Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-28
THE AQUEDUCT BRIDGE.
Engineer Hunt Makes Q Report on the
Structure.
he SAYS IT Is STRONG AND suBsTASTIAL-THr
REPAIRS MADE TO TIE FIEHs--rHr MANNER IN
WHICH ONE OF THEN WAS MADE SECURE

WHICH ONE OF THEM WAS MADH SECURE
The resolution Of the Senate calling upon
the Commissioners 70 furnish Congress With
all information relative TO the piers Of the
Aqueduet bridge was referred to Captain Pic
beger by the Commissioners for his report
He in turn sent il 10 Engineer c.
Hunt, who has charge Of bridges and Is familiar
with the subject matter. The latter today
transmitted his report upon the subject through
Capt Fiebeger. The report follows;
This is resolution Of the United States
Senate relative to the piers Of the Aque-
duct bridge, and is referred to the District
Commissioners by the provisions Of the finAl
section. which reads; And be IL further
solved. That the Commissioners Of the District
OF Columbia be required 10 transmit 60 Con-
gress a detailed report OF any and all expenses
incurred in the repairs OF the piers of said
bridge since the same became the Joint prop
erty OF the United States and the District Of
Columbia, and by whom said repairs, il
any. were made, and under whose direction or
supervision the same were made. and. as fully
az may be practicable, detailed account Of the
work OF making the same. and q copy
OF the report OF any officer Of the District or
emplove thereof engaged in the said WORK or
upon any part thereof. including a statement ~
to whether the said Commissioners have ever
caused either or all Of the piers Of ssid bridge
to be tested with plumb and level. or any other
suitable instrument. TO zee il either or all Of
them are out OF plumb. and, IL so, the result Of
such examination
I'm accordance with these requirements there
! is herewith transmitted certified statement OF
the expenditures referred to, marked Exhibit
A The repairs were made under the direc-
| ton OF the then Engineer Commissioner Of the
District, Maj Charles W. Raymond and his
assistant, Capt. Thomas W. Symons both of the
corps Of engineers. United States army, the
writer Of this report having direct supervision
Of the work
| THE DAMAGE AND THE REPAIRS
"The preceding and attending circumstances
were as follows: About June 1, 1889. oc-
CURED the highest recorded freshet in
the Potomac river. On July Of that
year the District bridge keeper observed the
4 distorted shape OF certain struts in the bridge
superstructure near the Virginia end and re-
ported the same TO the District Office and TO
Col. Peter c. Hams, United States corps of en-
gineers, under wnom the superstructure had
been built Col Hams directed me, then one
OF his assistants, to make an examination as
had had charge of the erection OF the bridge
and was familiar with its normal condition. On
July l made a written report Of the results
of my examination TO Col. Hains who trans
mitted copy TO the Engineer Commissioner,
concurring In the conclusions and
recommendations therein contained. The con-
clusion was that pier No. 1, the first from the
Virginia side, had settled on it's north side by
reason OF the failure of its masonry below
| the water line or of its foundation
| The recommendation was that a submarine
| examination Of the pier be made at once. Capt.
] Symons secured a diver from New York named
Robert Rogers, who made a thorough ekami-
nation of the base Of the pier on July IL and
| reported in person to Capt Symons, who
| was on the scow from which the work was con-
Quoted, that a large secured cavity existed
| r1p1a rha a NJ fna n.
| following days the divers examination was ex-
tended TO the remaining piers and abutments
| of the bridge. BY permission Of Col Hams
/ had been transferred, temporarily, from
my duties in his Office. and was assigned by the
Engineer Commissioner TO the work of exam
ination and repair here described and was
present on the work from the first descent Of
| the diver.
The movement of the pier, as noted nj the
| top, Was q progressing one at the time Of this
| examinat ton and had been progressing since
| its hrst observance. Its continuance very
threatening TO the stability of the pier aud,
after full, though prompt and energetic
consideration Of available remedies. the method
Of repair was determined upon. This was to
restore the supporting material which the food
had carried away by packing the cavity
full Of concrete. Operations were begun on the
18th at noon and carried forward to
| completion a. rapidly possible. The. diver
engaged on the examination, Robert Rogers,
| was replaced by two others, who conducted the
\ work of repair.
1.-THE details of the work are believed to be
sufficiently exhibited in the report made by the
writer to Capt. Symons at the conclusion Of the
| work, and in a further account prepared
by the writer, with the consent of
| Capt Symons, for the proceedings of
| the Engineers Club Of PHILADELPHIA Comics
marked, respectively, Exhibit b and Exhibit
CD.
| NO MOVEMENT SINCE THEN
"1n respect TO any tests that may have been
made TO determine whether the piers were out
of plumb, / can state that / tested pier No. 4,
both with spirit level and with plumb bob
| at the time of nv first examination, and
| both tests indicated that the pier had
changed from a vertical position, the top
having moved toward the north since the
erection of the present iron superstructure No
movement Of this pier has been observed since
the completion of the work of repair here
described; none of the remaining piers were
tested as described in the resolution.
1T lie proper here to state that the existing
superstructure is an iron highway bridge de-
signed to support in addition to its own weight
q live or moving load of 100 pounds on
every square foot Of Its roadway and side
walks, and also a concentrated load consisting
OF standard steam road roller weighing fifteen
tons Every member is properly proportional
cations used were such are required
by conservative modern practice The re-
moval Of the old wooden structure formerly
called the Aqueduct bridge, the remodeling of
the substructure and the construction of the
present superstructure and approaches were
under the general charge of Lieut.. Col
Peter c. Hains. corps Of engineers, U.SA.
His principal assistant Mr.. J. B.
Duncklee, by whom all the plans were verified
and certified. The detailed plans of the iron
work were prepared by the contractors, the
Mount Vernon Bridge Company, under the
constant supervision Of Mr.. A. W. Buel. who
also inspected and tested the quality Of the
material and workmanship at the iron mills OF
Oliver Brothers in Pittsburg and at the bridge
shops at Mount Vernon, Ohio.
STRONG AND SUBSTANTIAL
"The writer was in charge Of the execution
Of the contract at the site of the work and can
certify that the structure is in accordance with
the approved plan. and specifications and that
1t Is strong and substantial bridge.
I'm regard TO the substructure the writer's
personal knowledge has been derived from
close observation during the past six years.
including the tearing out of portions Of the
masonry and the pointing up of the entire
exposed surface. The masonry Is a rough
class Of rubble, but is apparently well bonded
and substantial The submarine defects noted
by the diver in the report marked Exhibit b
have been constantly borne in mind and the
following pertinent extract from INV animal "a