Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-05
CAPT. GAlLlARO'S REPORT
ACCESSIBILITY of Widening Pennsylvania Ave.
nue. Bridge Over Rock Greek.
ommendation Of the Commission.
ers IN Respect 10 Its Use by Capt.
tai Traction Company.

In their report to Congress upon the bill
amending the charter of tie Capital Tr,c-
ton Company the District Commissioners
advocated the discontinusnce of the use Of
the Nj street bridge across Rock creek nv
that company AMI the Use of the Aqueduct
bridge at PcnnsylvaI Ia Avenue I'm lieu
thereof To strengthen their recommended
ton in this respect they referred to The
recent report of Capt. IL. II. Gaillari. the
engineer officer in charge of the Washing
ton aqueduct. in regard to the ACCESSIBILITY
of widening the Pennsylvania avenue
bridge. The Commi sioners said that the
use Of this bridge by the railroad COM
pany, permitting IL 10 straighIen its line
at that point, would be OF marked public
benefit.
In his report on this subject Capt. Gall
lard said:
"All the bridges are in excellent condi-
ton, with the exception Of the wooden
flooring of the roadway ever the Penusyl-
rSnia avenue bridge, which is considerably
v orn, and viii soon require renewal The
| roadway OF Pennsylvania avenue. which ia
The vicinity is 5S.J feet in clear width. Is
contracted on the bridge TO r clear width
CT but IL feet and as drivers are required
to walk their teams while passing over The
bridge, congestion OF travel results dur
ing the busie hours of the day causing
Gelay and annoyance, as there az not room
for ono team to pass another. ard consC-
Gucntiy the Speed OF alt teams CI the bridge
Rowing in the Same direction il limited by
that of the team in front. Especially is this
annoyance felt by the thousands of bicycle
riders who daily pass over the bridge ard
who, 'nless experienced ri lcrs. fire.
quently forced to dismount and lead their
bicycles over the bridge, the rate OF pro-
gross of the teams blocking the roadway
ahead being too slow TO allow an mex
I.ertencei ridcr to maintain equilibrium In
addition, the slightly apI,e arance Of IN. ave-
nue. is much injured by the extreme con-
| traction at this point.
4 Graceful Structure.
| This bridge, the property of the Washing
| ton aqueduct, is very graceful in appear
ance and is unique among the bridges Of
| he world. in that the roadway is sup
ported upon arched ribs formed by two A.
| ihch cast-iron pipes, through which flows at
| least half OF The water consumed 10y the
| city. 1t would seem. therefore, that any
| plan 10 widen the bridge slcIla preserve
| beth the graceful form and the distinctive
features of the bridge.
A losrd of engineers, constituted Fchru-
| airy >. 1871. and composed of the following
officers of the United States Corps of En-
| sineers, Gen. Z. b. Tower. Gen. H. q.
| Wright and Gen. q. \. Gilmore. WIS
sembied 10 examine into the propriety Of
| certain proposed notifications of this
bridge. This board after due consideration
of the matter reported as follows:
| 1t would, in our opinion, therefore, better
| accord with the position on Pennsylvania
4
| architectural effect of other aqucduct struc-
| lures to widen this structure. without
| changing its design, by the addition of two
| arched iron ribs similar to those Of the
| present bridge and 10y widening the abut-
| mentS.
| These two arched ribs should be made
about as heavy as those of the present
| bridge AS the previous discussion shows
| the latter to be abundantly strong without
| the truss work, in the new construction the
| greater portion of the Whole weight of the
| bridge could be thrown upon the added
| arches, not used as water pipes.
| We regard the arch far more slightly,
| beautiful and architectural than the truss,
and therefore mere suitable for this post
| ton.
Gen. Casey's Views.
| On April 26. 1877, the late Gen Thomas l..
| Casey, United States Corps of Engineers
Qetired), then in charge of the Washington
| aqueduct, requested by the chief of
| engineers to investigate and report upon
| the present anG prospective use of that
| bridge a highway, etc" This he did on
July ~, 1871, his report concluding with the
! following opinion:
L am further of opinion that the present
| and prospective interests OF The citizens Of
washington and Georgetown do demand an
| increase in the width of the roadway ana
| of the footway, the present width being OF
| the roadway only Il feet and of the foot
| ways AZ feet each.
| The abundant strength and stiffness os
| the present bridge, under any statical or
| moving loads that are likely TO he placed
| upon it, are clearly shown by the investi-
/ cations of the board OF engineers. a de-
| tailed in its report of April q. 1871. and I
| agree with il as 10 the manner In which the
| Widening OF the road and footWay should
| lie accomplished. should il be- decided to in
| crease their width, namely, by the addition
| CT two arched iron ribs simil ar to those Of
| The present bridge and by widening The
| abutments. The estimated cost of widening
/ the bridge in the manner above stated is
| S15Gt0.
| While / believe that the interest and con-
venience of the citizens of Washington and
| Georgetown demand the widening OF this
| bridge, yet because the present structure
| amply sufflces for all requirements of the
| Washington aqueduct system, and because
| during the past few years no official COM
| plants regarding the width of the bridge
| have been made to this Office, no estimate
| is submitted for this work the estimates
| for the next fiscal year being confined TO
| those subjects directly affecting the opera
| ton of the Washington aqueduct.
III. VI. TABER DENOUNCEs RELIGION,