Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-26
Tho Long bridge and the River
Flats.

WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH THEM?
Editor Star:-The late tnundation of the val
ley OF our extinct Tiber was the event of a cen
fury. The combination OF causes producing IL
were SO extraordinary that they may not occur
Sgain Mlthln the period OF hundred years.
1 ne Coolest Winter ever known over the eXteu-
slVe area or mountains drained by the Potomac
the deepest snow fall over all this watershed
ana the heaviest accumulation of Ice In the
nam stream and all It's tributaries, of which
there Is any record or tradition. lald the founda-
ions for an extraordinary freshet Then our
february thaW OF three days. eliminating In a
udy ana night or heaVy showers in high TEN
perathre over all the Allegheny range Drought
thiS 1reshet with its polar Ice fields, down UPON
US But still there would have been no flooding
OF the DaSln or our extinct Tiber had there been
no Long Bridge acting as a dam to these moving
Ice fields and their inJermiBgled drift-wood and
rubDls H. thus backing the arrested stream I'D
me olo Iioer valley. lt was not the causeway
that arrested the downward passage OF the
stream. but the distractions of the trestle work
across the washington channel. Under the
sarong south wind OF that Saturday. day
never mere TO be forgotten-the heaviest pres
sure OF the Ice pack and OF the stream Was
against That treStle work and when under that
tremendous pressure, this obstructtng section
relieved.
Nevertheless, while that bridge and It's cause.
way remains as they are, our Fiber valley will
Spring and autumnal freShetS. How can they
De prevented? bridge OF stone piers, with
wide spans, from shore to shore, has been sIlg-
gcsted Ii cur only object In view Is a free
passage for the river rreShetS this remedy viii
meet the case. But our paramount object tn
IhiS connection Is the conversion Of those pol.
sonOuS river f1aeS, first, into dry land. and next
into beautiful and attractive river side or
Island park. In this view We must retain that
c2uSeWay TO assist us In the work of recia;aa-
tlOn; for, With the removal OF that cause gay
and free course to the river from shore to
shore, the first heavy freshet would problbIy
carry OIL from those flats deposits which for
Milling In, would require the labor Of thousands
OF Inen, horses and carts for whole summer to
replace.
TIE river improvements required to meet all
the wants or our national capital are the FOL
lowing In the opinion Of the writer: 1st
bridge from Easby5 point to AnalOstan Island
connecting with the upper causeway On the
southern SIDE OF said island. and the reconstruc-
tlOn OF tnat cauSbWay as the continuation of
tne bridge TO the Virginia shore; 9 the reel am
auon OF those flats and their conversion into a
riverside or Island park OF five or six huadre1
acres, fublfc park fOr the summer recreation
OF fishing, boating, bathing aud picnic 9aTTies
md IL might b. equipped, to- with a race
course; next. would have that Long Bridge
removed. and Its cauSeway reduced 10 the gan
eral level or the park and new Driige or stone
pers over the Virginia and the Washington
chanLel, crossing from 18th street. OF ali
InlhgS let US avoid the eSta oSnm4nt on those
mats or railway depotS. machine shops, SOAP
factories, ana bone boiling nulsance5. aid all
other improvements which Will be dlsnrura-
tlCn OF the river and our Beautiful city. When we
nave passed Though this inauguration bust
ness let us have public meeting or two on the
subject, says AN OLD WASHINGr0SIAS