Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-21
TO BRIDGE THE POTOMAC.
A Hearing Before the House Committee ON
Commerce Today.

Commerce Today.
ADVOCATES OF THE PROPOSITION TO cEoss Ar
OBSERVATORY HILL AND rHosE OPPOSED TO IT
MAKE THEIR ARorNxSrs-AS AMENDMENT
PROPOSED, But NOT AcTiD on.
The House committee on commerce gave
hearing this morning on the bill authorizing
the Washington. Alexandria and Mt. Vernon
Railway Company TO bridge the Potomac river
near the old naval observatory.
MT. Alex. u. Anderson. Capt Reed and Mr.
James r. Cation Of AIexandria, Mr.. Frank Hume
and delegation Of residents Of the Virginia
shore of the Potomac appeared in favor Of the
bill
Mr.. Geo. I. Dunlop, Mr.. @. G. Boteler, DR..
Richie. Mr.. Marbury aud Neil Dumout op-
posed the bill on behalf Of Georgetown mer-
chants whose objections to the bridge are based
upon the allegation that it will obstruct nsviga-
ton.
IN BEHALF OF TIRE OBSERVATORY SITE.
MIR. Alex. ID. Anderson, the general counsel
OF the railway company. was first recognized
and said, in the course Of bis remarks, that the
bill under consideration conforms to the recon-
meDdations of the War Department ~ regards
the site OF the bridge from Observatory Hill 30
Arlington. and substantially to the plan Of ssruc-
ture submitted 10 the Senate in 1886 by Col Hsins
The company offers to pay for the bridge and
| throw the carriagsway and footway open 70 the
public free Of charge. They also expect to
complete both bridge and railway before Con-
gress meets again in December. provided the
bill becomes q law before the 4th of March.
The War Department, in its report, thinks the
bridge should be built by the government So
does the company, but the people OF Washing
ton and Virginia are tired OF waiting FOR
years and years, and rather than wait longer
the company prefers TO paw for II.
In no portion of the two reports does the
War Department even intimate that the pro-
| posed bridge will interfere with the navigation
| of the river TO Georgetown. On the contrary.
they have recommended a drawbridge at the
| place named.
The bridge proposed and the railway from
the hotel, street railway and del artment centers
Of Washington by way OF Arlington and Alex
| andria to Mt. Vernon il . matter OF import
ance not only to this city, but TO Virgins. the
whole United States and even the world, for
Arlington and Mt Vernon are the objective
points of thousands and thousands of citizens
| and foreigners who visit the national capital
each year
In brief the bill is directly in the interests Of
public economy and the public welfare and is
most valuable precedent for legislation in the
interests of tho tax payer.
Viewed from that standpoint said Mr..
Anderson, 1--WE trust your honorable committee
may make an immediate. unanimous and favor
session and the bridge be open TO the public
this year"
Mr.. NEIL DUMoST OPPOSES THE Bill.
Mr.. Neil Dumont was heard in opposition to
the bill. He strenuously objected to the
bridge, which. he urged. would be a serious
MANAGE TO commerce. Ii would virtually cut
off the part Of Georgetown. He suggested that
the road should be compelled to pass to the
rear Of Arlington and cross the river in the
| vicinity of the Aqueduct bridge
That would bring the road into and through
Georgetown asked Chairman Wise.
1T would
"And that is what you want, eh?"
This question caused a laugh in the COM
mittee. 1.
Mr.. Dumont acknowledged that such was the
fact and insisted that the proposed route Of the
road does not furnish the proper means of COM
munication with Arlington, for the cars would
| land passengers at the foot Of the hill.
| In answer to q question Mr.. Dument said that
the commerce of Georgetown is growing.
| There were go. 900 tons of coal shipped from
Georgetown last year. and that amount will
probably be exceeded during the coming year.
A large amount Of fertilizer, ice and stone is
brought into Georgetown.
SOME OBJECTIONABLE FEATURES.
Mr.. Dumont said that the bill has some OBJ
| jectionable features. 1t allows the sale OF the
| franchise and to sell bonds.
Representative Caruth asked why the bill asks
\ Congress for power to sell bonds. Does not
| the charter of Virginia. under which the road is
incorporated, give the corporation sufficient
vitality?
Mr.. Cation replied that the company is willing
| to have that portion of the bill stricken out
| Capt. Reed made q short speech in favor OF
| the bill. He said that all of the commerce of
any importance coming TO Georgetown takes a
| tow from a tugboat to reach Georgetown. The
vessels would have tow whether a bridge is
there or not. There is not a bit of danger to
| property in Georgetown by the erection Of the
bridge. One of the men interested in the road
and bridge is a large property owner, and he
does not fear damage to his wharfage by the
bridge.
AN AMENDMENT PROPOSED.
An amendment to the bill was proposed by
Mr.. BoteIer for the Georgetown people. The
amendment changes the route to run 10 the
westward Of Arlington and enter Georgetown
either on bridge to be built on the piers OF
the Aquednct bridge or on a bridge TO be con-
structed west Of the squeduct II the aque-
duct piers are used the road must be fifteen
feet below the carriageway. The road shall
not use Water street or the c. and q. canal in
Georgetown, but must find entrance to WASH
ingtor over other streets.
The committee reserved the proposed amend
ment for future consideration, and the hearing
was adjourned.
The following memorial, signed by many we'll
known men, has been sent to Congress:
1.-The proposition OF the Washington, Alex
andria and Mount Vernon Electric Railway
Company to construct, at its own expense. an
iron bridge across the Potomac, from OBJ
servatory Hill to Arlington. on the
site recommended by the War Depart
ment and substantially on the plan recon-
mended by Col P. C. Hams in his
report to the Senate june q. 1886. and to
throw the carriagewsy and footway
open to the public free Of charge, is
| in our opinion directly in the interest of
public economy and the public welfare. We
| trust proposition 30 remarkably liberal in its
| terms will meet with prompt recognition by
Congress, particularly rs it is the expressed in
| tention Of said company if the bill passes be-
| fore the 4th OF March to complete both the
| bridge and electric railway before Congress
meets again next December"
The signers are Chas. c. Glover, John W.
| Thompson. c. c. Willard. W. Z. Clark. L. q.
Hine, Z. Kurtz johnson. Thos. somerville. W.
8. Thompson, c. J. Bell, L. Gardner, James q.
Berret, Corson 4 Mccartney. Aug. Crane, jr. Geo.
Truesdeil. E. s. Parker. w. $. Roose, Harry King.
T. Y. De Graw, Beriah wilkins, Jules Guth-
ridge. F. s. Presbrey, II. V. Boynton, ". b.
Stevens, John N. Carson, o. D. Stealey, Hobart
Brooks, Walter Wellman, NJ. G. Seckendorf,
Albert Halstead. Cliff Warden, f. @. Dunneli,
W. L. Crounse. Richard II. Sylvester, II. L.
West. L. Garthe, f. p. Ferris, Frank Hatton
and Theo. W. Noycs