Category Archives: Project 4

The next stop is…Court St.

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The New York Transit Museum, while not has famous has other tourist attractions it could certainly be one because of the different experiences that each visitor gets from it. The New York Transit Museum or the NYC Transit Museum has it is often referred to is a site which displays historical artifacts that relate to the New York public transportation such has buses and trains, the museum is located in Court Street and it is open to the public.

On June 1946 the subway station known has Court St was abandoned due to the lack of ridership and closed its doors to the public, however after being abandoned for years the Transit Authority came up with a bright idea that consisted of using the “now” abandoned Court St station has a exhibition of public transportation, the exhibition was planned to run for a limited time but it has continued until present day. The museum itself belongs to the Mass Transit Authority or the MTA has it is commonly known, it is also considered to be one the most well preserved museums around NYC. When visiting the museum of transit it is not likely for people to have the same experiences has other people do, what I mean is that the experience can vary with each person, such case happened to Edward Rothstein an author of the New York Times who visited the New York Museum Of Transit and wrote of his experiences. Before entering the museum Edward Rothstein begins to wonder why most of the people living in New York do not care about the subway and also why people who ride the subway do not pay attention to things that may seem silly at first but, once they are asked about them they do not know, one example Rothstein offers is a statement in which he says ” We also don’t think much about what makes the trains run.” This quote implies that even though we might know where the energy to make the train move is obtained from, we might not know how it is implemented onto the subways or the rails to make them run. Rothstein then begins to transition into the reasons that he believes why people might think that the museum is nothing sort of the ordinary and states ” We descend the steps almost as if we were ordinary straphangers, as if we didn’t realize this Court Street subway stop… was decommissioned long ago to be used as a museum.” This quote by Mr. Rothstein implies that if a person goes to the museum of transit thinking that it is like any other subway stop or just another day at work then the person is not going to see the wonders of the museum and the artifacts but, ratter a simple abandoned train station that has nothing to offer. In a later part of the reading Mr. Edward Rothstein begins to describe the different exhibitions offered at the museum, he also describes different things that have happened at the location such as the filming of the movie “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” and the usage of a generator that causes a enormous wheel to move.

Another person who experienced a day at the NYC Transit Museum was an author of the New York Magazine by the name of Melissa Noble. Melissa Noble describes the museum has a underground institution that guides visitors through the evolution of one of the largest transportation systems in the world, not also that but she starts to describe the pictures that she observes throughout her walk around the museum, but there is one picture that she makes stand out and that picture is the one with the line of the first transit workers building the first subway station in city hall in 1904. Noble  Towards the end of the article Melissa Noble states “Complete with garish advertising and uncomfortable seats, the cars leave visitors to muse that the more things change, the more they stay the same.”  she implies that even though some things about the subway change, the subway will still be up and running no matter the changes.

After reading these two accounts we can understand that when an individual visits the New York Museum Of Transit their experiences can vary with what the person wants and is willing to explore.

The Museum of Transit is a place in which people have the opportunity to see the history of one of the most famous systems of transportation in the world, the museum itself has provided a different experience for both first time attenders and returning fellows alike and while not has big and popular has other attractions, it has certainly won over the hearts of those who have visited .

INNOVATION TO THE GLORY

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While many historical buildings have been demolished during the growth of New York city there are a few that withstood the test of time and now stand as a reminder of how much value our history means to us. When the Brooklyn historical society was first erected, it was designed by an expert in his field and has continued to evolve beyond his expectations into a modern sustainable building open for all generations to visit and enjoy. Before its renovation in 1999 it stood for over 100 years. Proving the quality of work that went into it has payed off. When renovation started in 1999 changes had to be made to accommodate the changing times while maintaining the historical vibe to the building. Modern technology was integrated into the building to comfort the visitors efficiently. Just like the people with the thirst for knowledge who visit the library the building itself is expanding its reach into the possibilities of modern technology to reach out to the younger generations who wish to experience a piece of history.

The Brooklyn historical society is a library, which connects us to the 400-year-old history of Brooklyn. It was founded as Long Island Historical Society by Henry Pierrepont in 1863.  It is Located in the heart of Brooklyn in the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights at the intersection of Pierrepoint Street and Clinton Street. It was listed on National Register of Historic Places Listings in Kings County, New York as National Historic Landmark in July 1991. Also the presence of Brooklyn Historic Society in the list of museums and cultural institutions in New York City makes it internationally known Historical and Cultural Monument. At its exhibitions, Brooklyn Historic Society hosts 9000 members of the general public and serves around 120,000 students and teachers by providing the educational tours every year.

George B. Post designed and constructed the Brooklyn Historical Society. The construction was completed in 1881. George B. Post, known for engineering skills like designing open-large spaces and construction of high storyed buildings. The first office building to use elevators “Equitable Life Assurance Society”, was designed by him. He’s also known for enormous sky-lighted hall of New York Produce Exchange. Also the buildings – World building and St. Paul were one of the tallest buildings in New York at the time of construction. Most of his designed buildings have been demolished. NYSE designed by him continues to be one of the intuitive ways to use steel support.

The design, construction and maintenance are three aspects of architecture, which makes the building a National Historic Landmark.  George B. Post completed Brooklyn historical society in 3 years. Post used terra cotta ornamentation on the façade in large scale in Brooklyn historical society building. An innovative truss-system was used to give the support to the ceiling of the central library.  For the first time locally produced terra cotta was used in buildings masonry construction. Olin Levi Warner sculpted the façade. He used the heroic characters of history. Post hired skilled crafts person to enhance the interior of the building. Library is decorated with carved black ash woodwork. Well-known artist Charles booth is believed to be the originator of stained glasses used in the windows of the building. Post himself designed the bronze hardware used in the building. Minton tiles are used throughout the building. An open galleried library was created by suspending the top floor of the building from iron trusses embedded in the roof. A special bridge technique was used to create the part of library.

A complete renovation of the Brooklyn Historical Society took over in 1999-2003 by Jan Hird Pokorny Associates. A climate control system was installed to preserve the historic collections. Restoration of the terra cotta facade and the roof was done.  The original bright red outlook of the facade was retained through cleaning & repair. High speed Internet was installed to enhance the usability of the library. Grandeur of the entrance was restored by the removal of the elevator, present in the middle of entrance staircase. Also the clock tower was renovated. The original gas lighting fixtures from 19th century retains its original decorative aesthetics. The restored Othmer Library maintains the historic essence of its old classic interiors with the introduction of new climate-control system for the preservation of its historical collections.

In 2012, announcement for renovation of the Brooklyn Historical Society was made and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council and the New York City Office of the Mayor made the funds available.  The architecture firm Christoff:Finio was given the renovation project to improve the visitor experience through redesigning the lower level & first floor of the library building.  The first floor will have new Reception Desk.  Redesigning of the lower level will result in expanded exhibition place.

The monumental main entrance has been redesigned to a tiled lobby with classrooms, information desk for the visitors, commercial retail spaces, and event halls. The event hall will be expanded to include 200 seating arrangements, controllable/programmable new lighting system, new chairs, tables, mobile stage & built-in Audio Video equipment’s. The space could be rented for programs & events. This project will take the Brooklyn Historic Society to a new platform.

Although there were three different individual involved during the renovation process over the couple of past years but they all had a very different kind of mind set and mentality about constructing or making changes to the magnificent place. For example: The Construction done by George B. Post emphasized more about the exterior architecture where as when the renovation in 1997 started the contractor also considered working in the interior part of the building. In conclusion, even though all of them had an distinct point of view on the building but all the changes done were to add more value to this prestigious location.

 

References:

 Brooklyn Daily Eagle(2013, Oct 17).Grande Dame of historical buildings now more seductive to public visits. http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/grande-dame-historical-buildings-now-more-seductive-public-visits-2013-10-17-123000

Jennifer Medina (2005, Aug 2005) http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/16/nyregion/16brooklyn.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Brooklyn History under the category About Us http://brooklynhistory.org/

The Vision’s of the Bridge

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The Brooklyn Bridge was an amazing accomplishment from both father and son, one did the design and the other finished that construction after the bridge was finished many saw the bridge in many different aspects, many saw the bridge as a death instrument other saw it as one of the wonders of the world. Two stories was first, the crossing of the circus animals, the show he displayed, and the showman’s vision of the bridge. The other was the vision the Roebling family had on the use the Brooklyn Bridge, and what is could help many people. The vision the circus showman had and the Roebling family had were different in some ways but also were similar.
John Augustus Roebling was born June 12, 1806 in Germany. He was a German-born U.S. civil engineer. He was in that time, world’s most trusted bridge builder. John A. Roebling noticed one winter that when the east river froze, there was no way of crossing towards Manhattan. (History)The ferry usually would cross between the two cities trying to make it possible for people to cross. But when it was winter, the river would freeze up and it would be impossible for the ferry to travel. So John A. Roebling noticed a bridge was in need of building , he started designing the building, after a while a bad accident happened and he died shortly after, he died July 22, 1869, in Brooklyn Heights, New York . He died into the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. His son Washington Roebling continued with his dad’s vision. But he later too, got sick with a horrible disease, a disease called “caisson disease.” The term “caisson disease “means a sometimes fatal disorder that is marked by neuralgic pains and paralysis, distress in breathing, and often collapse and that is caused by the release of gas bubbles (as of nitrogen) in tissue upon too rapid decrease in air pressure after a stay in a compressed atmosphere. (Merriam-Webster) This disease left him motionless, he couldn’t walk, so from his building he observed the work and sent his wife, Emily Warren Roebling to give out the orders, She kept records, answered the mail, and represented her husband at social functions. On the day that the bridge opened Washington Roebling didn’t come out of his house to celebrate with everyone.
When the bridge had recently been finished, many started to create rumors, many started saying the bridge wasn’t going to hold, and that it wasn’t safe. Six days after the bridge was opened to the public, a rumor quickly spread that the new bridge was about to collapse. The resulting panic caused such a massive stampede that 12 were killed in the crush. The tragic incident started the afternoon of May 30, 1883 when a woman tripped and fell descending the wooden stairs on the Manhattan side of the bridge. This caused another woman to scream at the top of her lungs, which caused those nearby to rush towards the scene. The rumor started throughout the whole bridge that the bridge wasn’t safe. As more and more people panicked and mobbed the narrow staircase, creating a massive pileup. Thousands were on the promenade, quickly turning the situation deadly. (untapped cities)After the terrible incident, many were really scared to cross the bridge, many started to really doubt the strength of the bridge. So Phineas Taylor Barnum, 19th century New York’s biggest showman made a proposal. To test out the bridge, Phineas Taylor Barnum offered, he’d walk his troupe of elephants across the Brooklyn Bridge, but authorities turned him down. But a year later, on May 17, 1884, he finally got approved to do this and his elephant and other creatures as well crossed over the Brooklyn Bridge.
These people had their own vision of the usefulness of the bridge. They were similar but I at the same time they had their differences. John A Roebling and his son Washington saw the bridge as a easier and faster way for people to travel across. They wanted to connect these two cites and furthermore it became a cultural meaning, a representation of New York and its possibilities that could happen in this city. Many immigrant would see this bridge and observe its Beauty and it would send them a message, a message that in this place anything was possible, that their dreams were possible. Now, New York’s biggest showman Phineas Taylor Barnum used the Bridge for another reason, as stated before the bridge was getting doubted by many, so he used his heavy animals to prove that the bridge was indeed safe and that there was no reason to doubt the strength the bridge carried. At the same time, Barnum used this opportunity as part of a big promotion to his show. He used the bridge to get more audition to attend his shows. These were some differences these men had, but there were similarities as well. Some similarities were, they both wanted to make the Bridge a successful and useful tool, they wanted people to be secure in what was built. They both had the vision in trying to make people’s lives better. The Roebling’s wanted people to cross the bridge easier, and the Showman wanted to display that people didn’t need to be frighten by this new bridge. These were some similarities they displayed.
“It would be unreasonable to say that the two greatest works of the architecture in New York are things that are not buildings at all – Central Park and the Brooklyn Bridge. “(Goldberger 34) what the author is explaining here is that for him and many others this is one of the worlds recognized and beloved icons. It’s a inspiration symbol to many. The bridge gave many different kinds of visions the Bridge was useful, or great towards their own use. Some saw the bridge of a way to get across the two cities faster, and other saw it as a way to get themselves notice. There’s were ways people saw the bridge useful to them, whether it was for a good cause or a bad one, like suicide and other things. The bridge was, is and will continue being useful to many and future generations.

Work Cited

“Building the Brooklyn Bridge.” About.com 19th . N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013

Haw, Richard. The Brooklyn Bridge: A Cultural History. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers UP, 2005. Print.

“Ephemeral New York.” Ephemeral New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013

“Brooklyn Bridge.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013

“Become a Contributor.” Untapped Cities. N.p., 23 Oct.2013. Web 30 Nov. 2013

The Curse of the Brooklyn Bridge

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“Any person who has sentiments, cannot cross this bridge in continuation, the grandeur and beauty compels him to stop and glance at it for a while,” a quote by architect Chandra Bhushan. The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in New York City as well as worldwide; many would agree that it is a beautiful sight. The Brooklyn Bridge connects Brooklyn to Manhattan; it opened in 1883, being the longest steel-wire suspension bridge at the time. John Augustus Roebling initially designed the bridge, after an accident, which resulted Roebling’s death, it was continued by his son Washington Roebling. This death was then followed by a series of more tragic accidents. Whether the Brooklyn Bridge lured people to attempt daredevil stunts or prove scientific ideas, its history is rich with interesting stories that have resulted in deaths.

On May 24, 1883 the Brooklyn Bridge was opened after being under construction for 13 years. Although people were excited for a better way of traveling, many believed the bridge would collapse because it was the first structure of its kind in that area. In order to show that the bridge was safe and ease people’s minds, legendary showman P.T Barnum offered to walk his circus elephants across the bridge. Authorities turned down Barnum’s offer. On May 30, 1883 just a few days after the opening of the bridge, a stampede occurred on the bridge because of rumors that the bridge was about to collapse. Thousands of people were running in fear and trampling one another. As a result 12 people were reported dead. On May 17, 1884 he was allowed to lead his elephants weighing approximately 42 tons across the bridge and proved to everyone its safety.

Over the years the Brooklyn Bridge has become famous for people jumping off of it. Robert Odlum, a swimming instructor was one of the first to attempt this. On May 19, 1885 he gathered an audience at the bridge and jumped. Although Odlum survived the fall, a few hours later he was reported dead due to internal bleeding. Paul Boyton states the reasons for his actions in a letter to Odlum’s mother, “This feat will give me tame and a reputation that will survive me plenty of engagements, and thus enable me to help my mother and myself, as I would wish to do and, as I have not been able to do for a couple of years. Don’t try and turn me from the only chance I see left for me to make a name and a fortune.”He wanted the fame of being the first person to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge and actually survive this. He also wanted to be able to support both himself and mother financially. Odlum thought his jump would bring these two important things to his life. After Odlum many others continued to jump off the bridge. Larry Donovan was the first to succefully jump off the Brooklyn Bridge and survive the jump. Donovan wanted to prove it was possible to survive the fall and began to receive a lot of fame after his jump. In 2013, a 29-year old man tried to commit suicide by jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge. After landing near the bridges western stanchion he was then saved by rescued divers. The man is yet another to survive the fall and walk away without a scratch.

As mentioned before, the first historical death ever relating to the Brooklyn Bridge occurred before the construction of the bridge was even finished, when the architect died. Ever since then more and more tragedies have occurred. The P.T. Barnum story shows how the public reacts in a time of panic due to trust insecurities with new technology/architecture. The Bridge was the first experienced by those people, and in their minds they did not know whether to trust the stability of the structure, which in turn led to the horrible stampede. The Brooklyn Bridge also has one of the most notorious histories for bridge jumpers, probably because of its location in New York City. Robert Odlum’s jump was to gain fame; he may have been the first to jump off the bridge but certainly not the last. Steve Brodie, who jumped in 1886, was the most notable jumper, although he survived. Every decade there are more stories of people who attempt to jump off this bridge in order to gain fame or to commit suicide.

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the world’s most famous bridges located in the world’s busiest city, bringing lots of attention to it. Since its construction accidents that lead to death have taken place decade after decade due to people’s curiosity and wanting to experiment with defying death. Although it is a beautiful sight, its history containing tragic accidents is not exactly what someone would label as “beautiful.”

 

Citations:

CBS. “Brookiyn Bridge – Creating Grandeur.” CBSForum.com. CBS Team, 2 May 2003. Web. 01 Dec. 2013.

Prentzas, G. S. The Brooklyn Bridge. New York: Chelsea House, 2009. Print.

“Odlum’s Fatal Leap.” The New York Times. 7 June 1885.  Nytimes. Web. Nov. 2013.

Mark Morales. “Distraught man, 29, survives jump off Brooklyn Bridge and is rushed to Bellevue Hospital” New York Daily News. 4 Sept. 2013. Web. Nov. 2013

 

Brooklyn Bridge: Construction vs. Reconstruction

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The Reconstruction of the Brooklyn Bridge in all aspects regarding the Bridge’s presence is more significant than the construction of the Bridge, as it illustrates the modifications necessary to fit the demands of current day New York City. The Bridge is an extended ligament to many; it is used daily and with full potency but has decreased in convenience. The Brooklyn Bridge, also regarded by many as the eight wonder of the world, it has historical value to those who can appreciate it. However to more practical crowds it has been outgrown substantially by daily users. The Bridge, though holding some records and other remarkable characteristics, is no longer applicable to New Yorkers of today. Therefore making this bridge ineffective and unproductive to the needs of our time. Though it is still used, perhaps the rehabilitation or replacement of its useless features can make it a replenished eight wonder of the world for New Yorkers in need of an updated bridge.

John A. Roebling was a civil engineer who designed the Brooklyn Bridge in the early 1800’s. Although he fabricated the design he never got to experience the bridge’s opening day. His dedication was demonstrated greatly as he died after crushing his foot in an accident on the bridge itself. Roebling became especially skilled in the construction of suspension bridges, like the Brooklyn Bridge. He became educated and trained as an engineer at Berlin’s Royal Polytechnic Institute. In 1866 a company called “The New York Bridge Company” was founded and they hired John as a chief engineer. “When completed in 1883, the bridge, with its massive stone towers and a main span of 1,595.5 feet between them, was by far the longest suspension bridge in the world”. (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jun12.html). The Brooklyn Bridge was a necessity and in demand during the early 1800’s in New York City, because the vastly populated Manhattan which housed 400,000 residents, twice as many residents as there are today. The resolution to this predicament was the development of the Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge. People and goods that commuted between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn could cross the East River quickly, regardless of weather conditions or any other once interfering circumstances. This was not the first time building a bridge over the East River was discussed, it was talked about as long as anyone could remember, but nothing was executed until the 1800‘s.The bridge had two central purposes which were to bear the weight of four immense cables, and they would hold both the cables and the roadway of the bridge high enough so they would not interfere with traffic on the river. The bridge was designed to have a load capacity of 18,700 tons. The 276-foot neo-Gothic granite towers, which feature two arched portals, were built to withstand strong winds and provide support for rail lines. In August 1876, the two anchorages were linked across the East River for the first time by a wire rope.  The purpose of the webs of wire and steel would hold up the two towers .They designed two elevated railroad tracks, which were connected to elevated railroad systems in New York and Brooklyn, down to the center of the bridge. On the other side, they designed four lanes, two lanes on two outer roadways. To be used for carriages and horseback riders. Right over the track they provided an elevated promenade for pedestrians and bicyclists. The footpath of the bridge allowed you to cross the river in peace by not being bothered by the traffic on the lower life and also offered a great view of the downtown Manhattan Skyline. “Even before it opened, the Brooklyn Bridge had become a symbol of not only of the greatness of New York, but also of American ingenuity”. (http://www.nycroads.com/crossings/brooklyn/) All these features provided an aesthetic appeal as well as purpose and a great deal of productivity between Brooklyn and Manhattan. Fundamentally though it was composed and more inclined to fit the entailment’s of the 19th century lifespan in regards to means of productivity.

The Brooklyn Bridge will always hold its historical values and significant but NYC believes that it’s time for reconstruction. In 2003, shortly after the August 14 citywide blackout-during which the bridge was used by pedestrian’s people walking over the bridge, had trouble keeping balance as the bridge not only bounced but swayed.” By 2008, however, Popular Mechanics magazine has named the landmark one of the 10 pieces of U.S. Infrastructure the country needs to fix immediately”. (http://newyork.construction.com/new_york_construction_projects/2010/0601-BrooklynBridge.asp). After being inspected in 2008 and was rated as “poor” they decided to reconstruct the bridge with a rehabilitation plan that will cost 508 million dollars. It will take about four years to complete and 30million contribution will be provided by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding. New York City capital funds will finance 286 million and the remaining 192 million will be financed by other federal funding sources. The rehabilitation project is comprised of bridge deck replacement, repainting of steel elements, increasing the number of lanes on the ramps, replacement of the existing membrane system, closure walls and Brooklyn Bridge access roads, the present roadway pavement above the arch blocks and masonry structures will be renovated, sprayed-on waterproofing membrane will be covered by a precast concrete roadway slab, precast concrete-filled steel grid deck panels will be used to replace the existing deck on both the Manhattan and Brooklyn sides, the decks will be replaced panel by panel to minimize the noise produced by drilling and jackhammers, painting work will be carried out to prevent the steel from being spoiled by rust, dust collection, vacuum and recycling instruments will be used to cut down the environmental air quality hazards, and abrasive blasting techniques will be used to remove the existing protective coating and the whole painting operation will be implemented in accordance with US Environmental Protection Act and New York State Department of Environment conservation requirements.” According to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, New York, the bridge’s original colour (which is officially called Brooklyn Bridge Tan) will be restored”. ( http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/brooklynbridgerehabi/) The reconstruction of the bridge is said to cause serious problems concerning traffic, as it focuses on operating on increments of the bridge at a time. Where the bridge was built at exceeding exceptions in the 19th Century, it has quickly been outgrown and shows desperate need for reconstruction or in the more cautious eyes, a rebuilding from top to bottom. The blueprints for rehabilitation of the Bridge illustrate the predicament that this outdated bridge presents. Ultimately the renovation is necessary to provide New Yorkers with full functionality; however it is arguable that the old bridge is causing interference of its potential as well as more expenses to the city for renovations instead of replacements.

The first establishment of the Brooklyn Bridge was a great feat in history, especially showing great benefits to New York City economically and politically. However when the construction of this Bridge was executed, it was designed and directed to conform to the needs of the 19th Century NYC not the 21st Century. Frankly two centuries is much too much time to develop new needs and undergo different frames of interpretation for what might be appropriate for the current demographic. Where in the 19thcentury, the Bridge was seen to provide a new route of transportation and connections between Brooklyn and Manhattan, there are various bridges of today that fit the means of the population and of transporting. Apart from this, today we could’ve built a grander, more efficient bridge to fit today’s needs, something I’m sure regards people more noteworthy. Where the event of the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge was celebrated, it is not forgotten the price at which the city had to pay and so today we pay that price again with reconstruction. The reconstruction is occurring because the bridge is no longer the eighth wonder of the world, though it holds historic significance, it holds little to no value to the average New Yorker. Instead the bridge is constant reminder of the burdens that it causes for the lack of necessitating today’s needs. It is apparent that the original four lanes, two outer roadways and walkway for pedestrians using the bridge in their own leisure isn’t’ the sole purposes of the Bridge anymore. The Bridge demanded by New Yorkers provides double the lanes, a walkway to accommodate pedestrians in emergency conditions and many more constructive scheming. By all accounts the Brooklyn Bridge is a landmark for viewing and not to be utilized by colossal residents. The rehabilitation is a desperate call from New Yorkers and the Brooklyn Bridge in its original form is only a notion to be celebrated and no longer pursued.

Ultimately the reconstruction of the Brooklyn Bridge is more urgent then the construction of the Bridge, as it demonstrates the needed transformation to fit the demands of New York City in its present time. Essentially the Brooklyn Bridge served its purpose and residents many innovative transportation needs for decades of times. With the demand for a new bridge or even minor modifications, it is unknown if the Bridge if better off one way of the other. However with the appetite for bigger purposes the Brooklyn Bridge is merely a historical landmark, not a serviceable appendage to New Yorkers as we would like it to be.

Citation:
“Brooklyn Bridge Rehabilitation Project, New York, United States of America.” Brooklyn Bridge Rehabilitation Project, New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013.

“Brooklyn Bridge Renovation.” ENR New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013.

“Brooklyn Bridge Renovation.” ENR New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013.

“Today in History.” : June 12. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Dec. 2013.

Whats Behind Rev Henry Ward Beecher?

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Plymouth Church was found in 1847 by 21 New Englanders who wanted a Congregational church that had a simple order of worship, governed by the congregation. With this Purpose they named Henry Ward Beecher the first pastor of this church. Throughout time, Henry Ward Beecher was seen as a great abolitionist who would do anything to help slaves, but also as the pastor who was involved in a sex scandal. This scandal followed him all through his life making him a man of great controversy. Although, this problem got him unnecessary problems it didn’t stop him from achieving great things as a pastor. Now Plymouth Church has been designated as a historical landmark since 1961 for the impact it had towards the abolitionist movement thanks to him.

Rev Henry Ward Beecher is honored in Plymouth Church until this day. Besides being the first pastor of this church he brought the church a lot of popularity from the great things he got to accomplished. According to a book titled A Biography of Rev Henry Ward Beecher it states that Henry Beecher was a congressionalist clergyman, social reformer, and speaker, Known for his support in the abolition of slavery (Beecher). Therefore, he was asked to be a pastor in Plymouth Church and he accepted stating he will be a pastor of the church mainly so it can help him stop slavery. Beecher preached for thousands of people. After two years of the church just being founded it burned out and a new one was immediately build. Its design was completely different. The church was designed to seat 2,800 people. Many people even compared it as being like a theatre than a church (NYC AGO). This was all fixed so people would be able to hear Beecher preach.  His sermons were categorized by its originality, logic, pathos, and humor (Plymouth Church). Also he never stopped mentioning how Gods love was so important and that God loved with no discrimination of any kind. He even helped many slaves by buying them to set them free from their owners. One of the most famous slaves he bought was a girl named Pinky. Raising $900 the segregation of the church was able to buy Pinky from her owner. She was given a ring that was obtained with her purchased the moment that she was set free to commemorate her freedom. In 1929 she went back to the church to give back the ring and also to express her gratitude towards the church and specially Beecher (Beecher). The church was even part of the Underground Railroad because it was a common place were slaves used to hide in thanks to Beecher. It even became known as “The Grand Central Depot” of the Underground Railroad. Through his sermons he became known all over New York. Even Abraham Lincoln went to listen to him preach.

On the other hand some people didn’t like Henry Ward Beecher because apart from being abolitionist they though he was a “fake”. The reason for this was because of the sex scandal he was involved in. In 1870 Beecher was accused of seducing Elizabeth Tilton. She was the wife of his former friend and protĂ©gĂ© a journalist named Theodore Tilton. In that moment Mrs. Tilton was one of the parishioners of Plymouth Church. This caused the scandal to escalate rapidly. Soon after the news was just starting to spread out, a radical feminist, entrepreneur and clairvoyant woman named Victoria Woodhull published the scandal in the national press, causing the story to spread out even quicker (Applegate). Even though Beecher tried to ignore it, it was too late many people demanded to know what was going on. The people that hated him for being abolitionist used the scandal in favor of them to put Beecher’s reputation down. By 1875, Theodore Tilton sued Beecher of “criminal conversation”. As the trial went down Elizabeth Tilton was asked to speak in various occasion, but she contradicted her statement every time. On some statements she stated that Beecher was Guilty, and in others she stated he was innocent. This let the jury to the conclusion that Beecher was innocent due to inconclusive evidence. The jury voted 9 to 3 in favor of Beecher (history engine). Therefore, Beecher was exonerated from the case. This scandal that lasted 2 years caused the separation of Theodore Tilton and Elizabeth Tilton. It also left some people thinking who Beecher really was.

Henry Ward Beecher has been one great abolitionist that did everything that was on his hands to help slaves. But in the other hand, he also has shown himself as pastor that spread Gods love to people, meanwhile committing adultery and braking peoples marriage. Well it is said that Henry Beecher already had a reputation of flirting too much. It was supposedly his “clerical weakness” (Giles).  He was a man that captivated the attention of thousands of people through his sermons. He made woman in Plymouth church fall in love with him causing a lot of problems in his marriage and in the marriage of all the woman who felt for him too. Obviously, this was something his wife was that okay with. She was known to be “famously jealous.” Here he was helping so much people all over the US. Buying slaves so they could have a chance to be free, so why as a man of God was he flirting and destroy marriages? That’s something to think about. What’s interesting is thinking that in either way during that time, he was going against the law with his all his actions. He was hiding slaves in the church’s basement and helping them in any way he was able to when back then it was illegal to do all that. He was also committing adultery with his friend’s wife. This could be taken as Beecher being a man that liked to go for illegal things. But it could also be considered as a mistake that shouldn’t be judged so harshly.  At the end of the day he was a pastor that help slaves gain their freedom through his preaching’s.

In conclusion, Plymouth Church is one of the most historic churches in New York. Its popularity increased since the first day Henry Ward Beecher became the pastor of the church. He may had his flaws but he achieved great things for this society. No one is perfect, but what counts is what you could do to make this world a better place to live on.  I assure you Beecher did his part for humanity. It only take to go inside Plymouth Church to know that.

Citations

  • Beecher, William. A Biography of Rev Henry Ward Beecher. Kessinger, 2007. Print.
  •  United States. NYC Organ Project. Plymouth Church. 2000. Print. <http://www.nycago.org/Organs/Bkln/html/PlymouthChurch.html>.
  • “Henry W.” Plymouth Church. n. page. Print. <http://www.plymouthchurch.org/our_history_henry-wardbeecher.php>.
  • Applegate, Debby. “Henry Ward Beecher.” New York Times 2005, n. pag. Print. <http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/henry_ward_beecher/index.html>.
  • “Scandals and Public Discorse.” History Engine n.pag. Web. 1 Dec 2013. <http://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/3953>.
  • Giles, Mathew. “Preacher Beecher, a Sex Crazed Creature.” New York News and Politics 04 01 2012, n. pag. Web. 1 Dec. 2013. <http://nymag.com/news/features/scandals/henry-ward-beecher-2012-4/>.

Fulton Times—the change of Fulton Street

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Since I came to New York, I always walked to school; I never take any trains or buses to school, so it is so difficult to me to find the way out of the station and the way to my college. I still remember that was the first day of my school, I took the A train in Fulton Street and stopped at the station at Fulton, Jay street. I thought I lost and never left the Fulton Street in Manhattan, but the train did move in the same direction and pass through a stop. Therefore, I got out of the station and finally I found out where am I?
Brooklyn Fulton Street, the same street name in Manhattan downtown. It is named after Robert Fulton, who owned the monopoly business of steam ferries. In that time, the only way traveled to Manhattan and Brooklyn is by the steam ferries, and these two Fulton Street is where the steam ferries linked with. So as we can see Robert Fulton is the huge character in hundred years ago and his name still remain on today local history. Even though Fulton’s monopoly steam ferries business is no longer exist now, the monopolistic business along the Fulton Street still going on; the national chain stores vs. small local retail stores, and who will be last longer?
On Fulton Street, the 17-block corridor stretching from Boerum Place to Flatbush Avenue features a mix of national retailers like Macy’s, H&M, and the Gap; local chains like Brooklyn Industries, Cookie’s, and Shake Shack; and independent shops like Heart & Sole and Mirage Boutique. The retail business along Fulton Street cannot go without its transportation. From the past century, the road structure has great change and influences the area efficiently. Fulton Street has been a marketplace since early 19th century, “the street is full of pedestrians. A trolley track line was next to the (Orpheum) Theater and an over pass train track as well” (Afo). Today, there are no more train tracks, the MTA subway trains and buses replace the streetcars. And it easier for people come to Fulton Street and shop along the street. The great transportation gathers lots of customers to this street, the store owners have more chance to sell their products; however, too much customers also give the land lords an opportunity to increase the rent.
From the last century, people are more flavors to the local stores on Fulton Street, like the shops that sell hip-hop fashion, cellphone, sneaker and gold jewelry
 however, in recent years, those local and independent shops are disappeared, since they cannot afford the high rent in that area and the competition with national chain stores. An associate director at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank Retail, Hymie Dweck said, “rent on Fulton Street were always around $150 to $200( square foot), but they are pushing past that now” (Julie Satow). Rent is one of the important factors that they cannot compete with the national stores. The owner of Stellar European Design, Sam Yung Kim said “driving up rents beyond $200 a square foot that may make it impossible for him to remain when his lease comes up for renewal in a year” (Berger, Joseph). Since the small retailers cannot earn as much as the national chain store did, and they still need to pay the same high rent, many stores closed, in this cruel competition, rent is like the salt, putting on their open wound, and make their situation worse.
The disappearance of those local stores make some people worry that Fulton Street will lose the African-American and Caribbean-American customers, since they like the unique style and bright color clothing, which make them show off their figure. On the other hand, “some small stores are pleased with the chains’ arrival. ‘They bring more people in this area and it’s better,’ said Frank Flower, an Egyptian immigrant who owns a hole-in-the-wall shop that sells gold chains and earrings” (Berger, Joseph). Do the national chain stores join in Fulton Street really change the people’s visit? Vicki Weiner, deputy director of the Pratt Center for Community Development who also worried about the unbalance between national retailers, local retailers and the independent shops did a survey in 2006, asking the architectural significance of the mall’s buildings, testing if the new stores in the mall did change the customers visiting. At the end, she found out that street is still “functioning like a traditional marketplace, where people see people they know and come to network and socialize as well as shop.” Weiner believed Fulton Mall (on the center of Fulton Street) has not lost its character (Berger, Joseph).
From these two stories, we understand the factor of rent influences the competition between the local retail and the national chain stores; and also the view from people about the national chain stores joining in Fulton Street. Because of the great transportation along the Fulton Street, many retailers want to join in this fantastic market; however, on the other hand, the more retailers want to join in, the higher rent they have to pay. And as we know only the large national stores can afford this high rents with ease. In the customers’ views, Fulton Street is still the same amazing shopping pedestrianized mall; but, it is a little painful to the small retailor.
In this monopolistic market, the local stores seem weaker than the national chain stores; however, generally, Fulton Street stills the unique place for the people, a mix of national stores and local retail stores. Even though the national chain stores joining did hurt some of the small businesses, and push them out of the competition; with the loss of some loyal local customers, Fulton Street still stands, continued to expands its fame, and attracts more new customers to here.

Cited Work
Afo (Aqbere, Dawuda), “Vaudeville Project-Orpheum.” What is Vaudeville? The Brooklyn Experience. OpenLAB AT CITY TECH, November 7, 2013. Web. November 20, 2013
Berger, Joseph. “On Fulton Street, Worries about Change.” The New York Times Online 20 September 2013. 20 November 2013.
Downtown Brooklyn. . Historic Downtown Brooklyn Walking Tour. Web. 28 November 2013

Satow, Julie. “National Retailer Discover a Brooklyn Mall.” The New York Times Online 28 August 2012. 20 November 2013.

Project 4

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The Brooklyn Bridge is a landmark and one of the greatest everlasting achievements in the history of New York. Its grand opening was on May 24th, 1883 which proudly marks the date this majestic landmark was added to Brooklyn’s line of great historic monuments. But as swell as the Brooklyn Bridge is there a negative portion that follows unfortunately. Its actually quite easily to overlook these events for the worse because in a city like New York what bad could go awfully wrong or unexpected. There are multiple accounts that support this claim such as the rumors that caused the stampede on May 30th, 1883 six days after the grand opening also known as the Stampede of 1883 and other events that include people committing suicide and the death of John A. Roebling the architect who designed the Brooklyn Bridge. These accounts share similarities and differences which will be discussed

On May 24th, 1883 the grand opening ceremony for the Brooklyn Bridge was celebrated, no one would have guessed that not even a week but six days later a great tragedy had occurred on the bridge. There were rumors that claimed the bridge wasn’t steady and it was going to collapse, when word got around people rushed to get off the bridge, trampling on those who unfortunately fell during their attempted escape. The stampede left 12 people trampled to death and 36 were left injured. After the stampede a circus owner who went by the name P.T. Barnum decided to publicize his circus by proving that the bridge was more than just safe and the rumors were just rumors. At first when the Bridge first opened his circus was denied access but after the stampede state officials reluctantly agreed to P.T.Barnum’s offer. P.T. Barnum’s circus: “Jumbo” which consisted of 21 elephants which is approximately 42 tons (84,000 pounds) crossed the bridge and rid the rumors for good. The stampede could have been prevented if the state officials decided to test the stability of the bridge before allowing the people of New York to cross.

During the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge a list of deaths followed one of the most important was the architect himself, John A. Roebling at the time who was taking observations to determine the exact location of the Brooklyn Tower his assistant Colonel William H. Paine was stationed in a transit to deliver the line across to Roebling who was standing on a pile of wood, A ferry was approaching and Colonel was too focused on giving directions to Roebling that the ferry including its passengers crashed heavily into the fender, the fender was forced against the cluster and Roebling’s foot was crushed between the timbers. John A. Roebling who had his toes on the right foot amputated but contracted Tetanus disease and died two weeks later after his death, Roebling’s son took over to complete what his father started, He made several important improvements on the bridge design and further developed bridge building techniques. Thus, he designed the two large pneumatic caissons that became the foundations for the two towers. In 1870, fire broke out in one of the caissons; from within the caisson, Roebling directed his attention extinguish the flames. Working in compressed air in these caissons under the river caused him to get decompression sickness which hindered his health enough to prevent him to visit the construction site. His wife, Emily Warren Roebling, who had taken it upon herself to learn bridge construction, became his nurse and confidant and took over much of the chief engineer’s duties including day-to-day supervision and project management. Another heartbreaking story involves the first man to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge, Robert Odlum in May 1885. His motivations for doing so included the desire to demonstrate that people did not die simply from falling through the air, thus encouraging people to be willing to jump from a burning building into a net. Odlum also desired fame and the chance to help himself and his mother financially. All these accounts relating to death not only saddened New Yorkers but also forced us to rethink our guidelines of safety and how to prevent these events from ever happening again.

After explaining the two accounts to promote my claims, Should we start with the discussion of the similarities of the accounts. These accounts are surrounded by death and sorrow as the lives of innocent people were lost. All the events that were listed above are considered an unexpected twist of events, the stampede that occurred after 6 days due to rumors and the architect himself dying in the field of work, who would’ve guessed? Another similarity is that both these events happened because of human error, People should pay attention to their surroundings and to not get way TOO sucked into and getting “blinded” by this one goal that they are work so hard to achieve. As far as similarities go, there are also some differences between the two accounts that are worth mentioning such as how Roeblings successors, his son Washington Roebling also died due to a disease he contracted from working in the construction site likewise his father, while P.T. Barnum’s attempt to publicize his circus not only got the job done but prevented any more deaths and false claims about the stability of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Finally, the two accounts that I’ve explained have indeed have supported the fact that the Brooklyn Bridge is not all fun and games when we research more in depth about its history, Now these two accounts have ended in different, In P.T. Barnum’s situation he is considered as a hero because of his actions, he made a huge gamble in order to publicize his circus and doing his City a favor to eradicate the fear in the hearts of New Yorkers and to persuade them to trust the Brooklyn Bridge once more while on the other hand Washington Roebling died to the same reason his father did which was being blinded by his work in the site which resulted into getting extremely injured. Its history consists of events that bring out the bridges true colors which are still so easily disregarded by the thousands of people who crossed the bridge because everyone is so blinded by their daily routine, who has time for anything?

Works Cited
“John Augustus Roebling (American Engineer).” Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.

Wikipedia. “Washington Roebling.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Nov. 2013. Web. 28 Nov. 2013.

Stern, John, and Carrie Wilson. “THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE: A STUDY IN GREATNESS.” (n.d.): n. pag. Print.

CBS Team. “Brookiyn Bridge – Creating Grandeur.” CBSForum.com. CBS Team, 2 May 2003. Web. 01 Dec. 2013.

“Today in History.” : June 12. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

The Lank Mark Of New York

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The Brooklyn Bridge, One of the most famous landmarks of New York. It extends for 5,989 feet and it is one of the best things in New York. It was the reason why New York became what it is today. The Bridges construction started in 1869 by the man called John Augustus Roebling. It was completed on May 24 1883 and the first day estimate of 250,000 people walked across on the bridge promenade. The bridge connected the two major boroughs of New York City today, the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The Bridge was completed but do people today wonder how the construction must have felt like or the how John Augustus Roebling managed to do this. Well that is what I will tell you guys today how the Brooklyn Bridge was built, who built it and how it has helped New York City.

The man who thought of he Bridge is John Augustus Roebling. He was a great pioneer in the design of steel suspension bridges. He was born in Germany in 1806 and migrated to Pennsylvania and tried to be a farmer but could not be successful so he moved to the capital   Harrisburg, where he found work as a civil engineer. He promoted the use of wire cable and established a successful wire-cable factory. While working he earned a reputation as a designer of suspension bridges, which at the time were widely used but known to fail under strong winds or heavy loads. However Roebling found a solution, a web truss added to either side of the bridge roadway that greatly stabilized the structure. Roebling slowly made his name and with help of this technology he successfully bridged the Niagara Gorge at Niagara Falls, New York, and the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Than in 1867 the legislature approved to of a bridge over the east river of Manhattan and Brooklyn that was proposed to them by Roebling who was popular at that time due to his achievements in making bridges. However when John was inspecting the site he hurt himself and 17 days later he passed away. Than his son Washington A. Roebling, took over as chief engineer. Roebling had worked with his father on several bridges and had helped design the Brooklyn Bridge.

The master mind was not there but his plans were there through his son Washington A. Roebling. He took over and started the construction of the bridge which was going to create history. The biggest challenge of the construction was how it will be held together? How will it be strong enough to hold a bridge that big? Well the answer was the inventive idea of John Roebling to use steel instead of iron. The other problem was digging of the foundation but the idea of caisson work solved the problem. Caissons, enormous wooden boxes with no bottoms, were sunk in the river. Compressed air was pumped into them, and men inside would dig away at the sand and rock on the river bottom. The stone towers were built atop the caissons, which sank deeper into the river bottom. Now the caissons work was tough and risky and the people that took this risk were called the”sandhogs”. These workers were mostly immigrants that earned abut $2 a day.  They used shovels and dynamite to clear away the mud and boulders at the bottom of the river. Each week, the caissons inched closer to the bedrock. When they reached a sufficient depth of44 feet on the Brooklyn side and 78 feet on the Manhattan side they began laying granite, working their way back up to the surface. How ever the conditions in the caissons were not good and it led to illness and this also affected the brain of this bridge, Washington A. Roebling.  He was paralyzed and his wife Emily Roebling took over and helped her husband complete the bride.

When the foundation was completed the other big task was the cables. Spinning the cables was as a big thing since I was no easy thing to cover the whole bridge with cables. The spinning cable began in the summer of 1877 and was finished after a year and four months. However it took another five years to suspend the roadway from the cables and have the bridge ready for traffic. Finally after all the hard work the bridge was completed in 14 years and on May 24, 1883 the bridge was opened to the public. The Bridge cost $15 million double than what John                 A .Roebling had expected.

The Bridge took a lot of money and man power to build it but how did the bridge help New York? Well it basically turned New York City into what is it is today. It turned New York City into the most important commercial metropolis in the United States. It connected the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan.  The bridge increased the population of Brooklyn from 580,000 to one million in the first 15 years opened and solved the problem of lack of house on the small island of Manhattan. The bridge also helped it economically. The Brooklyn Bridge created one of the largest economic centers in the world by facilitating the safe transportation of goods and labor between these two metropolitan areas. Now people can easily live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan.  At 276.5 feet over high water, the bridge also allows the large commercial ships underneath the bridge.

The Brooklyn Bridge is the symbol of New York City. It is a national monument of New York and it has helped make this city what it is today. The idea of John A. Roebling and the hard work put in from his son and daughter in law Washington a. Roebling and Emily Roebling connected Brooklyn and Manhattan and changed the course of history of New York City. Imagine what the bridge was not built than we would have never experienced the success New York has seen. It helped us in many ways and we should remember all the hard work, the mind used for this and all the money used to build this great landmark, The Brooklyn Bridge.

 

 

 

Reference List

1-“Brooklyn Bridge.” 2013. The History Channel website. Dec 1 2013, 4:20 http://www.history.com/topics/brooklyn-bridge.

2-Economic Effect – The Brooklyn Bridge: A World Wonder.”Economic Effect -The Brooklyn Bridge: A World Wonder. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2013. <http://www.brooklynbridgeaworldwonder.com/economic-effect.html>.

3-“Building the Brooklyn Bridge.” About.com 19th Century History. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. <http://history1800s.about.com/od/bridgebuilding/a/brooklynbrid01.htm>.

4-“Brooklyn Bridge.” , New York City. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. <http://www.aviewoncities.com/nyc/brooklynbridge.htm>.

Test of Time Final

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Test of Time

Winston Churchill said “History is written by the victors.” However, it is also true that it is written by those who survive. The survivors are the last witness of real event that transpired and they would tell a different history. Yet over time even this would disappear unless told to others, an oral tradition. Such is the case of the Brooklyn Theater fire: however, even with 700 survivors and bystanders the history of the Brooklyn Theater fire has gotten lost in history. Few know of this tragic event, and to this day there is not even a sign at the location. An event that took the lives of 300 in 1876 passes unnoticed today. The Brooklyn Theater Fire is written in various historical archives ranging from the Brooklyn Historical Society to the New York Times interview with Kate Claxton. Kate Claxton is a primary source as her being an eyewitness to within the theater just prior and all the way through the fire. However the interview was conducted 9 years after the incident. On the other hand the historical files found in the Brooklyn Historical Society about the “Guide to The Brooklyn Theater Fire Relief Association Records, 1876-1879” was started following the event. However there is very little detail on the events inside the theater and what is provided is a paragraph on the whole event. This is seen as a secondary source. Therefore is seen as a slightly less reliable but more credible due to the fact that it should have been checked and confirmed by those involved in making it.

The melodrama, “The Two Orphans” was playing on the stage of the Brooklyn theatre on December 5, 1876 with a full house in attendance. Over a thousand people were packed inside with most of them in the upper gallery seats, comprised of families and large groups of people that came to see the show at an affordable price. The show had become quite popular and had been going on for some time, however that night’s performance at the Brooklyn theatre would be different. At 11:15 PM, shortly after the opening of the last act, a fire broke out, apparently caused by scenery touching the gas lights. A common problem with gas lamps inside structures back in the days of wooden frame and floors, especially a stage with props and backdrops. Much like the Titanic after itself the theater staff and performers were slow to respond to and inform the audience of the danger. Then when the fire started raging so did the people started panicking and running for the only two exits. The building had three levels of seats and only one staircase that ran the height of the building. These factors led to people collapsing down the steps and being trampled, adding to the jam that already existed. Many on the upper level died of asphyxiation or when the building finally collapsed on itself in fifteen to twenty minutes. Over 300 died that night, most of them being families and the not so well off. The top tier had no direct way down and a major jam developed on the second tier staircase. This led to trampling and falls, while the upper tier died of asphyxiation and falling debris. This is validated by historical records found at the Brooklyn Historical Society and “This Day in History” on history.com.

Nine years after the fire Kate Claxton recalled and told her story to the Philadelphia Times which later reach the home of the Brooklyn Theater Fire, New York and The Times. She recalled how the stage was set up and her laying down in character on straw for the play. She went on to say that she “was startled by a rumbling noise, which sounded as if the ceiling of the the theatre was falling”. Then the curtain rose and she did not dwell on the noise and remained in character. Then as she said her lines and the play progressed she heard the voice of Lilian Cleaves who said “save yourself for God’s sake: I am running now”. This news made Kate Claxton gaze up and spot the sparks and “little tongues of fire licking the edges of the drops and borders that hung in the flies”. Nevertheless, she played her part and did not show fear, same as Harry Murdoch and Mrs. Farren followed by Mr. J. B. Studley. However, Mrs. Farren whispered to her “the fire is steadily gaining”. At this time the fire could no longer be “concealed from the audience” as the sparks were falling on stage and yet they played on. Panic had taken full swing and only then did “we saw that it was useless to attempt to proceed”. In spite of this Mr. Studley said to the people: “ The play will go on and the fire will be put out. Be quiet Get back to your seats”. Kate Claxton then saw that “it was madness to delay longer as we were now almost surrounded by flames”. She went and took Mr. Murdoch by the arm to run but he pulled away in a daze and went to his dressing room where he and Claude Burroughs parished. At this time all of the exits were engulfed in flames and all seemed lost. However, it was at this time that Kate Claxton remembered of a subterranean passage built by Mrs. Conway to the box office from the star dressing room. This was Kate Claxton’s dressing room and she took her neighbour Maude Harrison with her through the tunnel and to the box office. After breaking through the door in the office they were safely outside.

This two accounts of December 5, 1876 during the Brooklyn Theater fire have the same beginning and end. The fire that would take the lives of 300 began at the start of the last act and yet none of the actors showed any sign of it to the audience. They played their parts as the fire grew and their chance to escape diminished along with that of the audience. Then when the fire was visible all went into panic and many died while attempting to flee. however; the details and view of events vary. First is a very basic overview of the causes and effects of the Brooklyn Theater fire told after it had come to pass by historical archives. Kate Claxton was in the middle of all of these events when they transpired and so it is more personal. There are a great deal of details that give us a clear understanding of her position and feelings at that time, one of them being her guilt over the fact that she went along with what everyone else was doing, covering up the truth from the audience. “The curtain should have been kept down until the flames had been extinguished or if it had been found impossible
 the audience should have been calmly informed that
 some unfortunate occurrence behind the scenery compiled a suspension of the performance
.Raising the curtain created a draft which fanned the flames into fury”. There is no such notion in the historical database, no looking back at the event in another way only what happened in a very neutral tone. All the emotion was taken away along with the exaggeration that showed that this was viewed by people vs a machine. Like a true war story, people need to hear what the person saw or thought that they saw. Such as a man being swallowed whole by sea of panicking patrones as they dashed for their lives down the steps. Man dragging women and child back so they may be saved themselves. A likely compassion would be the events of the Titanic as all hope ran away with grace, and chivalry from the hearts and minds of all.

The Brooklyn Theater Fire is written in various historical archives ranging from the Brooklyn Historical Society to the New York Times. Nevertheless, what is written in one may be found wanting in the other. Kate Claxton first hand account has detail that is not available in the historical documents and yet it told much later, giving time a chance to warp memories. Yet it is still a primary source from which other sources could be built on. In the end both tell a woeful tale of a great loss of life, yet one is filled with life and emotion. Those who live are the real winners and history is theirs. “the pen is mightier than the sword”.

Robert, S. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://brooklynhistory.org/library/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/arms_1977_049_theatre.pdf

(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/hundreds-die-in-brooklyn-theater-fire

Montrose, M. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2010/06/walkabout-the-b-2/

The brooklyn theater fire . (1885, November 30). The New York Times . Retrieved from http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F50D11FD355A1A738DDDA90B94D9415B8

Richman, R. (2011, June 17th). “the two orphans,” with a new home. Retrieved from http://www.green-wood.com/2011/the-two-orphans-with-a-new-home/