9 May


Mr. Met History:

With the resources you have at hand I am certain you can settle an old bet.
Many years ago -- when I was a young child (or certainly less grey than I am
now) -- I had a long conversation with two of my uncles, my father's
siblings to be precise, about various and sundry subjects relating to
building construction, civil engineering, and other earth moving subjects.
(Note that is "earth moving" not "earth-moving".) One portion of this
conversation of particular interest right now -- you see I just returned
from the O. Winston Link exhibit at the Transit Museum at Grand Central
Terminal -- was the awe-inspiring engineering and construction of the
Verranzano Narrows Bridge (which OWL photographed). In this conversation I
asserted that the change in height of the roadway at midspan as caused by
seasonaly changes in temperature is approximately twelve -- yes, 12 -- feet.
I was nearly laughed off the land. And, as we were on the left coast it
would have surely found myself in the cold, cold Pacific.

So, the bet is twelve feet or no? My source was the former Grey Lady (as
opposed the the Gray Lady, whom I have never met). Article was published in
June or July of 1996 (if memory serves) and was in one of those periodic Q&A
columns. Any chance you have access to the vast archives of the Times at
your fingertips and could provide chapter and verse? Am heading west to
visit these same uncles at the end of the month. Would love to come off
smelling like a rose in the city known for its roses.

Now, of course, being an engineer I could estimate the change based on
fundamental principals. However, my word and careful calculations -- no
matter how good -- pale in comparision to the weight carried by this fair
city's local paper (well the one I read most often anyway). Plus, I have had
independent confirmation of this figure from the archivist for the MTA
Bridges and Tunnels Division, which means I could, with your assistance,
have a nearly air-tight case and be able to save my pencil and pad for
something really useful -- like writing this email.

Cheers,

Sign me,

Othmar Amman.