Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-21
A MENACE TO THE CITY
Why the Long Bridge Should be
Removed or Rebuilt.
COL. HAMS STRONG REASONS
The II aiIroad and the Driveway should
be separated-A Description of the
Proposed PIan-Wagon Road Over the
FInts-To Prevent Floods.

thdb the pItstuSS VI the Long BrluRe III ltt
present condition Is menace to the city, be-
sides being a positive element of danger to
those whose business takes them across it.
There Is scarce an annual report of this officer
in which he has not called attention to this fact
In forclble terms, pointing out with great
strength and clearness the urgent necessity OF
either entirely destroying the bridge and re-
placing it with new one or else repairing it so
as to reduce the danger. He has always recon-
mended the former course. The reclamation
of the flats and the establishment on the river
front of the large tract of new ground, together
with the plans for turning this area into park
at some future day, have had considerable
bearing upon the question of how to go to work
to make the Long Bridge an ornament and a
useful structure instead Of the menace that it is
now. besides which that much-aggrieved ques-
ton of the railroads in the city has done a good
deal to cOmplicate the matter.
THE NEED OF BRIDGE.
There is no doubt about the necessity of the
presence of a large bridge at that point upon
the river. not only from the needs of the rail-
roads which enter and leave the city there but
also for the accommodation of the large num-
Der OF people who daily make pilgrimages from
Virginia. There is at all times a constant stream
of traffic across the bridge in either direction,
and any accident that temporarily throws the
bridge out of use seriously discommodes hun
dreds of farmers and others who are obliged to
use the structure constantly.
The bridge is old and shaky and there have
been serious doubts expressed at times to
Its safety even III the calmest of weather. while
during the periods of high waters II is a risk to
life to venture across 1t. In connection with
its consideration of the railroad problem in
this city the Senate recently called upon Sec
Rotary Proctor for information bearing upon
this whole matter, and ill the reply which was
sent to the Senate II Is quite possible that the
solution to the long yexed matter as to what to
do with this bridge found The Senate
wanted to know if, in the opinion of the Sec
Rotary OF War. 1t was desirable to separate the
wagon road from the railroad on the north side
of the main channel of the Potomac, and if
anything i'll this line should be done what it
would cost. This was asked. it was stated. as
bearing upon the improvement of the river
front.
The Secretary, of course, referred the matter
to the chief of engineers. who sent il at once
to Col Hams, who sent back his reply on the
I'd of last April. In his report he gives a brief
history of the bridge as follows:
HISTORY OF THE LONG BRIDGE.
Long Bridge was first built in 1909 by the
Washington Bridge Company. and the act OF
Congress, February 3, 1o0S, which authorized
its construction authorized the collection of
tolls. At that time there was no causeway be-
tween the Washington channel and the main
or virginia channel. as there is now. In 1881
the bridge was destroyed by freshet In 1894
an appropriation was made to rebuild il aud it
was rebuilt In 1910 it was again partially de-
strOyed by freshet and the sudden breaking
up of ice. In 1913 ii was repaired and again
opened for travel In 1870 the Baltimore and
Potomac Railroad Company authorized to
take possession of and extend its tracks across
the bridge tsee act approved June q, 1870
under certain conditions.
These conditions of ownership were. first.
that the railroad should at all times maintain
the bridge in good condition for railway and
ordinary travel, it being TO remain at all times
free bridge for public use for ordinary travel
second, that if the company should at any time
neglect to keep the bridge in good repair the
government might enter again into possession
By virtue of that act of Congress the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad Company owns the
bridge. by which is meant the entire structure
from the Washington to the Virginia shore, in
GLIDING the cauSevay across the flats, the total
length of this being 4,677 feet
The freshet OF year ago did great damage
TO the bridge. and 1t was afterward necessary
10 support that part between the abutment at
iith street and the north end of the causeway
by trestles.
col. HAMS OPINION
Col. Hams said that in its present condition
he regarded the bridge as being far from
convenient structure, and that the portion
spanning the Washington channel is now in
such a state that the question of rebuilding il
entirely rather than repairing il is from
motives of economy alone, one for serious
consideration.
He adds: 1t may be assumed that there will
always exist q necessity for a bridge at or in
close proximity to the existing bridge; that il
will be needed for railroad and ordinary traffic;
that the traffic of both kinds over it will in
Crease from year TO year.
Under the circumstances, and in view of its
present condition and of the improvements
now being made by the government on the
river front, it would seem that it is desirable
to separate the wagon road from the railroad
provided their separation be made in ac-
eordance with some compre hensive plan of i'm
provement that Is ultimately aimed at for this
particular locality, and III which the railroad
company and the government are both so
vitality Interested
WHAT IS NEEDED.
The first thing then to determine is. what
should be the project aimed at? The govern
ment has already expended over a million of
dollars in improving the river front by filling
up the marshes flats and digging out chan.
nels for the accommodation of commerce. IL
has created an area of $50 acres of land above
overflow by ordinary tides where formerly
there existed acres Of pestilential marshes.
The land thus made though not yet raised TO
hAC ANAA assumes
value estimated as IN excess of its cost, and is
susceptible OF being made into one of the fin
est parks in the District This land Is cut in
two by the causeway portion Of the bridge
and. should the government decide To utilize il
o. park, 1t Is OF supreme importance that the
railroad tracks be carried over il on a grade
that VIII allow free communication beneath
them. 10 keep the railroad on the grade of
the park would be decidedly Objectionable.
Again, that part OF the Long Bridge that
spans the main channel of the river Is as now
built a serious obstruction 10 the free flow of
the river IN times of freshets. The board of
engineers that recommended the plan of i'm
proving the river 'front.' now being carried out
called attention to the necessity of rebuilding
that structure with wider spans at an early
stage of the work. The freshet OF June last
emphasized it. Reports have frequently been
made to Congress calling attention to the mat
ter. Had the freshet OF last June occurred
when the river was full of ice gorge would
most probably have formed at the bridge and
destroyed II. At the same time a much larger
area Of the city would have been inundated
There Is no possible way of preventing
freshets. Moreover, they are more apt to
occur when the lee in the upper Potomac
breaks up after heavy rains. Long Bridge has
been AZ least partially destroyed several times
already. When there Is u freshet in the river
ample room should be given to allow the water
TO dow of freely. II it be partially damned
structed, the level will be raised and the
chances of the water being thrown in ON the
city increased.
The reconstruction Of Long Bridge over the
main channel Of the river forms an essential
part OF project that Looks IN ha