64. “You all know about”: quoted in a letter to Engineering News, Oct. 10, 1907, p. 391.
65. Two Eiffel Towers: Engineering, May 3, 1889, p. 501.
66. formal opening: Cox, in Paxton, ed., p. 90.
67. “Aberdeen to New York”: Mackay (1990b), p. 112.
68. Channel tunnel: see, e.g., Hunt; cf. Engineering, Oct. 30, 1868, pp. 389–92.
69. “given reasonable care”: Grant, in Paxton, ed., p. 91.
70. trans-Siberian Railway: see NYT, Aug. 15, 1994, p. A4.
71. bridge connecting Siberia: see, e.g., G. T. Pope.
72. Joseph Strauss: Golden, p. 5.
73. Tung-Yen Lin: see G. T. Pope; cf. ENR, June 7, 1962, pp. 53–54; ENR, July 25, 1994, pp. 38–40.
74. Kinzua Viaduct: Jackson, p. 145.
75. “the first authoritative specifications”: ENR, Aug. 28, 1919, p. 443.
76. Ashtabula Bridge: Jacobs and Neville, p. 56; see also Macdonald.
77. exact cause of the failure: Jacobs and Neville, p. 57; see also Macdonald.
78. “not only alarmed”: Cooper (1889), p. 21.
79. He documented: ibid., p. 25.
80. “worked out independently”: ibid., p. 27.
81. “the first paper”: ibid., p. 22; see Cooper (1878).
82. “must provide for”: Cooper (1889), p. 51.
83. “the American system”: ibid., p. 49.
84. absent from British practice: ibid., p. 51.
85. “If an engineer”: quoted in ibid., p. 50.
86. commission of five: EN, Sept. 6, 1894, p. 187.
87. “cantaliver”: see EN, Dec. 27, 1894, p. 534.
88. “the first practical solution”: Cooper (1889), p. 21.
89. Edward Wellman Serrell: Spanning Niagara, pp. 23, 25.
90. Quebec Bridge Company: Royal Commission, pp. 12–15.
91. Cooper preferred the cantilever: ibid., pp. 16–17.
92. pace of design work: ibid., p. 37.
93. “employ a competent”: ibid., p. 42.
94. “This puts me”: ibid., p. 43.
95. “provided the efficiency”: ibid., p. 46.
96. “de facto, chief engineer”: ibid., p. 75.
97. hypercritical: ibid., pp. 50–52; cf. EN, Oct. 31, 1907, p. 474.
98. “a technical man”: Royal Commission, p. 50.
99. rejecting the proposed procedure: ibid., p. 79.
100. Over the next three weeks: ibid., pp. 79–85.
101. “it looked like a serious matter”: ibid., p. 88.
102. “a grinding sound”: NYT, Aug. 30, 1907, p. 1.
103. “for not having visited”: NYT, Aug. 31, 1907, p. 1.
104. qualified earlier reports: NYT, Sept. 1, 1907, p. 1.
105. “the Nestor”: EN, Oct. 31, 1907, p. 473.
106. “The Canadian Commission”: ibid.
107. “I should have been glad”: ibid., p. 474.
108. “maintain a judicial attitude”: ibid., p. 469.
109. “vigorous language”: NYT, Nov. 21, 1907, p. 4.
110. “These errors of judgment”: Royal Commission, p. 9.
111. “Why, if you condemn”: EN, Oct. 3, 1907, p. 364.
112. “Mr. Cooper states”: Royal Commission, pp. 49–50.
113. “The Quebec Bridge collapse”: EN, Oct. 3, 1907, p. 365.
114. “commonplace in appearance”: Scientific American, Feb. 12, 1910, p. 148.
115. “for the sake of”: Royal Commission, p. 56.
116. “Twice the hopes”: ENR, Nov. 27, 1917, p. 579.
117. “the entire responsibility”: quoted by Lindenthal in ENR, Nov. 16, 1911, p. 583.
118. a lengthy tract: EN, Nov. 16, 1911, pp. 581–86; Nov. 23, 1911, pp. 613–19.
119. “the most important”: EN, Nov. 16, 1911, p. 599.
120. “If five or more”: ibid., p. 583.
121. “Causes of the Disaster”: ibid., p. 582.
122. “While the Quebec Bridge Co.”: ibid.
123. “foresaw”: NYT, Aug. 25, 1919, p. 11.
124. “consulting work”: ENR, Aug. 28, 1919, p. 443.
125. memoir of Cooper: see “Memoir.”
126. His total assets: NYT, March 25, 1919.
Chapter 4. Lindenthal
1. “the Nestor”: EN, Dec. 21, 1916, p. 1188.
2. “dean” of American bridge engineers: ENR, Aug. 8, 1935, p. 208.
3. Lindenthal was born: see “Memoir”; see also Buckley, p. 40.
4. “educated at”: DAB, suppl. 1, pp. 498–99; National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, vol. XVI, p. 117.
5. The issue of Lindenthal’s education: see Buckley, pp. 56–57.
6. According to a memoir: “Memoir,” p. 1790.
7. “received practical training”: ibid.
8. “was put to work”: Buckley, p. 56.
9. “to start a life”: quoted in ibid.
10. “incline plane and railroad”: National Cyclopaedia of American Biography, vol. XVI, p. 117.
11. “stood a little over six feet”: Buckley, p. 57.
12. “Lindenthal was neither”: ibid., p. 56.
13. After the Centennial Exhibition: BDACE, vol. I; Smith et al., p. 244.
14. Monongahela River: Scientific American, Sept. 22, 1883.
15. Lewis Wernwag: see Nelson, pp. 59–60.
16. “an American engineering superlative”: see Nelson.
17. “the most stunning”: Jackson, p. 321.
18. “in the course of time”: Scientific American, Sept. 22, 1883, p. 180.
19. riverboat captains could arrange: Gangewere, p. 29.
20. “would not be subject to”: Schodek, p. 129.
21. “the triumph of architectural skill”: Scientific American, Sept. 22, 1883, p. 180.
22. Smithfield Street Bridge carried: Lindenthal (1883); Jackson, pp. 151–52; Schodek, pp. 129–31; Billington (1983), pp. 123–24.
24. portal motif: see Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, p. 129.
25. “new bridge at Pittsburg”: Scientific American, Sept. 22, 1883, p. 180.
26. “from an excellent photograph”: ibid.
27. “practicability of a railroad bridge”: TASCE, vol. 97 (1933), p. 422.
28. “There was keen competition”: ibid.
29. “given thought”: ibid., p. 423.
30. “annoyance and even danger”: Lindenthal (1887), [p. 1].
31. Arthur Mellen Wellington: BDACE, vol. II.
32. with Calvert Vaux: D. McCullough (1972), p. 146.
33. “1874–78”: quoted in EN, May 23, 1895, p. 337.
34. “great work”: ibid.
35. “It would be well”: quoted in Engineering Education, July-Aug. 1990, p. 524.
36. “the influence of his energy”: EN, May 23, 1895, p. 338.
37. “devoted his leisure”: ibid.
38. “from a man”: EN, July 9, 1887, p. 24.
39. “Are the proposed tunnels”: quoted in ibid.
40. “not as a publication”: Lindenthal (1887), copyright page.
41. “Prof. Lindenthal”: NYT, Jan. 5, 1888, p. 5.
42. “public move”: EN, Nov. 12, 1887, p. 348.
43. “wagon-ways”: EN, Nov. 19, 1887, p. 359.
44. Fort Lee: NYT, Jan. 27, 1888, p. 8; Jan. 28, 1888, p. 3.
45. “certainly not so formidable”: EN, Jan. 7, 1888, p. 1.
46. A profile diagram: EN, Jan. 14, 1888, p. 22.
47. “protect them absolutely”: ibid., p. 30.
48. “the most prominent feature”: EN, Jan. 28, 1888, p. 57.
49. “the first definite description”: ibid., p. 62.
50. “architectural excellence”: EN, Feb. 4, 1888, p. 78.
51. “The graceful suspension”: ibid., pp. 78–79.
52. “It is certainly true”: ibid., p. 79.
53. four types of bridges: EN, March 3, 1888, pp. 153–54.
54. “cantilever fever”: April 7, 1888, p. 270.
55. “as t
hey were then”: EN, March 3, 1888, p. 154.
56. so committed to the suspension concept: ibid., p. 155; cf. EN, March 24, 1888, p. 226.
57. New-York and New-Jersey Bridge Company: Ammann (1933b), p. 5.
58. opposition on the New York side: NYT, Feb. 5, 1888, p. 3.
59. Early in 1888: EN, April 14, 1888, p. 283.
60. “It plainly contemplates”: ibid., p. 294.
61. Henry Flad: NYT, July 3, 1888, p. 4.
62. “we shall have a bridge”: NYT, Dec. 25, 1888, p. 4.
63. “much-talked-of bridge”: The American Architect and Building News, Dec. 8, 1888, p. 267.
64. critical appraisal by Max Am Emde: The Engineer, vol. 67 (1889), p. 411.
65. “Ignorance of it”: EN, July 20, 1889, p. 58.
66. “the bridge is not intended”: ibid., p. 59.
67. “If English and Scotch railways”: EN, March 8, 1890, p. 228.
68. “take hold of the project”: NYT, Oct. 12, 1889, p. 1.
69. American Association for the Advancement of Science: EN, Nov. 9, 1889, pp. 435–37; Nov. 16, 1889, pp. 464–65; Nov. 23, 1889, pp. 486–87.
70. “Zoölogists tell us”: EN, Nov. 9, 1889, p. 436.
71. “If well maintained”: EN, Nov. 23, 1889, p. 487.
72. “Man is more destructive”: ibid.
73. “Like half a rainbow”: ibid.
74. In the early spring: EN, April 5, 1890, p. 313; July 5, 1890, pp. 12–13.
75. “a few hackfuls”: EN, Jan. 2, 1892, p. 15.
76. two bridge companies: see EN, March 16, 1893, p. 258.
77. “The North River Bridge Co.”: EN, Jan. 2, 1892, p. 15.
78. location of the bridge: cf. Billington (1977), table 1.
79. “near Desbrosses St.”: TASCE, vol. 97 (1933), p. 423.
80. “somewhere between Seventieth and Eightieth”: NYT, Feb. 5, 1888, p. 3.
81. “at about Sixtieth St.”: NYT, March 24, 1888, p. 5.
82. “between 10th and 181st Sts.”: EN, April 14, 1888, p. 283.
83. “between Washington Heights and Spuyten Duyvil”: NYT, July 3, 1888, p. 4.
84. “at Fourteenth-Street”: NYT, July 7, 1888, p. 5.
85. “at Fort Washington”: ibid.
86. “at any point”: NYT, Oct. 16, 1888, p. 3.
87. “near 13th St.”: EN, April 6, 1889, p. 299.
88. “about Forty-second St.”: EN, May 10, 1890, p. 434.
89. “to recommend”: see EN, Sept. 6, 1894, p. 187.
90. Bouscaren: BDACE, vol. I.
91. Burr: ibid.
92. Morison: ibid.; E. E. Morison.
93. Charles Walker Raymond: see “Memoir.”
94. “of the unanimous opinion”: EN, Sept. 6, 1894, p. 187.
95. in favor of a suspension bridge: ibid., p. 192.
96. “the maximum length”: EN, Nov. 22, 1894, p. 423.
97. “for information”: EN, Dec. 6, 1894, p. 465.
98. “one of the most valuable”: EN, Nov. 22, 1894, p. 428; cf. EN, Nov. 1, 1894, p. 364.
99. “attract a traffic”: EN, Nov. 22, 1894, p. 428.
100. Consolidated: EN, Dec. 13, 1894, p. 479.
101. secretary of war: EN, Dec. 20, 1894, p. 503.
102. Traffic on Brooklyn Bridge: see, e.g., EN, Nov. 19, 1887, p. 359.
103. Niagara Gorge Bridge: EN, Dec. 27, 1894, p. 534.
104. “To Mr. Roebling”: ibid.
105. “engineers are only now”: ibid.
106. first prize: EN, June 28, 1894, p. 546.
107. “One design”: ibid., p. 547.
108. “there is no knowing”: EN, Dec. 27, 1894, p. 534.
109. “immense rigid trusses”: EN, June 6, 1895, p. 361.
110. Charles MacDonald: Shanor, pp. 139–40.
111. “unless something were done”: EN, July 11, 1895, p. 25.
112. a cornerstone: Shanor, p. 141.
113. a tunnel: EN, Feb. 13, 1896, p. 97.
114. “to appreciate the fact”: EN, Nov. 25, 1897, p. 346; cf. Dec. 9, 1897, p. 378.
115. Hudson Tunnel Railroad Company: EN, June 16, 1892, p. 609.
116. John Fowler: EN, Sept. 15, 1892, p. 245.
117. British money: EN, June 16, 1892, p. 609.
118. calls for additional bridges: NYT, May 2, 1883, p. 5; May 14, 1887, p. 8.
119. Frederick Uhlmann: EN, Jan. 30, 1886.
120. Leffert Lefferts Buck: see “Memoir.”
121. plans for the Williamsburg Bridge: EN, July 30, 1896, p. 76.
122. “utterly opposed”: EN, Aug. 20, 1896, p. 126.
123. final price tag: see, e.g., D. McCullough (1972), pp. 506, 509.
124. “judgment, skill”: EN, Jan. 27, 1898, p. 60.
125. “ignorance of the true value”: ibid., p. 60.
126. “An engineer may not”: EN, March 3, 1898, p. 144.
127. “Roughly speaking”: EN, Dec. 17, 1903, p. 535.
128. “the heaviest suspension bridge”: Hungerford, p. 26.
129. “So far as engineering science”: ibid., pp. 26–27.
130. “slipping to Brooklyn”: NYT, Sept. 2, 1906, p. 1.
131. Two additional supports: NYT, Nov. 10, 1909.
132. additional steel: EN, May 14, 1914, p. 1082.
133. “Mr. Buck designed”: NYT, June 9, 1911, p. 7.
134. “perfect condition”: ENR, Dec. 8, 1921, p. 939.
135. Engineering News-Record: see ENR, April 5, 1917; cf. McGraw; Mehren; C. W. Baker.
136. “Such bridges”: ENR, Dec. 8, 1921, p. 924.
137. “dragged woefully”: Hungerford, p. 117.
138. Lindenthal deducted: ibid., p. 118.
139. The Roebling firm: NYT, Sept. 7, 1905, p. 7.
140. excluded by New York politics: see D. McCullough (1972), p. 374.
141. R. S. Buck: EN, Feb. 19, 1903, p. 183; see also TASCE, vol. 40 (1898), p. 160.
142. first semiannual report: EN, Aug. 21, 1902, p. 124.
143. The new plans: EN, Feb. 19, 1903, p. 184.
144. board of five engineers: ibid.
145. “small suspension bridges”: EN, March 12, 1903, p. 229.
146. “one of the most experienced”: ibid., p. 234.
147. “they are to be preferred”: ibid., p. 243.
148. The final report: EN, July 2, 1903, p. 24.
149. “even more disappointing”: EN, July 9, 1903, p. 38.
150. “a chain-bridge”: EN, July 23, 1903, p. 79.
151. The debate over the Manhattan Bridge: see, e.g., EN, July 30, 1903, p. 102; Aug. 6, 1903, p. 124; Aug. 13, 1903, p. 144.
152. editorial stance: EN, Aug. 13, 1903, p. 142.
153. “no greater than”: EN, Oct. 1, 1903, p. 296.
154. “yet much to learn”: EN, Oct. 29, 1903, p. 392.
155. “the best way”: EN, Dec. 31, 1903, p. 590.
156. “personal spite”: NYT, Dec. 9, 1905, p. 15; cf. p. 8.
157. still advocating a chain: NYT, March 31, 1906, p. 8.
158. Mayor McClellan: NYT, June 16, 1908, p. 5.
159. formally opened: EN, Jan. 6, 1910, p. 27; see also NYT, Dec. 12, 1908, p. 1.
160. “to watch the construction”: NYT, April 12, 1909, p. 5.
161. Ralph Modjeski: see Durand; Current Biography, 1940; DAB, suppl. 2; “Memoir.”
162. “The première tragedienne”: “Memoir” of Modjeski, p. 1624.
163. “someday he would build”: Modjeska, pp. 245–46.
164. student with Ignace Paderewski: Durand, p. 246.
165. “as an honor conferred”: Civil Engineering, March 1931, p. 568; see also Civil Engineering, April 1931, p. 667.
166. “When I was four”: Journal of the Western Society of Engineers, vol. 36, no. 2 (April 1931), p. 73; see also Durand, p. 255.
168. “father of bridge building”: “Memoir” of Modjeski, p. 1624.
169. “It is that”: Journal of the Western Society of Engineers, vol. 36, no. 2 (April 1931), P. 7
9.
170. “prolonged applause”: ibid., p. 72.
171. His posing: Government Board of Engineers.
172. Delaware River Bridge: Carswell, pp. 37, 39.
173. “a clean bill of health”: NYT, Sept. 14, 1909; see also ENR, Oct. 14, 1909, pp. 401–9.
174. The Manhattan Bridge: see, e.g., Billington (1983), p. 136.
175. Lindenthal actually raised: ENR, April 27, 1911, p. 517.
176. “scheme was rescued”: NYT, July 23, 1880, p. 2.
177. “by enormous passenger elevators”: NYT, March 16, 1887, p. 5.
178. legality of running railroad tracks: NYT, Nov. 8, 1889, p. 3.
179. only one pier: Reier, p. 44.
180. The new location: EN, Nov. 29, 1894, pp. 439, 448.
181. Supreme Court: EN, Nov. 21, 1895, p. 350.
182. In his first report: EN, Aug. 21, 1902, p. 125.
183. Lindenthal’s specifications: EN, Sept. 3, 1903, p. 206.
184. “largest cantilever bridge”: NYT, July 4, 1905, p. 3; see also July 8, 1905, p. 14.
185. “and so weakened”: NYT, Sept. 22, 1906, p. 6.
186. Work gangs: NYT, Feb. 14, 1908, p. 1.
187. dynamite was found: NYT, March 9, 1908, p. 11.
188. “seemed to be defying”: NYT, March 13, 1908, p. 4.
189. Two independent consultants: Burr and Boller & Hodge, p. 3.
190. Burr did recommend: ibid., p. 26.
191. “must not be opened”: NYT, July 30, 1908, p. 12.
192. fearless pedestrians: NYT, Aug. 18, 1908, p. 7.
193. Rudyard Kipling: see “The Bridge-Builders,” in Kipling.
194. “birds in large flocks”: NYT, Dec. 10, 1908, p. 3.
195. “architects and structural engineers”: NYT, Dec. 27, 1908, pt. 5, p. 4.
196. “unpleasantly suggestive”: NYT, Sept. 6, 1908, pt. 3, p. 4.
197. Miss Elinor Dolbert: NYT, Jan. 6, 1909, p. 3.
198. perhaps Wilbur Wright: NYT, Feb. 1, 1909, p. 1.
199. “veracious press agent”: NYT, Feb. 4, 1909, p. 6.
200. Questions of safety: see, e.g., NYT, March 31, 1909, p. 2.
201. “Dr. Rainey”: NYT, May 13, 1909, p. 1.
202. “new bridge ablaze”: NYT, June 13, 1909, p. 1.
203. Hell Gate: EN, May 30, 1907, p. 583.
204. Henry F. Hornbostel: Buckley, pp. 44, 48.
205. refused to submit new plans: NYT, March 29, 1904, p. 10.
206. “a pair of immense pylons”: EN, May 30, 1907, p. 583.
207. “in Westchester County”: Ammann (1918), p. 1000.
208. leaning toward a scheme: ibid., p. 860.
209. three comparative designs: ibid., p. 865.
Engineers of Dreams: Great Bridge Builders and the Spanning of America Page 50
