Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-02-27

THE AQUEDUcT BRIDGE.-Yesterday
afternoon the District of Columbia COM
m~issioners gave a public hearing to
those persons interested in House bill
5Sa3. providing for the reconstruction
ofthe AQueduct bridge. The bill au-
thoriz 9 the commissioners to enter into
contract with any street railroad now
chartered or hereafter to be chartered
and constructed in the State of Virginia
10 reconstruct that portion of the Aque-
duct bridge now occupied by the west
tootwav OF the bridge and to lay there
op-a single track for the use of street
railways. The work is to be done un-
der the supervision ofthe engineer COM
missioner. The bill also empowers the
commissioners to authorize any street
railway which shall terminate on the
Virginia side to cross on to the track as
above constructed, the company enter
inc into contract to pay to the district
no less than / cent for each passenger
conveyed over the bridge, the money
50 derived to be used in keeping the
bridge in repair. 1t is also provided
that only horse power shall be used as
q motive power, and the COM
m~issioners are empowered to COM
mel any street railway which termi-
mates at or near the north end of said
bridge 10 construct a continuation of
lis lines so as to connect at the north
end of the bridge with lines crossing
the same.
Mr.. c. G.. Lee, representing the pro-
posed Great Falls road, explained the
purposes of the bill. He argued that
il was absolutely impossible for a street
railroad to build a bridge across the
Potomac at or neal the Three Sisters.
The lowest estimate yet placed upon
the building of a bridge was $4,000
and no railroad could hope for many
wears to come TO get sufficient travel to
warrant such an expenditure Mr..
Lee said il the traffic during the month
of October. 1892. when the Washington
and ARLINGTON Company ran over the
lrilse and cqrried 20,0o9 passengers.
wa any criterion the tax OF cent n
passenger would 3e sufficient TO kee"
the bridge In repair.
Dr.. Bjteiie spoke MS . representative
If the citizens OF Georgetown ANA
favored .he.malsure. He SAID ~ pres
ent the peorlc OF Georgetown feel cut
ll irom ~. Improvements IN the mat
Ter of railways, aud there is some talk
tj comnliN being formeijH George
4NU 10 operate % road ACROSS the
&C. provided permission can be On
u from Congress. lie suggested
sire hii b. amended 80 as to aliow con
tract#i ID be ep-erciIutO with other than !
lre ela companies.
a. pifiips was anxious that moth
2oui,i Ire done IN the matter Until
l. eaio{luy had Been Organized 10 oper-
ai he road across the bridge. He was
decidedly II favor Of permission being
er.utel for the proposed Use OF TN
bridge, as he was II large holder OF real
estate on the other side of the river,
and railway facilities would build up
chat suburb. Mr.. Phillips regretted
chat the portion of Alexandria county
originally coded TO the District by Nir-
giuia had ever beer returned to the lat-
Ter State.
G. c.. Boteler favored the bill, because
it would be the means of providing a
connecting link between the District
aud the country across the river, and
would help to build up the surbubs,
which now are practically beyond reach.
The proposition to utilize the piers
under the footway, which had been
advanced, was not favored because of
difficulties to be encountered. 1t was
urged that the east footway would be
sufficient to accommodate the pedes-
trian travel.
The commissioners took the bill
under advisement, stating their desire
to give every facility to travel across
the bridge.