Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-01
T H E LONG RIDGE.
Major Davis Comments on the Potomac
River Obstruction.
1t il a Constant Menace to Interest,
on the River Front-Work That
Has Been Done.

In his last annual report Gen. Casey, chief
of engineers, referred briefly to the con-
dition Of the Long bridge, as reported to
him by Maj. c. E. L. b. Davis, the engineer
officer in charge of the Improvement of the
Potomac river. Gen. Casey's remarks have
been printed in The Star. but Mai. Davis
report on this particular subject has never
been published until today. 1t is as follows
On June 30, 1892, the reconstruction OF
| that part of the Long bridge which crosses
the Washington channel on plans approx
ed by the Secretary of War had nearly been
completed by the Baltimore and Potomac
Railroad Company, but on filling the ap-
proaches with earth a decided settlement
and movement of the abutments was de-
veloped. The movement in the south abut-
ment was so serious that the abutment was
taken down to the water level and rebuilt
In order to prevent further movement
large numbers of piles were driven in the
bed of the river between the pier and the
atutments. The connection between TIE
wing walls of the new bridge and those OF
the reservoir outlet has not yet been made
by the railroad company. IL is advisable
however, that this work be deferred until
all danger of further movement in the
bridge abutments has passed.
The project for the Improvement of the
Potomac river provided for rebuilding the
Long bridge over the Virginia channel
with wide spans upon piers Offering the
least possible resistance to the flow OF
water" AS the improvement progresses
the necessity for this becomes more and
more urgent. The existing structure is an
obstruction to navigation, in that the draw
is not properly located, the direction OF the
opening being oblique to that of the i'm
proved channel. The piers of the bridge
are more numerous than are necessary IN
a STRUCTURE built according to modern
plans, and are in a direction oblique TO the
now of freshets. Furthermore, they are
surrounded by great quantities OF ripraI
stone, which has been deposited around
them from time to time to protect them.
1t is estimated that below low-tide level
the natural discharge area Of the Potomac
river at Long bridge is reduced over 80 per
cent by the piers and their foundations as
they exist today.
Long bridge, on account of its faulty con-
struction, remains a constant menace TO the
interests on the river front above II, and
also to the work of improvement OF the
flats, upon which the government has al
ready spent large sum. In the event OF
freshet occurring while the river is full OF
ice, the most serious results are to be ap-
pretended, and such contingency is not
at all unlikely. Should an ice gorge form al
Long bridge, ii would back up the waters
of the river and overflow portions of the
city front and, through the sewers above
the bridge, such of the lower parts of the
city as are drained by them.
During the fl eshet of June, 1889, the water
reached a height at Long bridge of about
thirteen feet above low tide. The street
surface at l4th and b streets northwest is
about eight feet above low tide, and during
the freshet referred 10 the water was about
five feet deep in the street at that locality.
Great damage was done by the freshet OF
1882 but greater damage may occur from a
freshet of lesser magnitude If accompanied
by an ice gorge. The bridge should be re-
built as recommended by the board of en-
gineers.