The morning times., 1896-12-31
ARLINGTON MEMORIAL BRIDGE.
Committee Makes Strong Plea for
~ It's Construction.

tOtlllHtee MakeS StFOIiS Eied iOf
It's Construction.
The committee on river and harbor i'm
provement says:
We renew our recommendation that all
our efforts should now be made TO the
Secretary or War and Congress, asking for
an appropriation for the Anacostia River
from the Navy Yard Bridge to Giesboro
Point, sufficiently large to bring I up and
into the general improvement project.
We would further recommend that all
that part of the Anac0Stia River lying
east and north OF Navy Yard Bridge be
placed in the hands of a special commit
tee for the purpose OF securing an appro-
pIfation for the improvefn .no Of the same az
a sanitary measure"
a very strong plea for the construction
OF the proposed Memorial Bridge across
the Potomac is made by this committee.
IL says:
"Since 1886 up to the present time the
building OF this bridge has been urged
repeatedly upon the attention of Congress
by successive Secretaries of War, chiefs
OF engineers and quartermaSters-g general Of
the Army. Within brief period the
representing not only his owH views, but
stating that lie came by direction of the
Secretary of War, has been before your
committee and strenuously set forth the
entire inadcquacy of the present means
OF communication with the large military
post at Fort Myer, the insecure character
Of the Aqueduct Bridge, and the fact that
it. would take twice the time To reach the
!
would be required for that purpose under
| thc conditions presented by this bill. -
we quote from tile report Of the pres
ent Secretary OF War for l S93 as follows.
Very large sums have been approprl,
! ated by Congress for the construction of
roads TO cemeteries. more or less unirnpor-
tant, in various parts of the couptry, but a
like generous care has not been besto wed
upon Arlington, the most important of all
| The Arlington Heights grounds contain
| 1,10O acres, with frontage OF about one
| mile on the Z Potomac They constitute one
| Of the grandcst and most beautiful parks
| III the country the national cemetery Cccu-
pying about one-fifth of the inclosure. In
addition To It's tistprscal associations, the
| park abDunds in rare natural beauty. and
has been most carefully kept and improved
| Few cities have so fine park contiguous
| totheir borders. Arlington Cemetery, where
| so many heroes lie buried, has in a large
! measure become, like Great Brtain's West
minister Abbey, the nations "Walhana'
| g 'Consecrated as it is o oIr lIustrious
| dead, with its stately and expressive monu-
] ments commemorative of the deeds Of
| patriots, its halIowed associations and It's
| lessons appeal strongly to all visitors To
| the nations capital But the journey
| thither by a roundat out way, and frequent
| ly well nigh impossible, is not only tedious
| and uncomfortable, but involves an cx-
| penditure of time ana money which deters
| great numbers from undertaking it.
! - A bridge over the Potomac at or about
| the terminus of New York avenue, near
| Observatory Hill, would furnish a short
and direct route to the park and cemetery,
and W ould, in fact, bring them to our very
| doors But The park and cemetery are not
| alone to he considered. As a means Of
| direct and rapid communication between
! the capital and the important military post
| OF Fort Myer, which adjons the park On
! the Forth, the value, In military sense, OF
a bridge ut this point cannot be Overesti
| mated. Such a bridge would also practi
| caIly Join this beautiful park to the large
| area of reclaimed lands OF the river, all
| OF which is to form one grand park. Plans
| for sucn a bridge have been prrparedby the
| Engineer Department, ana its construction
| is urged as a necessity. II is respectfully
J recommended that Congress be requested
| to make an appropriation therefor