Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-21

stantlai railroad bridge across the Potomac con-
meeting this city with the Virginia shore, the
old Long Bridge" will soon become a thing OF
the past, and exist only in the recollection of a
people TO whom it was once as familiar as a
household work. In view of this fact a brief
history of the venerable structure which survived
the storms and freshets of so many years NAV be
of interest to many of our readers
THE GREAT NAIL ROUTE OF OLD TINES
Long before the District of Columbia had been
set apart for the seat of government the main
thoroughfare for general and mail travel be-
tween the northern and southern states was
through Baltimore and by turnpike to Bladens-
burg, thence through what is now a portion of
Washington city to Georgetown, and then across
the Potomac by ferry at the upper end of that
and so on. With the expectation that this would
continue in the future TO be great mail route,
by the recommendation of President Washing
ton himself, when the plan of the city was male,
north X street, leading from Water street,
Georgetown, in straight line to interseet the
old stage road near the eastern boundary OF the
city, was laid out with width equal to that ct
the avenues for the express purpose of having e
wide enough to form part of this great mail
route between the north and south. This of
course, was at time when railroads were not
dreamed of.
A GEORGETOWN BRIDGE WHICH WAS NEVER
BUILT.
On the 10Th OF December, I791 the General
Assembly of Maryland, after a protracted dis
cussion, during which several petitions were
presented in favor of and against the measured
passed an act authorizing the erection of
bridge across the Potomac at or near George
jurisdiction over the District of Columbia by
the general government, but for some reason
the actwas not carried into execution.
A GEoRGEToWH CAUsEWAY WHICH WAS
BUILT.
After the seat Of government had been 10
Gated here, and when the few inhabitants looked
to Georgetown for their supplies, and when nav
isatiOn of the Potomac to the Little Falls, with
an available channel on each side of Analostan
or Mason's Island was entirely unobstructed by
the 18th of January, 1895, were authorized by act
OF Congress to levy tax for the purpose of con-
structng dam across one of these channels, to
connect with Masons Island.
WHAT EFFECT 1T HAD.
This act was carried into effect, and the cause
way was built connecting Analostan Island with
the Virginia shore, and closing that channel.
This obstruction did not at first Impede naviga-
ton, the other channel being sufficiently wide
and deep, but, that il had very important
bearing on the condition of the river bed no one
can doubt The change of current produced by
II created eddies, by forcing the entire volume
Of the river through the gorge between Masons
Island and Georgetown, which doubtless had
much TO do with the formation Of the long line
Of flats now extending all the way to the Long
Bridge; and the theory that this range of flats
was the natural result of the Long Bridge cause
way, is thought by competent engineers entire
ly erroneous. II the fats had not already ex-
listed when that causeway was made it could not
have been built. The winding channel along
the western margin Of a broad expanse of shoal
water east OF 1t, since become flats, and fanked
on the other side by the dead waters behind Ma
sons Island, could not keep itself free and of
uniform depth along the whole course, and as
might have been expected bar was formed
across, diagonally opposite Arlington, which, in
time increased 80 as to impede navigation, and
the city of Georgetown was compelled TO resort
to dredging at great expense, in which ii has
been aided from time to time by Congress.
THE GKoRGKTowS CAUsEwAY DESTROYED AND
On April 10th, 1882, Mason's Causeway was
broken through by heavy flood, and the flow
Of water through the old channel was restored
to nearly its former volume, continuing for
some time, thereby producing another change in
the river bed below. Georgetown rebuilt the
causeway year or two afterwards.
EFFECT OF CLEARING AND cULTIvATING THE
GROUND.
The surface material of an extensive region
Of country exposed to cultivation and continu-
ally borne on in vast quantities by rains, must
find resting place after being forced through
a narrow gorge to wide expanse Of shOal
water, where IL is met by the force Of the flood
tides. 1t iswen enough known that flats and sand
bars formed extensively in this portion of the
river long before the Long Bridge was thought
Of for it is q matter Of history that, before the
pillow was brought into much use on the upper
where there are now fats entirely above water,
below as well as above the bridge.
WHY THE LoN0 BRIDGE WAS BUILT.
saving OF some four miles on the great mail
route was the principal cause that induced Con-
gress to grant charter for building the bridge
known as the Long Bridge, where ii is now
being rebuilt, and Of charterfng the turnpike
Alexandria. The act, approved February 5th,
1905, gave to Robert Brent, Daniel Carroll of
Dud., Thomas Monroe, James ID. Barry, Fred
erick May, Samuel Harrison Smith, Jonah
Thompson, Jonathan Swift, Thomas Vowel,
Cuthbert Powell, Elisha Janncy, and Charles
Alexander, or any seven of them, the power OF
a board of commissioners, with authority to
open books for receiving and entering subscrip-
tiOns for raising a capital stock, not TO exceed
500 ,000 in shares of cleo each, for the purpose
between the city of Washington and Alexandria
island; SO to be paid on subscription to each
share. The title of the company was to be
TIE WASHINGTON BRIDGE COMPANY"
and when 800 shares were subscribed, all per-
sons who might then be holders of shares were
to be body corporate under the above title. 1t
further provided that the company be author
lied to erect between the terminus of MARYLAND
avenue and AleIander's Island a good and suf-
ncient bridge, at least sc feet wide, of suitable
material, with a rail feet high, and a draw 35
feet wide over the main channel, (western;) also
to erect and To maintain in good repair a we'll
constructed and substantial wharf on each side
of said bridge, and adjoining or near 10 said
draw, in every respect sufi cient for ships or
other vessels TO lie at securely; also prescribed
the penalties for the detention Of vessels by rea-
son Of there being no draw-keeper at his post.
Section IL provided for a second draw across the
Maryland channel, and fixed the rate of tolls to
be ch arged by the company; exempting trains
belonging to the United States, or any Cannon,
militia or troops, or military equipments, and
limiting the time for the erection of the bridge
to five yesrs-otherwise the charter to be for
feited. Section IA limited the time for which
tolls should be charged to sixty years, after
which time the bridge was TO be free
THE FIRST LONG BRIDGE.
The bridge was built entirely Of pile or trestle
work. In 1S08-9 the turnpike road TO Alexandria
was completed, and thereafter this bridge and
road was continued rs the exclusive mail route
until March 10th, 1916, when
THE FIRST STEAMBOAT
was introduced on the Potomac river for the
purpose OF connecting the great Southern mail
with stages at Potomac Creek. The Long
Bridge Was used after that as the mail route
when navigation was obstructed by Zee.
THE BRIDGE DAMAGED BIZ A FRKsHEr.
This uestle work etood firmly against all the
assaults Of floods carrying drift ice and
drift TIMBER, for more than twenty years until
the sd OF February, 1881, when all that portion
over the main channel was swept ayay and A
large portion OF 10 which crossed the flats greatly
damaged by q heavy food. Judging from fhe
accounts published at that time, the navigation
to Georgetown during these twenty wears was
ohsuucted far more by the aforementioned bar
consequent upon the building OF the Mason,s
Island causeway and the cultivation of the
upper country than by any impeachment which
the bridge presented.
THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT BUYS OFT rur
FRIDGE COMPANY.
In 1884, July IA, Congress passed an act an
anti tor Oh