Pitched Unfairly

New York & Brooklyn Bridge

Status updateTo the Board of TrusteesSpring 1883

Status: on track

The bridge opens May 24.

Prepared by E. W. Roebling for W. A. Roebling, Chief Engineer

MAIN SPAN 1,595 FT 6 IN CAISSON 78 FT 6 IN CAISSON 44 FT 6 IN NEW YORK BROOKLYN

01 / Summary

The date is holding. If anything, it moved earlier.

Done
Both caissons, both towers, all four cables.
Finishing
Deck steel, lighting, the toll houses.
Need
One opening date on the board’s calendar.

Date confidence, 1883

Holding, ahead of June

02 / Safety

An estimated 27 men died building this bridge. They come first in this report.

  1. 1869John A. Roebling, the bridge’s designer, dies of tetanus after a ferry crushes his foot at the Fulton Ferry slip.
  2. 1872Caisson disease: 110 cases treated in the Manhattan caisson between January 25 and May 31. Three men die.
  3. 1872The chief engineer is paralyzed by the same disease and directs the work from his house from then on.

03 / Status by workstream

Amber means we have a fix. The chief engineer has been amber since 1872.

  • Green On track
  • Amber At risk, fix in hand
  • Red We need you
Workstream Status in 1883
Foundations Done.
Towers Done.
Cables Done.
Deck Finishing. Lighting and tolls settled.
Chief engineer Retained. E. W. Roebling still runs the link.
Trustees Motion failed, 10 to 7. Court rules the bridge lawful.

04 / Progress since last update

Nothing is still uphill. What’s left is just work.

1883

Lighting contracted in February, tolls set in March. Opening May 24.

Foundations Towers Cables Deck Opening

Done

  • Foundations
  • Towers
  • Cables
  • Deck
  • Opening

05 / Wins

All four cables are spun: 5,282 wires each.

Cables
4
Strands per cable
19
Wires per strand
278
Diameter
15.75 in

Spun June 1877 to October 5, 1878

5,282wires

19 of 19 strands

06 / What changed

Since the plan: more wire, later steel, and a bigger bill.

ChangePlanNowWhy
Scope Cables 6 to 8 times as strong as they need to be 4 times, plus 150 extra wires in every cable The supplier’s wire failed testing: 5 of 80 rings passed. He pays for the extra wire.
Schedule Deck steel delivered by 1880 Still short in November 1881 Edgemoor blames Cambria’s eyebars. A trustees’ committee is on it.
Budget $7 million for the bridge, $3.8 million for the approaches (1867) About $15 million Thirteen years of work and every change above. Brooklyn pays two thirds.

Supplier update The wire contractor is now in Sing Sing, for something else.

07 / Risks

Every risk has an owner. The worst one was a motion, not a cable.

RiskOwnerDateStatus
Motion to remove the chief engineerHe missed the June meeting; most papers want him out. E. W. Roebling Board vote, 1882 Closed: failed, 10 to 7
Ships can’t clear the spanShipping interests sued the two cities in May 1876. Counsel for both cities Supreme Court, 1883 Closed: ruled lawful
Cable strength below specBad wire leaves the cables 4 times as strong as needed, not 6 to 8. W. A. Roebling Fixed by Oct 1878 Mitigated: +150 wires a cable
Deck steel arrives lateEdgemoor’s contract was due complete October 1882. Trustees’ committee, chair Seth Low Before opening Open: fix in hand

08 / Decisions and asks

The chief engineer stays. Now we need a date, not a motion.

  • Chief engineer retained1882
  • Lighting contracts awardedFeb 1883
  • Toll scheme approvedMar 1883

The ask Confirm the opening for Thursday, May 24. Owner: the Board of Trustees.

10against7for

Motion to remove the chief engineer, 1882

Failed

09 / Next milestones

Next: May 24. First across, one carriage and one rooster.

E. W. ROEBLING
  1. Before the ceremony First crossing, by carriage E. W. Roebling, with one rooster
  2. Thursday, May 24 Opening ceremony President Chester A. Arthur attends
  3. After the ribbon Next status update Open to traffic, both cities