"When the Brooklyn Bridge opened on May 24, 1883, it immediately captured the city's attention. Stretching between Manhattan and Brooklyn, it was the longest suspension bridge ever built, and people were eager to see it up close. The very next day, more than 150,000 pedestrians crossed it, along with around 1,800 vehicles. The bridge held steady, and New Yorkers began using it almost without hesitation."
"Everything changed on May 30, 1883. Memorial Day brought huge crowds to the bridge, with estimates putting the number of pedestrians close to 20,000. Near a narrow staircase at the Manhattan entrance, someone stumbled. Screaming followed, and two opposing streams of foot traffic jammed together. Confusion spread fast. People fell, and others kept pushing, unsure of what was happening or why."
"By the end of the chaos, 12 people had died, and dozens more were seriously injured. Later investigations confirmed that the bridge itself never failed. It stood solid throughout the panic. Still, public trust took a hit. The structure survived, but its image suffered. Even so, people kept using it. Trains running across the bridge carried about nine million passengers in the first year, and that number doubled the next year. The bridge had become essential, even as lingering fear refused to fully disappear."
When the Brooklyn Bridge opened on May 24, 1883, it drew immediate attention as the longest suspension bridge, with massive early pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Earlier suspension-bridge failures had left lingering public unease despite the bridge's structural soundness. On May 30, 1883, a Memorial Day crowd near a narrow Manhattan staircase triggered a panic that resulted in 12 deaths and many injuries. Investigations confirmed the bridge did not fail and remained standing. Heavy use continued, with train ridership soaring, and officials sought a visible demonstration to restore public confidence, with P.T. Barnum proposing a public demonstration.
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