o make a strong, stiff roadway floor.Washington strengthened the bridge even more by adding extra cables called diagonal stays. Diagonal stays had not been in his father’s original plan, but Washington wanted to make sure that even heavy railroad trains could cross the Brooklyn Bridge safely. When it was finished, the bridge was six times stronger than it needed to be. Safety and strength were not the only things that John thought about when he designed the Brooklyn Bridge. He believed the people of New York and Brooklyn deserved a bridge that was as beautiful as he could make it. The elegant high arches of the stone towers, the graceful swoop of the main cables, and the pattern created by the suspender cables and diagonal stays made the bridge very lovely. John even raised the walkway above the level of the road so the pedestrians had a view of New York Harbor that was as breathtaking as the bridge itself. On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bride was opened. Stores, businesses, and even the Brooklyn schools were closed for the day. People came from all over the country to be a part of the opening ceremony. Washington Roebling peered through his binoculars as Chester A. Arthur, president of the United States, walked across the bridge to meet Emily on the other side.That night, there was a great party in honor of the Roeblings’ beautiful bridge. Hundreds of thousands of people cheered for over an hour as fireworks exploaded from the towers. New York had never had such a celebration! Washington and Emily watched the fireworks from their bedroom window. After 14 years the long struggle was over. The Brooklyn Bridge was built. This became the “Eighth Wonder Of The World.” ...
