Chapter 4 Summary

Humphreys becomes the chief of engineers of the U.S. Army in 1866. During the 1850s, Chicago is the focus of railroads, and St. Louis is the focus of steamboats. The two transportation and freighting methods are in an intense competition. Bridges over rivers become controversial as they favor railroads over steamboats. Bridges are generally criticized as dangerous and as hazards to river navigation. Due to the civil war, railroading gains prominence.

Eads proposes a bridge over the Mississippi River. His design proposes new materials and methods and is very controversial. Eads energetically defends his design against all criticism and marshals his financial resources. Eventually, Congress authorizes the bridge, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approves the design. Bridge construction starts in 1867. It is hoped that the bridge will marry railroads to steamboats.

In 1873, Eads gives a speech addressing the problem of...