Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 150, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1919 — William Sooy Smith Built the First All-Steel Bridge [ARTICLE]

William Sooy Smith Built the First All-Steel Bridge

William Sooy Smith, builder of the first all-steel bridge in the world and inventor of the pneumatic caisson, was born in Ohio July 22, 1830; graduated at West Point-in 1853; resigned from the army, but served during the Civil war, and later became eminent as a civil engineer and bridge builder. His inventton of the pneumatic caisson revolutionized deep river bridge bunding, and he was the first one to overcome quicksands in making foundations. He was also a pioneer in moving big buildings and in the construction of skyscrapers. He was retired from the army with rank of brigadier general, and died January 17, 1912.