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The South Twenty-Second or Brady Street Bridge

The South Twenty-Second or Brady Street Bridge across the Monongahela River is included in this study because its impending demolition makes it imperative that some record be made of its history and construction. Also it is important to Pittsburgh because it was the second bridge owned by the city, (76) as well as the first toll-free river bridge in the area. As far as its construction is concerned, the steel superstructure, although it resembles the inverse cantilever construction of Point Bridge II, is in reality a continuous truss and thus unusual in its day. (77)

The bridge is thus alternately known because it was built to connect the mouth of Brady Street on the Pittsbrugh side with the South Side's South Twenty-Second Street. (78) The north bank of the Monongahela from the Triangle up the river for some distance consists of a relatively flat and very narrow "bench" overhung by steep hills and bluffs. About two miles from the Point, a narrow ravine -- the valley once drained by Soho Run (79) -- bisects these hills torturously. Here in the early nineteenth century a small suburban settlement known as Soho grew up, which as the city overtook it, became an area of heavy industry and workers' housing. Here two of Pittsburgh's important arterial streets, Fifth and Forbes moved close to each other, connected at the ravine by Brady Street.

The south bank of the Monongahela, which is quite narrow for a short distance above the Point, gradually widens out into a wide alluvial plain which probably reaches its greatest extent at South Twenty-Second Street. This area, which had formerly comprised the boroughs of Birmingham and East Birmingham, became part of teh City of Pittsburgh in 1868. Like Soho, the South Side was heavily industrialized (common to both districts were the plants of the Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation) but it had much other commercial and mercantile activity, as well as a large middle-class residential population. (80)

Until 1896 the whole South Side was served by only one bridge Ñ that erected at South Tenth Street Ñ which wa a covered timber span. It had, like other Pittsburgh bridges of the period, been constructed by a private company that charged tolls. (81) The citizens of the South Side, since it had become a part of the city, had been agitating not only for a new bridge farther up the river but also for toll-free bridges. The Brady Street Bridge was to meet both those requirements.

Prior to the construction of the Brady span, a ferry owned by Captain Harger, of Soho, had provided transportation betwen the north and south banks of the river. His ferry boat was called the "Josephine", and in 1896, still in good condition, it was moored below the new bridge. Captain Harger had owned the ferry franchise, which had to be purchased from him by the city before the bridge could be built. (82)

The Engineering News reported on 1 February, 1894, that "Plans have been prepared for a free bridge at 22nd Street for the South Side. It is expected that the plans will be approved this week and the construction commenced as soon as the necessary authority has been secured from the Congress." On 12 April, 1894, the same source declared that "The Director of Public Works will soon ask for bids on the South 22nd Street Bridge." On 19 April, 1894, "Both branches of Councils have voted to authorize an issue of $1,500,000 of 30 years 4% bonds for erection of a free bridge." On 10 May, "The Council has ordered construction of the bridge." On 17 May, "The Director of Public Works is reported as stating that bids for construction . . . will be received as soon as the plans have been approved by the Secretary of War." (83)

Again the News reported on 6 September, 1894, that -- "The contract on the South 22nd Street Bridge will be awarded as soon as some minor details in the plans have been changed." On 15 November, 1894, "Bids are asked until 24 November for the erection of a steel bridge over the Monongahela River . . . E. M. Bigelow, Director of Public Works." (84) On 29 November, "The following bids have been received for the 22nd Street Bridge:

Pittsburgh Bridge Company, Pittsburgh . . . . . . . . . $570,000

King Bridge Company, Cleveland . . . . . . . . . . . . . $435,000

Penn Bridge Company, Beaver Falls, Pa . . . . . . . . . $454,000

Edgemoor Bridge Company, Edgemoor, Del . . . . . . . . . $876,000

Groton Bridge & Mfg. Company, Groton, N.Y. . . . . . . . $435,000

Masillon Bridge Company, Masillon, Ohio . . . . . . $473,000

Schultz Bridge & Iron Company, Pittsburgh . . . . . $399,750 (85)

The Schultz Bridge & Iron Company, who were the lowest bidders, were awarded the contract. The Pittsburgh Bulletin for 1 December, 1894, published a drawing with the caption -- "Drawing of the new free bridge to be built over the Monongahela River at Soho by the Schultz Bridge and Iron Company, drawn by W. G. Walter." (86)

One of the organizers of the Schultz Bridge and Iron Company was Albert Louis Schultz (1851-19??) who was president, general manager and chief engineer of the corporation, until it was absorbed by the American Bridge Company. One source (87) credits Schultz with the design of the bridge, but it is difficult to give complete credence to this statement because there is no supporting documentation. Schultz was undoubtedly a competent bridge engineer who received his engineering education in Berlin. He returned to Pittsburgh after his graduation in 1874 and entered the employ of the Iron City Bridge Company as designer, until he formed his own company. Apparently the plans were prepared in the engineering division of the Department of Public Works before Schultz's company received the contract, but to what degree he may have been consulted either before or after the fact is at present obscure. (88)

The Engineering News reported again on 27 June, 1895 -- "A correspondent writes us that the new 22nd Street Bridge will be the first of a series of free bridges. The Schultz Bridge Company has the contract for the entire structure and the Keystone Bridge Company will build the channel span. Drake, Stratton and Company have the contract for the foundations. The channel piers rest on a timber grillage 30 x 66 feet made up of 8 courses of 12 x 12 inch pine spiked together with square spikes . . . This was surmounted by a crib or box in which piers were built. The bottom of the river was dredged out to a depth of about 10 feet. The timber rests on gravel." (89)

This work should have begun in December of 1894, but the severe winter weather made it necessary to delay operations until March, 1886, when ground was broken for the north abutment which was finished on 4 July. The masonry on the river piers was begun as soon as the river was free of ice, and it was completed on 15 August. The main span was constructed on floats moored on the river bank and the superstructure was swung into position on 24 November. The iron work was completed on 6 December. The ornamental work and paving were finished by 1 February, 1896. (90)

The opening of the bridge on 25 March, was an occasion of great municipal rejoicing, particularly for the South Side. The Pittsburgh Chronicle-Telegraph reported on 27 February, 1896, that: "The people of the South Side are making great preparations for the opening of the free bridge on 25 March. A committee has formed to prepare a design for a medal which will be sold on the day of celebration." The same paper on 6 March reported that: "The dedication arrangements are practically completed." The Pittsburgh Press on Sunday morning, 22 March, 1896, ran a special section on the South Side and the coming opening of the bridge.

Among the advertisements for this section appears one for Bernardi's, a department or dry good store at 12th and Carson Streets: "All this week a beautiful souvenir free! With every purchase of goods, to the amount of one dollar or more, a souvenir will be given, a handsome plate with a picture of the new 22nd Street Bridge -- something suitable to put on a mantel in any room."

It would be interesting to know if the souvenir medal was ever struck or if any of the souvenir plates have survived.

The Pittsburgh Press of 25 March, 1896, gave a very full account of the opening ceremonies and the procession that filed across the bridge and then down Carson Street: "Business was practically suspended on the South Side this morning by the different mercantile houses along the route of the inauguration ceremonies incidental to the opening of the new bridge. From daylight merchants spent hours decorating the buildings that lined the route of the parade. Carson Street from South 12th to South 22nd Streets was a mass of waving flags and tri-colored bunting which was draped in artistic festoons on the building fronts. Many businesses also had flags and banners stretched across the streets. in the throng, men were selling badges as well as books describing the bridge."

The Pittsburgh Chronicle-Telegraph of 25 March, 1896, described the bridge as follows: "The new bridge begins at a point on Forbes Street at Brady and follows the center line of Brady Street to Second Avenue, thence westwardly to a pier on the shore, thence across the Monongahela River in a direct line to Wharton Street, South Side, about 50 feet east of South Twenty-Second Street. The length of the bridge proper is 2,250 feet, the length, including the steel viaduct approaches is 2,530 feet." The north viaduct approach starting at the north abutment at Forbes Avenue is 837 feet long and the south 350 long; they are composed of plate girders and riveted lattice girder spans from 30 to 85 feet long upon steel columns. The channel span is a bow-string truss of 520 foot span. The flanking span at each end of the channel span is 260 feet long. These are modified Pratt trusses with riveted web members and eye-bars for the bottom chords. (91)

Tyrell in his History of Bridge Engineering gives a slightly different description of the superstructure -- "The central 520 foot span consists of a pair of 3-hinged arch trusses -- of the Bonn type, 60 feet deep at the ends and 30 feet at the center with a lower chord rise of 44 feet. At each side of the center is a 260 foot span connected by false members with the larger span, the upper outline resembling somewhat the Northfield cantilevers. Trusses are 32 feet on center giving space for 2 lines of car tracks, a paved road of concrete on trough floor. The 8 foot walks at each side have asphalt over concrete and buckle plates. (92)

White and von Bernewitz in the Bridges of Pittsburgh have given an erroneous description of the superstructure as "a through cantilever highway and street car bridge. Both top and bottom chords curve downward." (93) George Richardson told the writer that the engineer, Marcel Fertig, examined the bridge for the State in the 1960's and found that the channel span was a continuous truss.

Soon after the bridge was completed, cracks developed in the masonry of the piers and efforts to strengthen them and support them were without success. The upstream end of the north pier settled until the bridge had dropped 16 inches and was thrown out of line 11 inches. In 1909 a contract was awarded to the Dravo Contracting Company to rebuild the piers and a sub-contract was placed with the John Eichleay Company to raise the bridge, so that the old piers could be taken down and new piers constructed. (94)

For many years the Brady Street Bridge gave good service, but in the 1960s the inevitable aging and the increase in traffic caught up with it. In 1963, trolley cars were forbidden to use the bridge because of movements in the floor system causing track displacement.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation acquired the bridge in 1962. In 1964, a consulting engineering firm submitted a location study for a new bridge. The bridge project was put on the Departments 6-year capital improvement program in 1967. (95)

Because of deterioration the bridge was closed for repairs in September, 1968, the Conn Construction Company having been awarded a $435,000 contract in April, 1968. The span was re-opened again in October, 1969. Meanwhile the concrete piers for the new bridge were being constructed on the down-river side of the old span. (96)

However, at the moment of writing, the City of Pittsburgh is short of funds and does not want to pay for its share of a large interchange in Soho. Because of indecision on the part of City officials, work on the new bridge has been stopped for almost a year. (97) One official has said that perhaps a new Brady Street Bridge is not needed.

What is needed nowadays? The answer is far to seek. The giant concrete piers dow-river seem merely to mock the motorist who now traverses the aging span, but if the motorist looks up he can take some comfort in the beauty of the old pride of the engineers. Whatever we need, one thing is certain: we have lost the assurance and the joy of those who celebrated on 25 March, 1896, the majesty and freedom of the bridge.

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