The Williamsburg Bridge across the East River in New York City is now over 100 years old. After a complete rehabilitation, it is still considered by some the “Ugly Duckling” of suspension bridges. In May 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge opened over the East River between New York City and Brooklyn. Even before the Brooklyn Bridge opened, however, residents of Williamsburg created an organization to pressure politicians for a new bridge. No real action resulted from this pressure. It was into this period of inaction that Frederick Uhlman and his associates from the Brooklyn Elevated Railway moved in early 1892. They put together a strong base of support in the legislature. On March 9, 1892, the East River Bridge Company, a private corporation, received a charter from the State of New York to build two bridges to form a loop transit line connecting Brooklyn and Manhattan.
After the passage of the bill, the company retained George B. Cornell in April 1892 as its chief engineer. He planned a suspension bridge, similar to the Brooklyn Bridge, with a span of 1,620 feet and a width of 106 feet to accommodate four tracks for passenger trains, two driveways, and a promenade. The towers would be 280 feet high with a clearance over high water of 135 feet, the same as required for the Brooklyn Bridge. Cornell proposed that the towers be made of masonry to a height of 180 feet above the water level and that the remaining 100 feet be made of steel.
The company submitted plans for both bridges to the Board of Alderman of Brooklyn in early October, and they approved the plans on November 22, 1892. The company also went before a Board of Engineers representing the Secretary of War for approval. To the surprise of many, the Board recommended a clearance of 145 feet to the Secretary of War. The company appealed this recommendation and requested a hearing with the Secretary of War. In mid-January, 1893, the Secretary approved a clearance of 140 feet, but little work was done for over a year.
