Five Mile Dream, The (1958)

[Music] hello everybody l Thomas speaking this time about the Straits of Mao in Michigan because I'm a bridge fan no not the card game I mean the kind of bridge that is built with steel and sweat and the genius of American engineers in all my years of running around the world I have detoured a lot of miles to see famous Bridges and it's Not Mere national pride speaking when I say that our own country can boast more beautiful Bridges than any land in the world I've been in Alcantara Spain where one of the oldest bridges in the world spans the tus river built in 98 ad that's almost 19 centuries ago soon I'll be journeying back to maol to see the newest the world's longest suspension bridge naturally it would be the longest for maol is Northern Michigan the country of Paul bunion for those of you unfamiliar with the Straits of maol it's a five Mile Stretch of water connecting two of our great lakes and dividing the state of Michigan a few years ago when the people of Michigan revived serious talk about building a bridge Across The Straits some of the experts said impossible because of the underwater terrain the speed of the current the maol winters they gave all sorts of reasons but I hope they were wrong because this bridge had been a dream a dream that men had kindled and kept alive for over 70 years it all started in 1883 with the dedication of the Brooklyn Bridge William salson a department store owner in St ignis Michigan proposed a similar bridge for maol few took him seriously it was tough enough to get a boat Across The Straits Gils up to 78 mph have been recorded temperatures range from 115 above to 35 below and when it gets cold this is Nature's deep freeze with a layer of ice as much as 6 ft thick around the turn of the century and for some years after the railroads ran boats to move their passengers from one Depot to another then came the fairies which took you across with only minor inconveniences such as waiting in line for 19 hours dreams began to turn into reality with the appointment of the mov Bridge of Authority headed by former United States Senator Apprentice m brown evidence that the authority meant business came when they engaged Dr David B Steinman whose beautifully designed Bridges I have seen in many parts of the world this bridge would represent the full flower of his talent if everything went according to plan I just happened to be in Mao in 1954 when they started surveying pinpointing exact locations of the 34 years and I do mean exact locations this bridge had to be straight and it wouldn't be if any peer was offline as much as one inch maybe that's why Engineers are so proud of their profession the only profession where excellent isn't good enough where every part of every job must be perfect those giant kons were built in sections at American Bridges Gary Indiana IND plant shipped by rail to Alpena Michigan to be assembled then floated to the site of the bridge as you can see the queson comes to a sharp edge at the bottom where the two cans are joined so it can cut through to bedrock as the space between cans is filled with concrete Sinking The Quon for the towers was one of the biggest parts of the job remember the song We sang as kids you all do London Bridge is falling down well the original London Bridge made of wood was always falling down but this bridge is made of steel including those eye bars which will anchor the giant cables that will support this bridge while the huge queson were being sunk other men at Ambridge Pennsylvania were fabricating sections of the main Towers laying them out on the ground and bolting them together as a last check before they leave the shop after all it would be a little embarrassing to construct half of a tower find a part that doesn't fit and have to say oops that didn't happen though in this game of bridge the Trump is no how and these men have it those Twin Towers rise more than 750 ft from Bedrock higher than any building in the nation outside New York City to jump the gun on winter to squeeze in the last possible day of work the two giant back spans were assembled on Shore floated to the site and maneuvered into position a dramatically sensitive delicate operation in the spring of 1956 the men returned to the bridge to tackle the most spectacular part of the job spinning the giant cables first though a catwalk had to be built for the bridgemen their private sidewalk in the sky a sidewalk made of cyclone fencing and Timber the bounce is the thing that helps to spread the [Music] catwalk by July the catwalks were joined and the cable spinning could begin the spinning wheels pass each other in the exact center of the bridge a cowbell warns Bridgeman as the wheel approaches as the wheels complete each trip the wires are removed and secur to the eye bars the wheels are then reloaded and sent on their way again the men in Friendly competition worked Around the Clock in a battle against time the battle to complete the cable spinning before another winter came to maol to use the racetrack phrase it was a photo finish in less than 3 months they had to spin 42,000 Mi of wire enough to go almost twice around the world a tough schedule like the pros they are these men did the job and did it with 12 days to spare before the cablemen leave the bridge they compress paint and wrap the wires thus making two 24 1/2 in cables again in the spring of 1957 the Iceman leaveth and the bridg men returned they hung steel suspender ropes to support the roadway that's why they call it a suspension bridge the road hangs from the cables 5 m long four lanes wide a modern Super Highway and speaking of modern design look at that open floor used in the two inner lanes and the center strip safety Plus for us motorist the open flooring gives easy passage to The Winds of Mao and keeps the roadway free of winter sleet and snow now the bridge is finished engineering and Manufacturing knoow have joined together two parts of the Wolverine state long divided by Nature enhancing the area's Industrial Development and opening to easy access this great mecca for sportsmen and vacationers the year round forging what will become another strong Link in our new federal system Sy of Interstate and defense highways designers engineers and bridgemen of the future will build a longer bridge but even when they do this this great bridge will stand as a Resolute Monument of Steel to man's Eternal urge to construct a fem dream come [Music] true one last word a word of warning when you come to maau to see this Great Bridge be careful careful very careful it might make a bridge fan of you too [Applause] all