The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-09-30
RIVER NAVIGATION.
Tho Railroad BriaFc W.. The Long
Bridge-Rcport Of Gen. MIchIer,
United Btntes Eugineer. III

Tho Railroad BriaEc W.. The Long
Bridge-Rcport Of Gen. MIchIer,
United states Eusineer. tNt.
It will be remembered that several weeks
ago Gen. N. Michlcr, Of the corps Of United
States Engineers, was instructed by Brew.
Maj. Gen. Humphrics, Chief Engineer, act
Ing under orders from Gen. John A. Raw
Inns, late Secretary of War, to inquire Into
and ascertain the probable extent Of damage
and Injury resulting to the channel Of the
Potomac river from certain repairs then
being made upon the railroad bridge across
the Potomac river Just south Of the Long
bridge--it being urged to the Secretary Of
War by committee, composed Of Mayor
swceny and representatives from the City
Councils Of Georgetown, that the effect Of
these improvements would be to impair and
destroy the channel of the river so far as the
port Of Georgetown is concerned. As above
stated, Gen. Mlchlcr was instructed to in.
qulrc into the matter, and his report, as sub
mltted TO the War Department, Is very full
and comprehensive document, from which
we take the following extracts. ...-..s
AMER citing the correspondence which
brought about the investigation, Gen. Michler
gives copies Of tho letter written by him 10
the receiver Of tho railroad company, (Mr.
L. ClephaneD also Mr.. Clephane's reply;
both Of which letters have already been pub
llshcd in the REPUBLICAN. The report con-
tnues
This reply deemed perfectly satisfactory,
and took no further action In the matter, al
though to my mind the repairs seem to DO Of
a decidedly permanent character; at least Us
much so as the bridge itself The subject Is
now again brought to my attention by the
Questions submitted by the committee on the
part Of the corporate authorities OF the city
Of Georgetown. Before proceeding to an
swcr the Inquiries, have thought Il advisa-
bic and Interesting as matter OF history, to
examine all the laws, charters, plans, and
estimates OF the several bridges In the Dis
triet, and under the control Of the Govern
ment, to ascertain whether any restrictions
have been placed by Legislative en.ctmca:s,
upon the Dimensions OF the spans, the ma
turc OF the material to be used, the different
sites for their location, their approaches,
their construction, and more especially
whether any laws exist regulating the sew
oral conflicting interests OF the respective
bridges, and the ship channels passing
through them; also to ascertain In whom the
power rests to preserve the navigation of
both the Potomac and Anncostla rivers.
1.-THE laws mentioned are quoted at great
length, taking in everything appertainlng TO
the Long bridge and the other bridges con-
trolled by the Government
1t Is to DO regretted that but few Of tho
reports, plans and estimates of the differ cnt
bridges are now available, as II would re-
quirc very dlllgent search TO find them
among the archives Of the several depart
ments having at different times the control
Of the building and repairs Of these struc-
lures, but In their absence several interest
Ing facts concerning these works, aside from
the various amounts appropriated and ex-
pended on them, are furnished by the stat
utes Just quoted. The first Potomac bridge
was built In 1900 by company on the site
Of the present one, aud remained In unlntcr-
rupted use until 1881, when largo part was
carried away by very great freshet and
masses Of floating Ice; an act OF 1880 makes
the first appropriation, and directs certain
alterations to be made, consisting In length
ening the draws, planklng the sides Of the
spaces covered by them, aud that the oppo-
site sides OF the wharyes above and below
tho bridge should be curved oil In circular
form. by an act approved In 1882, and sub
sequently amended In 1884 and 1885, the
bridge was purchased by the Government Of
the United States, and the report of the en-
gineer, dated December 80, 1885, states that
Il ''has been completely finished, according
to the terms Of the contract, In all Its parts,
and since the osth Of October last has been
thrown open to general travel" The bridge
was first rendered passabe on the LIST OF
October, on which day the President aud
his cabinet crossed II on foot aud returned
In carriages" The bridge then constructed
was substantially the same as that which
now exists; that is, the part crossing the
shoal was made causeway, and connected
with the shores by wooden bridges resting
on piers. For n few years the bridge es-
capped without damage, when In 1910 por-
tlon was again destroyed by leo. Without
exact data 1t is impossible to enumerate all
OF the different occasions upon which 1t was
Injured, but il Is known that such was the
case, and very severely so, in 1856, 1860,
1858, 1866 and 1867; In several instances
many spans were carried away, and travel
suspended for many months at time.
II Is also ascertnincd with great certainty
that In majority Of the cases the accidents
occurred to those portions built on piles,
where the spans arc short and low. Towards
the Virginia shore, where the bridge rests on
piers with clear water way OF over one
hundred feet between them, through which
the floating matter, drift and Ice, can freely
pass, no injuries of q serious nature have
been sustained, at least not from that par
ticular cause. The railroad bridge, which
Is owned by the Washington, Alexandria
and Georgetown Railroad Company, was
built lu 1858 and 1854, and Is about seventy
hve feet below and parallel to the Long
ridge. Tho repairs being made to strengthen
The southern section of the former, that por-
ton between the span over the main chan
mel and the Virginia shore, and against the
plan of which the remonstrancc was made,
and the attention Of the receiver of the road
called by letter previously mentioned, are
immediately below the spans of the Long
bridge which are referred to above. The re-
pairs, consulting in driving intermediate
piles between the old piers and thus sub
dividing the spans into sections Of from
eleven to eighteen feet, will most certainly,
In the opinion OF any dlsinterested person,
cause q formidable obstruction and be the
means of greatly impeding the flow of the
drllt and Ice, which, owing to the greater
length OF spans, can safely pass the upper
bridge. This material brought down will
become packed up against these piles, par
tally, If not completely, forming dam, and
thereby closing up the space between the two
bridgesi the only outlet would then be by the
channel way through the draws. Should
the coming winter be even moderately
severe, Judging from past experience and
natural cause and effect, the destruction of
those portions Of the tw bridges will prove
inevitable.
The railroad authorities still continue the
strengthening of their bridge by driving more
piles, when other plans might be easily sub
stitutcd. Previous to tho commencement of
the work the six spans between the Virginia
shore and the Georgetown channel were from
one hundred to one hundred aud twenty-five
feet In length, resting on wooden piers or
cribs, and were amply sufficient for all pur-
poses. The original design of the bridge Is
being very considerably altered, transform.
ing the truss bridge into one on piles. The
current of the river ut this point becomes
very rapid, and at the breaking up of winter
large bodies of ice come down with great
force, whilst In the spring the larger portion
Of the drlft from the upper Potomac Is car
ricd with increased velocity through the Vir-
glnia or Georgetown channel.
The great depth Of this channel and the
velocity of the current there during floods
arc sufficient causes against the erection of
many piers. In some portions of the Long
bridge, where piles have been driven from
twenty-five to thirty feet apart, the Ice and
drift accumulate above 1t for upwards Of
forty aud ility feet, and 50 close 10 the struc-