Evening star., 1897-06-12
BRIDGE TO ARLINGTON
Another Step Taken in the Proposed On
dertaking.
Lieut.. Col. Allen to Make Necessar,
Surveys Another Rock
Creek Crossing.

Gen. ]. NJ. Wilson, chief Of engineers, has
| taken prompt action in two matters Of spe-
cial interest to the citizens of the District.
One relates to the construction of the pro-
posed memorial bridge to Arlington, and
the other has to do with the bridging of
Rock creek at Massachusetts, avenue ex-
tended.
The sundry civil appropriation bill ap-
proved June 4, 1897, contains the following
provision in regard to the memorial bridge:
ITO enable the chief Of engineers of the
army to make the necessary surveys, sound
ings and borings and for securing designs
and estimates for memorial bridge from
the most convenient point of the naval OBJ
servatosy grounds, or adjacent thereto.
across the Potomac river to the most con-
venient point of the Arlington estate prop
erty, 81 800"
Gen. Wilson has assigned to Lieut. Col.
c. ]. Allen. the officer in charge of Poto-
| mac river improvements, the work entailed
by the above provision OF law.
Urged by Secretary Lamont.
Ex-Secretary Lamont is entitled to spe-
cial credit for having interested Congress
in this most commendable undertaking
In his annual report for 1895 he said:
Improved means of communication be-
tween Washington and the Virginia shore
must very soon be provided. Another bridge
Is not Cniy q COnceOeQ necessity 10 the
population of both sides of the Potomac
and as an approach to The national Gene
terry at Arlington, but also as a military
convenience to bring the principal garrison
of the national capital within easy reach
of Its streets and public buildings.
Twice / have submitted the suggestion
that such a structure can easily be made
the most impressive Of the worlds memori-
ais to heroism. The natural advantages of
| the site are unsurpassed. The region is
associated with war as no other region of
cur country, and the site is distinctly ma
tioEal Such memorial bridge. ornament
ed with statues of our greatest warriors,
with symbolical figures of the strong quail
| tiles that warfare brings into play, and
with representations Of the crucial events
| in national history, would be the same in
comparable memorial to the greatness Of
a peaceful people aroused by war our
single shaft to Washington Is the wor: hiest
monument to individual greatness which
human genius has yet executed. 1t is
not proposed that the establishment of the
bridge shall now be provided for. but 1t is
urged that its ultimate memorial charac-
| ter shall be considered in the first designs
and earliest appropriations"
Last year he again brought the matter to
the attention of Con gresS in the following
words: The favorable consideration which
Congress at its late session gave to the
project for an Arlington memorial bridge.
which has been repeatedly urged by this
department, encourages the hope that this
necessary structure will be authorized at
| the coming session. The bridge Is an un-
disputed commercial and military neces-
| sity as a means of communication between
the banks of the Potomac at Washington,
but Its memorial character ought not to be
| overlooked The natural site and national
| asso Citations with it afford the opportunity
| for a monumental structure uneuuaied in
beauty and Significance. The Aqueduct
| bridge is inadequate and unsightly, if not
| abss lutely unsafe"
The execution Of this provision of law
mas been entrusted to Captain D. D. Gail
| lard, the engineer officer in charge of the
| Washington aqueduct.
Another Rock Creek Bridge.
| The act making appropriations for the
! expenses of the government Of the Dis
trict of Columbia for the fiscal year ending
| June 30 1885, contains the following pro-
| vision:
| THAT the chief of engineers of the army
shall report to Congress at its Eext regular
| session plans for and the cost of erecting
| a stone arch bridge, and also a steel bridge
| with stone foundations, over Rock creek on
| the line of Massachusetts, avenue extend
/ ed, the full width of said avenue, and for
| this purpose the sum Of 5000, or SO much
| thereof as may be necessary, is hereby ap-
| propriated."