Show GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE NEARS completion the golden gate bridge worlds greatest suspension bridge tiling flung across the entrance to san francisco harbor is virtually completed the last rivet a rivet ot of pure gold goh from the historic mother lode country of california made famous by mark twain and bret harte and the will bo be driven on the bridge on april 27 one month later on may 27 the bridge will be thrown open to pedestrians est rians for the first time and the next day may 28 it will be formally dedicated to traffic and san francisco will celebrate with a gala fiesta lasting a week the ceremony at driving of the last rivet on the great bridge will closely follow the colorful occasion when the last spike was liani hammered in the first transcontinental railroad at promontory utah in may 1869 according to arthur M r brown jr in charge of the program As at promontory distinguished guests will witness the bridge ceremony descendants of the mg big four in the railroad building stanford huntington hopkins and crocker will be there as ayi be pioneers who came across the plains to california in covered wagons and dreamed of the day when the golden gate would be bridged A full riveting crew in fit iron safety hats will do the actual rivet driving under the direction of joseph B strausse chief engineer charles H donor of the golden rivet does not want it to find its way into a museum or a vault as did the golden railroad spike and so the bolt will re remain ain where it is placed A plaque will mark its place on the bridge the golden gate bridge connects san Fram francisco elsec with the redwood empire counties of california to the north the bridge breaks the last major water barrier on the all pa cielo coast highway between canada and mexico by way of salt sail francisco ran and the redwood hedwood empire the bridge is f fet fel et in length len tl its single span being feet longer than the brooklyn bridge and feet longer than the george washington bridge across the hudson riv river er in new york its towers rise feet above water feet higher than the washington monument and will serve as aerial beacons the golden gate bridge fiesta to be held from may 27 to june 2 in san francisco will be a forerunner of the golden gate international exposition in 1939 to celebrate the completion of both the san francisco oakland day bay bridge last november and the golden gate bridge |