Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-15
PARKS AND BRIDGE
War Department on the Proposed
Pennsylvania Railroad Bill.
AGAINST The use OF PARKS
Two Bridges Opposed by the
Engineer Department.
AMEN SUGG ESTED


lafsly introduced in the Senate by him. so
far as it relates to bridges across the Poto-
mae river and the parks under the juris-
dicton of the War Department.
The report was rnaGe to the Secretary of
War and by him transmitted to Senator
Mcmillan. Gen. Wilson in his report has
transmitted to Mr.. McMil an reports from
Col. bingham relating to the public parks
proposed to he occupied by the tracks of
the railroad company and Col. Allen in re-
Iation to the plan of bridging the Potomac
Il proposed in the bill
Many important suggestions in relation to
them made in these reports, which fol-
low:
Gen. Wilson's Report.
General Wilson says in his letter.tA the
Secretary:
L have the honor TO acknowledge the ret
erence to this office of letter, dated the
22d instant. from the Senate committee on
the District of Columbia. inclosing Senate
bill No. 1919. to provide for eliminating
certain grade crossings on the line of the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company,
in the city of Washington, District of Co.
Iumb.a. and requiring said company to de-
press and elevate its tracks and to enable
il to relocate parts of its railroad therein,
and for other purposes. and requesting
report on the bill far it relates to
bridges across the Potomac river and the
parks under the Jurisdiction of the War
Department. The legislation proposed IN
the bill touches the interests committed to
the charge of the War Department in the
following particulars:
IL BY authorizing the appropriation by
the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Com
pany of certain United States reservations
in the city of Washington.
- BY authorizing like Appropriation oil
certain areas in Potomac Park.
s. BY authorizing the destruction of the
present bridge. known as the Long bridge,
across the Potomac river and the construc-
ton of two bridges in lieu thereof.
''Regardi the first proposition, atten-
ton is respectfully invited TO the accom-
panying report. dated the 18th instant.
from Colonel Theo. A. Bingham, the officer
in charge of public buildings and grounds
from which 1t will be seen that the area
proposed to be taken by the railroad COM
pany for its own use amounts to 341s acres
near the center of the city. and that the
carrying out of the plans of the company
will seriously affect the beauty and utility
of additional areas. l concur in the opinion
of Colonel Bingham that this proposition Is
objectionable. and favorable action thereon
is not recommended.
Regarding the second and third propo-
sitions, / beg to invite attention TO the &C
companying report of the 18th instant by
Lieutenant Colonel Charles ]. Allen, Corps
of Engineers, the officer in charge of the
improvement of Potomac river. BY the
second proposition, contained in section IA
of the bill, the company is granted the use
and occupa ton of a strip of land 800 1eet
in width and extending entirely across Po-
tOrnac Park, area of about twenty-five
acres Colonel Allen states that this area
would include about thirteen acres upon
which the present government contractor
for dredging in Potomac river is to de-
posit dredged material, and also portion
of land at present occupied by the Depart
ment of Agriculture for experimental or
test purposes. He recommends that the
section containing this provision be elimi-
mated. IN which l concur.
no ir1 rNrny,ngirinr1 / contained O.
lions IL and II of the~bill the former re-
guirinS the removal by the company of the
present Long bridge and the building of a
new railroad bridge in lieu thereof, and the
latter requiring the construction by the
Secretary of War of a new bridge for high
way travel above the site of the present
Long bridge. Concerning this, Colonel AL
len SAYS:
The existence of two bridges across the
Potomac river, contemplated, would be
Objectionable from every point of view.
Such arrangement would be detrimental
to navigation The general line OF highway
travel should be maintained, and that would
bring the two bridges close together. There
would thus be delay and more danger TO
vessels in passing the two draws.
Two rows of piers across the stream, in
close proximity to each other would form
q greater obstruction than would one row.
separation of the two bridges sufficient to
meet the needs of navigation would require
that they be distant from each other about
] 900 to 300 feet. That would not only
necessitate a marked deviation from the
present line for vehicular traffic, but it
would also require the traversing of Poto-
mac Park by draught wagons, &c, along a
line considerably to the westward of the
present causeway, to the great detriment of
Potomac Park.
should be met bys the construction of a
combined railroad and highway bridge
structure across the Virginia channel, the
highway crossing Potomac Park at or
lbnn1r ri a en- n 10 1iSr afNs.e
from the railroad track and connecting
with the spans and bridge across the Wash
ington and Virginia channels by suitab BILE
inclines. The lowest part of the portion of
Long bridge across Virginia channel to af-
ford a clear head room of at least IS feet
above mean low tide. For the pres
ent causeway across the flats Potomac
ParD a viaduct of steel, of open work and
pleasing design, should be substituted, in
order to afford carriageway through it,
and also a clear view through il of the
park beyond the viaduct, and no greater
width of park should be occupied by the
viaduct or other portions of the bridge or
in connection Herewith than that neces-
sary for the crossing of the two parallel
tracks at the usual distance apart, as we'll
as for the width of the inclines connecting
| the highway with the bridge, and for the
usual stations for operating the track
| Il am of the opinion that the construction
| of two bridges, as contemplated by the bill
| Is objectionable. and | concur in Colonel
Aliens suggestion for the construction of a
| combined highway and railroad structure
| Colonel Allen submits proposed substitute
| for section IL Of the bill, embodying his
ideas above expressed, which is COM
mended for the favorable consideration of
| the committee. The letter from the COM
| mittee. with its Enclosure, is herewith re-
turned.
The Parks.
Col. Bingham. in his report to Gen. Will
son. says:
The United States reservations invaded
| by the proposed bill Is. 1920 and the areas
/ included. are as follows:
| No. 4. Armory Park. IA acres 81 $50
| square feet; No. II. Garfield Park (part)
| II acres. $50 square feet: No. 113 acres
\ 1876 square feet; No. ia, 042S square
| feet: No 10, sos square feet: No. 116
| 1925 square feet: No. III. 1918 square
| feet: No. lis, 1i.414 square feet; No 11a.
| 400 square feet: No. 100. 4.O32 square feet
| No. l21: $50 square feet; No. 200, 1OU9S
| square feet: No. ~, 1929 square feet; No
| 2SS. IL 49, square feet; No. $50 1,52O square
| feet; No. 1877. 4.4o2 square feet; No. 19S,
| 5.029 square feet: No. 199 4.132 square
feet. Total 341a acres, about.
/ 1T will be observed that the area of gov
| eminent property proposed to be taken by
| the railroad company for its own use
| Trr,- -haI