The Disasters and Politicsof the Wheeling BridgeExecutive SummaryThe Wheeling Bridge was constructed in Wheeling, WV in 1849. The bridgeconnected the gap over the Ohio River between West Virginia and Ohio. It alsoconnected the eastern and western sections of the national road. The bridge was designedby Charles Ellet and was the longest suspension bridge at the time of construction.Originally the cost of the bridge was estimated to be $120,000 but actually cost about$250,000.1 The construction was funded by sale of stock and loans by the WheelingBridge Company.After construction was complete the Bridge Company entered a costly legal battlewith Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh is located approximately 50 miles upstream fromWheeling. Pittsburgh claimed that the Wheeling Bridge obstructed steamboat trafficalong the Ohio River thereby affecting the Pittsburgh economy. The legal battle went allthe way to the U.S. Supreme Court. In May 1852 the Court decided that the bridge didindeed obstruct steamboat traffic and ordered that the bridge either be rebuilt higher or betorn down altogether. The residents of Wheeling, backed by the legislatures of Virginiaand Indiana, decide to go to Congress in order to ask for the bridge to be declared part ofa military and postal road. Three months after the court ruling, Congress decides to sidewith Wheeling and declare the bridge part of a postal and military road. The legal battlesubsides until May 1854 when a strong gust of wind destroys the bridge.After the bridge was destroyed, Pittsburgh seized the opportunity to continue thelegal battle and returns to the Supreme Court to ask for an injunction preventing thereconstruction of the bridge. Ultimately the Court decided in favor of Wheeling sincethey claim that Congress has the right to declare postal and military roads.The bridge was sold to the city of Wheeling in 1927 for $2.15 million dollars andis currently the oldest U.S. suspension bridge still in operation.1History and Issues*(see Appendix 1 for pictures and maps)Since the early 1800’s the Wheeling and Belmont Bridge Company consideredconstructing a bridge across the Ohio River in order to connect West Virginia to Ohio.The Federal Government approved the construction of the National Road in 1806.However, it did not reach Wheeling until 1818.1 The National Road started in Baltimoreand continued westwards through Ohio. At that time the Ohio River was one of thebusiest rivers in the world. It offered a water route between Pittsburgh, Cincinnati andcontinued southward towards the developing areas of the United States. Wheeling waslocated at a critical location at the intersection of the National Road and the Ohio River.In order to take advantage of Wheeling’s location, the Bridge Company firstdecided to implement a ferry service across the Ohio River. This ferry was used toimprove trade and mail service with the western sections of the United States and ranuntil the completion of the Wheeling Bridge.At Wheeling the Ohio River creates a back channel behind Wheeling Island. Thefirst bridge to be constructed in Wheeling was across this back channel. The ZaneBrothers completed the bridge in 1836 at a cost of approximately $65,000 and aconstruction time of four years.1 Although this was a major achievement for Wheeling, itdid not yet provide a span across the main section of the Ohio River. Furthermore, thelong construction time and cost overruns left the Zane Brothers greatly in debt. Duringthe same year the back channel bridge was completed, the planning for construction ofthe Wheeling Bridge began.In 1836 a civil engineer named Charles Ellet proposed a bridge across the OhioRiver to the Bridge Company. Charles Ellet was born on January 1, 1810 in Penn’sManor, Pennsylvania and became a very influential bridge and railroad engineer. Heworked on suspension bridges across the Shuylkill River in Pennsylvania and NiagaraRiver. Additionally he “became chief engineer of the Central Railroad of Virginia and in1853 built a railroad over the Blue Ridge at Rock Fish Gap, which was probably the mostremarkable line then in existence.”1In 1836 when Ellet proposed the Ohio River crossing, the Bridge Company doesnot make any conclusive decisions. In 1841 Ellet presents another proposal to build abridge for $120,000. At this point John Roebling, another famous bridge builder, decidesto offer a similar proposal for $130,000.1 Once again the Bridge Company does not makeany conclusive decisions due to lack of funding. Although residents of Wheeling hadasked the Federal Government to pay for the construction of the bridge, the governmentdid not think this project was critical. The opportunity to build a bridge gathers strengthwhen the state of Virginia allows the construction of a suspension bridge across the OhioRiver instead of a pier bridge, which would greatly obstruct steamboat traffic. The stateof Virginia also recognizes the Bridge Company and allows it to sell stock in March1847.1 Two months later the Bridge Company decides to finally begin the planning ofthe bridge.With funding from stock and loans and approval from the state, the WheelingBridge Company asks Ellet and Roebling to create a detailed presentation of theirproposed bridges. Ellet proposes a 1010 ft. single span suspension bridge. Roeblingproposes a double span suspension bridge with span length of less than 600 ft.Roebling’s design is much safer and easier to build since the span is shorter. Ellet designis much more innovative and risky. A span of 1010 ft. had never been built beforeanywhere in the world. However, the Bridge Company decides to go with Ellet’s plansince it will provide a much greater horizontal clearance for boats along the Ohio River.In 1847, eleven years after Ellet first proposed the bridge, construction began onthe Wheeling Bridge. Construction lasted for about two years and was affected by anumber of factors. Heavy rainstorms and floods delayed much of the initial work anddelivery of supplies. Furthermore, Ellet complained of the poor quality of workforce thathe had been provided with. Ellet described the workers as “rowdies” and “rascals” andclaimed that “it [the bridge] would not be done in 2,000 years with such people.”2Eventually Ellet found a workforce to his liking and construction continued as planned.Problems with the availability of material caused more problems during the constructionof the bridge. During