Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-11-14
THE CITIZEN.
Proud of Her Progeny.

great enterprises of the world had lis
birth. Standing yet on the highway that
leads to the West Penn railroad is the old
log building. in which John A. ROebling,
the famous engineer, made the
first bridge cables. From the humble
start at Saxonburg Roebling's plan reach
ed out into the whole country, until some
OF the finest specimens of bridge engineer
ing known are the outgrowth of the
schemes that were laid in the Butler Co.
backwoods,
John E. Muder, hvingyet at Saxonburg
was a close friend and companion of John
Roebling from boyhood. They were both
born in the town Of Muehlsusen, in Sax
ony, now part of German. empire. Roeb-
ling attended the engineering schools,
where he acquired finished education
After three years in the service of the gov
ernm ent, Roebliug st the age of about 20
came to America with his brother Charles
to locate a colony for number Of families
from his neighborhood, and Butler county
was selected. From Mrs. Sarah Collins
they bought 900 acres of the lands once
owned by Robert Morris, and the town OF
Saxonburg was laid out. colonlsts came
in 1882, and Roebling built one of the first
houses in the settlement, making the brick
for it himself He married Hannah Her
tig, daughter of one of the colonists, and
to them in 1887 was born a son, Washing
ton A Roebling, who subsequently, be-
came a colonel in the Civil war, and on
the death of his father he undertook the
building of the Brooklyn bridge at New
York, one of the finest specimens of
bridge engineering in the world
Mr.. Muder says that when the colo
nists came through the Hsrtz mountains
in Germany on their way to the United
States, Roebling noticed that the miners
drew cages of ore from the shaft with wire.
That use of wire stuck in his mind, and in
1910 at his home in Saxonburg he made
the first wire rope, so far as known, ever
made in the Uni ted States. 1t was OF
strands of wire laid side by side and wound
with wire. 1t went to plane at Johns
town, and proved but a partial success.
When the wrapping wire wore off the
other wires were left loose and unsatis-
factory. The next wire rope were twisted,
andits use on the Portage planes of
the Pennsylvania canal soon proved the
value of the idea. Nine more cables soon
followed, and the wire rope became u
permanent factor in modern mechanics.
Having superseded with his wire rope
the hempen rope OF the Portage planes
Roebling conceived the idea of further use
of his invention. One day in the early
forties paper from Pittsburg fell into the
hands of an old German at Saxonburg
with an advertisement asking plans and
bids for bridge across the Allegheny to
carry the canal. Roebling made some
plans and sketches OF a wire bridge and
appeared before the committee OF the
canal. After all the other plans had been
heard Roebling's chimerical scheme was
listened to, duly ridicuied by some of the
other engineers, but as Roebling offered to
build the struct ture himself for about two
thirds the estimate for other styles OF
bridges he was finally told to proceed.
In 1845 the big fire of Pittsburg destroy
ed the Monongahela bridge Roebling OBJ
tanned the order for a new one, and
handsome suspension bridge was the re-
suit, which gave place to the structure,
that now spans the stream at Smithfield
street. The Sixth street bridge followed.
In 1S51.eame the contract to build the
famous suspension bridge at Niagara Falls
for railroad traffic. The span there is 825
feet, the structure hanging from four 10
inch cables. 1t was one of the wonders
et the world, and still holds its place
among the notable engineering features.
His fame spread and his bridges multi
Piled, until when the Brooklyn bridge was
projected John A. Roebling was made
chief engineer. Before the scheme was
fairly launched he met with an accide ent
that resulted in his death, and his son,
Washington A. Roebling, finished the
work
When Roebling first commenced the
manufacture of wire rope he brought the
material to Saxonburg from PitJsburg and
elsewhere. The wire was twisLed and
wound in the shop at Saxonburg, and the
finished product hauled to Freeport to the
canal for shipment. AS the industry be-
gan to flourish it was easy to see that it
could not be carried on 80 far away from
transportation. One huge cable made Tor
the Portage planes weighed IL, 900 pounds,
taking team of l6 horses to haul it to
the canal at Freeport. To be in touch
with the world the shop vas subsequent
ly removed to Trenton, N. j, and there
it has grown to be one of the great estab.
ljshments Of this Yankee land.
Saxonburg feels a warm interest in the
Roeblings. Mr.. Muder says Roebling was
a wonderful fellow, full of confidence and
enthusiasm. II knew him well, SAID Mr.
Muder, 1--WE came from Saxony togethe er.
He would have taken contract to build a
| bridge To the moon if he could have found
| anything to iasten it to there"
The house Roebling lived in is still stand
ing, and ID owned by James Wilson, an
oil man. 1t is at the head Of the street
on The corner opposite the church, on
such an elevated spot as man of broad
ideas would naturally select. 1t is al
| old-fashioned, home-like place, command
| ing a view of The colony in all direc tions