Why the Brooklyn Bridge used Elephants to Prove its Safety - IT'S HISTORY

[@campkohler9131]

David McCullough's "The Great Bridge" is a masterpiece of detail that is worth reading (as is generally all his books). The substandard wires snuck into the bridge's cables by shady suppliers were not removed, but the suppliers were forced to furnish additional wire that was added to obtain the required strength.

[@nicoleeudelle6893]

Men literally died making this bridge! This was genius. God bless them all for their bravery and ambition. Thanks to them we have options to travel to and from Brooklyn. Although I no longer live in NYC, I will always be a proud born and raised Brooklyn girl. I believe they are now doing construction on the Bridge to revive it. It had a lot of wear and tear. Well after all it's over 100 years old. Still one of the best Bridges made in history.

[@Railhog2102]

When I was a kid I walked across both the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges quite often and the heights are dizzying

[@TurtleDude05]

Another great video Ryan and company. Keep em' coming.

[@michaelgarwood7076]

Been to NYC twice, both times walked across it and I'd say the panoramic view of the city from center of span is the Best overall. 1 can See most of Manhattan, the other great bridges, Miss Liberty ,parts of NJ and the Verrezano Narrows Br., which also held title of worlds longest 4 awhile.

[@danielmarsala849]

Bayonne Brdg. is my fav.

[@danielmarsala849]

Liberty Is. is partly in NJ.

[@mtanyctrainatlantamartatra7164]

@@danielmarsala849 Tappen zee is my favorite

[@patrickcullen2714]

@@danielmarsala849 I remember as a rumbucuis little rascal getting escorted to the bayone bridge NY a cop and told to stay outa bayone lol

[@freetolook3727]

Roebling also knew that there were language and literacy barriers, so he drew diagrams and pictures of how certain work was to be carried out to transcend those barriers.

[@BellaMirelli]

I'm one of the great great great great grandchildren of John Roebling, so him and the Brooklyn bridge specifically are a big thing in my family history. It is still crazy to think about what the project took at the time with less technological capability, and having to pump basically vertical sections of the river out to build the towers. Seeing suspension bridges are kind of a special thing to me because I think about how my family way back in the day led to some of these amazing bridges we have today. Love the video, you did a great in depth dive into this, and I learned some things i didn't even know before lol

[@simonwestberg9920]

I really like your work guys!

[@ZmannR2]

Awesome guys!! Something to watch while I wait on the turkey!

[@garyjones2582]

You shouda fixed ham, that way you could be eating while u watched...

[@emmeowMarie420]

I love all of your videos, they are very interesting and it's really cool seeing all of the old pictures. I wish you would do a series on all of the states. It would be cool to see more history on my home state of Oregon

[@simon_a.j.7255]

You failed to mention the secret rooms of the Brooklyn bridge. From Inhabitat, "Brooklyn Bridge Anchorage is a series of eight rooms found on the Brooklyn side that were designed by the bridge’s architect, John Roebling. The space was originally destined to be developed into a shopping area, but the project never came to fruition, and instead was used as storage until being closed out of security concerns in 2001."

[@Perspective_Taken]

Fascinating history about NYC and Brooklyn Bridge 👍🏼

[@johnnymula2305]

This is my favorite of all Bridges in NY. I always enjoyed biking over it.

[@josephcassis209]

Ryan, your It's History series is phenomenal. I enjoyed the Brooklyn Bridge piece immensely. I do have a question about the part regarding the Barnum elephants. At 20:31time stamp, you stated that special event occurred in 1834. Wasn't the event in 1884 (May 17th)? The bridge wasn't opened until May 18, 1883 as you have articulated so well in your You Tube posting.

[@itsyourunclebourbon3286]

time has no place in history

[@kandipiatkowski8589]

Not to mention he called Barnum as Burnam.

[@craigpatchett3508]

Accuracy has no place in history.

[@jeremybrown2043]

The Roebling suspension bridge in Cincinnati really puts me in the mind of this bridge. It was and still is a huge deal with connecting KY to OH. I consider it in being the baby Brooklyn bridge.

[@eshore389]

Been over it many times and never knew the same guy designed it!!! Pretty interesting!

[@conniecrawford5231]

The Waco TX bridge is another Roebling bridge that was considered a modern marvel. John Roebling was born in the Pittsburgh area north of the city ( Saxonberg PA).

[@schr75]

I just love this channel

[@carrsllccarrillo6507]

This is great. Loving each video you make. Is it possible to make a video on the Mackinaw bridge?

[@MotoPasjeKamila]

Hey Ryan! KZbin just gave me this channel as a option to watch. I start the first film, and who do I hear? The great voice of Ryan from Kult America! Great to see You are doing sth new and have a lot of viewers! Cheers from Kraków and keep up the good work!

[@acb9896]

Lol, "The EASTERN River" I don't even live there and I know that one.

[@edwardjackson1418]

When I first saw this bridge three days before 911, and I was driving by on the Queen's Expressway, I thought what a beautiful bridge. it was a sight to see! Very impressive, and something everybody should see in their lifetime.

[@knewledge8626]

We're kinda proud of our suspension bridge here in Waco, Texas. From an article "The bridge was wide enough for stagecoaches to pass each other, or for cattle to cross one side of the bridge, and humans to cross the other side. Being the only bridge to cross the Brazos at the time, and the primary river crossing for the north-south travel through Texas (including cattle drives on the Chisholm Trail), the cost of building the bridge, which was estimated to be $141,000, was quickly paid back. Tolls were 5 cents per head of cattle that crossed, along with a charge for pedestrian traffic."

[@mad_max.-]

Great vid as always. What about something interesting about NYC subway next time?

[@breenseaturtle]

Don’t you just wonder how expensive it was to get elephants on the bridge

[@danielmarsala849]

Elephants are paid peanuts.

[@blahmooblah789]

Great job! Anyone else see the “U need a Biscuit” sign? Lol

[@willmatic84]

Happy Thanksgiving 😊

[@TonysMusic1974]

How do you pronounce Roebling's name two different ways? Do you not notice this as you record it?

[@walterulasinksi7031]

Civil engineers have realized that the Brooklyn Bridge is a combination if being both a suspension and a cable stay bridge. The corruption of Boss Tweed iswhat resulted in the substandard wire rope scandal. Roebling had specified that all wire rope be galvanized coated. The substandard wire rope was not sufficiently coated in the zinc mixture so it broke down quickly. Part if the political problem was that Roebling, being the major holder of the Roebling Wire Rope Co, and was charged with overpricing the wire rope ( he wasn’t), as he fully coated the wire rope sufficiently, that it has withstood all conditions to this day.

[@Redslayer86]

I wish people from 1800 could see NYC now just to see their reactions.

[@Musicradio77Network]

In the 1800’s Brooklyn was once a small town.

[@dayshawnalexander5654]

I’ve been on the 6th street bridge in Pittsburgh and the Brooklyn bridge. It’s crazy I never knew the connection.

[@HerrKoO]

Fun Fact: The love-locks you see at 23:40 are from the Deutzer Brücke or Deutzer bridge from cologne germany. Beacause of this love-locks are fairly common in germany.

[@_Grego_]

The love locks placed on the brooklyn bridge are removed on a continuous basis.

[@Scottocaster6668]

I think that is a really cool idea.

[@Scottocaster6668]

@@_Grego_ What a ray of sunshine you are, hahahaha 😆.

[@lorim8070]

Oh wow guess I can raise the price of my painting of the New York Skyline and the Brooklyn Bridge. Cha ching! My family moved from Sicily in 1875. My great grandmother made hats for wealthy New York ladies. She had the Women's Haberdashery on Fifth and Madison Avenue. It was still there when I worked on 57th Street as an Executive Secretary for the SJ Kessler & Son Architects. I had a hand-sewn jumper/dress with a cashmere sweater I received as an end of year gift from my boss Melvin J Kessler.

[@DaveSCameron]

You'll have to advertise far more than this my friend 🙏

[@shemene647]

Great commentary

[@nazyork]

My hometown Brooklyn ❤️ thank you

[@frankjones5770]

Seeing old pics where the bk bridge is the tallest thing in the nyc skyline is so wild to see

[@luislaplume8261]

At the 20 minute mark, we see the Fulton Ferry terminal of the Brooklyn Elevated Railroad underneath the roadway which was the first El train line in Brooklyn that opened in May 1885.

[@markpettigrew542]

In Boston, I worked for The Harding Company, making Wire Rope.

[@loopshackr]

4:14 That structure on the canal is a "lock" not a "plane" (not to be confused with the love locks).

[@King_Steffon_II]

My favorite NYC bridge is the Manhattan Bridge. Love riding the train over the river 🌃

[@RobertoLopezstudyis]

Great story about the Brooklyn Bridge! The iconic bridge is now 138 years old.

[@Musicradio77Network]

This bridge was a combination of both suspension and cable stayed bridge in one. This make the bridge so unique. This year marks the 140th anniversary of this iconic bridge.

[@rocketdude2969]

I had heard about the elephants but not about the panic and people dieing . It's sad that a historic bridge had so much tragedy.

[@mikmik9034]

"P.T.Bernum?" make that P. T. BARN-UM"

[@vassa1972]

Good stuff

[@robertphillips6296]

Their was a location in New Jersey where old builds were relocated to that you could visit. I remember visiting it as a child, but don’t remember the name. Do you know of it?

[@MrBrian041482]

Mackinaw bridge, the bean sign in Saginaw Michigan, lots of historical stuff in Michigan.

[@saintakins187]

At least the Brooklyn Bridge along with the Empire State Building & the Statue of Liberty hasn't been gentrified to Hell & back along with the rest of New York. Yes, it's quite obvious that I am not a fan of gentrification of a popular city historic architectures.

[@TheSkreeBat]

Well i love wine and song, the third is too crazy to love XD

[@MilkmanC]

Grew up skirtin back and forth down river road passing Griffith Pipe US Steel and the little town of Roebling a tiny bit south of Trenton and Bordentown

[@RomeAlone_s63]

16:18 that’s not the Brooklyn bridge. That bridge is called today the Manhattan bridge which connects from canal street in Manhattan to Tiffany st in downtown Brooklyn by the bqe

[@Musicradio77Network]

That was the Etika Bridge named after a KZbinr who jumped off the bridge back in 2019 where he committed suicide. The Manhattan Bridge opened in 1909 which was New Year’s Eve into 1910 which is a subject for another video.

[@juanhartley4897]

Can you do an episode of the Erie Canal I live in Cincinnati and on central parkway there’s a mural homage to it that reads “PLAN. BUILD. PROSPER”

[@adeptpeasant6161]

2 dollars an hour! That's 50 bucks an hour in our time right now! No such thing as inflation? Ya right! Lol 😆😆

[@myradioon]

I think that was a mistake. He probably meant a day.

[@markcummings1319]

that was wonderful

[@dogbiscuit101]

The bridge with the exposed ironwork is the manhattan bridge - not that it matters. Great vid, thanks.

[@AmosAmerica]

Good research, but you've added photos of the Manhattan Bridge along side the Brooklyn Bridge. Why would you do that???

[@nosferatuoddz7974]

I was there

[@davidradillo7160]

I believe you

[@zachreed4984]

Would love if you did the Mackinac bridge in my home state of Michigan.

[@timothyokane9710]

Modern Marvels has a documentary about the construction,and completion of the Mackinac bridge.

[@zachreed4984]

@@timothyokane9710 but that’s not it’s history! Lol

[@garygoldstein327]

In the loop in down town chicago a pilon peire timber was being pounded into the river bed when suddenly it had penetrated into an abondoned tunnel dug beneath the chicago river and water from the river began pouring into the basements of tall buildings. People were evacuated. As city workers figured out how to stop the freak flooding. Make an interesting documentary. The tunnelscwere used as turn of the century postal delivery tunnels to avoid traffic on street level. The tunnels were converted to accomodate other purposes as new structures penetrated the abandoned tunnel systems.

[@HappyMuffin]

PT Barnum wasn’t leading elephants across the bridge in 1834. The bridge wasn’t even built. It was 1884. Also, PLEASE stop saying “masonary” and “bystandards”

[@jackthediscoverer]

The Sydney Harbour Bridge used steam locomotives to test the Strength of the Harbour Bridge before opening in 1932

[@Normal1855]

The Erie canal doesn't end in Buffalo. The Niagara River is between the canal, and Buffalo.

[@LostShipMate]

I wonder if they make Divorce Bolt cutters for the love locks?

[@campkohler9131]

"The rise of the city flourished!" Good grief! That's right up there with "he got on his horse and rode off in all directions! " :-)

[@michaelspencer2559]

Dude got life wow

[@rickywarner7444]

I wonder if those that were arrested for climbing it, got their cameras back, maybe a few photos. Be nice to see them. (Bet not many had an IPhone in their pocket). 🤔🤷‍♂️😅 (The Mackinac Bridge is spectacular with a great view in Northern Michigan. Be wise to wait until June 🥶☃️).

[@SocialistDistancing]

In what year did p.t.barnum take the across the bridge, 1834?

[@carmatic]

wait, there is such a thing as a horse powered ferry? and there are wine cellars under the ends of the Brooklyn Bridge???

[@ajkleipass]

Yes, called a Team Ferry, it was powered by a pair of horses. Beneath the ferry's decking there was a circular turntable deck. The horses, in stalls on the edge of the ferry, would move the turntable by walking on it. The horses pointed in different directions to get the proper results. This turntable was geared to a main fore-aft shift that turned crosswise shafts leading to a pair of paddle wheels. A rudder, and possibly reverser gears on the paddle wheels, allowed for turning / maneuvering. They weren't particularly large or fast, but they served their purpose. I am not aware of any current tenants under the bridge these days. These areas have been structurally reinforced in recent decades due to today's heavier vehicles placing added stresses on the aging structure.

[@luislaplume8261]

@@ajkleipass Buse are not allowed on the bridge and the last trolley crossed the bridge in 1950. No heavy trucks are allowed also.

[@jayhenderson2683]

Like so many others. I tried to buy the Brooklyn Bridge. But the Nigerian Prince who owned it wanted more than the $36 I had saved for it. Damn shame and lost opportunity. Again.

[@jasonweber5464]

the coolest thing about Da Bk bridge are the banks underneath

[@imperiumgrim4717]

Fun fact: Al Capone from Brooklyn

[@PatrickBaptist]

How'd they build this thing without apps to tell them how to LOL.

[@greybeardedgamer9383]

10:40 it was $2 per day... not per hour as narrator stated

[@frankjones5770]

Where are those ppls pictures though?

[@coced]

For people mesuring distances in body parts, mesuring weight in elephants seems appropriate

[@lizlocher3612]

Correction typo P.T. Barnum not Burnam.

[@bigben1986]

In late 1988 graffiti brothers SANE SMITH painted their names on the bridge and it sparked chaos throughout the city. why did you leave these 2 out? ????I know for a fact while you were doing your research, you saw the names smith sane somewhere.

[@yearight6294]

16:14 is the manhattan bridge lol

[@robertbjgvch190]

What if it was a combination lock?

[@blueblackcat]

the elephants stampeded over the bridge and down broadway killing dozens in 1929 during the stock crash

[@M80Ball]

Where’s the little guy who used to do the medieval stuff?

[@brandenloman6925]

The twin towards

[@Daddyme92]

Me and the homie had this girl looking like the Brooklyn bridge 🌉 the other day

[@adamantman3200]

'PASSERSBY' NOT 'PASSERBUYERS'!!

[@csnocke5]

Sad how humans destroyed a beautiful landscape

[@DWilliams-ce8nb]

Elephants? What elephants? I don't see any elephants.

[@jimholmes2555]

London Bridge, Because "London Bridge is falling down,,, falling down,,, falling down..."

[@lizlocher3612]

His name is P. T. Barnum not But am

[@sutherlandA1]

Meanwhile the Silver Bridge over the Ohio River was tested with a balloon elephant filled with helium 🎈🐘🌉

[@campkohler9131]

"P. T. Burnam?" Your date of 1834 for Barnam predates the bridge. And Roebling was mispronounced several times as "Robling." These silly errors mar an otherwise fine episode.

[@loopshackr]

At 4:22 he pronounces it both incorrectly then correctly within 4 seconds.

[@corrosionoc69]

It's PT BARNUM not PT Burnum.

[@notthatdonald1385]

P T Barnum.

[@justimagine2403]

What is inside. Dead workers who died from the benz.

[@Szydencer]

Do "Passeur-buyers" buy things from Québécois smugglers?

[@TonysMusic1974]

0:20 The 'Eastern River?' C'mon man!!!! It's these little tiny mistakes that make your videos lose credibility. Your videos are so well done but "Eastern river??" It's called THE EAST RIVER. You say it correctly several times later on.

[@pete3050]

it is a shame that wire cages were constructed for suicide jumpers

[@AnthonyP2A]

PT BAR-NUMB - not PT BER-NUMB. :(

[@shemene647]

Shout out to the wife.

[@biggerandbetterthings7222]

23:39 The lock picking lawyer will have to say about that!!

[@mikeamico6763]

I since a young boy had a special affection for the b.b my sweetheart lives in Brooklyn so we take lovely romantic walks across the bridge

[@VWYL900802]

NY made a bridge because there’s too many immigrants to fit ferries. Look at HK! It’s a land of refugees lol. Other than the Tsingma bridge, the ferries take in 10 times that! It’s sad really, because HK lives under the shadows of China, so even with one country two systems, even without all the drama the past 3 years, many of the problems itself stems from water disputes. When you’re in Cantonese water, you’re basically stuck. You can’t technically make your own decisions. Lol.

[@danielmarsala849]

Is climate change causing the bends?

[@pp3k3jamail]

💥💥A lot of them People who put them locks on that bridge probably aren't even together anymore and probably a divorced