Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-19

The CAVERN IT HAS NADE-1r MAY TURN OWE
THE PIER AaAIS-PUr IT IN THE NATIONAL No
scum OR LET IT PRACTICE on LONG BRIDGE.
| To the Editor Of THE EVENING STAR:
Much curiosity is manifested BY citizens, and
especially by the Virginia truck farmers, to see
| the tree that has caused them so much trouble
and the city SO much expense by the damage il
is said to have done to the pier at the south end
Of ''the free bridge" They are curious to
know Of what kind of wood a tree is composed
that has the power to sink itself and acquire
sufficient nome ntum to attack and topple ovor
a stone pier weighing several thousand TONS II
is reported that this tree is of vast dimensions,
its diameter being estimated by an eminent
| engineer at four feet, though he has only had
an imaginary view OF it. At any rate,
whether large or small, this tree
| is capable of doing much harm,
and its capacity for mischief should be at once
arrested by bringing it to the surface and de-
priving it of power to commit further depre-
| dations. All well-behaved trees, unless heavily
water-logged, float upon the surface; but it
seems this one, being bent upon mischief took
"a new departure" Instead of coming down
the main channel on the surface and tackling
one of the center piers, where the current was
swift, it sneaked over to the Virginia shore,
foated down past the south pier, then, in true
military style, executed q flank movement by
turning about, swimming up stream, diving
down when the water was twelve feet higher
than 1t Is now and undermining said pier be-
low bed rock, causing frightful chasm, which
| it has taken a diver several days to fill with
| concrete. In the meantime what has become
of the tree? Only one man has seen it, except in
imagination. Why not hitch a rope to it,
bring 1t to the surface and prevent it from do
ing further harm by depositing it smong the
curiosities of the National museum, that future
generations may see what mishievous trees we
of the nineteenth century have to deal with.
Some people, and among them, am sorry to
say, may be found eminent engineers and me-
chanics, are uncharitable enough to say that
this story of the undermining of said pier by a
colossal tree is all myth. They say that
nothing short of a miracle could cause a tree
to move granite rocks from one to two tons in
weight sufficient to undermine and tOpple over
such pier.
TAKING TUMBLE.
There is another matter with regard to "the
free bridge that should receive attention. The
foot walks on the south end of the bridge rest on
sloping embankment about so feet high. The
upper part of this embankment is rip-rapped,
the stone resting on loose earth from ten to
thirty feet from the ground. A level cobble
stone gutter, with no outlet, is paved along the
side OF each foot walk. During the great
freshet of June 2 the flood in the river under
mined this high embankment. while at the
same time the heavy rain found its way through
the cobble-stone cutters. The result was that,
footwalks, cutters and rip-rap walls went tumb-
ling down the embankment together. The
work was rebuilt: precisely as before, to come
tumbllng down again during the great shower
OF July 2, just one month later. l observe to-
day that it has been constructed third time
just the same as before, to come tumbling
down again the next heavy rain.
SKILLED MECHANICS SURPRISED.
But to return to 'the topping pier Of "the
free bridge" Stone masons and the most
skilled mechanics have expressed surprise at
the statements that have been published in re-
gard to this pier. They say that it would be
impossible for that pier, composed as it is of
large blocks OF hewn granite, to settle several
inches on the east end, as it is said to have
done, without cracking at the joints where the
big blocks come together. To all appearances
above water the pier is as perfect as ever. The
low place in the carriageway over the east end
of this pier (Which is only slight) they say has
every appearance Of having been there since
the bridge was built, and may have been caused
by slight deviation or defect in the frame
work, independent of the pier. The fact that
not NUT spike nor plank has been moved
IN the slightest degree would seem to bear out
this theory.
WARNING AND SUGGESTION.
1t is said that the tree that has made all this
trouble is being buried under concrete in the
cavern 1t has made. 1t seems to me this is
wrong, as it may make trouble hereafter; for
like the tabled giants of Etna which, though
fastened with thunderbolts, every time they
move cause the Island of Sicily to tremble.
So this leviathan, buried though it be beneath
an avalanche of stone and concrete, may some
day turn and cause the whole structure to come
tumblIng down. Better not take any such
chances, captain A better way would be to
bring the monster to the surface, let the peo-
pie have a good look at it. and then bury it
under the Long bridge. with liberty to do all
the mischief it pleases. Nothing short of a
miracle will ever rid us OF the nuisance called
Long bridge. ]. II. CRANE