Question

read the excerpt from \opening ceremonies of the new york and brooklyn bridge\ by hon. seth low, mayor of the city of brooklyn. fourteen years ago a city of 400,000 people on this side of the river heard of a projected suspension bridge with incredulity. the span was so long, the height so great, and the enterprise likely to be so costly, that few thought of it as something begun in earnest. the irresistible demands of commerce enforced these hard conditions. but science said, \it is possible,\ and courage said, \it shall be!\ to-day a city of 600,000 people welcomes with enthusiasm the wonderful creation of genius. graceful, and yet majestic, it clings to the land like a thing that has taken root. beautiful as a vision of fairyland it salutes our sight. the impression it makes upon the visitor is one of astonishment, an astonishment that grows with every visit. no one who has been upon it can ever forget it. this great structure which detail from the excerpt is important to the central idea? 400,000 people... on this side of the river... the span was so long... cannot be confined...

Explanation:

The central idea of the excerpt is the transformation from skepticism about the Brooklyn Bridge's feasibility (due to its span, height, and cost) to its successful completion and admiration. The detail "The span was so long..." directly relates to the initial doubts about the bridge's feasibility, which is crucial to understanding the contrast between past skepticism and present success.

Answer:

The span was so long...