June 10, 2026 · 9:44 AM
Brooklyn Bridge: How a Ferry Accident, Caisson Disease, and a Wire Fraud Scandal Built New York's Most Iconic Span
In 1869, John Roebling — the engineer who designed the Brooklyn Bridge — was killed by a ferry before construction began. His son Washington was paralyzed by caisson disease mid-project. His daughter-in-law Emily ran the site for 11 years. One family's 14-year ordeal forged the world's first great steel-wire suspension bridge.
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