Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-07

formerly there existed psstiientisl marshes
Independent Of the benefits to navigation or
the incidental benefit to the health Of the city,
tho value of this land IL estimated TO be far IN
excess Of the cost
WORK THE PAST TEAR
The amount expended during the past year
has been slS7, 94l.50. This sum vas devoted 70
completing certain dredging in the Washing
ton channel, raising some OF the embark ents
along the outer margin OF the fsts, protecting
to some extent the embankments thus formed,
constructing the reservoir outlet, and other
work incidental to carrying on an extensive
work OF this character. IL is proper TO re-
mark that the work has suffered from
lack OF sufficient money to prosecute
1t with more vigor. III funds had been more
literally provided much larger amount OF
work would have been accomplished at a still
lower proportional cost. The work has been
practically at stand for nearly year.
Comparatively little was done during the
year ending June so, 1890, no appropriation
having been made the previous year. The
masonry OF the reservoir outlet was completed
up, to within one course OF the head
walls and the coping during December,
1889. and the gates put in place. The
removal of the cofferdam was completed about
the middle of March. 1890. The gates work
very satisfactorily. There is now an available
balance Of only IS, lS472.
PROTECTION FROM FREsHEr.
The importance of an early appropriation Of
about $500, 900 is strongly felt The work that
has been done at an expense Of about el, 500,
600 should be put in a condition Of safety
against damage by freshets.
From business point of view this IL urgently
demanded. The dredging In the Washington
channel is now nearly finished. II is deep and
for the most part wide and commodious
single freshet is apt to damage it immensely.
The amount Of material that can be washed
into it, scattered over Q large space, will
necessitate expensive dredging to remove.
The embankments around tho margin of the
oil to retain the material placed on the fats
have now been raised to considerable height
They are constantly being eroded by the waves
and need frequent expenditures to maintain
them. They should be protected by q revet-
ment Of stone.
1t would be an economical measure for Con-
SjI0.000 which could be applied in such a
way as to protect what has been accomplished.
Subsequent appropriations could then be made
moro leisurely and without danger TO the work
done.
THE LoNo BRIDGE.
1.-THE necessity for early action in regard 70
the reconstruction Of the Long Bridge has
been referred to in my annual reports for the
last eight years. II 10 now imperative
that this work should no longer be de-
layed if the destruction Of the bridge
itself As well as damage to the work on the
river front. and STILL greater damage to the
city is not to be invited. The government has
ton and raising tire fats.
While Long Bridge remains az IL 10, the work
on the channel above it must be done over and
over again. The trouble is not that there 10 Q
bridge at this place 1t is because Of the faulty
construction Of the bridge. The spans
are Short the piers too numsr-
Gus and set in positions that make
them more Obstructive TO the flow of the water
than they need be. Besides they are built on
pile and grillage foundations, which reach
about to the level Of low water and
require enrockments or mounds Of stone
around them to keep the material composing
the bed Of the river from being washed away.
As the bridge will be used by the railroads and
by the public generally il would seem to be
only fair that the government should pay one
half the cost OF its reconstruction.
BRIDGE TO ARLINGTON.
THAT bridge of some kind to connect the
public lands on the two sides of the Potomac is
urgently needed scarcely admits OF argument
The only question is, what is the most suitable
kind of a structure and what ID the most eligible
location?
Any bridge that does not give clearance un-
der il OF at least $50 feet TO the water would be
more or less Of an obstruction Al 70 location
it is evident that the line Of New York avenue
extended, or one very near 1t, ID by far the
most desirable providing no extraordinary en-
cheering difficulties are TO DO met on that
line.
There are about i,05s aeres of land in the
Arlington property. The Potomac fats and
the connected public grounds west of it aud in
GLIDING the Capitol contain about LILO acres
more. The approaches on each end will be on
public property, 50 that land damages viii not
increase the cost or cause litigation. The posi-
ton is about midway betwe N the Long Bridge
and the Aqueduct Bridge.
1t is the shortest route from any point along
the shore line to the Arlington Cemetery. Il
s. believed that there are no engineering Diff
culties in the way.
With view to meeting the objections TO .
draw bridge and at the same time 70 bring the
cost OF one without q draw within reasonable
limits, l have designed bridge on the suspea-
sion principle. The clear height above the
water at mid-channel to be los feet
The river span to be !, 100 feet and the two
shore spans $50 feet each. The approaches at
each end to be on masonry arched visducts
cables TO be Of steel passing over two granite
towers each about 2lo feet high. pierced
with arched openings tor roadways and
anchored into masses OF masonry at the outer
end OF each approach. The grades 70 be 3
the shore spans and feet per 100 on the APP
proaches. The extreme width Of bridge 10
be about 81 feet with . roadway
Tor vehicles "a fest wide In the clear and two
sidewalks for pedestrians feet ssch. Lateral
ties extending ont from the sides u the towers
and vertical vibration by means Of The four
trusses.
The cost would be about %, sel. 90 By re-
ducing the width 70 70 feet, making the road
way "a feet instead Of 81 Q reduction at about
e500,000 can be made in The estimated
cost A still further reduction Of
about 100000 could be made By
building the approaches on iron trusses resting
on masonry piers. IL 10 proper 70 add thai
these notifications would detraet from the
dignity Of the structure and would not harmon
ize with the architectural features Of othsr
parts of the work.
The report also includes rspsrt a ths
advisability of separating The vssea road fssq
the railroad on che north aide Of the main
channel Of the Potomac and on account Of TIE
construction Of the Pennsylvanta svsnus bridge
across the Eastern Branch, history Of vkich
was printed In TEE 6rAs some time ga
TIE Wool Grower National Associates has
issued an address 10 the wool growers Of the
United States, calling attention . the dangsrs
Of Senate amendmssh % ~ xeKtnisy taEtl
bia sesssruing vsel