William Milnor Roberts
Encyclopedia
William Milnor Roberts was an American civil engineer
. As a young civil engineer
involved in the construction of the Eads Bridge
, the chief engineer of Northern Pacific Railroad, America's second transcontinental railroad
, and president of the American Society of Civil Engineers
scarcely two decades after its founding, Roberts was one of the most prolific and prominent civil engineer of his generation in the United States
.
, between Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.
From 1831 to 1834, he served as senior assistant engineer for the proposed Allegheny Portage Railroad, and general manager from 1834 to 1835.
In 1837, he served as chief engineer, Lancaster and Harrisburg. He was in charge of construction of a two-level lattice-truss bridge across the Susquehanna River
at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
.
From 1834 to 1840, he was in charge of extensions of Pennsylvania State Canals; Bellefontaine and Indiana, Allegheny Valley, Atlantic and Mississippi, and Iron Mountain.
From 1855 to 1857, he was chairman, Commission to Consider Reconstruction of Allegheny Portage; constructed railroads in Middle West.
In 1865, he contracted to build Don Pedro Segundo, Brazil
. In 1866, he proposed improvements to the Mississippi River
at Keokuk, Iowa
.
In 1866, he was the U.S. engineer in charge of improvement of navigation of Ohio River
, established the Office of Ohio River Improvement at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
In 1868, he served as associate chief engineer in construction of Eads Bridge
across Mississippi River at St. Louis. From 1869 to 1879, he was engineer-in-chief of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
From 1879 to 1881, he was a member of the Mississippi River Jetty Commission and chief engineer, all public works in Brazil. He served as vice-president of the American Society of Civil Engineers
from 1873 to 1878, and as president in 1878.
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
. As a young civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
involved in the construction of the Eads Bridge
Eads Bridge
The Eads Bridge is a combined road and railway bridge over the Mississippi River at St. Louis, connecting St. Louis and East St. Louis, Illinois....
, the chief engineer of Northern Pacific Railroad, America's second transcontinental railroad
Transcontinental railroad
A transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...
, and president of the American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
scarcely two decades after its founding, Roberts was one of the most prolific and prominent civil engineer of his generation in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Personal life
Roberts was born to Thomas Paschall and Mary Louise (Baker) Roberts. He married Annie Gibson in June, 1837. He married Adeline Beelen in November, 1868. He had at least nine children.Career
In 1826, he served as an assistant in survey and construction, Lehigh CanalLehigh Canal
The Lehigh Canal was constructed by the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company to carry anthracite from the upper Lehigh Valley to the urban markets of the northeast, especially Philadelphia...
, between Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.
From 1831 to 1834, he served as senior assistant engineer for the proposed Allegheny Portage Railroad, and general manager from 1834 to 1835.
In 1837, he served as chief engineer, Lancaster and Harrisburg. He was in charge of construction of a two-level lattice-truss bridge across the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
.
From 1834 to 1840, he was in charge of extensions of Pennsylvania State Canals; Bellefontaine and Indiana, Allegheny Valley, Atlantic and Mississippi, and Iron Mountain.
From 1855 to 1857, he was chairman, Commission to Consider Reconstruction of Allegheny Portage; constructed railroads in Middle West.
In 1865, he contracted to build Don Pedro Segundo, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. In 1866, he proposed improvements to the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
at Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
.
In 1866, he was the U.S. engineer in charge of improvement of navigation of Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
, established the Office of Ohio River Improvement at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.
In 1868, he served as associate chief engineer in construction of Eads Bridge
Eads Bridge
The Eads Bridge is a combined road and railway bridge over the Mississippi River at St. Louis, connecting St. Louis and East St. Louis, Illinois....
across Mississippi River at St. Louis. From 1869 to 1879, he was engineer-in-chief of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
From 1879 to 1881, he was a member of the Mississippi River Jetty Commission and chief engineer, all public works in Brazil. He served as vice-president of the American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
from 1873 to 1878, and as president in 1878.