Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-18
STANDING MENACE
~ ] HINOINO WlIVHCl
Long Bridge Condemned as Dangerous
and Unsuitable.
VIEWS OF COL. JOHN M. WILSON
Report of Col. Hams, Made Ten
Years Ago.
DEMAND A NEW STRUCTURE

General Wilson, chief of engineers, has
deep personal interest in the success of the
movement for the removal of the Long
bridge and its replacement by a suitable
structure of modern design In all his re-
ports to Congress he has pointed out the
utter unfitness of the existing structure
and the necessity for bridge adequate to
the growing needs of the case, constructed
as to permit the free passage Of the
river currents and to minimize all danger
from freshets. He holds, however, that the
War Department is precluded from inter-
fering with the present bridge, under exist
ing laws. The railroad company holds
possession of the bridge by express permis-
sion of Congress- and can only be dispos-
sessed by the action Of that body. Accord
ing to his view, the War Department could
not resort to such an extreme measure as
TO blow up the bridge, even for the purpose
of saving life and property, without au-
thority of Congress. AT any rate. he con-
siders it a question of law which cannot be
decided by the engineer department of the
army.
As to his own powers in the matter, he
holds that he has no more right to blow
up the bridge than he would have TO blow
up a private dwelling house that was con-
sidered dangerous to the community
Other engineers advance the argument that
blowing up the bridge piers would only
make matters worse. as the shattered parts
OF stone, wood and iron would form a tan
gled mass on the bed of the channel which
would prove greater obstacle to the pas
sage of the current than exists at present.
In his report to the Secretary of War,
printed in yesterdays Star, Gen. Wilson
said that there was no law under which
the Secretary of War could remedy exist
ing conditions, and suggested by implica-
ton. that the matter be brought to the at
tention of Congress as the only power au-
thorized to deal with the question and af-
ford the much-deSired relief. In reviewing
the case Gen. Wilson referred to a report
made by Col. Peter Hams Corps of Engi-
neers, in 1890, in response to a Senate
resolution of inquiry in regard to proposed
improvements of the Long bridge.
Col. Hains' Report.
Although written nearly ten years ago,
the report, it is suggested, of Col. Hams
has especial application to the situation as
1t exists today, the only difference being
that the conditions are even worse now
than when he showed the urgent necessity
for the immediate reconstruction of the
bridge. The report was follows:
BY Endorsement of March 10, 1890, office
of the Senate of the United States was re-
ferred to me for report:
In the Senate of the United States.
March T. 1890.
Resolved, That the Secretary of War
be requested to investigate in connection
with the Potomac fats Improvement. the
deslrabllity Of separating the wagon road
from the railroad on the north side of the
main channel of the Potomac, and to fur
nish an estimate of the cost of the same.
Attest: 'ANSON G. McCOOK
Secretary
In obedience to your orders | have to
report as follows: The main channel of the
Potomac is that one between the outer
margin of the Potomac flats Improvement
and the Virginia shore and is commonly
known as the Virginia channel. From the
north side of said channel as well as
across It, to the south end of Maryland
avenue. the Baltimore and Potomac rail
road tracks and the public wagon road ere
on the same bridge and necessarily close
log ether. 1t is presumab bly, to the serara-
uon OF these on the north side of the chan
mel that the resolution of the Senate Of the
United States refers.
Long bridge was first hU.lt in 1900 by the
Washington Fridge COMPANY. and The act
OF Congress. February >. 1soe. which au-
thorizcd its construction. authorized the col.
lection of tolls. At that time there was no
cagstW1y between the Washington chan
rel and the main OF Virginia channel as
there is now. In 1881 the bridge was de-
srpyed by freshct. In 1874 an appropria-
tlon was made TO rebuild it and IL was re-
built. In 1910 ii was again partially DO
Stroyed by freshct and he sudden break
ing up of ice. In 1~43 il was repafrcd and
again opened for travel In 1870 the Balti-
more and Potomac Railroad Company was
authorized t. take possession of and OK
tend It's tracks across the bridge lsce act
approved June II, 1870 under the following
conditions, to wit
e 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 for ordinary travel.
That if the said Baltimore and Po-
tomac Railroad Company shall at any time
neglect to keep said bridge in good repair
and free for public use for ordinary travel
the government Of the United States may
enter into possession of the said bridge;
and Congress reserves the right to alter or
amend this law
Railroad Property.
THE bridge remains today the property
of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad
Company by virtue of that act of Congress
BY the term bridge Is meant the entire
structure from the Washington shore to the
Virginia shore. including the causeway
across the flats. The total length of the
bridge, inclusive Of the causeway, Is 4677
feet. The railroad is a single-track road.
The wagon road Is close alongside Of 1t the
entire distance.
freshet of last June and it has been neces-
sary to support that part between the 14th
street abutment and the north end of the
causeway by trestles.
AT one place the bridge there is
barely width enough for single wagon
and a single train of cars to pass In It's
present condition it is far from being a
convenient structure, and the separation of
the wagon road from the railroad, so that
one would be entirely independent of the
other. would be an improvement over the
existing arrangement. Indeed. a wagon
road and a railroad on one and the same
bridge is always Objectionable and is only
tolerated from necessity. The portion of
the bridge that spans the Washington
channel is now in such a condition that the
question of rebuilding it entirely rather
than repairing it, is one for serious con-
sideration. from motives of economy.
1t may be assumed that there will al
ways exist necessity for a bridge at or in
close proximity to the existing bridge; that
1t Will be needed for railroad and ordinary
traiiic; that the traffic of both kinds over
1t VIII increase from year to year.
Under the circumstances and in view
of its present condition and of the improve
ments now being made by the government
on the river front, it would seem that IT
Is desirable to separate the wagon road
from the railroad, provided their separa-
ton be made in accordance with some COM
prehenSiVe plan of &,