The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-28
MIR. HEWITT AND DR.. STORRS
Extracts from Their Orations at the
Opening of the Great Bridge.
Such Work Not Possible at any Other
Period of the Worlds HistOry-The
Daring Spirit of the Present Age.

EolIsted from New York Papers,
At the ceremonies incident to the opening
Of the Brooklyn bridge the principal speak
ers were Hon. A. S. Hewitt and Rev. DR.. R.
B. Storrs. In the course of his address Mr.
Hewitt said:
Man hath indeed wrought far more than
strikes the eye In this daring undertaking.
which, by the general Judgment OF engineers,
Stands to-day without a rival among the wonders
of human skill. 1t Is not the work OF any one
man of any one age. II 10 the result OF the
study, of the experience and OF the knowledge OF
many men in many ages. IL is not merely
creation; it is a growth 1t stands before us to-
day as the sum and epitome of human know-
edge; as the very heir of the ages as the latest
glory OF centuries of patient observation, pro-
Found study and accumulated skill, gained, step
by step, in the never-ending struggle of man to
subdue the forces OF nature TO his control and
use.
In no previous period of the worlds history
could this bridge have been built. Within the
last hundred years the greater part of the knOwl-
edge necessary for it's erection has heen gained
Chemistry was not born until 1875. the year
when political economy was ushered into the
world by Adam Smith, and the Declaration of In
dependence was proclaimed by the Continental
Congress, to be maintained at the point of the
sword by George Washington. In the same
year Watt produced his successful steam engine,
and "a century has not elapsed since the first
specimen of his skill was erected on this CONT
nent. The law OF gravitation was indeed known
a hundred years ago. but the intricate laws or
force which now control the domain of industry
had not been developed by the study of physical
science, and their practical applications have
only been effectually accomplished within our
day, md indeed, some of the most important of
them during the building OF the bridge. For use
In the caissons, the perfecting of the electric
light came too late, though happily In season for
the illumination of the finished work.
If this work had been done at the time when
the Pyramids were built, with the skill, appli-
ances aud tools then in use, and if the money
available for its execution had been limited TO
S9,O0O,OO0, the lahOrers employed would have
raceived an average OF not more than two cents
per day in money of the same purchasing power
as the coin of the present era. In other words.
the effect of the discoveries of new methods
tools and laws Of force have been to raise the
wages of labor more than an hundred fold In the
interval which has elapsed since the Pyramids
were built. shall not weaken the suggestive
force of this statement by any comments upon
the astounding evidence of progress, beyond the
obvious corollary that such a state or civza-
tion as gave birth to the Pyramids would now be
the signal for universal blOodshed, revolution and
anarchy. do not underestimate the hardships
borne by the labor of this century. They are in
deed, grievOuS and to tighten them Is, as il
should be, the chief concern OF statesmanship.
But this comparison proves that through forty
centuries these hardships have been steadily
diminished; that all the achievements of science
all the discoveries of art, all the inventions of
genius, all the progress OF civilization tend by
q. higher and lmmutahle law to be steady and
certain ameliOration of the condition of society
1t shows that, noIwiths landing the apparent
growth of great fortunes, due to era of I'M
paralleled development, the distribution of the
Fruits of labor is approaching from age 10 age
TO more equitable conditions, and must at ,ast
reach the plane Of absolute justice between man
and man.
from such a comparison. The Pyramids we're
built by the sacrifice of the living for the dead.
Thoy served no useful purpose, except
TO make odious TO future generations
the tyranny which reduces human beings into
beasts OF burden. In this age of the world such
n waste OF effort would not be tolerated. To-day
she expenditures of communities are directed to
useful purposes. Except only works designed
for defense In time of war, the wealth of society
cha u,taIa ne
communication for the free play OF commerce
and the communion of the human race An
analysis of the distribution of the surplus earn
tngs OF man after providing food, shelter and
Faiment, shows that they are chiefly absorbed by
railways, canals, ships, bridges and telegraphs
In ancient times these objects of expenditure
were scarcely known. Our bridge is one of the
most conspicuous examples of this change in
the social condition of the world and of the
feeling of men. In the Middle Ages cities walled
each other out, aud the letters OF prejudice and
tyranny held the energies of man in hopeless
bondage. To-day men and nations seek free in
tercourse with each other, and the whole force
of the intellect and energy OF the world is ex-
pended In breaking down the barriers estab-
iished by nature. or created by man, to the solid
Rrity of the human race.
Now turn to the bridge. 1t looks like mo-
Il0nless mass or masonry and metal; but, a
matter of fact, 1t is instinct with motion, There
Is not particle of matter in it which is at rest
even for the mnutest portion OF time Ii ia an
aggregation of unstable elements, changing
with every change in the temperature and
every movement of the heavenly bodies. The
produce absolute stability; and it WAS this prob
lem which the engineers, the organized intell-
gence, mad to solve or confess to inglOrious fail
ur6. The problem has been solved In the first
construction of suspension bridges IL was at
tempted to check, repress and overcome their
motion, and failure resulted 1t was then seen
that motion is the law of existence to suspen-
sion bridges, and provision was made for its
free pay. Then they became Il success. The
bridge before MS elongates and contracts between
the extremes of temperature from fourteen TO
sixteen inches; the vertical rise and fall in the
center OF the main spau ranges between two
Feet three inches and two feet nine inches; and
before the suspenders wera attached to the cable
1t actually revolved on its own axis through an
arc OF thirty degrees when exposed to the sun
shining upon 1t on one side. You do not perceive
this notion snd you would know nothing ahont
u unless yeu watched the gauges which record
Mr.. Hewitt paid the following tribute to
Engineer Roeblng:
During all these years of trial and false report
great soul lay IN the shadow of death, praying
only to stay long enough for the completion Of
the work to which he had devoted his life. say
great sonl, for in the spring time of youth,
with fren'is and fortune at his command, he
gave himself TO his country, and for her sake
hraved death ON many "A well-fOught battlefield
When restored to civil life, his health was
sacrificed to the duties which had devolyed upon
him as the lnheritor OF mis- fathers fame and the
executor OF his fathers plans. Living only for
honor, and freed from the temptations of mar
row means, how is it conceivable that such u
man-whOse approval was necessary TO every
xpendlture-shOuld, by conuiving with iob-
beers, throw away more than the life which was
dear to him that he might fulfil his destiny and
leave TO his children the heritage Of a good
name and the glory OF a grand achievements
Well might this suffering hero quote the words
of Hyperion. "Oh, have looked with wonder
upon those who in sorrow anu privatIOn and
bodily discomfort and sickness, which ia the
shadow of death, have worked right on to the
accomplishment OF their great purposes; tong
much, enduring much, fulfilling much; and
then, with shattered nerves and sinews all un-
strung, have laid themselves down in the grave
and slept the sleep of death, and the world talks
of them while they sleep And ~ in the SUMS
eollpse we can behold the great stars shining in
the heavens, so in this fe-eepse have these
men beheld the lights of the great eternity,
burning solemnly and fOrever
The Address of DIR. Storrs.
After reference to the men, living and