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The Brooklyn Bridge. by ylordy(m): 11:27pm On May 19, 2015 |
THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE Everybody who has been to New York, USA, would forever be in awe of the famous Brooklyn Bridge. The great architectural master piece spans over the East River, New York City; between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan. Designed by Roebling, John Augustus [1806-1869], an American civil engineer of great repute and constructed by his son Washington, the Brooklyn Bridge was opened for use on 24thof May 1883 as the longest suspension bridge in the then world [1595 ft long, 133ft high and 6775ft in overall length]. Today, what thrills me most about the famed Brooklyn Bridge is not its awesome beauty but the story behind it. The die-hard spirit of the father and son and their commendable ability to forge ahead despite adversity and nay sayers’ searing criticism will forever be a lesson to humanity. John Roebling had a dream – to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. Experts of his days thought his bizarre idea unrealistic. Impossibility thinkers encouraged him to ‘wake up’ and stop dreaming. But tenacious Roebling would not back off. He held to his vision. He built the bridge over and over in his mind coming to a greater and clearer conviction of its possibility on daily basis. Conversely, no one saw reasons with him. Everyone still insisted that such a long bridge would be impossible. Nevertheless, John Augustus Roebling managed to convince his son Washington, a budding engineer, on the bridge’s possibility. Soon, father and son defied all oppositions, criticisms and discouragement and began the fulfillment of their dream. The work began well. Several crew men were hired. Funds were raised and history was on its way to be made. Father and son were in high hopes but nay- sayers held on to their opinion, “it’s impossible”. Some even went beyond criticism to all out opposition. Still, the Roeblings held sway. The Roeblings made a great start to the project. All the materials needed for the project was quickly made available. Experts were consulted and all possible glitches were carefully handled to avoid mistakes. Unfortunately, just when the work was only a few months underway, a terrible accident occurred. Many on the site were left either dead or badly injured. John Roebling himself died. Washington, his son, was so much injured that he was permanently disabled, having damaged a certain amount of his brain. Both talking and walking, to Washington, became impossible. “We warned them sternly. Didn’t we?” “Crazy men and their crazy dream!” “I am sure they’ve now seen the side effect of their being unnecessarily stubborn”. Just everyone had a negative comment to make. There was neither sympathy nor words of encouragement for the “crazy” engineers. Critics were ‘happy’ as they considered it the end of the bizarre project. However, although dead, John Roebling’s dream did not die with him. The son was highly determined to completely finish what they both started. Regrettably, his speech and locomotive disability served as deterrent to his goal. Nonetheless, Washington won’t give up. He knew exactly how right Joseph Sugarman was when he opined, “Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity”. Determined to finish the project despite the huge problem at hand, young Washington turned his nose up at discouragement. He literally shut his ears to people’s inauspicious remarks. Many advised him that what happened was a divine sign to make him know that God snobs at the projects. Others encouraged him to bury the dream with its first dreamer, his father. His best friend advised him thus: “What killed your great father will not struggle to kill you. It would do so effortlessly. Quit!” However, men of success are not of them that quit. Washington’s mind was not only sharp but sharply inclined to finishing the project. He looked all the hindrances and impossibility at the face and yet affirmed: “it shall be done.” By now, due to the accident, all that Washington could do with his body was to move one finger. Every other part of his body was dead. Yet, undeterred, he resolved to make the best use of that one finger. He formed a strong partnership with his dotting wife with whom he developed a rare mode of communication. Like Helen Keller’s teacher, Washington would use the finger to spell words on the arm of his wife. First he instructed her to assemble the engineers again. Work re-began in earnest. Again, through the same rare mode of communication, through the wife, he taught the engineers what to do. For thirteen good years, Washington daily wrote out his instructions with his fingers on his wife’s arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today, the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge leaves the world in awe as a tribute to the triumph of one man’s indomitable spirit and his resolve not to be kicked aside by the vicissitudes of life. Ross Perot, a US business executive and Politian, once complained, “Most people give up just when they are about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game, one foot away from a winning touchdown. The true test of character is the ability to carry on and carry out an assignment or a decision to its completion long after the enthusiasm with which you took it has waned”.
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Re: The Brooklyn Bridge. by ylordy(m): 11:32pm On May 19, 2015 |
More pics
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Re: The Brooklyn Bridge. by amos407020(m): 9:04pm On May 28, 2015 |
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Re: The Brooklyn Bridge. by wyman3: 9:14pm On May 28, 2015 |
Re: The Brooklyn Bridge. by ylordy(m): 10:23pm On May 28, 2015 |
[quote author=amos407020 post=34190962][/quote]bro what is the meaning of that?. |
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