The Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River between Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn and is approximately 1.25 miles across. Each of the cables visible in the stereo card is more than 15” in diameter, and each of these cables is made up of 3588’ of galvanized wire. 

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John Roebling designed the Brooklyn Bridge and was to be its lead engineer. However, while he was conducting measurements for the bridge in 1869, his foot was crushed by a ferry and he died soon thereafter of tetanus. This left his son, Washington, to serve as chief engineer. However, soon after construction began in 1870, Washington suffered an acute case of “the bends” while working in a caisson dozens of feet below the East River. 

 

At this point, his wife, Emily Warren Roebling, took over the project, studying bridge design and keeping the project on track while continuing to give her husband credit for the work. The bridge was finally completed and opened to the public in 1883.