Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-23

thS" "lRHelQ VINO were authorized 10 con-
struct bridge from the foot Of Kentucky ave
nue. TO the land of Matthew Wigfeld. The
bridge was to be made twenty feet wide. with a
thlrty-foot draw. and was to have stone abut-
ments The issue of stock was limited to two
hundred and twenty-five shares of SZ0G each
he toll receipts were to be divided in annual
dividends, and at the expiration of the charter
the bridge was to pass under the control of
congress. the District survey having already
been made. Gen. Washington. who was first
in nearly everything else. was also one of the
first to advocate the old bridge, as is shown by
the following:
LETTER FROM PRESIDENT WASHINGTON.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. u. 1895.
To the Commissioners of the Federal City:
GESTLEMEN:-Your letter of this 18th instant
with enclosures has been received by the
President of the United States. and he directs
me TO inform you that your proceedings ex-
hlolted thereby meet his appreciation. The
enclosed section of a bridge designed Tor the
Eastern Branch was put into my hands by Mr..
BIodgett with a request that would present it
TO you Tor your consideration. The various adj
VahtaGes belonging to IL he will explain 10 you
on his arrival in Washington, which he pro-
poses to visit shortly.
am, gentlemen. &C..
+. ID ANDRIDGEl. Secretary.
IL Is known that the Father of His Country
was accustomed to bridging over difficulties.
Ills original plan, i is said, tor five bridges
over the branch within the District. but hun
dred years have passed and only three have been
provided. When South Capitol street gets the
one that is now almost in sight and some other
point between Pennsylvania avenue and Ben
nlngs is bridgcd there Will be nothing left for
the residents along the branch to complain of.
TWICE BURNED.
In August. 1911. when the British army I'M
der Gen Ross was looking at suburban real
estate near Marlboro, with n view of taking
some. Col James Monroe then Secretary OF
state. went out on an Inspection tour 10 see
what they wanted. Learning that they desired
only improved city property, southern exposure
preferred. he sent messages TO the folks in
town 20 pile their fences and other combHstible
material on the several bridges leading TO
Washington and get their old hints ready for
fireworks. His recommendation was obeyed.
but when the red coats approached the city
they took the Badensburg road to give our
militia time to get really scared before the
hghtlng begun. Gen. Nlndcr. then in COM
mand of the tenth military district, which in
cluded Washington. Lad withdrawn his troops
from Old Fields to the city as the British APP
preached on the 23d and on the afternoon of
the next day the armies, consisting of about
1000 men each. met on the Washing tou side
of the branch near BladensburS. 1t wasn't
much of a battle; III fact. 1t WAS good deal
IKE Mississippi electOn-some thirty or so
killed and good many got away. After the
polls closed the British army moved on TO see
II they could find Washington. It was while
the invading army was coming to town. about
D or O'Clock in the evening OF
August II. that body of marines under
Capt Creighton Of the navy set fire to the
old kentucky avenue bridge. The Bennings
bridge was also burned by our own forces the
destruction of both bridges being evidently the
result OF emotional insanity. as the British had
already crossed the branch at Badensburg
The next day, after they had burned Il few
public buildings and pied the Nat oaaI Iateij-
geHceF Office. they returned to the Patuxent via
the Biadensburg bridge and most of the way
over the Marlboro road. BY an act of Con-
gress passed March 3, 1915. the Eastern Branch
Bridge Company was paid $50. 500 for the DAM
age done to their bridge, and. being repaired.
II was continued as toll bridge TIL about
1911, after Which 1t was dlsused for general
travel but continued as foot passage till in
1910 1t caught fire from a steamer passing up
10 SkagSs camp meeting near Benniugs and
was destroyed. The old plling may still be
seen at low tide by the passer-by.
OTHER DISTRICT BRIDGES
The Kentucky avenue bridge was the first
over the Eastern branch in the District. being,
as above stated. authorized by act of the Mary
land legislature December "a 1875. Thirteen
months later, January 90. 1871 the Anacostia
Dridge Company was incorporated by the same
authority and authorized to build a bridge at
many changes. but bridge is still there. By
au act of Congress passed February "a. 1919
tie construction of the Old Navy Yard bridge
was authorized and the present one was built
under the supervision of Gen. Babcock during
President Grants second administration.
The first bridge in the District was the stone
arch bridge over Rock creek at the foot of X
street-bullt in 1886 ut a cost OF $4,000. Its
opening made the occasion of a grand
celebration.
The Long bridge over the Potomac. originally
known as the Washington bridge, was built in
1921.
The Aqueduct at Georgetown was built by
the Alexandria Canal Company and opened
TO the public IN 1843. In 1866 the aqueduct was
leased for ninety-nine years to Henry H. Wells.
Philip Quig.ey and Vim. W. Duncan, who built
a bridge over the aqueduct with aid from
the Georgetown corporation, but the heavy
tolls they charged made it very burdensome
and agitation for a free bridge was begun and
kept up for twenty years. Congress in 1886
bought the old bridge and built the new one
over the aqueduct piers. April II. 1883 the
people of Georgetown got up early and put on
their best clothes. for it was on that day that
the new bridge was dedicated to the public with
a grand celebration. The contract price for
building 1t was $50, 1852