Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-06
THE LONG BRIDGE.
A History of the Structure and How IL Has
Been Controlled

A History of the Structure and How It Has
Been Controlled.
.ssrsrAxr ATTORNEY THOMAS TELLS THE DIS
rKrcr COMMISSIONERS HOW MUCH POWER THEY
HAVE OVER THE BRIDGE AND WHAT RE5ULA-
lions THEY MAY MAKE IN REGARD TO IT.
Some davs ago the Commissioners directed
Assistant Attorney S. 7. Thomas to examine
the legislation regarding the Long bridge with
a view of advising them as to their jurisdiction
to make rules and regulations in reference to
travel over it.
In accordance herewith Mr.. Thomas pre-
sented his report this morning. preceding
the same with brief history Of the structure,
as follows:
A early az 1908 Congress, against the
remonstrance Of Georgetown (many OF whose
citizens thought the bridge would obstruct the
free navigation of the river and thereby IN
iuriousiy affect the commerce OF their city,,
chartered a joint stock company known as
.'The Washington Bridge Company. with
power to build a toll bridge with two draws,
he. over the Potomac river between the
terminus Of Maryland avenue and Alexander
Island q Stat, 457).
THE FIRST BRIDGE AND ITS DESTRUCTION.
This charter, after providing, with consider
able detail, for the organization of the com
pany, the powers OF its directors, the dlmen-
sions Of the bridge, the rates of toll to be
charged &c, limited the life Of the corpora
ton to sixty years from the day the bridge
should be opened for passengers, after which
time it was to become the property OF the
United States. The bridge authorized
by this act was built, but appears
to have been destroyed by the freshet
Of 1919, and the bridge company being unable
to rebuild it, and having offered to sell out TO
Al. 4 - &C. (sNrsey
approved July H. 1882 (4Stat., $50, appropriated
that sum TO be paid TO the company Tor It's
franchise, &C., by the Secretary OF the Treas
ury on receiving proper conveyance to the
United States therefor, and authorized the
President to cause to be erected new bridge
on the site of the old one, and appropriated
eco 900 toward its construction. Ihenext year
Congress raised the appropriation to S2OO, 100
and authorized the President to invite bids Tor
the construction of the new bridge as soon as
he should decide upon the plans therefor
THE ONE BUILT BY THE UNITED STATES.
This bridge, as erected by the United States,
was thrown open for travel in the month of
October 1885, when the President and his cab
met crossed it on foot and returned in car
riages. No provision as to the custody and
regulation of this bridge. called Potomac
bridge until just before the war, when ats
name was changed to Long bridge" probably
because il was then the longest bridge over the
Potomac river near Washington, Is contained
in the laws authorizing its construction. But
Congress by joint resolution passed July i,
1886, placed it IN charge OF the commissioner
of public buildings and grounds. and by act
approved March 3, 1889. the jurisdiction OF the
late corporation of Washington was extended
over it. Pursuant TO this authority from Con-
gress, the CITY of Washington by ordi-
nance approved June 3. 1853, enacted certain
rules and regulations in regard TO traffic over
this and other bridges, and from this period to
the beginning of the late war the commissioner
of public buildings and grounds and the au-
thorities of the city OF Washington exercised a
sort of joint control over 1t, the commissioner
on behalf of the United States keeping II in
repair and the city regulating its use and light
ing the Maryland avenue approach to 1t At
the breaking out of the civil war the War De-
partment took possession of II. In 1858 Con-
gress authorized the Alexandria and Washing
ton Railroad Company to build an additional
structure along the east side Of the bridge for
the purposes OF It's railroad
IN THE HANDS OF THE B. AND P. =. r. CO.
In 1861 Long bridge" as it was then called,
was restored by the War Department to the
commissioner of public buildings and grounds
and that officer and the municipal authorities
Of Washington appear to have controlled it IN
til 1870, when it passed into the hands of the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company
by act Of Congress approved June q in
that year. That act provides that the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company
may use this bridge in perpetuity free of
cost. provided that said company shall erect
and maintain the two drawbridges as not to
impede the free navigation of the river; and
that that company shall keep the bridge in re-
pair and shall give other railroad companies
the right to use il under such reasonable terms
as may be agreed upon, as Congress shall
prescribe. and provided also that in case the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company shall
at any time neglect to keep the bridge in good
repair and free for public use for ordinary
travel, the government of the United States
may enter into possession of it.
THE CONTROL OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
Whilst the act of 1870 makes the Long
bridge the property Of the Baltimore and Poto-
mac Railroad Company, it is nevertheless one
of the public highways Of the District, and
therefore under the control of tie Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia as the
legal successor of the corporation Of Washing
ton i am OF the opinion, tneref re. tlat it is
perfectly Competent for you, under the auth rity
OF the act OF the city of Washington before
referred to, TO make and enforce u regulation
TO the effect that all persons shall walk
their horses over il mot including the cause
vay) and keep TO the right. "a the law di-
reefs would suggest that boards be placed
on each end of the bridge on which shall be
written: walk your horses over this bridge
and keep to the right, as the law requires as
provided in the ordinance of 1853. ANY viola
ton Of such a regulation would subject the
offender to the penalties provided in the ordi-
nance by prosecution in the Police Court
This matter viii be discussed in board ses-
Eioa.