Thuringia and the Telectroscope
Photo courtesy of medemaatjes
Johann August Röbling, a German immigrant from Thuringia, a middle-of-nowhere state equipped with a new state anthem by Rainald Grebe, escaped building permit bureaucracy to find his opportunity in New York, suggested to build a bridge that connects Manhatten's East Side with Brooklyn. His idea didn't cause much excitement in the City at first. How will a two kilometer long bridge hold?
Röbling developed the idea of a hanging bridge with steel cables and had been successful as a civil engineer near the Niagara Falls, so eventually the City was convinced to start the project. Up until then, ferries that traversed the East River had to fight the ice pack during the winter months.
After only a few days of steel and brick gathering, a ferry squeezed Röbling's foot. He was never able to see his bridge take shape and died of Tetanus after his accident. As if the boats knew who was changing their business model and delivered a final punch.
His son Washington took over and essentially discovered divers sickness. When he continued his dives to install the foundations for the bridge, Washington got weaker and was paralysed. Years later, studies proved that the water pressure caused divers sickness.
On May 24, 1883, the longest hanging bridge in the world at the time opened to the public. President Chester A. Arthur lead the procession together with Grover Cleveland, who later became President.
There will be a five-day celebration without a German Telectroscope. It starts on May 22nd at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park with live music followed by the unveiling of graffiti 2.0 that will illuminate the bridge at night on Memorial Day. Another part of the celebration includes a Telectroscope hook-up between New Yorkers and Londoners, a purported tunnel across the pond, since London has much ado with the Brooklyn Bridge.
Comments
Little know fact--- he built the first model for that style of bridge in cincinnati ohio - trure look it up. Its still beautiful and a great piece of art to showcase the huge german influence of the city
Joe Back; May 23, 2008 12:09 AM