Good Reads / Community Library Notes
The Engineer's Wife
Tracey Enerson Wood
Review by Priscilla Comen
The Engineer's Wife
Tracey Enerson Wood
Review by Priscilla Comen
The Engineer’s Wife, by Tracey Enerson Wood is the story of Emily Robeling. In 1854 at a ball to celebrate the officers of the war, her brother introduces her to Washington Roebling, a Captain who wants to build bridges after the war. Her brother, "GK," gives her a look that says “behave.” During his furlough, Captain Roebling takes Emily on picnics. He leaves for the war and six months later, proposes marriage. She thinks it’s too soon, but accepts.
The fighting in Virginia is fierce and when "Wash" returns, Emily wonders if he’s the man she fell for. He seems distant and stumbles, that his mind has been damaged. In January 1865 they marry. Wash goes with his father to finish building the Cincinnati bridge. Although it’s unsafe and messy living there, they permit her to go if she’ll help raise funds for the next project.
Emily sneaks down to the bridge and hides after giving muffins to the working men. She, Farrington, the chief wire engineer, and Wash discuss the plans. She knows as much as they after Wash explains. Wash’s father, Papa, is adamant about using the best and strongest wire even though it comes from overseas. In 1867 the Cincinnati-Covington bridge opens to cheering crowds and bands.
Papa gifts them a trip to Europe to study bridge design. She tells Wash she’s going to have their baby. The birth is difficult and she can not have more children. After recovering, Emily accompanies Wash on research trips and leaves the baby with the Robeling clan in Prussia. Emily tells Wash of the day her sister drowned in a river. "Em" has been terrified of water ever since. In 1868 they return to New York City. She explores the city on horseback and meets PT Barnum whose wit and audacity attract her. He shows her the museum he’s building and the Siamese twins, Chang and Enge. He tells her “the world is full of magic. You have to know where to find it.” Weeks later, Emily brings a scale model of the proposed bridge to PT for his approval in hopes for funds. His museum has burned to the ground, started by a lantern blown over by a breeze. She entices him with visions of uniting Brooklyn and New York. Barnum sees a bigger audience for his projects.
Wash proclaims the opening of the Brooklyn bridge project. Papa is on the far side holding a red flag on a long pole. Wash looks through binoculars when a ferry loaded with passengers approaches the dock, too closely. It slams into Papa. His shoe catches on a slit in the dock where he’s trapped and his foot is mangled. Wash and Emily do their best to nurse him back to life, but to no avail. As he passes away, Wash says, “I’ll build your bridge.” Emily vows to help him.
Wash explains how the caisson goes under the river with workers on it. Many get caisson disease working in the high air pressure. Workers get irritable and fights break out. Oxygen is pumped in to keep the men alive. When they open an office to manage supplies and finances, Emily becomes the office manager and pays for police protection. PT provides a nanny to care for her son. Emily wants to work for women’s suffrage, but wants more to build the bridge.
One day, Wash is brought home on a stretcher, his legs paralyzed. There had been a fire on the caisson and five men had died. Wash has caisson disease and must rest at home. He designs bloomers for Emily who wants more comfort when working at the bridge. She is his messenger, riding her horse to and from the site often. The bridge committee says they’ll find a replacement for Wash if he’s unable to return to work. The derrick workers whistle at Emily and misdirect a huge stone that crashes into a man named Luciano and crushes him. The head man tells her she is a hazard on the site.
But Wash’s caisson disease gets worse and Emily must manage home, office, and caring for him. As his legs collapse, he makes her consulting engineer. She must speak to the American Society of Civil Engineers. Terrified of public speaking, she goes to PT Barnum who teaches her in exchange for a kiss. She feels passion for him. He tells her to connect with the audience and she speaks to each man. She speaks to Benjamin Stone, the head of the committee. His wife and child had been on a train when a bridge collapsed. He’s determined to stop the bridge unless it is ultra-strong.
There are reports of fire damage in the caisson and Emily must go there. She finds smoke and smoldering sparks in the ceiling. She orders Mr. Young to flood the caisson. He disagrees but she insists. She dives under the water to open the hatch door and thinks of her drowned sister. She recovers her composure and goes home to find Wash embroidering her bloomers. Wash instructs that they should chisel out the concrete and replace the wooden beams. Emily herself wiggles into the tight spaces and chisels it out. A month later all this is done and fire damage repaired. She studies Wash’s textbooks. Emily suggests testing the glacial bedrock instead of going down further and Wash agrees. It is found to be strong enough to hold the massive tower. The towers on the Manhattan side grow quickly and are united with the eight story-high anchor building. Onlookers cheer and American flags fly. Emily goes to the top of the tower.
Brick layers are scarce and inexperienced men are employed. Some of them are buried under falling rubble and dust. As a group of women tour the bridge, one of the wires snaps and flies out of control, killing one man and frightening everyone. Emily sends a sample of the wire to the lab. She brings a piece of the brittle wire to a meeting of the bridge committee, and shows them how it breaks easily. The Board votes to examine all wire contracts. It takes two years to sort the deceit and theft and corruption of the fiasco. Faulty wire had been blended in with the good.
Emily is encouraged by Wash to ride in a buggy across the new bridge on its opening to meet the New York Mayor on the other side. The ceremony honors Mrs. Emily Warren Roebling, finally publicly recognized. PT organizes a parade with a band, acrobats and elephants.
Now that the bridge is finished, does Emily stay with Wash? Does she go with PT Barnum whom she also loves? Author Wood has woven fact with fiction to create a meaningful story of a strong woman and a real Brooklyn bridge. Find this on the new fiction shelf of your Mendocino Community Library.
The fighting in Virginia is fierce and when "Wash" returns, Emily wonders if he’s the man she fell for. He seems distant and stumbles, that his mind has been damaged. In January 1865 they marry. Wash goes with his father to finish building the Cincinnati bridge. Although it’s unsafe and messy living there, they permit her to go if she’ll help raise funds for the next project.
Emily sneaks down to the bridge and hides after giving muffins to the working men. She, Farrington, the chief wire engineer, and Wash discuss the plans. She knows as much as they after Wash explains. Wash’s father, Papa, is adamant about using the best and strongest wire even though it comes from overseas. In 1867 the Cincinnati-Covington bridge opens to cheering crowds and bands.
Papa gifts them a trip to Europe to study bridge design. She tells Wash she’s going to have their baby. The birth is difficult and she can not have more children. After recovering, Emily accompanies Wash on research trips and leaves the baby with the Robeling clan in Prussia. Emily tells Wash of the day her sister drowned in a river. "Em" has been terrified of water ever since. In 1868 they return to New York City. She explores the city on horseback and meets PT Barnum whose wit and audacity attract her. He shows her the museum he’s building and the Siamese twins, Chang and Enge. He tells her “the world is full of magic. You have to know where to find it.” Weeks later, Emily brings a scale model of the proposed bridge to PT for his approval in hopes for funds. His museum has burned to the ground, started by a lantern blown over by a breeze. She entices him with visions of uniting Brooklyn and New York. Barnum sees a bigger audience for his projects.
Wash proclaims the opening of the Brooklyn bridge project. Papa is on the far side holding a red flag on a long pole. Wash looks through binoculars when a ferry loaded with passengers approaches the dock, too closely. It slams into Papa. His shoe catches on a slit in the dock where he’s trapped and his foot is mangled. Wash and Emily do their best to nurse him back to life, but to no avail. As he passes away, Wash says, “I’ll build your bridge.” Emily vows to help him.
Wash explains how the caisson goes under the river with workers on it. Many get caisson disease working in the high air pressure. Workers get irritable and fights break out. Oxygen is pumped in to keep the men alive. When they open an office to manage supplies and finances, Emily becomes the office manager and pays for police protection. PT provides a nanny to care for her son. Emily wants to work for women’s suffrage, but wants more to build the bridge.
One day, Wash is brought home on a stretcher, his legs paralyzed. There had been a fire on the caisson and five men had died. Wash has caisson disease and must rest at home. He designs bloomers for Emily who wants more comfort when working at the bridge. She is his messenger, riding her horse to and from the site often. The bridge committee says they’ll find a replacement for Wash if he’s unable to return to work. The derrick workers whistle at Emily and misdirect a huge stone that crashes into a man named Luciano and crushes him. The head man tells her she is a hazard on the site.
But Wash’s caisson disease gets worse and Emily must manage home, office, and caring for him. As his legs collapse, he makes her consulting engineer. She must speak to the American Society of Civil Engineers. Terrified of public speaking, she goes to PT Barnum who teaches her in exchange for a kiss. She feels passion for him. He tells her to connect with the audience and she speaks to each man. She speaks to Benjamin Stone, the head of the committee. His wife and child had been on a train when a bridge collapsed. He’s determined to stop the bridge unless it is ultra-strong.
There are reports of fire damage in the caisson and Emily must go there. She finds smoke and smoldering sparks in the ceiling. She orders Mr. Young to flood the caisson. He disagrees but she insists. She dives under the water to open the hatch door and thinks of her drowned sister. She recovers her composure and goes home to find Wash embroidering her bloomers. Wash instructs that they should chisel out the concrete and replace the wooden beams. Emily herself wiggles into the tight spaces and chisels it out. A month later all this is done and fire damage repaired. She studies Wash’s textbooks. Emily suggests testing the glacial bedrock instead of going down further and Wash agrees. It is found to be strong enough to hold the massive tower. The towers on the Manhattan side grow quickly and are united with the eight story-high anchor building. Onlookers cheer and American flags fly. Emily goes to the top of the tower.
Brick layers are scarce and inexperienced men are employed. Some of them are buried under falling rubble and dust. As a group of women tour the bridge, one of the wires snaps and flies out of control, killing one man and frightening everyone. Emily sends a sample of the wire to the lab. She brings a piece of the brittle wire to a meeting of the bridge committee, and shows them how it breaks easily. The Board votes to examine all wire contracts. It takes two years to sort the deceit and theft and corruption of the fiasco. Faulty wire had been blended in with the good.
Emily is encouraged by Wash to ride in a buggy across the new bridge on its opening to meet the New York Mayor on the other side. The ceremony honors Mrs. Emily Warren Roebling, finally publicly recognized. PT organizes a parade with a band, acrobats and elephants.
Now that the bridge is finished, does Emily stay with Wash? Does she go with PT Barnum whom she also loves? Author Wood has woven fact with fiction to create a meaningful story of a strong woman and a real Brooklyn bridge. Find this on the new fiction shelf of your Mendocino Community Library.