Alf Hjort
Encyclopedia
Alf Hjort was a Norwegian
born American electrical engineer.
, now Oslo, Norway. He was a younger brother of Norwegian oceanographer
and marine zoologist
Johan Hjort
. Their parents were Johan S.A. Hjort, a professor of ophthalmology
, and Elisabeth Falsen of the Falsen
family. After graduating from Oslo Gymnasium, he went to Hannover in Germany to study mechanical and electrical engineering. After work periods in Berlin
and London
, Hjort came to the United States in 1904.
vast traffic system, including the construction of underground and underwater railroad and car tunnels, as well as the extensions of the city's metropolitan subway system. Hjort was regarded as one of the outstanding authorities in the field of underwater tunnel construction.
From 1904 to 1909 he served as chief engineer of Pearson & Sons, one of the largest and best known contracting and construction firms at the time. Hjort's task was to oversee the planning and construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad
s Tunnels under the Hudson River
, and the Long Island Railroad Tunnels under the East River
. This was one of the greatest engineering and construction enterprises ever undertaken anywhere in the world up to that time.
After the completion of these projects, Hjort was engaged with the Degnon Contracting Company of New York City, in the task of building part of the Catskill
Water Supply Project, which was used to supply New York City
with water. In 1911, Hjort went to the Flinn Corporation of engineers and contractors, and served as this firm's chief engineer from 1929 to his death in New York
during 1944. Under his watch a string of New York City subway
tunnel projects were planned and completed, e.g. the Battery
–Brooklyn
vehicular tunnel between the southern tip of Manhattan
and Brooklyn
.
In 1910, Hjort was among the founders of The American-Scandinavian Foundation
in New York City. He also maintained close links to his native Norway during his 40 years in the United States.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
born American electrical engineer.
Background
Alf Hjort was born in ChristianiaOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, now Oslo, Norway. He was a younger brother of Norwegian oceanographer
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
and marine zoologist
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
Johan Hjort
Johan Hjort
Johan Hjort FRS was a Norwegian fisheries scientist, marine zoologist, and oceanographer. He was among the most prominent and influential marine zoologists of his time.- The early years :...
. Their parents were Johan S.A. Hjort, a professor of ophthalmology
Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
, and Elisabeth Falsen of the Falsen
Christian Magnus Falsen
Christian Magnus Falsen was a Norwegian constitutional father, statesman, jurist, and historian. He was an important member of the constitutional assembly and was one of the writers of the constitutional laws....
family. After graduating from Oslo Gymnasium, he went to Hannover in Germany to study mechanical and electrical engineering. After work periods in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Hjort came to the United States in 1904.
Career
Alf Hjort played a leading part in the planning and building of New York City'sNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
vast traffic system, including the construction of underground and underwater railroad and car tunnels, as well as the extensions of the city's metropolitan subway system. Hjort was regarded as one of the outstanding authorities in the field of underwater tunnel construction.
From 1904 to 1909 he served as chief engineer of Pearson & Sons, one of the largest and best known contracting and construction firms at the time. Hjort's task was to oversee the planning and construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
s Tunnels under the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, and the Long Island Railroad Tunnels under the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
. This was one of the greatest engineering and construction enterprises ever undertaken anywhere in the world up to that time.
After the completion of these projects, Hjort was engaged with the Degnon Contracting Company of New York City, in the task of building part of the Catskill
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
Water Supply Project, which was used to supply New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with water. In 1911, Hjort went to the Flinn Corporation of engineers and contractors, and served as this firm's chief engineer from 1929 to his death in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
during 1944. Under his watch a string of New York City subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
tunnel projects were planned and completed, e.g. the Battery
Battery Park City, Manhattan
Battery Park City is a planned community at the southwestern tip of lower Manhattan in New York City, United States. The land upon which it stands was created by land reclamation on the Hudson River using 1.2 million cubic yards of soil and rocks excavated during the construction of the World...
–Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
vehicular tunnel between the southern tip of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
.
In 1910, Hjort was among the founders of The American-Scandinavian Foundation
The American-Scandinavian Foundation
The American-Scandinavian Foundation, is an American non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting international understanding through educational and cultural exchange between the United States and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden...
in New York City. He also maintained close links to his native Norway during his 40 years in the United States.
Primary sources
- Bjork, Kenneth Saga In Steel And Concrete - Norwegian Engineers In America (Northfield, Minnesota: Norwegian-American Historical Association. 1947)
- Pfeiffer, Henry Prominent Men of New York: Individual Biographic Studies with Character Portraits. Volume 1 (New York City: Historical Records, Inc. 1940)