The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-10
The DISTRICT BRIDGES
Projects fer Structures Over Rock
Creek and Eastern Branch.
The Memorial Bridge to Arlington
Less Practical Than Others-yvork
neeticut Avenues-Somth Capft1i
Street and the Navy Yard.

While the project to build the Memo
rial Bridge across the Potomac River
from the foot of New York Avenue TO
Arlington Cemetery has attracted great
attention. and meets with general com
mendation, there are several other
bridges proposed which probably would
be Of equally practical use to the people
OF the District as the stately structure
which is intended to unite this city with
the Virginia shore. II Congress should
ii generous mood, appropriate The
money Tor the Memorial Bridge no one
in the District could we'll oppose the
project, yet IL is hoped that il viii not
stand IN the way of appropriations for
the bridges across Rock Greek and the
Anacostia River, which are needed 10
permit of the natural expansion of the
city beyond the banks of these streams
Unless there are bridges the southeast
ern part of the District and portions OF
the northwestern section are as reE46te
from the city proper as Alexandra and
Fairfax counties in Virginia are. Tie
streams cannot be forded, and the III
proVement OF property and the extension
of residences naturally stop at the
streams until the bridges are built.
Among the bridges already begun are
those across Rock Greek, in the line of
Massachusetts and the line OF Connect
cut Avenues extended. The contract for
laying the foundations for the latter with
money appropriated at the last session
of Congress has Just been let by the
Commissioners The right of way for
the Massachusetts, Avenue bridge has been
acquired. and a contract has been let for
the foundations of Ihe abutments and
the piers What viii be needed tnis win
ter on the part of Congress witt be suit
able appropriations to continue work
upon these structures. Several years
must necessarily elapse before the
bridges are fully completed, and the
work of the superstruetures should, il
is eontended, be provided for as soon as
the foundations. are laid.
OF equal Importance with the two
Drloses mentioned is the rebuilding of the
Navy Yard Bridge across the Easts,
Branch from the foot of Eleventh Street
southeast. to Anacostia. In the last re-
port Of the Engineer Commissioner ne
calls attention especially to this matter
and says that the bridge is not only too
narrow for the traffic passing sYer it. but
that it is str1Ieturaliy weak.
ana he expresses the opinion
that the only satisfactory
action to be taken in the premises fs to
replace II with modern structure of am
pie width He informs the President and
(Ohet SSS tA@1t lHe commissioners nave fire.
quentiy included this item Ia their annual
estimates
The Navy Yard Bridge. in addition to
carrying the cars of the Anacostia and Pc
toa.se Street Railway, has the traf-
nc OF Anacostia and that portion of the
District and the State of Maryland lying
along the bank of the Potomac. The near
est bridge is that across Pennsylvania Az
enue. and it is the only means of access
10 The city for a large and thickIy settled
part Of the District. This it is held. /
should be good bridge. safe under all
conditions. and Of ample width to accom-
modaIe the traffic naturally imposed upon |
It.
As a relief to the Navy Yard Bridge and