I am doing a school project and cannot locate any pictures of the effects the storm on December 1st 1951 took on the Golden Gate Bridge. It is my understanding the winds generated a velocity of 70 miles an hour, which of course closed the bridge; but more amazingly the deck of the bridge swayed 24 feet from side to side and 5 feet in the perpendicular demension (with little or only minor damages they say) I have "surfed" high and low and cannot believe someone or some newspaper etc... did not get any photo's of this event. Can anyone help me. Thanks, Bobbie

-- bobbie defoort (ojibwayeagle@kmts.ca), February 22, 2005

Answers

The chronicle archives are bound to have what you are looking for. Unfortunately, their online archives only go back to 1995 so you'll need to visit the Chronicle office and go through the microfilm archives. The main S.F. library may have them as well. Good luck! --John

-- John Lacerda (jlacerda@sprintmail.com), February 23, 2005.

Newscopy: "Damage to cables on Golden Gate Bridge during Saturday's gale is shown in this closeup. The smooth part is where the cables pulled loose from their metal sleeves. This was caused when vertical motion of bridge produced friction. Over-all damage to span was termed "minor."".

http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAD-0903.jpg (copy and paste to view)

Newscopy: "The high winds did no damage to the Golden State Bridge (?). Manager James E. Rickets said. A check of instruments show that its saw and pitch were small compared to the maximum strain it was built to withstand. It was designed, Mr. Rickets said, to take a maximum downward movement of 10.8 feet, and 5.8 feet upward, at the center span; and a maximum side swing of 27.7 feet at the center span...".

-- strange (stranger@yahoo.com), February 23, 2005.