York City borough in 1898. Upon completion, the Brooklyn Bridge was considered an engineering marvel – a structure over 50% longer than any other suspension bridge in the world. The bridge was termed the Eighth Wonder Of The World. In 2010, a $508 million project was launched to reconstruct the bridge’s approaches. The project is likely to last till 2014 and is meant to enhance the security of the bridge. Also On This Day: 1738 – The Methodist Church is established. 1819 – Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Victoria, is born. 1844 – Samuel Morse opens America’s first telegraph line. 1941 – American singer-musician Bob Dylan is born. 1993 – Eritrea declared itself an independent nation.