Amazing facts about New York’s Brooklyn Bridge: 14 years of construction, 600 workers, $15 million cost
A Mexican Navy sailing ship with lights and a big national flag struck the renowned Brooklyn Bridge in New York on Saturday night, severing the tops of its tall masts. Two persons unfortunately lost their lives in the tragedy, while 17 others were injured.
The Brooklyn Bridge was the the first steel-wire suspension bridge and world’s longest suspension bridge when it was constructed. (Bloomberg)
Before the collision, the training ship Cuauhtémoc was getting closer to the Manhattan side of the East River bridge. Videos across the internet showed the ship, which was named after the last Aztec emperor, attempting to pass under the bridge. The yacht’s 147-foot (45-meter) masts collapsed as it impacted the bridge’s underbelly and was unable to pass through its arch.
Officials reported that the Brooklyn Bridge did not sustain any significant damage despite its tremendous impact.
The Brooklyn Bridge is a 19th-century engineering wonder. It united Manhattan and Brooklyn in 1883 after 14-year building process that cost $15 million. The emblematic wonder of the Industrial Revolution was built by 600 men, using 6,740 tons of material. Each of the four cables that support the bridge is 3578 feet (1090 meters) long, 15.5 inches (40 cm) thick, and composed of 21,000 separate wires.
Also Read: Mexico breaks silence on Brooklyn Bridge tragedy; Here’s why Mexican Navy ship ‘Cuauhtémoc’ was in New York
New York’s Brooklyn Bridge: Here are some amazing facts
World’s longest suspension bridge: With a primary span of 1,595 (486 m) feet, the Brooklyn Bridge was the the first steel-wire suspension bridge and world’s longest suspension bridge when it was constructed. The Williamsburg Bridge smashed that record by 4.5 feet in 1903.
Haunting past: At least 20 people lost their lives while constructing the architectural wonder that is the Brooklyn Bridge. It began when the designer, John A. Roebling, broke his foot and had to have his toes amputated. He later died of tetanus.
Name changing game: Before being formally designated Brooklyn Bridge in 1915, the bridge was known as the New York and Brooklyn Bridge and subsequently the East River Bridge.
Memorial Day: After a woman’s heel became stuck in the pedestrian promenade’s boards on Memorial Day in 1883, she began to scream, giving the nearby residents the impression that the bridge was going to collapse. Twelve individuals were crushed to death on the stairways as a result of the ensuing panic, and numerous others were hurt.
Elephants were rescued: Jumbo, a seven-ton elephant, and his twenty other companions walked idly from Brooklyn to Manhattan in 1884 after leaving their circus tent.
100,000 vehicles crosses bridge everyday: Over 100,000 cars cross the Brooklyn Bridge everyday. It also sees 4,000 walkers and about 2600 bikes as the bridge is the famous landmark in New York.
