Roebling, Emily Warren

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Roebling, Emily Warren

American Field Engineer and Lawyer 1843–1903

In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the Equal Rights Party was organized; Susan B. Anthony and sixteen other women tried to vote but were arrested; and Congress passed a law that gave female federal employees equal pay for equal work. During this period in American history, Emily Warren Roebling oversaw the design and construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, which was heralded in those days as the eighth wonder of the world.

Emily Roebling's father-in-law, John August Roebling, was a pioneer in the construction of steel suspension bridges . He had designed the Brooklyn Bridge in 1865 to cross the East River in one uninterrupted span, thereby connecting the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan. The Brooklyn Bridge would be the first bridge to use steel for its 16-inch diameter cable wires. Its main span would be the longest in the world at that time.

From Assistant to Leader

Before he could complete the Brooklyn Bridge project, John Roebling died of tetanus in 1869 after a riverboat nudged a Brooklyn dock slip, crushing one of his feet between the pilings. His eldest son, who was also Emily's husband, Washington Roebling, was then named chief engineer. In order to help her husband, Emily Roebling began to study many topics related to civil engineering, including higher mathematics, bridge specifications, material strength, catenary curves , and cable construction.

But in 1872, Washington Roebling suffered a severe attack of what was called caisson disease, or "the bends," after working twelve hours in a watertight caisson deep beneath a pier. Unable to work at the construction site because of his injuries, Washington guided bridge operations from home, which overlooked the work site.

Respected "Chief" Engineer

At first, Emily Roebling carried messages, gave orders, and made inspections at the construction site. As time progressed, the number and difficulty of jobs that she handled increased. She soon began answering the questions of bridge officials and contractors. She answered their questions so well that many businessmen believed that she was the chief engineer.

Before the Brooklyn Bridge could be finished, many design adjustments had to be made by Washington Roebling. Because of unexpected load increases, expenses overran the original cost estimates. Many people began to doubt Washington's ability to continue as the chief engineer, and the Brooklyn mayor proposed his removal in 1882. At a meeting of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Emily Roebling represented her husband and defended him after questions arose regarding his ability to continue directing the bridge project. She successfully defended him, and public confidence was restored. She continued her project leadership role until the bridge was finished in 1883.

Emily Roebling's Legacy

Although Emily Roebling never planned on being an engineer, she contributed significantly to what was a huge engineering feat. She acquired a strong knowledge of bridge engineering, had a sharp mind and a natural mathematical ability, and was a good student of her husband. She was considered a peacemaker among the sometimes quarrelsome engineers, manufacturers, contractors, workmen, and board of trustees.

Throughout her work on the Brooklyn Bridge, Emily Roebling made many advances for women engineers, being perhaps the first woman field engineer. While her accomplishments went unrecognized by professional organizations, she is listed as one of the builders of the bridge on the dedication plaque.

In the years following the Brooklyn Bridge project, Roebling earned a law degree and became one of the first female lawyers in New York State. She published "The Journal of the Reverend Silas Constant" (1903) and was active in the women's group Daughters of the American Revolution.

William Arthur Atkins with

Philip Edward Koth