0 00:00:08,546 --> 00:00:11,186 - So now let's move on to the social aspect 1 00:00:11,186 --> 00:00:13,067 of this Brooklyn Bridge. 2 00:00:13,067 --> 00:00:15,446 We'll look at the politics of corruption, 3 00:00:15,446 --> 00:00:17,747 in particular Boss Tweed 4 00:00:17,747 --> 00:00:19,926 and the economics of construction, 5 00:00:19,926 --> 00:00:21,927 which Washington Roebling would have to deal with 6 00:00:21,927 --> 00:00:23,111 both the economics, 7 00:00:23,111 --> 00:00:25,911 but also the politics and the corruption. 8 00:00:25,911 --> 00:00:28,191 And then we see in the end when the bridge is completed 9 00:00:28,191 --> 00:00:30,471 a transformation of communities. 10 00:00:30,471 --> 00:00:33,531 Brooklyn and New York, two major cities 11 00:00:33,531 --> 00:00:35,691 with very large populations. 12 00:00:35,691 --> 00:00:37,871 To get a bridge built, you have to get 13 00:00:37,871 --> 00:00:39,911 political figures to back it up 14 00:00:39,911 --> 00:00:41,511 and to agree to do it. 15 00:00:41,511 --> 00:00:43,331 Boss Tweed essentially controlled 16 00:00:43,331 --> 00:00:46,251 New York City politics through bribes. 17 00:00:46,251 --> 00:00:47,831 He continued to siphon up money 18 00:00:47,831 --> 00:00:50,611 dedicated to the bridge in order to keep things straight 19 00:00:50,611 --> 00:00:52,451 with the political world in New York City, 20 00:00:52,451 --> 00:00:53,892 or at least keep things straight 21 00:00:53,892 --> 00:00:56,432 how he defined it as being straight. 22 00:00:56,432 --> 00:00:58,572 Eventually Boss Tweed was caught 23 00:00:58,572 --> 00:01:01,052 and spent the rest of his time in jail. 24 00:01:01,052 --> 00:01:03,012 But in the meantime, Washington Roebling 25 00:01:03,012 --> 00:01:05,132 had to deal with this kind of corruption 26 00:01:05,132 --> 00:01:07,492 that was going on politically. 27 00:01:07,492 --> 00:01:11,372 To begin the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, 28 00:01:11,372 --> 00:01:13,172 the first thing that had to be done 29 00:01:13,172 --> 00:01:15,252 was launching the caissons. 30 00:01:15,252 --> 00:01:17,372 The caissons were the foundations 31 00:01:17,372 --> 00:01:19,812 for the towers of the Brooklyn Bridge 32 00:01:19,812 --> 00:01:22,952 and this was a massive wooden structure. 33 00:01:22,952 --> 00:01:26,432 Underneath which workers were digging out dirt 34 00:01:26,432 --> 00:01:28,632 to sink and lower deeper and deeper 35 00:01:28,632 --> 00:01:32,812 until that foundation, until that caisson hit bedrock. 36 00:01:32,812 --> 00:01:34,892 So if you look at an outline of the cross section 37 00:01:34,892 --> 00:01:36,752 of this wooden caisson, 38 00:01:36,752 --> 00:01:38,112 you can see the scale of it 39 00:01:38,112 --> 00:01:40,772 because you can barely make out the little people 40 00:01:40,772 --> 00:01:41,673 that are inside of it. 41 00:01:41,673 --> 00:01:45,013 So from the outside, it looks like a solid wooden mast 42 00:01:45,013 --> 00:01:47,033 but a cross section of that caisson 43 00:01:47,033 --> 00:01:49,653 shows it's essentially an upside down U 44 00:01:49,653 --> 00:01:52,073 where the tips are pointed 45 00:01:52,073 --> 00:01:55,353 so that it allows this to be dug deeper and deeper 46 00:01:55,353 --> 00:01:59,053 digging down until again you reach bedrock. 47 00:01:59,053 --> 00:02:00,953 The caissons were watertight structure 48 00:02:00,953 --> 00:02:03,816 used to build foundations of the towers 49 00:02:03,816 --> 00:02:06,436 and as I said before, they were made of wood. 50 00:02:06,436 --> 00:02:08,656 The water would crush the caissons in 51 00:02:08,656 --> 00:02:10,916 if the air inside were not compressed. 52 00:02:10,916 --> 00:02:13,317 So there was this pressure 53 00:02:13,317 --> 00:02:15,286 that had to built and sided to the air 54 00:02:15,286 --> 00:02:16,886 that was proportional to the depth. 55 00:02:16,886 --> 00:02:18,809 The deeper that caisson went, 56 00:02:18,809 --> 00:02:21,410 the higher that pressure was. 57 00:02:21,410 --> 00:02:22,870 People needed to come up slowly 58 00:02:22,870 --> 00:02:24,210 to avoid getting what's called 59 00:02:24,210 --> 00:02:26,210 the bends or caisson's disease, 60 00:02:26,210 --> 00:02:28,770 but at that time no one understood that. 61 00:02:28,770 --> 00:02:30,391 So the workers that were working 62 00:02:30,391 --> 00:02:33,331 underneath this foundation inside the caissons 63 00:02:33,331 --> 00:02:37,031 were coming up too fast and many of them were dying. 64 00:02:37,031 --> 00:02:38,951 The interior of the caisson was described 65 00:02:38,951 --> 00:02:40,311 by one of the workers, 66 00:02:40,311 --> 00:02:43,391 Master Mechanic E.F. Farrington in this way, 67 00:02:43,391 --> 00:02:46,631 he said, quote, "Inside the caisson everything wore 68 00:02:46,631 --> 00:02:49,151 "an unreal, weird appearance. 69 00:02:49,151 --> 00:02:51,651 "There was a confused sensation in the head. 70 00:02:51,651 --> 00:02:53,671 "The pulse was at first accelerated 71 00:02:53,671 --> 00:02:56,511 "then sometimes fell below the normal rate. 72 00:02:56,511 --> 00:02:58,551 "The voice sounded faint unnatural, 73 00:02:58,551 --> 00:03:01,231 "and it became a great effort to speak. 74 00:03:01,231 --> 00:03:04,011 "What with the flaming lights, the deep shadows, 75 00:03:04,011 --> 00:03:07,511 "the confusing noise of hammers, drills and chains, 76 00:03:07,511 --> 00:03:09,951 "the half-naked forms flitting about, 77 00:03:09,951 --> 00:03:13,231 "with here and there a Sisyphus rolling his stone, 78 00:03:13,231 --> 00:03:15,551 "one might, if of a poetic temperament, 79 00:03:15,551 --> 00:03:19,111 "get a realizing sense of Dante's inferno." 80 00:03:19,111 --> 00:03:23,492 On the Brooklyn side, the caisson was launched in 1870 81 00:03:23,492 --> 00:03:25,572 and filled in 1871. 82 00:03:25,572 --> 00:03:29,892 Meaning in 1871, they hit bedrock at 44 1/2 feet 83 00:03:29,892 --> 00:03:32,312 and then they filled it with concrete. 84 00:03:32,312 --> 00:03:33,472 On the New York side, 85 00:03:33,472 --> 00:03:36,692 the caisson was launched in 1871 86 00:03:36,692 --> 00:03:40,892 and when they reached 45 feet, 50 feet, 60 feet 87 00:03:40,892 --> 00:03:43,092 they still weren't reaching bedrock. 88 00:03:43,092 --> 00:03:45,192 So, Washington Roebling had to make 89 00:03:45,192 --> 00:03:48,352 the difficult decision at 78.6 feet 90 00:03:48,352 --> 00:03:51,112 to stop digging and set that caisson there. 91 00:03:51,112 --> 00:03:53,957 So in 1872, the New York caisson 92 00:03:53,957 --> 00:03:57,137 was filled with concrete. 93 00:03:57,137 --> 00:03:58,492 The decision was difficult 94 00:03:58,492 --> 00:04:00,952 but again, the deeper the caisson went, 95 00:04:00,952 --> 00:04:02,652 the more susceptible the workers were 96 00:04:02,652 --> 00:04:04,872 to caisson's disease or the bends, 97 00:04:04,872 --> 00:04:08,192 so more people were getting ill or dying to do that. 98 00:04:08,192 --> 00:04:10,832 And today we know that decision was a correct one, 99 00:04:10,832 --> 00:04:14,432 that foundation and the tower remains strong. 100 00:04:14,432 --> 00:04:17,592 That same year that the New York caisson was filled, 101 00:04:17,592 --> 00:04:19,652 Washington Roebling becomes paralyzed 102 00:04:19,652 --> 00:04:21,532 with the caisson's disease. 103 00:04:21,532 --> 00:04:23,132 There was a fire in the caisson, 104 00:04:23,132 --> 00:04:26,072 he was there often, coming down, going up 105 00:04:26,072 --> 00:04:28,212 and he eventually became paralyzed 106 00:04:28,212 --> 00:04:30,492 through that caisson's disease. 107 00:04:30,492 --> 00:04:33,612 So now the Brooklyn Bridge is in a perilous situation, 108 00:04:33,612 --> 00:04:35,332 the towers aren't even completed 109 00:04:35,332 --> 00:04:36,952 and we have the man with the vision, 110 00:04:36,952 --> 00:04:39,472 the designer of the bridge, John Roebling, 111 00:04:39,472 --> 00:04:42,532 this man of great emotional and physical strength 112 00:04:42,532 --> 00:04:43,872 who dies in a freak accident 113 00:04:43,872 --> 00:04:45,832 because his toes got crushed. 114 00:04:45,832 --> 00:04:48,192 Then we have his son who takes over 115 00:04:48,192 --> 00:04:49,792 who becomes paralyzed. 116 00:04:49,792 --> 00:04:52,572 And that means he can longer be on the construction site 117 00:04:52,572 --> 00:04:55,272 and oversee the work of the bridge. 118 00:04:55,272 --> 00:04:57,272 So the question becomes 119 00:04:57,272 --> 00:04:58,792 who's going to now direct 120 00:04:58,792 --> 00:05:01,392 the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge? 121 00:05:01,392 --> 00:05:04,272 And the answer to that question is surprising. 122 00:05:04,272 --> 00:05:08,072 It's actually Emily Roebling, Washington Roebling's wife. 123 00:05:08,072 --> 00:05:09,852 Now this is the late 1800s, 124 00:05:09,852 --> 00:05:11,932 to have a woman on the construction site 125 00:05:11,932 --> 00:05:14,052 directing work is really unheard of. 126 00:05:14,052 --> 00:05:16,052 So it really took some heroics 127 00:05:16,052 --> 00:05:18,372 from Emily to make this happen. 128 00:05:18,372 --> 00:05:20,712 Washington Roebling was still involved. 129 00:05:20,712 --> 00:05:22,012 He watched the construction 130 00:05:22,012 --> 00:05:23,832 through the window of his home 131 00:05:23,832 --> 00:05:27,252 and helped Emily, gave her instructions and directions, 132 00:05:27,252 --> 00:05:30,012 and he had control over some basic aspects. 133 00:05:30,012 --> 00:05:32,692 But many things had to be decided on the field, 134 00:05:32,692 --> 00:05:34,532 on site by Emily. 135 00:05:34,532 --> 00:05:36,812 She played an important role in the construction 136 00:05:36,812 --> 00:05:38,472 of the Brooklyn Bridge. 137 00:05:38,472 --> 00:05:39,712 So now that there was a plan 138 00:05:39,712 --> 00:05:42,172 and Emily will be assisting Washington Roebling 139 00:05:42,172 --> 00:05:43,512 while he was paralyzed, 140 00:05:43,512 --> 00:05:46,072 the construction of the towers proceeded. 141 00:05:46,072 --> 00:05:48,152 The towers again were made of heavy masonry 142 00:05:48,152 --> 00:05:51,432 because they had to sink those caissons. 143 00:05:51,432 --> 00:05:55,352 The tower on the Brooklyn side was completed in 1875 144 00:05:55,352 --> 00:06:00,152 and on the New York side it was completed in 1876. 145 00:06:00,152 --> 00:06:01,632 After the towers were completed, 146 00:06:01,632 --> 00:06:04,112 the next step is to build a temporary walkway. 147 00:06:04,112 --> 00:06:06,492 This walkway would be used by the constructors 148 00:06:06,492 --> 00:06:09,352 to build the cables of this bridge. 149 00:06:09,352 --> 00:06:12,812 Now, this walkway was actually open to the public 150 00:06:12,812 --> 00:06:14,752 and so anyone could cross over it. 151 00:06:14,752 --> 00:06:16,672 So many people would walk this walkway 152 00:06:16,672 --> 00:06:18,552 which was actually quite dangerous. 153 00:06:18,552 --> 00:06:20,832 Either to get across from Brooklyn to New York 154 00:06:20,832 --> 00:06:24,032 or vice versa quickly or just for the thrill of it. 155 00:06:24,032 --> 00:06:25,972 But then people started to faint 156 00:06:25,972 --> 00:06:27,172 and they decided to close 157 00:06:27,172 --> 00:06:29,952 that walkway off to the general public. 158 00:06:29,952 --> 00:06:32,232 Once that temporary walkway was set, 159 00:06:32,232 --> 00:06:34,092 next was laying of the wires. 160 00:06:34,092 --> 00:06:36,932 So the wires were spun, it's called the spinning process 161 00:06:36,932 --> 00:06:40,692 that I'll described shortly in a lecture to follow. 162 00:06:40,692 --> 00:06:42,972 And once those cables were spun in place 163 00:06:42,972 --> 00:06:44,652 it was very hard to take it apart 164 00:06:44,652 --> 00:06:45,732 or take anything out, 165 00:06:45,732 --> 00:06:48,992 and this was relevant in the context of the story 166 00:06:48,992 --> 00:06:51,412 of the corruption that surrounded 167 00:06:51,412 --> 00:06:53,452 not only the politics of New York, 168 00:06:53,452 --> 00:06:56,932 but the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. 169 00:06:56,932 --> 00:06:59,652 When it came time to bid on who would 170 00:06:59,652 --> 00:07:02,052 provide the wires for the Brooklyn Bridge, 171 00:07:02,052 --> 00:07:03,512 the obvious choice was 172 00:07:03,512 --> 00:07:06,112 Roebling's wire rope manufacturing company. 173 00:07:06,112 --> 00:07:08,832 However, one of the leading members of the commission 174 00:07:08,832 --> 00:07:11,612 which was like a board of trustees for the bridge 175 00:07:11,612 --> 00:07:14,592 objected to having Roebling provide the wires. 176 00:07:14,592 --> 00:07:17,132 He saw it as a conflict of interest. 177 00:07:17,132 --> 00:07:19,892 He saw it as Roebling being the chief engineer 178 00:07:19,892 --> 00:07:21,512 and he would get part of the profit 179 00:07:21,512 --> 00:07:24,112 therefore, the Roebling company should be barred 180 00:07:24,112 --> 00:07:26,632 from bidding on this project. 181 00:07:26,632 --> 00:07:29,912 The man that protested is named Abram Hewitt. 182 00:07:29,912 --> 00:07:33,652 Roebling then sold his stock to satisfy Hewitt 183 00:07:33,652 --> 00:07:35,952 but Hewitt was not satisfied. 184 00:07:35,952 --> 00:07:38,852 And the contract was given to Lloyd Haigh 185 00:07:38,852 --> 00:07:40,252 who was another contractor 186 00:07:40,252 --> 00:07:42,192 who was not only higher priced, 187 00:07:42,192 --> 00:07:45,612 but had a terrible reputation for corruption. 188 00:07:45,612 --> 00:07:46,992 It was later discovered actually 189 00:07:46,992 --> 00:07:49,452 that Hewitt who had spoken all about ethics 190 00:07:49,452 --> 00:07:51,632 and how unethical it would have been for Roebling 191 00:07:51,632 --> 00:07:54,012 to provide the wire was actually getting 192 00:07:54,012 --> 00:07:55,752 a kickback from this contractor. 193 00:07:55,752 --> 00:07:57,432 Meaning he was getting a profit 194 00:07:57,432 --> 00:08:00,812 from this contractor who did get the commission. 195 00:08:00,812 --> 00:08:02,712 Hewitt goes on to become mayor of New York 196 00:08:02,712 --> 00:08:04,952 and all this gets discovered later on 197 00:08:04,952 --> 00:08:08,252 but Washington knew about this right away. 198 00:08:08,252 --> 00:08:09,572 The drama doesn't end there 199 00:08:09,572 --> 00:08:11,832 because actually this company that was 200 00:08:11,832 --> 00:08:15,432 given the bid for the wire was putting in defective wire. 201 00:08:15,432 --> 00:08:17,252 They were putting in wire in another job 202 00:08:17,252 --> 00:08:19,532 but the other job was rejecting some of the wire 203 00:08:19,532 --> 00:08:21,612 and that truck with rejected wire 204 00:08:21,612 --> 00:08:24,352 was then just brought right over to the Brooklyn Bridge 205 00:08:24,352 --> 00:08:26,692 and spun into the cable. 206 00:08:26,692 --> 00:08:29,152 Again, Washington Roebling found out about this 207 00:08:29,152 --> 00:08:32,372 but it was too late, it was already spun into that cable. 208 00:08:32,372 --> 00:08:34,532 So what was done is that more wire 209 00:08:34,532 --> 00:08:36,432 was added to those cables. 210 00:08:36,432 --> 00:08:41,332 So, in the end the Brooklyn Bridge is a safe bridge. 211 00:08:41,332 --> 00:08:44,912 When completed, those towers were the tallest towers 212 00:08:44,912 --> 00:08:48,732 to be seen in the Manhattan and Brooklyn skyline 213 00:08:48,732 --> 00:08:52,392 with the exception of the Trinity Church spire. 214 00:08:52,392 --> 00:08:56,032 Today, we know that with the new Manhattan skyline 215 00:08:56,032 --> 00:08:56,992 that is not the case, 216 00:08:56,992 --> 00:08:59,132 but at that time, again these towers 217 00:08:59,132 --> 00:09:01,432 were essentially skyscrapers. 218 00:09:01,432 --> 00:09:04,752 Before the bridge was opened to the public, 219 00:09:04,752 --> 00:09:07,652 7,000 invitations were given to select citizens 220 00:09:07,652 --> 00:09:10,732 to cross the bridge before that opening. 221 00:09:10,732 --> 00:09:13,392 It opened at midnight with fireworks 222 00:09:13,392 --> 00:09:17,252 on May 24th, 1883. 223 00:09:17,252 --> 00:09:19,992 This opening of the bridge was a national event. 224 00:09:19,992 --> 00:09:22,712 It was an important event for the United States 225 00:09:22,712 --> 00:09:24,512 and actually for the world. 226 00:09:24,512 --> 00:09:28,352 The president of the U.S. at the time was Chester A. Arthur 227 00:09:28,352 --> 00:09:32,892 and he is seen in this rendering as crossing the bridge. 228 00:09:32,892 --> 00:09:35,592 Washington Roebling unfortunately was still paralyzed 229 00:09:35,592 --> 00:09:38,252 and couldn't walk over that bridge 230 00:09:38,252 --> 00:09:40,832 but there present was Emily Roebling. 231 00:09:40,832 --> 00:09:42,732 Again, we know her to have played 232 00:09:42,732 --> 00:09:43,912 an important role in this 233 00:09:43,912 --> 00:09:46,852 and she was recognized for that role. 234 00:09:46,852 --> 00:09:48,952 Next we're gonna look at this bridge in use. 235 00:09:48,952 --> 00:09:51,052 How do people see this bridge today 236 00:09:51,052 --> 00:09:53,892 and how did it inspire some important artists 237 00:09:53,892 --> 00:09:56,042 of the early 1900s?