Newsletter June 2007

The "Famous Engineers" Series

From Razing to Amazing:

"The Father of the Skyscraper"

It might be considered an odd beginning that someone who specialized in demolition would later become the man responsible for changing the way tall buildings are constructed. A loyal Union soldier in 1861, he held the rank of major and was the chief engineer for General William T. Sherman. Although he was instrumental in the fortification of Corinth, Shiloh and Vicksburg, he quickly became better known as the Union Army’s demolition expert, directing the demolition of conquered areas. During Sherman’s “March to the Sea,” this chief engineer destroyed bridges, buildings and the like, gaining valuable knowledge about modern construction techniques specifically in the areas of foundations, iron construction and framing.

His military experiences taught him much, but the young man already had an excellent formal education. Born in Massachusetts on September 25, 1832 to the wealthy owner of a shipping business, the family’s affluence afforded him not only the ability to travel extensively as a young man, but also allowed him to study at fine institutions such as Harvard’s Lawrence Scientific School and L’Ecole Centrale des Artes et Manufactures in Paris. At L’Ecole Centrale one of his classmates was another young engineer destined for fame, Gustave Eiffel, who went on to construct the landmark Parisian tower.

He furthered his practical experience working on a railroad project in Panama for two years before returning to Paris for more formal education. It was then that the Civil War broke out. Feeling compelled to volunteer for service, he returned home to the United States. As it turned out, astute observation and study of military demolition projects taught him volumes about construction techniques and ways to improve on current methodology.

After the war and ready for larger challenges, he migrated to Chicago where one of his first major projects was the development of the city of Riverside, Illinois, the nation’s first “railway suburb,” a suburban residential area connected to the city by frequent rail service. Additionally, he was instrumental in the planning of Chicago’s boulevard system including Douglas, Garfield, and Humboldt parks.

Although a prolific engineer and founder of a large firm of engineers and architects, his greatest contribution led to the nickname “Father of the Skyscraper.” After designing the first of two Leiter Department Store buildings in1879, he began his biggest project to date, the Home Insurance Building. At this time, typical high-rise construction employed masonry-bearing walls of cement or stone; the weight of which limited the height of the building.

During construction of the Home Insurance Building, he became aware of higher-quality, lighter-weight steel beams being produced by the Carnegie-Phipps Steel Company. He was so impressed with the quality of the steel product, that the project was converted to employ these steel beams about halfway through construction of what would become the tallest building in the world at the time. At 180 feet, the Home Insurance Building with its steel-frame construction started the skyscraper trend that continues today.

Who was the demolition expert who later designed the world’s tallest building?

Engineering Feat of the Month

Monthly profile of America's greatest engineering achievements.

How a Pigeon Saved a U.S. Monument

The Washington Monument is still the tallest masonry structure in the world and still viewed as a true feat of engineering genius. However, the structure may not have ever been completed without the help of a pigeon.

A monument to honor President George Washington was authorized by Congress in 1848 after twelve years of planning by preeminent engineer and architect Robert Mills. The Egyptian-style obelisk was to come to a height of 555 feet. While certainly not an easy project to complete even without problems, the Washington Monument was plagued with many setbacks during the 36 years taken to complete the structure after its Congressional approval.

Mills’ death in 1855 slowed construction. Later, the Civil War completely halted the project in the 1860s. When construction resumed, the marble used to face the monument was no longer available, and designers were forced to choose a substitute for the remainder of the obelisk.

Although those issues were resolved, only a pigeon could provide the help needed to finish construction. How could a pigeon be responsible for the Washington Monument?

Upcoming PDH Deadlines

6/30

NH	30 PDH	Based on Engineer's Birthdate
NY	36 PDH	Based on Engineer's Birthdate
OK	30 PDH	Based on Date of Licensure
OR	30 PDH	Based on Last Name (G - K)
SD	30 PDH	Based on Date of Licensure
TN	24 PDH	Based on Date of Licensure
TX	15 PDH	Based on Date of Licensure
WV	15 PDH	All Engineers

Check Your State's Requirements

Engineer Humor

A programmer and an engineer were sitting next to each other on an airplane. The programmer leans over to the engineer and asks if he wants to play a fun game. The engineer just wants to sleep so he politely declines, turns away, and tries to sleep. The programmer persists and explains that it's a real easy game. He explains, "I'll ask a question and if you don't know the answer you pay me $5. Then you ask me a question and if I don't know the answer I'll pay you $5." Again, the engineer politely declines and tries to sleep.

The programmer, now somewhat agitated, says, "OK, if you don't know the answer, you pay me $5, and if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $50!" Now, that got the engineer's attention, so he agrees to the game. The programmer asks the first question, "what is the distance from the earth to the moon?" The engineer doesn't say a word and just hands the programmer $5.

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