Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1890-01-27

yey Of The routes for Mount Vernon Avenue,
says:
sc order TO determine the kind of road
way that ie called for 10 the act, the question
occure, What is its object Il is not for
commerce. 1t has no military value. 1t
does pot pastake Of The nature of an crGina.
ry work OF internal Improvement. II is
true, it would be OF great value to the sec
ticn OF country through which it would pass,
but tc the nation ii has practically no pecu
mary value. What, then, IL the object? 1t
is 10 satisfy the cravings of patriotic sent:-
ment that fills tha hearts Of the American
peuple to honor the name of Washington.
Whatever tends to keep alive the memory
! of his character and virtues will tend To
make Us all better citizens OF the Republic
a road, therefore, built from the capital of
the nation to the tomb of its founder, would
not bs such SIS is built for ordinary traffic.
| L should have the character OF monument
al structure, such as would compors with
! the dignity Of this great nation In such an
undertaking. and tho grandeur OF character
Of ths msn TO whom 1t is dedicated. The
question Of cost would be one Of secondary
consideration
| Such national highway would be for all
time 1t would be always in a process of
development. With the increase of popula
ten would cone increased demands, for
which provision must be made al the start,
| as far as human foresight can do so. 4
good road, 24 feet wide, would to-day meet
| tue existing demands OF travel, for there ia
not fairly good road in existence between
Mount Vernon and the capital, though the
the distance is only about IA miles; but
great nation like ours would hardly under
AXE 10 construct county road to Mount
Vernon ss memorial 10 Washington. II
| undertaken at all, something far better is
called for. Il should be wide enough to
give il character. enG still have room for
future adornment and expansion. The
grades should bs light, the alignment lie
graceful curves, and it should pass over
some of The high grounds from which the
beautiful scenery along the route could be
enjoyed, aud possibly near the places that
Washington himself quented-places hat
now Rave historical interest because as
| socsted with him. Parking, either or each
side or in the centre. or both, should form
| an essential feature. The roadway should
be well paved and we'll kept. In fine, it
should be such work as no American need
feel ashamed Of The crossings OF all
streems, as sell as of lhe tracks Of the sev-
| era! railroads that run into Alexandra and
| Washington, should be on permanent con-
struclions of stone Easonry, The designs of
which should be in harmony With the mon
umeutal character of the work. Iron trussed
bridges while they might be used in the
early stages, would be neitber permanent
| nor 10 keeping with the general design of
work OF this character. If used at all, they
should be only ss temporary expedients.
The act making the appropriation calle
| for "sulveys of national road from
/ a point in Alexandris county, Virginia,
a. or near the Virgioia end of the
Aqueduct Bridge" as before stated, the
| scrvey was started from The south end of
that Bridge, but it would be far more In
keeping with its character as national
road " to have ii start from some point on
tho Arlington estate, at the terminus OF
handsome bridge spanning the Potomac.
The question Of constructing memorial
bridge across the Potomac at or near the
| foot CT New York avenue, connecting Ar
Iington Cemetery with the capital, has al
ready been the subject Of Congressional con
s,deration, and doubtless bridge of some
kind will be constructed there at no distant
| CAV. The Virginia end of such bridge
would seem tc be the most suitable point OF
starting for national road" to Mount
Vernon. Not Only is the point of starting
more in keeping with the general design.
|
| Vernon would be materially shortened
The initial steps In such work need not
be extravagantly costly. Much Of 1t would
at Grst be of O temporary character, to be
replaced By more permanent structures Ia.
ter on. Ii is necessary, however, to provide
ample width. A right Of wsy $50 feet wide
has bseu provided for in the estimateF. Per
baps the greater part Of it would be do
mated BY people along the route; but SlOO
psr acre has been assumed in the estimates
a. a ssfs valuation. Over this strip from
Arlington TO Mount Vernon it is assumed
that the State of Virginia would readily
cede its jurisdiction to the United States
for such 40 undertaking. The cost of such
right of way is so insignificant an item, that
it is bette. 10 provide fer all possible future
contingencies st the beginning.
In the estimates so feet of road bed has
been assumed as the minimum that should
! be constructed, as it is important that all
embankments should have ample time to
settie and become compscted A road
of so feet would admit of driveway of 80
or 60 feet, and Is or 10 fest of parking on
each side of it. 1t is believed, however, that
it would be preferable to make the road-bed
| l20 feet, with 60 feet for drive and 80 feet
of parking on each side, and estimates have
been made for this also. The parking could
| be utilized in many ways over part of the
/ route. Within short time it might be nec-
essary to provide straf1ic roadway to accom-
moGate heavy teams.
The masonry bridges should be about 60
feet wide, as they will be permanent con-
structions not susceptible to increase in
width.
TIE road covering should rot be luxurious
to 3 horses feet. At the same time it should
give g smooth surface. Such a surface is
I furnished by what is known as the Telford
covering. It consists OF a paving OF rough
stones about inches deep. This is covered
by shout inches of small broken stone, and
! this by about inches of gravel, the latter