A QUICK HISTORY OF  THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE
1802 A petition to the state Legislature pruposes constructing a bridge.  1857 A Bill is proposed to the  New York Legislature to build a suspension bridge over the East River to Brooklyn.   1865 John A. Roebling and Wilheim Hildenbrand draw plans.  1866 A Bill is passed by the New York State Legislature for construction.  April, 1867 The New York Bridge Company is incorporated.  May, 1867 The New York Bridge Company makes John A. Roebling engineer.  1869 President Ulysses S. Grant signs a bill approving the plan.  July, 1869 John A. Roebling 66, dies in an accident making observations to determine the exact location of the Brooklyn tower.  His son, Washington Roebling, succeeds him.  January, 1870 Work begins.  May, 1871 The New York caisson is launched.  Although the Brooklyn foundation hit  bedrock at 44 feet, the foundation on the Manhattan end rests on sand at 78 feet.  1872 Roebling is stricken by caisson disease, becoming an invalid.  He supervises the building of the bridge from his bedrroom, his wife instructing the Bridge engineers.  1874 The Brooklyn Bridge is made public, repaying the subscribers with interest.  May, 1875 The Brooklyn Tower is completed.  July, 1875 The New York Tower is completed.  1877 A temporary footbridge between the towers is built.  1887 Scandal over the supply of faulty wire.  May 24, 1883 The Brooklyn Bridge is opened.

DURING ITS CONSTRUCTION TWENTY-SEVEN MEN DIED, INCLUDING ITS DESIGNER,JOHN A. ROEBLING

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