Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-20
CHIEF OF ENGINEERS
Gen. Wilson's Annual Report to the
Secretary Of War.
COMMENTS ON LOCAL WORKS
Bridges Across the Potomac and
the Water Supply:
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

Brig. Gen. Jno. M. Wilson, chief of en-
gineers, has submitted his annual report to
the Secretary of War. The following ex-
tracts relate to local works under charge
of his office:
BRIDGES.
Operations under this head were in the
charge of Lieut.. Col Chas. J, Allen, Corps
of Engineers
1. Repair of Aqueduct bridge-In COM
pliance with Senate resolution, January 81
1893, an examination of the piers of this
bridge was made with the aid of a diver
A report in detail of the examination was
rendered June u, 1893, and on the 18th of
July following estimate of the cost of
repairs was submitted. BY act of August
Is, 1894. an appropriation of $51,07O was
made for the repairs. Under this appro-
priation piers Nos. 2. 3, 3, 6, and were
repaired by means of Portland cenient CON
crete in bags placed by diver. and the
repair of pier No. was made by means of
a cofferdam within which new masonry
was laid in large eroded cavity at the up
stream end of the pier. This work was
completed in August, 1895.
AS the work of repairs proceeded 1t was
found that the old masonry of the pier,
which was built about 1898, had not been
started from solid rock and that part of it
was of poor quality. There also a
crack in the masonry extending nearly
throughout the entire height of the pier.
1t was decided that it would be necessary
before long to remove the defective ma
sorry in the remainder of the pier and re-
place it by masonry of proper quality
founded on the solid rock. The existing
appropriation was insufficient for this pur-
pose and it was therefore necessary to ask
a further appropriation. AS the cofferdam
would be needed for the proposed work, 1t
was purchased from the contractors upon
" them Of their work IN 1880
The unexpended balance of the appro-
priation. amounting to $4,690.30, was COW
cred into the treasury.
A full report and estimate of the cost OF
removing all the old masonry of the pier
from the coping down to the bottom and
rebuilding from the bottom up was render
ed under date of November 20; ise2 ana
printed as House Doc. No 15S, Fiftyfourth
Congress- first session, and in the annual
report of the chief of engineers for 1896,
page 1856. The cost was estimated at $780,
600, which sum appropriated for re-
construction of pier No. by act of Con-
greSS of June s, 1896
A contract for the work of reconstruction
of that pier was made with the Houston
Construction Company OF Philadelphia,
Pa, May II, and approved May %, 1897
The total estimated amount OF the con-
tract was $4,000.
The contract work was to have been
completed by November j, 1897, but the
contractors, at their request, were grant
ed an extension of time to June 30, 1885;
The contractors abandoned the work on
the Both of April, 1898, and in consequence
their contract was annulled May p, 1893.
For account Of this proceeding reference IS
made to the annual report for the fiscal
year ending June 80 1898. War had been
declared by the United States against
Spain, and in view of the expected increase
in travel across the bridge resulting from
establishment of camps, etc, it was not
deemed advisable at that time to under
take a new contract for the work.
Under date of March 81 1899. proposals
We're invited through pubic advertisement,
for making the repairs contemplated. and
contract for the same was made May IL,
1899, the work to be completed November
l. The contractors had not commenced
work by the close of the fiscal year.
2 Memorial bridge The Sundry civil act
approved June 4, 1897, provided for sur
vey, examination, etc, as follows:
Memorial bridge across Potomac river:
To enable the chief of engineers of the
army to make the necessary surveys.
soundings and borings, and for securing
designs and estimates for a memorial
bridge from the most convenient point of
the Naval Observatory grounds or ada
cent thereto across the Potomac river to
the most convenient point of the Arlington
estate property, $500.
The survey was duly made, the informa
ton obtained, plated and mapped, and
report rendered. The report was published
az House Doc. No 1888, Fifty fifth Con-
gress. second session.
By act approved March 3, 1899, Congress
made the following appropriation:
Memorial bridge across Potomac river:
To enable the chief of engineers of the
army to continue the examination of the
subject and to make OF secure designs, cal
culations and estimates for a memorial
bridge from the most convenient point of
the Naval Observatory grounds, or adjacent
thereto, across the Potomac river to the
most convenient point of the Arlington es-
tate property, the sum of $500"
Designs for a bridge are to be invited by
competition from a limited number Of
bridge engineers.