Building Bridges

Building Bridges

         Governor Samuel Krutcher arrived by helicopter and was giving a long-winded speech about what this bridge would bring to the two local communities. 

“…It’s been long in coming, but finally the Huntsville-Speonk Bridge is here, to link your two villages and bring the interstate to its completion…” He was fanning his reelection bid with the completion of a bridge that he had fought for.  “And… We…  completed the project early and under budget!”

         After all the speeches, he cut the tape, the crowd roared and the Governor sat in the back of a waiting limousine.  It was the first vehicle to cross the Bridge, followed by a line of traffic two miles long.  His aid opened a bottle of champagne but it was flat and did not bubble.  Yes sir it is a great day.

* * *

         It was a freezing cold Monday morning, at first light, Civil Engineer Mark Zale came to work at the Huntsville-Speonk Bridge maintenance facility.  It’s been a year since the opening and the testing of concrete samples will go on for years to come.  Something had caught Mark’s eye.  Two of the sample plugs had cracked overnight and a third was crumbling to dust.  All had the K.C. logo on them.

         Mark knew the samples came from the suspension anchorage for the cables.  “Krutcher Concrete…” He mumbled angrily.  Zale called his crews and had the roadway blocked. Hearing about the unauthorized action, the Governor sent police to open the bridge.

         The Tuesday morning headlines read, “Civil Engineer Blows Whistle Two Hours Before Bridge Collapse, Governor’s Concrete Company Under Investigation.”

W.C. = 268