Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-10-04
THE BRIDGE TO BE CLOSED.
The District Comm missiOners Will Barri
cade it IT Noon Wednesday.

Mr.. Thomas B. Entwisle building inspector,
and Mr.. D. E McComb, assistant engineer, on
Saturday made the following report to Col
Ludlow, Engineer Commissioner:
1--WE have the honor to report in reply to the
inquiries contained in the letter of H. H. Wells,
ESQ.,, president Of the Alexandria Canal and
Railroad Bridge Co., of September 27th. 1886,
that In our opinion, the bridge being en-.
tirely relieved Of the weight OF water in the
trunk, in its present condition, is not safe Tor
travel on the roadway,and to use 1t temporarily
1t should be laterally braced, as suggested in
ton Of the trusses, aud that only for
temporary use: as the trusses are in
use of the roadway the trusses should
ne drawn to perpendicular position, and
the defective members of truss and
timber: Before again using the trough its sup
ports should be entirely reconstructed, as all
that portion is SO far decayed that it is liable TO
give way II loaded at any moment, and
though the structure Is relieved of the weight
OF water 1t would not be prudent to allow use
Oh the roadway until properly secured, as
The District Commissioners held a confer
ence saturday afternoon with the attorney for
the District with the view of ascertaining what
authority they have. If any, to close the bridge
to travel
THE COMMISSIONERS ORDER THE BRIDGE TO BE
CLOSED.
The District Commissioners to-day made the
following order: 'That pursuant to the several
examinations and reports as TO the condition OF
the Aqueduct bridge made to the Commits
si0ners OF the District OF Columbia by its proper
officers, conclusively showing that until certain
repairs shall have been made. it is not safe Tor
public travel and traffic. the said bridge be
closed and barricaded al both ends until said
repairs are completed and reported upon favor
ably to the Commissioners. This order to take
effect October d, 1886, at twelve m." An
official copy of the order was sent to the
Alexandria canal and bridge company.
This order was made after receiving the fol-
lowing opinion from Mr.. Henry T. Davis, assist
ant attorney OF the District:
Reierring to the matter Of the Aqueduct
bridge, so called, over the Potomac river at
Georgetown. desire to say, on behalf of both
Mr.. Riddle and myself, that further cOnsidera-
tion OF the subject tends only TO confirm the
opinion jointly expressed by US to you at our
conference on Saturday last, namely: that in
unsafe for the purposes OF travel and traffic you
have the power OciOse it and keep it closed un-
til rendered safe. OF this we have no more
doubt than OF your right and duty to make amy
other exercise of the police power essential to
the safety of individuals and the public in the
use OF a public highway"
commissioner Webb said to q STAR reporter
to-day that he had no doubt OF the Commits
sioners authority to close the bridge. When
asked about closing 1t on the Virginia end, he
said that the courts had held il tO be taxable by
the District to higli-water mark on the Virginia
side. The barricade could be placed at high.
water mark.
Commissioner Wheatley said he and Com
missioner Ludlow had passed under the bridge
timbers are completely rOtted, he said, land it
Is wonder It has stood SO long. The bridge
has swung over to the west. and believe there
Is danger of its falling at any time" Speaking
ley said the District Comm isSiUners had moth
ing to do with that, as IL was matter of pri-
vate enterprise. somebody would probably
start ferry there. he thought, and make some
money out of it.