Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-29
THE MEMORIAL BRIDGE.
Gen. Wilson Earnestly Recommends
LeUislntiOn

zen. -" 1lsOn Earnestly HeCOm I'M n a 4
Legislation.
Gen. Wilson makes the following state
ment and recommendation in his annual re.
port in regard to the memorial bridge pro.
ject:
The sundry civil act approved June 4,
1897, provided for a survey, examination,
&C., 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
the naval observatory grounds, or ada
cent thereto, across the Potomac river to
the most convenient point of the Arlington
estate property, So, 500"
The survey was duly made, the infOrma-
ton obtained, plotted and mapped and a
report rendered.
By act approved March 8, 1899, Congress
made the following appropriations:
Memorial bridge across Potomac river
To enable the chief of engineers of the
army to continue the examination of the
subject and to make secure designs,
calculations 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 At the Arlington es-
tate property, the sum of $1,000"
were obtained from four of the most dis
tinguished American bridge engineers,
each of whom associated with himself at
least one architect Of established reputa-
ton and ability. The designs were all
very complete, the estimates accurately
and carefully made and the competition in
every way gratifying.
The report of the board of officers of
the. Corps of Engineers and of architects
appointed by order of the Secretary of
War to consider and report upon the rela-
| tive merits of these designs was submitted
March Is, 1900 and it is to be regretted
that time admitted of but a very few of
the numerous and valuable drawings OBJ
tanned being reproduced in it,
The board recommended that design No
Of those submitted by Mr.. w. H. Burr
be adopted, with minor notifications taken
mainly from his design No. /, the cost OF
which notifications the detail in which his
plans had been worked up rendered sus-
ceptble of easily and accurately estimating
The estimated cost of the design as recon-
mended Is 81 $50. 600. This report was trans
mtted to Congress and published.
Congress has given much favorable con-
sideration to the construction of memorial
bridge across the Potomac river to the ma
tional cemetery at Arlington, and consid-
Grafton has also been given to a national
boulevard connecting Arlington with Mount
Vernon. Several reports with plans and
approximate estimates have been submitted
since 1886 by officers Of the Corps Of Engi-
neers in response to calls by Congress. In
v,ting attention to the reports heretofore
presented, 1 earnestly ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
sional action looking to the early COM
mencement of these great enterprises-the
memorial bridge and the boulevard
In accordance with the provisions Of the
| sundry civil act approved March 3, 1899
and by authority of the President of the
United States and the Secretary of War,
four eminent bridge engineers submitted
competitive designs for a bridge combining
the elements of strength and durability and
such architectural establishment and or
namentation as will fifty apply to the dedi-
cation, "A memorial to American patriot
ism :"