Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-06

| which the same is drawn; and in no case shall
tion or expenditure; and the accounts for ali dis
bursements of the Commissioners OF said District
shall be made monthly to the accounting officers
or the Treasury by the auditor OF the District OF
| Columbia, On vouchers certified by the Commits
sioners, as now required by law: Provided, That
said commissioners shall not make acquisitions
upon the appropriations from the Treasury OF the
United states for larger amount during the fiscal
than the they maes OF on sas
ding one half OF all general taxes paid in draw
back certificates during said fiscal year, as re-
CURED by the Sd section OF the act approved June
9th, 1879 entitled An act fixing the rate of inter-
est upon arrearages OF general taxes and assess
ments for special improvements now due to the
District of Columbia and for a revision OF assess
| ments for special improvements, and for other
| purposes"
The Free Bridge Question Once More.
To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:
Absence for week past has delayed an earlier
reply to your two correspondents of last week
on the subject of free bridge. There are no
msstatements in the late article over the sigma
ture of Nous Verons." He is as well Informed
on the subject Of which he writes as either of
the gentlemen who have undertaken to reply to
him, and is good deal more interested in it
than one OF them, at least. The point will not
be controverted that there are still difficulties
In the way OF free bridge, or. as the newspapers
are pleased to call them. distractions, notwith-
standing the fact that the courts have put it into
power of the government to seize the aqueduct
piers whenever it elects to do So There is no mis-
statement in that nor in the other fact that the
people who are compelled to use the AQueduct
bridge Will still have to submit to the eXaction
OF an unreasonable toll, while the gentlemen
iesSees and Alexandria canal company are en-
gagged in carrying on their sguabb!e without
considering once whether the people most in
tercsted have any rights which they are bound
to respect. 1t is asserted that the act of Con-
gress authorizing free bridge does not specify
the site further than to say lat or near George
town. That is true. but it is also true that the
trainers of the bill intended no other point than
the Aqueduct bridge or the Three Sisters"
The Secretary of War was authorized under
THIS act to direct the surveys and adopt the
most eligible site, and the government engineer
Ill wise discretion. selected the ''Three
sisters site. not only as the most eligible
but also as the most economical, and it was for
this point that his estimates were made 1t
would seem that the trainers of this bill imme-
diately repented of what they had done for they
were filled with CONSERVATION when the pros
rect presented itself of a bridge anywhere but
on the piers of the aqueduct and besieged Gen
Wrlghts office in dozens in frantic efforts to
undo what they had done and reverse his de-
ciSi0n. The peculiar wording of the act Of Con-
gress referred to was taken advantage of to ad-
vance the insane idea of a bridge or bridges at
the end OF High street or the end of & street
Both these projects may be carried out hum
dred years hence. when Washington shall have
become city like London. and shall extend
itself to the adjacent Virginia hills. We will
leave the question to be discussed and settled
oy our great grandchildren; at present George
| town would have something to say about it. AS
TO bridge with a draw in it, when there is no
necessity for it. it is simply ridiculous; besides
such aproject. if carried out, would involve the
necessity OF two bridges, the second one to con-
Meet Analostan island with the Virginia Shore
WHAT Is AND IS NOT PROPOSED
We are informed by one Of your correspond
ents that the plateau which overlooks the Poto-
mac on the Virginia side is 800 feet above tide
water. 1t is not proposed. in the event of a
bridge at the "Three Sisters" site, that road
shall be constructed on the plateau 800 feet
above the river. 1t is proposed however. to
have road to start at an elevation exactly on
level with the top of the southern abutment
OF the bridge, whatever that may be- and to run
along on that grade until it reaches the point
where the level would strike Spout run; then to
run by and with that stream to the point where
II crosses the road leading from the present
Aqueduct bridge to Falls Church, Such a road
Is entirely practicable. Since the writer's former
article he has passed over the ground upon
which this road would be located and finds that
his informant may have been somewhat in error
as to the grade, but not sufficiently so as to be
OF any consequence. 1t cannot be affirmed that
| a road over this ground would be quite a dead
| leVel, because the flow Of water of Spout run
| indcateS the contrary: yet the up grade would
De so slight as to be scarcely appreciate. The
DISTANCE is supposed to be a little over mile
Inc writer is neither journalist nor civil en-
g'neer as his opponents on this question are
| but he processes to know something of the use
OF a pick and spade and of a horse and cart
ana Is OF the opinion that a road could be con-
| structed mere at least equal to the general run
OF Virginia roads at a cost not to exceed thou
| sand to fifteen hundred dollars
| THE AQUEDUCT SITE.
One of your correspondents is prepared to
| bulid bridge at the aqueduct site for $4,000
leaving, as he AYERS, OF the appropriation by
Congress $4,000 for the purchase of the aque-
duct piers. Now the writer submits that there
Is no proTrlety in the purchase of that which is
already virtually in the possession Of the GOV
eminent. and is by right and law the property
OF the government. That which would have to
| be purchased is the wooden structure sur
| mounting the aqueduct trunk, which is OF
| little or no value. The present bridge proprie-
tors nave enjoyed their franchise and emOu-
/ ments long enough and should be dispOssessed
anu the interests of the great body of the people
on both Sides of the river should now be allowed
| 10 rave chances and such proceeding would
| immediately put an end to the unpleasantness
| existing between the lesses and the gentlemen
| composing the Alexandria canal COMPANY This
purchase ought to be settled with about
| $4,000
WHAT THE PEOPLE OF ALEXANDRIA COUNTY
| WANT.
Your correspondent over the signature of
"Free Bridge" has some inquiries to make, and
| he shall now have attention. He desires to know
upon what authority the writer makes the as
sertion that seven-eighths of the people of the
county want the free bridge at the ''Three Sis
ters' and the particular county that is alluded
to- As to the latter branch of the inquiry. it is
simply necessary to say that one county only
was named in the writer's communication, and
| that was Alexandria county. For his authority
for the assertion upon which was based the other
part OF the inquiry. he answers-his intercourse
with people and familiarity with the fact which
| he states. Now, there are residents Of AleXan-
dria county who are utterly Indifferent as to the
location OF a free bridge at or near Georgetown
! These people rarely or never go to GEORGETOWN
their business lying chiefly in Washington; they
are residents upon or contiguous to road which
is In perfect condition at all seasons of the year
and which runs In an almost straight line to the
Long bridge which, it must be recoHected. is a
free bridge. To pass through Georgetown to
Washington would subject them to the necessity
OF travelinSfour or five miles out of their way.
the writer has been witness to their chagrin