Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-21
The Proposed Memorial Bridge.
To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:

WAsHINsroN, DC, October IS.
Capt. Symons' Recommendation in The STAR.
that the proposed memorial bridge be built, is
most sagacious and suggests further thought.
1t should be Immediately constructed because
1t is an imperative necessity to the nation as
well as to the District of Columbia. 1t is para
mount at present to the question of restoring
the District of Columbia to the original and
constitutionally prescribed limits of 10 miles
square. For inasmuch restoration is a mat
ter requiring Congress, as a preliminary step.
to req cal the act of retrocession, 1916, under
which the District was pruned of Alexandria
county; and further, must then have the deter
mination Of the legal status Of the county by
the Supreme Court, years may elapse before
the desired end of reversion can be attained.
On the other hand, however every national
municipal and private interest, on both sides Of
the Potomac demand that it be bridged at the
earliest day possible. The nations interest
lies in the fact, that though its Arlington
estate is most important and essential
adjunct to the national capital, it lies
there as helpless and useless as we're it
In Montana. Our civil war demonstrated that
a sagacious enemy could have annihilated our
public buildings and driven the government
from the city with heavy field pieces alone
planted on the heights of the Arlington estate.
Between both Long bridge on the one side of
Arlington and the free bridge on the other are
strips Of Virginia territory, each one over one
mile wide. The government, therefore, can
not today reach its own property, even under
executive direction, without crossing over state
lines. How disastrous such condition of affairs
can be was clearly exemplified at the outbreak
of the civil war when not soldier was thrown
across the Potomac for defense of the national
capital until one of the justices of the Supreme
Court satisfied the commanding general that
the retrocession of Alexandria county to Vir-
ginia was unconstitutional. and that therefore,
the Long bridge terminated on government,
not state property. No soldier can now stand
upon Arlington heights and repress
feelings of surprise that Congress did
not years ago, by bridging the Potomac with
its own structures, secure positive and unques-
tionable means of direct communication with
the estate, and thereby make it a part of the
District of Columbia. Connect the mall at the
foot of 18th street with Arlington by bridge,
and then state rights, or state wishes, or the
individual citizen. can never in the future in
terpose against the proper defense of the ma
tional capital on its western and most important
approach. The Arlington estate contains LOO
acres, not one-half of which is now used for
cemeterial and other government purposes.
Between the cemetery and the Potomac river
is a beautiful slightly undulating plateau Of
over 600 acres. with river frontage directly on
deep water channel, of over one and half
miles in length, and everywhere permitting the
anchorage Of ocean vessels, and every foot of it
is susceptible of easiest drainage. and. beside,
it is far above foods. Make this plateau part
Of the mall by proper bridging and the nation
would have supreme authority with its SOL
diery police. DC. over a magnificent stretch
Of nearly SIX miles, triangular area with
the apex at the capital and base
Of nearly two miles situated back into the heart
Of Alexandria county. Again, the nations
needs for exposition grounds can be perfectly
served by occupancy of the lower Arlington
plateau. The cost Of a bridge, ample for all
possible purposes for connecting these grounds
with the city, could hardly be 80 great as the
cost of acquiring a suitable site for the exposi-
ton elsewhere. Chicago has demonstrated
that bridges high enough to permit the unob-
structed passage of steamers with draws for
masted vessels work no injury to a city's ship
ping interest, and she has a thousand ships
where we have one. A bridge here twenty-five
feet above high tide would, with such draws as
Chicago has at every street, give perfect inter-
communication. and that without detriment to
any shipping interest. Such bridge could be
erected prior to 1892, and at cost of less than
S500.0O0. The foot of 18th street is the only
point on the city's front to which our entire
street-car system converges. Opposite the
mall the government would not have to acquire
abutment or bridge rights of any nature from
the state or citizen, as its ownership Of the Ar
lington front OF one and half miles gives it on
the Virginia side absolute control of site for
any and all possible future bridge uses Then
with the amplest railroad facilities and with
wharfage deep and extensive enough to permit
the anchorage of Thousand ocean steamers,
the nation can with its Arlington estate offer to
the world the grandest exposition site to be
found in this country. R. S. LACEY