The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-06

The Secretary OF War is taking active
steps TO secure plans for the building of
a memorial bridge across the Potomac
River opposite Washington which will
connect with the boulevard leading from
Arlington Cemetery to Mount Vernon.
Plans for the bridge have been submit
| ted to Col. Charles J. Allen, of the En-
! gineer Corps, by four of the most promf-
nent architects OF the country. The archi-
tects are George 5. Morrison. LefIert L.
! Buck. William II. Burr, and William r.
| Hutton, all of New York.
Secretary Root has issued the following
] ing order appointing a board of officers
and civilians 10 inspect the plans sub
| mitted:
\ board OF officers o. tic Corps Of Engineers and
architects 10 consist Of Lieut. Col Charles J.
Allen. Corps OF Engineers; Major 7. ". symons,
Corps Of Engineers; Cspi. David Dub. Gaillard,
Corps of Engineer; Sanford White. architect.
aud James a. III, architect. vil ssmbic in
Washington. d. g. upon the clll Of the chairman
| of the board 10 consider and report upon the
relative merits OF the plans submitted for
bridge TO be eoslstmetcd the Potomac River
at Washington. u. C.. as memorial TO Am.ri-
can patriotism
Lieut.. Col Charles j. Allen is designated as
chairman OF the beard.
The board will give careful cons dcraiion TO
tho plans prcsts tcd. will determine ihcir order
Of mcrii and Viii report which plan. Il any, in
the Judgment e The board should be adopted
for the bridge TO hc constructed
Upon the completion OF the duty assigned
thrn the engineer mpmhers OF the board Will
return TO thcii proper stations.
The journeys required under this order arc
ntccsSaty fct tho public service. and the expenses
OF tho hoard viii b. paid from the appropriation
1sffsi
mac Rvor.' ELlllu ROOT,
Secretary of War.
The army officers on The board have all
spent considerable time in making surveys
Of the proposed site for the bridge. and
are thoroughly acquainted with the nature
Of the ground and The channel OF the river
where the bridge will he erected. The
civilian members. Messrs. white and Hill
are prominent architects. who stand high
in their profession. Mr.. White is a res
ident OF New York, and Mr. Hill was for
merry Supervising Architect OF the Treas
ury. and resides in Washington.
Secretary Root is DESTROYS that the
board shah pass upon the plan SIS early
as possible in order that a bill may be
prepared and introduced at this session of
Congress. The cost of the bridge will
probably be from tl.e00, 600 TO 5000 600
The bridge project was first discussed
about fifteen years ago. and from time 10
time it has been brought up te,ore Con-
gress. Aside from desiring TO make the
structure one of the finest in the world.
it is the plan Of Secretary Root 10 have
the National Capital connected with the
tomb OF the founder Of the country.
Brig. Gen. John NJ. Wilson. Chic
of the Engineer Corps has done a
great deal of work on the preliminary
plans for the bridge. and in his resent
annual report to the Secretary of War he
writes of the progress Of the work Oh the
bridge plans as follows:
Congress has given much favorable
consideration to the construction of a
memorial bridge across the Potomac River
to the National Cemetery at Arlington. and
consideration has also been given to a
national boulevard connecting Arlington
with Mount Vernon. Several reports, with
plans and approximate estimates. have
been submitted by officers of the Corps
of Engineers in response to calls by Con-
gress since 1856. The act of June T. 1897, |
appropriated $500 for making soundings !
and boriags and securing designs and esti- /
mates for a memorial bridge This amount |
was applied to the purpose for which ap-
propriated to as full an extent as the |
amount permitted, and the report of the |
survey, etc, was submitted March 10, \
1898. and is printed as House document 1
No. 3ss. Fifty-ffth Congress. second ses- I
sion.
The act OF Congress approved February |
%, 1889 appropriated $4,000 for a survey |
for a national road from a point near the |
enc Of the Aqueduct Bridge TO Mount Yer |
non. The report upon this survey is
printed as House Elk. Doc. No JOG, Fifty
first Congress. first session.
Inviting attention TO the report of |
Col. Peter G. Hams, Corps of Engineers,
upon the proposed boulevard. ! earnestly |
recommend Congressional action looking
toward the early commencement of this
great national enterprise. The estimated |
cost varies from 81 000, 900 10 81, 900 600,
depending upon the route selected, the
width of road proposed, and the character
Of the road covering. Several lines have
been suggested for the road. varying in
length from about fourteen TO about six
teen miles
1.-The sundry civil act of March ,, 1899.
an item as follows: Memorial
bridge across Potomac River: To enable
the Chief of Engineers Of the Army to
continue the examination OF the subject
and TO make or secure designs, calcula-
tons, and estimates for memorial bridge
from the most convenient point OF the
Naval Observatory grounds, or adjacent
thereto across the Potomac River TO the
most convenient point II the Arlington
estate property, the sum of 5000.
I'm accordance with the provisions of
this act, and by authority of the Presi-
dent Of the United States and the Secre-
tary of War, four eminent bridge en-
gineers have been invited TO submit COM
petitive designs for bridge combining
the elements Of strength and durability,
and such architectural establishment and
ornamentation as will fifty apply to the
dedication, A memorial TO American pa