Evening star., 1900-06-01
First Step Taken to Secure One
Across the Potomac.
Two HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
That Sum Appropriated in the SUM-
dry Civil Bill.
ON THE SUBJECT

As passed by the Senate last evening the
sundry civil appropriation bill provides for
beginning the proposed Memorial bridge
across the Potomac river for which pur-
pose 100000 is appropriated.
The amendment providing for the bridge
was offered by Mr.. Daniel. and was OBJ
jected to by Mr. Allison, on the ground that
the bridge had not been estimated for, that
the report on it was but recently received
by Congress, and that 1t could wait another
year.
Mr.. Daniel said that the report on the
bridge has been received by the Senate two
months ago, and that was plenty Of time
for any one to examine 1t. The general
project had been approved by the President,
and no question had been more thoroughly
examined than that.
Mr.. Carter approved the idea embodied in
the construction of a Memorial bridge, but
thought the state of Virginia should recede
to the general government that part of the
northern shore of the Potomac adjacent to
the District of Columbia, and which form
erly was part of the District. He said the
government should have judicial power of
this area, and that it should be able to re-
claim the marshes on the Virginia side of
the river.
Proposed Plan Opposed.
Mr.. Hawley opposed the plan proposed
for the memorial bridge
''It is contradiction of all just ideas
of such a structure he said. Il sympa-
thize with simplicity in art. 1 have talked
with gentleman skilled in these matters,
and he concurs with me. l see in the plan
proposed that there are two structures In
the middle of the bridge, as If they were
intended for derrickS.
81 simply wish to say that l am not at
all satisfied with this plan, and 1 have be-
hind me some artists of renown. l wish
this plan might be revised. SO that the
bridge might have something of beauty,
something of grandeur. something of dig
nifty in 1t, and be truly a magnificent struc-
ture. The Autographs have but just come
to the Senate. Let us wait for the judg-
ment of the best architects
Senator Hoar said gentleman in whose
judgment he had the greatest confidence
had expressed to him the opinions
formant had also told him that the price
of iron was SO high that the postponement
of the bridge for ten twelve months
would probably save half a million Of dol
lars in the cost of the bridge.
Mr. Allison said the report contemplated
a bridge to cost eight nine millions of
dollars
Mr.. Mcmillan Urges Action.
Mr.. Mcmillan said the subject had been
before Congress for several years and the
report of the committee on the District of
Columbia for the commencement of the
work was unanimous. He said the bridge
would cost between S4,0OO,OO0 and s5,000-
600.
Mr. Martin said that If Congress was to
wait until some architect cease to criticise
the plans for the bridge it would wait
long time. Every Drecaution had been
taken to secure a desirable design for the
bridge. and it would cost less than $4,000
0U.
Mr. Teller said a plan had been submit
ted to Congress, but until the last three or
four days he thought no senator had seen
the report. He was not satisfied with the
design He wanted a bridge across the Po-
tomac that would be credit to the nation.
Mr.. Mason spoke of the Inadequate
bridge facilities to reach Arlington, and
was strongly in favor of the bill.
Mr.. DaniePs Plea.
Mr. Daniel did not want to the retro
cession project delay the construction of
the bridge.
"If the reforms which he (Mr. Carter
thinks would follow the possession of that
territory under the jurisdiction of the Dis
trict of Columbia should arise said Mr..
Daniel. there would still be another bor-
der of the state of Virginia just a little
farther on. where if the facts were that
these disorders due to the circum-
stance that they are beyond the borders
of the District of Columbia. there would be
at once a duplication of them, and the dis
tinguished senator would have to be chang
ing borders and retrocedinS and working
over again the state and district lines of
our country until he got even Montana into
the District of Columbia So the sugges-
ton is a mere fanciful one and not predi-
Gated upon any condition which the dis
tinguiShed senator can suggest any method
of alleviating. and certainly it is wholly
disconnected with the establishment of this
bridge
1.-The ground to which this bridge goes on
the other side of the river is ground that
belongs to the United States and is under
the jurisdiction of the United States. 1t IS
territory already, by the necessary course
of events. identified with the immediate in
terests of the national capital. With re-
spect to Fort Myer, the Secretary of War
has time and again called the attention of
Congress to the fact that for military pur-
poses this bridge is desirable. In connec-
tion with the national cemetery at Arling-
ton second feature of desirability arises.
There is still another The United States
has este blished by recent enactment an ag--
ricuitural station on the Arlington estate,
and every day that we live new necessities
arise for the connection of that territory
with the District of Columbia"
He was satisfied that those who had
passed upon the design for the bridge were
capable of doing so.
The amendment was then agreed to.