Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-22

effectiveness are simplicity and grandeur.
The river spans of such unusually long
arches possess an impressiveness as COM
plete structures which it is essentially i'm
possible to realize from any plan on paper.
1t has been suggested by some that the
plan might be more ornate in character
AS designed the structure is estimated to
have on 1t about one million dollars worth
of statuary and carving. Indeed, the great
river arches. with all their impressiveness
and long series of beautiful approach arches
on either side of the river. are admirably
adapted to the reception of such emblemat1c
figures, statuary or carving as may be
suitable to give it any desired intensity OF
expression as a memorial to American
patriotism. This additional establishment
need not necessarily be given to the bridge
at the time of it's construction, but could
be added from time to time in the future
historical events or epochS in the MIS-
tory of the country might require. There
are many pedestals along the entire course
of the structure which could receive from
time to time in the future statues OF pa
triotic Americans, as was indicated IN the
letter of transmission which accompanied
the original plans. In connection with this
entire matter of ornate treatment 1t should
be remembered that the foundation ele-
ments of the design for the best artistic
results must be simple and harmonious with
the structural elements of design, and the
successful plans are pre-eminent In TINS
admiral Bile kind if excellence.
Some Interesting Comparisons.
AS bearing upon this matter of the mag
nitude of the structure it may be interest
ing to state that the Alexander III bridge
in Paris, an arch formed of steel castings
and thrown across the Seine in the EXPOSE
ton grounds, and about which much has
been written in admiration of the structure,
has clear span of only little more than
one and one-half spans of any single river
arch of this bridge. In other words. the
arch portion of the proposed memorial
bridge at Washington is more than ten
times as long the span of the Alexander
III bridge in Paris. The beautiful memo
rial structures, all arches, across the Seine
in Paris are none of them more than about
twice long a single river span of this
structure and none of them have so wide
a roadway. Precisely the same class of
observations apply to comparison OF the
Tower bridge of London with this structure.
1t is no exaggerati ton to state that the Lon
don and Paris structures, noted for their
beauty. practically toy structures as
compared with the proposed memorial
bridge. In considering, therefore, the mat
ter of the establishment of the memorial
bridge 1t must be borne in mind that the
ornate treatment of structure of such size
must be consistent in character with It's
proportions and dignity.
In Its report the board of award dis
cussed to some extent the interior details
of the structure. These details lie under
meath the roadway between the spandrel
walls and above the arches. They are de-
tails only, and do not in any way pertain to
the plan of the structure as a whole. 1t was
proposed in the plans that the roadways
should be carried upon steel columns. but
1T is just consistent with the character
of the whole work to replace those columns
with concrete walls and pillars. The cost
of construction is practically the same
whichever details are used. The designers
Of the structure have made complete and