Engineers of Dreams: Great Bridge Builders and the Spanning of America

by Henry Petroski

  210. “a utilitarian structure”: ibid., p. 868.

  211. An arch design: ibid., p. 865.

  212. Ammann’s list of factors: ibid., pp. 869–70.

  213. “more expressive of rigidity”: ibid., p. 871.

  214. “massiveness over lightness”: Billington (1983), p. 126.

  215. “a slight reversal”: Ammann (1918), pp. 872, 874.

  216. “rather a massive frill”: Billington (1983), p. 128.

  217. “although not objecting”: Ammann (1918), p. 872.

  218. original tower design left a gap: see ibid., fig. 8, facing p. 874.

  219. “Lindenthal feared”: Buckley, p. 48.

  220. “Mr. Lindenthal conceived”: Ammann (1918), p. 865.

  221. “A great work of art”: ibid., p. 863.

  222. twice as heavy: EN, Jan. 8, 1914, p. 59.

  223. staff of ninety-five: Ammann (1918), p. 985.

  224. “with minor architectural changes”: EN, Jan. 8, 1914, p. 59.

  225. “The arches could”: EN, Jan. 22, 1914, p. 203.

  226. Lindenthal responded: EN, Feb. 5, 1914, p. 316.

  227. “objection was made”: Ammann (1918), p. 1032.

  228. “Hell Gate Arch Bridge”: EN, Dec. 31, 1914, p. 1311.

  229. Federal Express: NYT, March 11, 1917, sect. III, p. 4; ENR, March 15, 1917, P. 453.

  230. “chief memorial”: ENR, Aug. 8, 1935, p. 208.

  231. The Sciotoville: McClintic-Marshall Company, p. 3.

  232. “perhaps the boldest”: quoted in Billington (1983), p. 125

  233. “the ultimate expression”: Carl Condit, quoted in Jackson, p. 173.

  234. “daring and handsome structure”: in discussion to Lindenthal (1922), p. 963.

  235. “genius that originates”: quoted in ibid.; see also p. 912.

  236. “the boldest bridge plan”: Waddell (1916), p. 608.

  237. “The Sciotoville Bridge”: in discussion to Lindenthal (1922), p. 962.

  238. “detailed, although somewhat belated”: Lindenthal (1922), p. 910.

  239. Rowland Prize: Civil Engineering, Sept. 1935, p. 594.

  240. “in this unusual work”: Lindenthal (1922), p. 953.

  241. Portland, Oregon: Wood, p. 25; ENR, June 26, 1924, p. 1115; cf. Ratigan, pp. 194–95.

  242. largest bridges on the West Coast: ENR, Aug. 8, 1935, p. 208.

  243. “he never built two”: “Memoir,” p. 1793.

  244. “his habit of looking”: ibid.; cf. Leonhardt (1984b), pp. 32–34.

  245. “one of the masters”: EN, Dec. 21, 1916, p. 1188.

  246. J. A. L. Waddell: see, e.g., Who’s Who in Engineering, 1922–23; BDACE, vol. II; National Cyclopaedia of American Biography vol. XXVII; ENR, March 10, 1938, p. 354; Waddell (1928).

  247. “of finding someone”: EN, Dec. 21, 1916, p. 1188.

  248. “the fact that parts”: Lindenthal (1916), p. 1175.

  249. “too active to find”: TASCE, vol. 105 (1940), p. 1794.

  250. Waddell kept his staff employed: Hardesty & Hanover (1987a), no. 1, p. 4.

  251. “breezy and often gossipy”: Lindenthal (1916), p. 1175.

  252. Hell Gate: Waddell (1916), p. 27.

  253. “the noted bridge engineer”: ibid., p. 625.

  254. “certainly of aesthetic appearance”: ibid., p. 626.

  255. “Gustav Lindenthal, Esq., C.E.”: ibid., p. 126; cf. p. 482.

  256. “A New York engineer”: ibid., p. 586.

  257. without one’s name: ibid., p. 27.

  258. “much valuable information”: ibid., p. 126.

  259. “one of the most prominent”: ibid., p. 471.

  260. “exceedingly favorable”: ibid., p. 482.

  261. “Messrs. Geo. S. Morison”: ibid., p. 660.

  262. “made in the late eighties”: ibid., p. 662.

  263. Hodge’s plan: ibid., pp. 661–62.

  264. Halstead Street Lift-Bridge: Waddell (1895); see also Waddell & Son.

  265. series of partnerships: see Hardesty & Hanover (1987b).

  266. Waddell & Son catalogue: Waddell & Son.

  267. thoughtfully cropped photographs: Strauss Bascule Bridge Company.

  268. “possession of a constitution”: Engineering, April 15, 1938, p. 413.

  269. “in longhand”: in Waddell (1928), p. 17.

  270. “The book”: Lindenthal (1916), p. 1175.

  271. “there are few structures”: ibid., p. 1177.

  272. “The author’s repeated reference”: ibid., p. 1178.

  273. “The great bridges of New York”: from letter quoted in ENR, Jan. 29, 1920, p. 250.

  274. “resolutions of remonstrance”: ENR, Feb. 26, 1920, p. 435.

  275. Ralph Modjeski was chosen: Carswell, p. 6.

  276. “the engineer who thinks”: ENR, Nov. 24, 1921, p. 862.

  277. “the finest example”: ibid., p. 861.

  278. Joseph Pennell: see, e.g., Fredrich (1993).

  279. as early as 1818: Delaware River Bridge, p. 19.

  280. In 1843: ibid., p. 20.

  281. Waddell & Son: ENR, June 23, 1921, p. 1086.

  282. Havana, Cuba: Waddell (1916), pp. 1156–57; fig. 52a, p. 1158.

  283. Warren P. Laird: Delaware River Bridge, p. 23.

  284. board of engineers: ibid., p. 6.

  285. Suspension and cantilever: ENR, June 23, 1921, p. 1087.

  286. “in lieu of”: Delaware River Bridge, p. 24.

  287. tolls: see, e.g., ENR, Sept. 3, 1925, p. 399.

  288. “under the pressure”: ENR, July 30, 1925, p. 167.

  289. “if the outcome”: ENR, Dec. 3, 1925, p. 900; see also July 30, 1925, p. 167.

  290. “it probably ranks”: ENR, Sept. 30, 1926, p. 530.

  291. “There will be”: Delaware River Bridge, p. 7.

  292. “Bridge Engineering”: Lindenthal (1924b).

  293. “Engineers are sometimes”: ibid., p. 657.

  294. “Bridge construction”: ibid.

  295. “exceptionally severe winter”: Lindenthal (1918a), p. 3.

  296. “the slowing up and congestion”: ibid., p. 10.

  297. “it would be folly”: ibid., p. 14.

  298. “Dr. Engr. Gustav Lindenthal”: see Waddell (1916), p. 1626.

  299. “Lower Deck”: Lindenthal (1919), p. 6.

  300. his earlier pamphlet: ibid., p. 16. The pamphlet referred to is Lindenthal (1918a).

  301. “the most backward”: Lindenthal (1933), p. 7.

  302. “deduce and predict”: ibid., p. 5.

  303. “He waved the inquiry”: NYT, May 22, 1930, p. 29.

  304. eighty-first birthday: NYT, May 21, 1931, p. 24.

  305. “pigeonholed”: ENR, Aug. 8, 1935, p. 208.

  306. “grand old man”: quoted in NYT, Dec. 16, 1932, p. 15.

  307. two other engineers were honored: ibid.

  308. eighty-fifth birthday: NYT, May 22, 1935, p. 4.

  309. he died: see Lindenthal obituaries in Civil Engineering, Sept. 1935, p. 594; ENR, Aug. 8, 1935, p. 208; NYT, Aug. 1, 1935, p. 23.

  310. “his dream of forty years”: NYT, Aug. 1, 1935, p. 23.

  311. only David Steinman: NYT, Aug. 3, 1935, p. 13.

  Chapter 5 Ammann

  1. Othmar Hermann Ammann: see, e.g., Durrer; Stüssi; Widmer; Wisehart; see also DAB, suppl. 7; Current Biography, 1963.

  2. The river: Durrer, p. 26.

  3. descendant of: Consulting Engineer, Feb. 1964, p. 10.

  4. sketching pad: MacKaye, p. 23.

  5. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology: Wisehart, p. 183.

  6. Wilhelm Ritter: Billington (1980), p. 1109.

  7. The final span illustrated: Ritter, p. 63.

  8. worked one summer: MacKaye, p. 23.

  9. Wartmann & Valette: Current Biography, 1963, p. 8.

  10. “the engineer has greater”: quoted in Wisehart, p. 183.

  11. “My first serious interest”: quoted in Widmer, pp. 5–6.

  12. “
Get all the experience”: quoted in Wisehart, p. 183.

  13. “the first door”: Durrer, p. 27.

  14. Union Bridge Company: Wisehart, p. 184; Widmer, pp. 4–5.

  15. “designed twenty-five”: quoted in Wisehart, p. 184.

  16. “boss was simply”: letter, Ammann to his parents, Dec. 3, 1904, trans. Margot Ammann Durrer. Courtesy of Margot Ammann Durrer.

  17. “very modern”: ibid.

  18. Frederic C. Kunz: Widmer, p. 6.

  19. “for their able assistance”: Kunz, p. vi.

  20. Among the many plates: Kunz, plate XLVIII A, facing p. 373.

  21. “the actual boss”: Widmer, p. 6.

  22. new Quebec Bridge: see Kunz, plate XLVIII A, facing p. 373.

  23. recommended him to Gustav Lindenthal: Wisehart, p. 185.

  24. “OHA started position”: reproduced in Widmer, p. 7; see Ammann (1918), p. 985; Widmer, p. 6; Wisehart, p. 185.

  25. ninety-five engineers: Ammann (1918), p. 985.

  26. left for Switzerland: Widmer, p. 7; MacKaye, p. 24.

  27. the last rivet: Widmer, p. 7.

  28. Ammann presented: Ammann (1918); see also Buckley, p. 45.

  29. “obligation, for permission”: Ammann (1918), p. 854.

  30. reports of uncommon clarity: see Miller and Saidla, pp. 235–53.

  31. “The paper is”: Quimby discussion to Ammann (1918), p. 1020.

  32. “and work on them”: Miller and Saidla, p. 252.

  33. “bent over his desk”: letter, Margot Ammann Durrer to Henry Petroski, Nov. 8, 1993.

  34. “Whenever I looked over”: quoted in Durrer, p. 29.

  35. “peculiar construction”: Lindenthal (1922), p. 912.

  36. “in this unusual work”: ibid., p. 953.

  37. “A great engineering work”: Ammann (1918), p. 986.

  38. “the position was not attractive”: quoted in Widmer, p. 9.

  39. turned the situation around: ibid.

  40. Standard biographical sketches: see, e.g., Current Biography, 1963; DAB, suppl. 7.

  41. North River Bridge Corporation: NYT, Jan. 19, 1921, p. 17; Jan. 22, 1921, p. 14.

  42. “to obtain public support”: NYT, April 17, 1921, sect. X, p. 15.

  43. vehicular tunnels: see, e.g., ENR, June 20, 1918, p. 1202.

  44. “coal famine”: NYT, Jan. 27, 1918, sect. III, p. 8.

  45. George Washington Goethals: see “Memoir”; S. R. Watson and Watson, pp. 121–28.

  46. Six feet tall: S. R. Watson and Watson, p. 124.

  47. “was due almost entirely”: NYT, March 18, 1918, p. 18.

  48. Goethals estimated: ibid.; NYT, June 29, 1918, p. 15.

  49. The cost of $12 million: NYT, Feb. 25, 1919, p. 11.

  50. Clifford M. Holland: NYT, June 5, 1919, p. 28; see also “Memoir.”

  51. “the youngest”: NYT, June 15, 1919, sect. IV, p. 13.

  52. “he spent more time underground”: ENR, Oct. 30, 1924, p. 723.

  53. “The duties of”: NYT, June 5, 1919, p. 28.

  54. salary of $10,000: ibid.

  55. Several key appointments: NYT, July 2, 1919, p. 25.

  56. “After very careful investigation”: quoted in NYT, Feb. 15, 1920, sect. IV, p. 17.

  57. Within days of the release: see ENR, March 25, 1920, pp. 624–26.

  58. Goethals wrote: see ENR, April 8, 1920, pp. 729–32.

  59. Holland suggested: NYT, Feb. 20, 1920, p. 26.

  60. John F. O’Rourke: ENR, Aug. 2, 1934, p. 156.

  61. O’Rourke would realize: NYT, Feb. 21, 1920, p. 13.

  62. “The proposal to build”: NYT, March 2, 1920, p. 21.

  63. devote no more time: NYT, March 10, 1920, p. 16.

  64. American Association of Engineers: see Who’s Who in Engineering, 1937, p. xiv.

  65. “answers to questions”: NYT, July 16, 1921, p. 13.

  66. “There can be no question”: quoted in ENR, July 21, 1921, p. 125.

  67. “successful enough to underbid”: NYT, July 31, 1921, sect. II, p. 1.

  68. “in the opinion”: NYT, July 27, 1921, p. 5.

  69. public debate: NYT, July 29, 1921, p. 17.

  70. send Holland to Europe: ENR, July 28, 1921, p. 164.

  71. cold-storage plant: see NYT, June 1, 1922, p. 1.

  72. delays were estimated: NYT, Nov. 16, 1921, p. 10.

  73. capacity of fifteen million: NYT, Dec. 28, 1921, p. 4.

  74. experimental circular tunnel: NYT, Oct. 30, 1921, sect. II, p. 1.

  75. twenty-foot granite shaft: NYT, Dec. 15, 1921, p. 5.

  76. “Mr. Holland took a pick”: NYT, April 1, 1922, p. 16.

  77. “Mr. Falconer”: NYT, June 1, 1922, p. 1; cf. NYT, June 7, 1922, p. 5.

  78. a private affair: ENR, June 8, 1922, p. 971.

  79. “purely commercial”: NYT, Feb. 21, 1923, p. 16.

  80. Bergen County: NYT, March 4, 1923, sect. II, p. 1.

  81. “the construction of one”: NYT, April 10, 1923, p. 1.

  82. Port of New York Authority: NYT, March 6, 1923, p. 16.

  83. vetoed two tunnel bills: NYT, May 31, 1923, p. 2.

  84. “more wages”: NYT, April 13, 1923, p. 36.

  85. Costs were also rising: NYT, July 1, 1923, sect. VIII, p. 1.

  86. “who did not come”: NYT, Nov. 4, 1923, sect. 2, p. 8.

  87. final cost was estimated: NYT, Jan. 15, 1924, p. 23.

  88. Liberty Tunnels: NYT, Jan. 23, 1924, p. 16.

  89. accumulated fumes: NYT, May 11, 1924, p. 1.

  90. Yandell Henderson: NYT, March 3, 1924, p. 16; cf. NYT, May 18, 1924, p. 23.

  91. tunnel sprang a leak: NYT, April 4, 1924, p. 15.

  92. another sand-hog strike: NYT, April 10, 1924, p. 38.

  93. “the only spot”: NYT, Sept. 27, 1924, sect. I, p. 22.

  94. “some of the engineers”: NYT, Oct. 12, 1924, p. 14.

  95. President Coolidge: NYT, Oct. 19, 1924, p. 1.

  96. “in the depths”: NYT, Oct. 26, 1924, sect. IX, p. 14.

  97. The blast occurred: NYT, Oct. 30, 1924, p. 1.

  98. “started working on tunnels”: NYT, Oct. 28, 1924, p. 23.

  99. “his continuous devotion”: ibid.

  100. “had expected”: NYT, Oct. 30, 1924, p. 1.

  101. the name Holland Tunnel: NYT, Nov. 14, 1924, p. 18.

  102. “Throughout time”: ENR, April 2, 1925, p. 545.

  103. “able lieutenant”: ibid., p. 572; cf. p. 575.

  104. “nice controversy”: ENR, Feb. 21, 1924, p. 309; see also March 16, 1922, p. 28.

  105. In the 1924 election: NYT, Dec. 3, 1924, p. 13.

  106. “the next of the great viaducts”: NYT, Oct. 11, 1908, p. 7.

  107. Pennsylvania Station: see, e.g., Goldberger, p. 31.

  108. interstate bridge commission: NYT, June 12, 1909, p. 1.

  109. “would seriously injure”: NYT, Nov. 1, 1908, pt. 2, p. 8.

  110. “the most feasible sites”: NYT, Dec. 6, 1908, sect. II, p. 6.

  111. “the steamship and tobacco man”: NYT, June 12, 1909, p. 5.

  112. “The problem”: quoted in ibid.

  113. relative riverbed conditions: see NYT, Feb. 9, 1909, p. 9; see also NYT, Oct. 5, 1910, p. 20.

  114. George F. Kunz: NYT, Oct. 5, 1910, p. 20.

  115. McDougall Hawkes: NYT, Oct. 6, 1910, p. 5.

  116. Lindenthal wrote a letter: NYT, Oct. 17, 1910, p. 8.

  117. charter was running out: NYT, March 16, 1912, p. 16.

  118. long letter: NYT, Dec. 9, 1912, p. 20.

  119. John F. Stevens: NYT, Dec. 13, 1912, p. 13.

  120. Plans prepared by Boller & Hodge: NYT, Dec. 22, 1912, sect. 8, p. 2.

  121. Henry Hodge: NYT, Dec. 22, 1919, p. 15; Dec. 24, 1919, p. 13; Jan. 1, 1920, p. 8.

  122. “one of the foremost”: NYT, Dec. 22, 1919, p. 15.

  123. “The Hudson River”: ENR, Dec. 23, 1920, p. 1246.

  124. moving passenger platform: see, e.g., Scientific A
merican, March 26, 1910, p. 257.

  125. “in the vicinity”: NYT, Jan. 19, 1921, p. 17.

  126. “it was possible to bridge”: NYT, Aug. 22, 1923, p. 15.

  127. Ammann had his own stationery: reproduced in Doig (1990), p. 187.

  128. considerable detail: see ibid.; see also Doig and Billington.

  129. Joseph B. Strauss: see, e.g., van der Zee.

  130. “March 22/1923”: reproduced in Widmer, p. 12.

  131. “think piece”: Ammann (1923).

  132. “In vain”: letter, Ammann to his mother, Dec. 14, 1923, trans. Margot Ammann Durrer. Courtesy of Margot Ammann Durrer.

  133. “It is over a year ago”: quoted in Widmer, pp. 12–13.

  134. “At the opportune moment”: quoted in Widmer, p. 13.

  135. public hearings: Doig (1990), pp. 169–70.

  136. “A bridge at Fort Lee”: reproduced in ibid., p. 188.

  137. sketch of his suspension bridge: ENR, Jan. 3, 1924, p. 34.

  138. “almost unnoticed”: ENR, April 9, 1925, p. 588.

  139. “such a man”: quoted in Doig (1990), p. 171.

  140. Benjamin F. Cresson, Jr.: ENR, Feb. 1, 1923, p. 223.

  141. died suddenly: ibid.

  142. William W. Drinker: ENR, Sept. 27, 1923, p. 531.

  143. Since colonial days: City of Bayonne.

  144. “the Port Authority ought”: quoted in Doig (1990), p. 172.

  145. “anxiously awaiting their decision”: quoted in ibid., p. 174.

  146. “We desire to secure”: quoted in ENR, Dec. 18, 1924, p. 991; cf. editorial, p. 981.

  147. “It calls for bids”: ENR, Dec. 18, 1924, p. 981.

  148. William Burr and George Goethals: see Reier, pp. 112–14.

  149. “encouraging interview”: Doig (1990), pp. 174–75.

  150. Outerbridge Crossing: Reier, p. 114; Outerbridge and Outerbridge, p. 6.

  151. Goethals Bridge: Reier, p. 114; ENR, March 22, 1928, p. 492.

  152. group of consulting engineers: ENR, Dec. 13, 1928, pp. 873–77.

  153. “the coat-hanger”: Buchanan (1992), caption to Fig. 25.

  154. “Lindenthal’s departure”: Reier, p. 61; cf. Freeman, pp. 217–18.

  155. modeled the Sydney Harbour Bridge: see Freeman.

  156. redundant diagonal member: ibid., p. 220.

  157. Kill van Kull arch: see ENR, Dec. 13, 1928, pp. 873–77.

  158. “the high regard”: ENR, Dec. 16, 1926, p. 982.

  159. five papers: see ENR, Feb. 24, 1927, pp. 336–37.

  160. De Witt Clinton: ENR, Aug. 25, 1927, p. 321.

  161. “there are compensations”: “Addresses Delivered on the Occasion of Breaking Ground for the Hudson River Bridge,” Port of New York Authority, Sept. 21, 1927, [p. 2].