_____ _____
/ \ / \
| ^ ^ | | ^ ^ |
| ||| | | ||| |
/| ||| |\ /| ||| |\
/ | ||| | \ / | ||| | \
___ / | ||| | \ / | ||| | \ ___
/ \ / | ||| | \_____/ | ||| | \ / \
/ \/ | ||| | | ||| | \/ \
_ / /\ | ||| | | ||| | /\ \ _
/ \ / / \ | ||| | | ||| | / \ \ / \
/ \ ______/ / \ | ||| | | ||| | / \ \______ / \
/ \ / / \ | ||| | | ||| | / \ \ / \
~~~~~/__._.__\____________/__._.__\_|_~|||~_|_~~~~~~~~~~~~_|_~|||~_|/__._.__\____________/__._.__\~~~~~
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E A S T R I V E R
The morning of May 24, 1883, was clear and fine. Flags flew from buildings throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan. Ships in the harbor were dressed in bunting. Church bells rang. Factory whistles blew. The greatest suspension bridge ever built was about to open.
President Chester A. Arthur traveled from Washington. Governor Grover Cleveland came from Albany. The 7th Regiment marched in dress whites. Cappa's band of 70 musicians plus 22 drummers led the procession.
But before the presidents and generals crossed, Emily Warren Roebling rode across in a carriage, carrying a rooster - a symbol of victory. She had earned that honor.
Washington Roebling watched from his window in Brooklyn Heights, too ill to attend but finally seeing his father's vision complete.
Abram Stevens Hewitt, who had championed the bridge in Congress, delivered the principal address. He spoke of the bridge as proof of democratic achievement, built not by kings but by citizens.
President Arthur walked across the bridge from the Manhattan side. Governor Cleveland walked from Brooklyn. They met in the middle, shook hands, and continued to the opposite shores.
That night, fireworks exploded over the river for an hour. Fourteen tons of pyrotechnics. Five hundred rockets. The sky burned with celebration.