Evening star., 1898-02-18
THEEONG BRIDGE CAuSEWAY
Obligation Of the Railway Company to Keep
Itin Repair.
Col. Aliens Repost on, the Conditions
Attendipg 4he Use of tho
Ohrueture.

Some time ago. complaint was made by
w. T. Walker q Co., brickmakers. and
others in regard to the condition Of the
causeway Of the Long bridge, which was
represented to be almost impossible and
badly in need of repairs. The matter was
referred to Colonel Allen. Corps Of En-
giners, in charge of the Potomac river i'm
provemerts. The communication of Messrs.
Walker and others referred to the act of
Congress- OF June 21, 1870, which author
lied the Baltimore ands>Potomac Railroad
Company to take possession of the bridge
and to the proviso requiring the company
to maintain the bridge in good condition for
railway and ordinary travel. They alleged
that for some years past the railway COM
pany has been 9persstently neglecting to
keep the road of this rcauseway of the
Dridge In such repair as to make X suit
able for ordinary travei;" also, that an
non span has been erected at the north
end:of the bridge several feet higher than
the roadway, the approaches to which are
very sseep: that the acauseway, as well
as both<of its approaches to this iron span
are particularly. bad and not, fit for any
kind Of travel: that the companys atten-
tion has been often called to the condition
OF the eaaseway. but nothing In the way
OF permanent repair has ever been done
and no attention has ever been paid to
draining the water out Of the driveway,
and thats the road haI become practically
impossible. a,ssss.
The Building of Long bridge.
Colonel Allen made a report in regard to
the use OF the Long bridge by the Balti-
more and Potomac Railroad Company,
from which the following extracts are
taken:
Long bridge was first built in 1909 by
hn "ooh
act of Congress February 5, 1903. which
authorized its construction, authorized the
collection of tolls. At that time there was
no causeway between the Washington
channel and the main or Virginia chan
mel, as there Is now. In 1881 the bridge
was destroyed by freshet. In 1884 an ap-
preparation was made to rebuild 1t, and it
was rebuilt. In 1910 1t was again partially
destroyed by freshet and the sudden
breaking up Of ice. In 1S43 it was repaired
and again opened for travel. In 1870 the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company
was authorized to take possession Of and
extend Its tracks across the bridge (see
act approved June 21, 1870, under the fol-
lowing conditions. to wit:
provided that the said Baltimore and
Potomac Railroad Company will maintain
IN good condition the said bridge for rail-
way and ordinary travel, and the bridge
snail at all times be and remain a free
bridge for public use and ordinary travel
that II the said Baltimore and Potomac
Railroad Company shall at any time neglect
to keep said bridge in repair and free for
pubic use for ordinary travel the govern
ment OF the United=6tates may enter into
possession of the said bridge; and Congress
reserves the right to alter or amend this
law
THE bridge, as understood by this office.
is.the entire structure from the Washing
ton shore to the north end of the cause
way on the Virginia shore. The total
length Of the BRIGGS, including the cause
way on: the Washington side of the Poto-
- Hnt 10 A
1eet. The wagon road is close alongside of
the railroad for the entire distance
+Ihe causeway ;on the Virginia side is
not, understood to DE part of the Long
bridge (which went ianto the hands Of the
railroad company by virtue Of the act of
1870. ~
RecOnstructton in 1s81-O2.
I'm 1s01-92 the Baltimore and Potomac
Railroad Company reconstructed that part
of Long bridge which crossed the Washing
ton channel on plans approved by the War
Department. The portion of the bridge
across that channel, prior to that change.
consisted of wooden spans on masonry piers
and OF total length of 100 feet. The great
er part Of the old Washington channel was
filled with earth, and two plate-girder spans
resting on two abutments and one pier were
built across the waterway Immediately be-
lew the outlet gates of the large tidal res
ervoir. The roadway of this plate-girder
bridge is at an elevation of about five feet
above that of the original bridge roadway
at this point. l am informed that it was
the intention that the grade Of the wagon
road should be the same as that proposed
for the track, as had been the case previous
to said reconstruction. In the copy, in this
office, of a report, July %, 1891 (3946-1S91),
there Is the following in regard to changes
Of reconstruction proposed by the COM
pany: The grade of the floor of the new
structure will be 205 feet above low tide or
about feet above the level Of the present
bridge floor at this point. This grade (of
205 feeD is necessary for a well-propor-
toned plate -girder bridge, with the lower
fange at an elevation Of r. There is no
practical difficulty in conr Getting this wath
existing gredes on Maryland avenue and
the Long bridge causeway.'
The grades of the wagon road approaches
to the girder span are at present too steep
to accommodate the wagon traffic across
Long bridge. 81"
Complaint has been made to me several
times. since have been here, of the condi-
ton Of the roadway. These complaints have
been referred by me to the chief engineer
of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
with the result that repairs have generally
been made promptly. but they have not been
permanent. The roadway Is in bad condi-
ton and should be properly reconstructed.
Il have written to the chief engineer of
the Pennsylvania railroad. with which sys-
tenn the Baltimore and Potomac railroad is
connected. calling his attention to the con-
dition of Long bridge roadway and stating
in general terms, what is needed
Causcwny to BE Repaired.
Mr.. J. B. Hutchinson. general manager of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company re-
piled 10 Col. Allen follows:
Il am in receipt of your letter of January
IS to our chief engineer, Mr.. w. H. Brown,
calling attention to the condition of the
causeway over the Potomac fats, and beg
to advise you that instructions have been
given to have this causeway put in good
order as soon as the weather will permit
Us to do so, when l hope all cause of COM
plant will be removed"
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SVnnEN M A