Suspension by Richard E. Crabbe

Author:Richard E. Crabbe
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2011-03-07T05:00:00+00:00

Justice Lincoln and Patrick Sullivan straddled the main cable on the south side of the bridge as they ate lunch.

“You notice the ferry stopped?” Lincoln pointed down at the Montauk.

“Yeah. Bet that’s got folks hopping. Everybody’s in such a damn hurry in this town. Never have gotten used to it.” Pat looked down at the ferry, which seemed to be about to leave the dock.

“Bet they can’t wait till this bridge is done.”

“Damn, but there’s gonna be a lot of disappointed folks in this city.” They laughed, feeling like gods sharing a joke at the expense of the unsuspecting ants below. Silently they ate their sandwiches, drank their beer, and dangled their feet on either side of the cable.

“You recall when Harry Supple died?” Pat brought up something they hadn’t spoken of in some time. All the riggers knew Harry Supple, the most famous rigger of them all. His reputation had only grown with the years, and to some in the cables his memory had taken on an almost mythic status.

“Sure. What made you think of that?”

“Don’t know.” Pat shrugged. “Just thinking about all the men gone … you know, building this thing.”

“Plenty. Must be twenty at least.” Lincoln’s brow furrowed in thought. “Don’t know how many are cripples from the caisson disease too. There’s Roebling for one.”

Pat snorted. “Yeah, well, I don’t give a rat’s ass for Roebling, but there’s some good men under the ground ‘cause of this bridge. Supple was the best of ’em.”

“Had balls of brass. Nobody was as sure of himself in the cables as Harry. Remember when he went out hand over hand to cut that fella loose?” Justice swallowed a gulp of beer.

“Sure … what the hell was his name?”

“Carroll, I think. Big fella.”

“Yeah, that’s him. Got himself hung up cutting the lashings on the second wire. Rig on his boatswain’s chair jammed.”

“Couldn’t go back, nor forward … dangling a hundred feet out from the tower,” Justice added. “Yup … Harry just swung out like a damn monkey, cut Carroll free … cool as you please.” They smiled at the memory.

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