Editing Hell Gate Bridge (section)

==== Initial contracts ====
Excavations for the Astoria end of the main span, across Hell Gate, commenced in March 1911,<ref name="n142367701" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=March 19, 1911 |title=New East River Bridge; To Connect Long Island and New England Railroads. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1911/03/19/archives/new-east-river-bridge-to-connect-long-island-and-new-england.html |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229173842/https://www.nytimes.com/1911/03/19/archives/new-east-river-bridge-to-connect-long-island-and-new-england.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and were nearly completed by the end of the year.<ref name="n142371629" /> The [[American Bridge Company]] received a contract for the steelwork on the Hell Gate span, Wards Island viaduct, and Queens approach viaduct,<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 5, 1911 |title=Hell Gate Bridge |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-new-york-times-hell-gate-bridge/142373151/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |pages=52 |postscript=none |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229173852/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-new-york-times-hell-gate-bridge/142373151/ |url-status=live}}; {{Cite news |date=November 9, 1911 |title=Pennsylvania-New Haven Link Construction Under Way |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wall-street-journal-pennsylvania-new/142371684/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The Wall Street Journal |pages=8 |issn=0099-9660 |postscript=none |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229173847/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wall-street-journal-pennsylvania-new/142371684/ |url-status=live}}; {{Cite news |date=November 4, 1911 |title=Big Contract Will Furnish Work Here |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-gazette-big-contract-will-furnish-w/142371656/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=Star-Gazette |pages=2 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229173843/https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-gazette-big-contract-will-furnish-w/142371656/ |url-status=live}}</ref> while the McClintic-Marshall Company was hired to manufacture steel for the other parts of the bridge.<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 29, 1911 |title=P. R. R. Bridge Awards |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-p-r-r-bridge/142378110/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |issn=2577-9397 |pages=5 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229192728/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-p-r-r-bridge/142378110/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Carnegie Steel Company]] was hired in early 1912 to roll the steel plates for the bridge.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 3, 1912 |title=Awarded Hell Gate Work; Transportation of Bridge Material a Big Problem for Carnegie Co. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1912/02/03/archives/awarded-hell-gate-work-transportation-of-bridge-material-a-big.html |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |postscript=none |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229192720/https://www.nytimes.com/1912/02/03/archives/awarded-hell-gate-work-transportation-of-bridge-material-a-big.html |url-status=live}}; {{Cite news |date=February 1, 1912 |title=Slight Lull in Steel Market but Producers Are Optimistic |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wall-street-journal-slight-lull-in-s/142377238/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The Wall Street Journal |pages=2 |issn=0099-9660 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229192724/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wall-street-journal-slight-lull-in-s/142377238/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Later that year, Patrick Ryan, the Manhattan Bridge's main contractor, received a $2 million{{Efn-lr|About ${{Inflation|index=US-GDP|start_year=1912|value=2|fmt=c}} million in {{Inflation/year|US-GDP}}{{Inflation/fn|US-GDP|group=lower-alpha}}}} contract to build the bridge's foundation,<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 22, 1912 |title=Hell Gate Viaduct; $2,000,000 Contract Awarded for New East River Bridge. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1912/09/22/archives/hell-gate-viaduct-2000000-contract-awarded-for-new-east-river.html |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229192720/https://www.nytimes.com/1912/09/22/archives/hell-gate-viaduct-2000000-contract-awarded-for-new-east-river.html |url-status=live}}</ref> while John A. Gray received a contract to complete [[Geotechnical investigation|test borings]] for the bridge.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 6, 1912 |title=New Bridge Work Let; Ready to Make Test Borings for East River Structures. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1912/10/06/archives/new-bridge-work-let-ready-to-make-test-borings-for-east-river.html |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229192721/https://www.nytimes.com/1912/10/06/archives/new-bridge-work-let-ready-to-make-test-borings-for-east-river.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Masonry contracts were awarded to Patrick Ryan (who partnered with [[United States Realty and Construction Company|U.S. Realty]] to build the Hell Gate spans' towers<ref>{{cite web |date=November 16, 1918 |title=Sues for Bridge Profits; Patrick Ryan Says Company, as Partner, Kept $375,000 from Him. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1918/11/16/archives/sues-for-bridge-profits-patrick-ryan-says-company-as-partner-kept.html |access-date=March 2, 2024 |website=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=March 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240302205742/https://www.nytimes.com/1918/11/16/archives/sues-for-bridge-profits-patrick-ryan-says-company-as-partner-kept.html |url-status=live}}</ref>), as well as Arthur McMullin and T. A. Gillespie.<ref name="p128359243">{{Cite magazine |date=August 1, 1913 |title=Progress on the Hell Gate Bridge |magazine=Concrete – Cement Age |page=92 |volume=3 |issue=2 |id={{ProQuest|128359243}}}}</ref> Harold W. Hudson was the chief construction engineer.<ref name="p1257139268">{{cite news |date=January 17, 1943 |title=Colonel Hudson Dies; Engineer Built Bridges: Triborough and Hell Gate Construction Chief Was Officer in World War Bridge Engineer |work=New York Herald Tribune |issn=1941-0646 |page=40 |id={{ProQuest|1257139268}} |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |date=January 16, 1943 |title=Col. H. W. Hudson, Bridge Engineer; Chief in the Construction of Triborough and Hell Gate Spans – Dies at 67 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1943/01/16/archives/col-hw-hudson-bridge-engineer-chief-in-the-construction-of.html |access-date=March 4, 2024 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=March 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240304021950/https://www.nytimes.com/1943/01/16/archives/col-hw-hudson-bridge-engineer-chief-in-the-construction-of.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Work formally commenced on the Bronx and Queens approach viaducts in July 1912, and work on the foundations of the main span's towers began that September,<ref name="p128359243" /><ref name="nyt-1913-07-06">{{Cite news |date=July 6, 1913 |title=Hell Gate Bridge Will Boom Realty; Demand for Factory Sites Adjacent to Approaches on Both Sides of the East River. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1913/07/06/archives/hell-gate-bridge-will-boom-realty-demand-for-factory-sites-adjacent.html |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229210726/https://www.nytimes.com/1913/07/06/archives/hell-gate-bridge-will-boom-realty-demand-for-factory-sites-adjacent.html |url-status=live}}</ref> though no above-ground work had commenced.<ref name="nyt-1912-11-10">{{Cite news |date=November 10, 1912 |title=Hell Gate Structure Now Being Built Will Be an Important Link in the System of the Connecting Railroad That Will Change the Relation of Manhattan Island to the Mainland for Commercial Ends. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1912/11/10/archives/hell-gate-structure-now-being-built-will-be-an-important-link-in.html |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229210727/https://www.nytimes.com/1912/11/10/archives/hell-gate-structure-now-being-built-will-be-an-important-link-in.html |url-status=live}}</ref> By October 1912, workers were preparing to lower [[Caisson (engineering)|caissons]] for the main span's Wards Island tower,<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 26, 1912 |title=Building Piers for the Connecting Railroad |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-building-piers-for-the-conne/142374282/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=Times Union |pages=3 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229192726/https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-building-piers-for-the-conne/142374282/ |url-status=live}}</ref> as the underlying layer of rock was over {{Convert | 100 | ft | spell = in}} deep and was covered by layers of sand, coarse gravel, and boulders.<ref name="RAG1914 p. 891" /> Twenty-one caissons were used to excavate the Wards Island tower's foundation.<ref name="RAG1914 p. 891" /><ref name="n142398010">{{Cite news |date=January 4, 1914 |title=Connecting Railway Takes Definite Form |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-connecting-rail/142398010/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |issn=2577-9397 |pages=40 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229225305/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-connecting-rail/142398010/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The caissons were larger and deeper than those used in the construction of the [[tallest buildings in New York City]] at the time.<ref name="n142439586" /> The caisson-sinking process was further complicated by the discovery of a diagonal fissure in the underlying rock.<ref name="n142439586" /><ref name="p556427259">{{cite news |date=January 21, 1917 |title=World's Heaviest Bridge Now Spans Hell Gate Tides |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-herald-worlds-heaviest-bridge/142456914/ |access-date=March 1, 2024 |work=New York Herald |page=45 |issn= |id= |archive-date=March 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240301200610/https://www.newspapers.com/article/new-york-herald-worlds-heaviest-bridge/142456914/ |url-status=live}}</ref> It ultimately took seven months to sink the caissons and ensure that the tower would not be susceptible to [[Settlement (structural)|settlement]].<ref name="n142439586">{{Cite news |date=September 26, 1915 |title=Great Hell Gate Bridge Triumph of Engineering |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-great-hell-gate-bridge-triumph-o/142439586/ |access-date=March 1, 2024 |work=The Sun |pages=26 |archive-date=March 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240301165227/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-great-hell-gate-bridge-triumph-o/142439586/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 1912, a [[New York Supreme Court]] justice [[Injunction|enjoined]] the contractors from erecting abutments on Wards Island.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 9, 1912 |title=Enjoin Building of Bridge at Hell Gate |work=The Hartford Courant |page=10 |issn=1047-4153 |id={{ProQuest|555947937}} |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |date=November 9, 1912 |title=Blocks Ward's Island Bridge |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-blocks-wards-island-bridge/142379647/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The Sun |pages=3 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229192716/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-blocks-wards-island-bridge/142379647/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="n142379738" /> The operators of the [[Manhattan Psychiatric Center]] claimed that patients would be disturbed by loud noises, both during construction and after the bridge opened,<ref name="n142379738" /> but the city government claimed that the hospital's lease of the island had expired.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 26, 1912 |title=Doctors in Way of Connecting Railroad |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-doctors-in-way-of-connecting/142380787/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=Times Union |pages=8 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229192717/https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-doctors-in-way-of-connecting/142380787/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The injunction was lifted in January 1913,<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 17, 1913 |title=Bridge Work to Proceed |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-bridge-work-to/142394242/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |issn=2577-9397 |pages=26 |postscript=none |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229225258/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-bridge-work-to/142394242/ |url-status=live}}; {{Cite news |date=January 17, 1913 |title=Wards Island Is to Be Bridged |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-wards-island-is-to-be-bridge/142394265/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=Times Union |pages=14 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229225259/https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-union-wards-island-is-to-be-bridge/142394265/ |url-status=live}}</ref> when the State Supreme Court ruled that the law permitting the bridge's construction overrode the law that restricted railroads above the grounds of a hospital.<ref name="n142388040">{{Cite news |date=January 26, 1913 |title=Great New Bridge Over River Within Two Years |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-great-new-bridg/142388040/ |access-date=February 29, 2024 |work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |issn=2577-9397 |pages=13 |archive-date=February 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229211220/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle-great-new-bridg/142388040/ |url-status=live}}</ref>