Brooklyn Bridge Construction

Pedestrian Walkway on Bridge

         The Brooklyn Bridge construction was not easy, and had a lot of struggles. Some of these struggles are told in the newspaper articles about Caissons(Article 4), cables snapping(Article 6), false wires(Article 7), and deaths of workers from these struggles. As I navigated through many different news articles I realized that many articles were not just written from the New York Times or the New York Post but all over. From Connecticut (Article 1), Albany, New York(Article 2,4), Texas(Article 3), Jamestown, New York(Article 5), Louisiana(Article 6), and Massachusetts(Article 7). All of these states knew and talked about what was going on between New York City and Brooklyn. I learned that there were many obstacles the bridge had faced before being opened and this affected lives from this unstable bridge, in the beginning(Article 3). Learned that the Brooklyn side of the bridge had deep rock of the side of the river and needed a lot of support for it, which was a problem. The primary sources helped me understand the importance and significance the bridge had upon other cities in the United States and not just New York itself. This bridge had provided both cities with economical advantages.

Brooklyn Bridge

        Progressivism had affected the growth of the Brooklyn Bridge immensely. Made a need for change and growth all over the United States. The bridge had been compared to the similarities to London and Westminster(Article 1). Shown how expansion had also occurred in the United States and how economically the rise in property values in Brooklyn would provide money to pay for costs of the bridge. Economically the Progressive era was affected very much. There were dangerous concerns with the new innovation the bridge had brought with Caissons, wires, and faulty wires. Progressivism brought after the bridge had been built its popularity and its rise of use that people have started walking and driving their cars across the bridge. This bridge had advance economically, technological uses, and expansion. Most middle class people used this because of the main use of cars and walking across the pedestrian walkway. 

Brooklyn Bridge Building Process

Newspaper Articles

Article 1: Bridge across the East River Connecticut Herald - Connecticut, New Haven, November 17, 1829

Article 2: East River Bridge Company Albany Evening Journal - New York, Albany, May 17, 1867

Article 3: The East River Suspension Flake's Weekly Galveston Bulletin - Texas, Galveston, September 21, 1867

Article 4: A Marvelous Accident in the Caisson of the East River Bridge- Albany Evening Journal September 27,1870 Albany, New York

Article 5: Two Diabolical Hours in Brooklyn One Hour under a dull Preacher and One Hour under East River Jamestown Journal - New York, Jamestown, December 02, 1870

Article 6: One of the Bridge Cables Snaps Times-Picayune - Louisiana, New Orleans, June 20, 1878

Article 7: Defective Wires Used on the Bridge Springfield Republican - Massachusetts, Springfield, January 12, 1880