Evening star., 1900-01-20

Merits of the Hains Plan.
| 1t would not be proper to enter in this
| report upon technical discussion as to
| the merits of Colonel Hams plan. nor, in
, deed, would your committee feel competent
to such discussion. What is designed is 10
| call the attention of the board by this re-
port to what the pending bill proposes to
| accomplish for the same railroad company.
This bill proposes the construction of two
| bridges near the site of the present Long
bridge. One bridge. which is to be for the
| exclusive use of the railroad company, is to
! he constructed at about the site of the
| present Long bridge. Another bridge
| which is 10 be for the use of the general
| public-foct passengers. horsemen and ve-
| hicles of all sorts-is to he constructed at
| some distance above the railroad bridge.
| We assume that this distance would be
| comparatively insignificant.
| The majority of your committee do not
| approve of two bridges. The bridge for the
J general public would be near the rail
road bridge that it would not escape the
| disa Srceable and dangerous incidents con-
nected with the frequent use of the latter
by railroad trains. The near proximity,
| too. would be unsightly. They would in
| crease the obstruction to the channel cf
| the river. thus facilitating the deposit Of
| drift and dirt and would offer a much
! greater obstruction to commerce in the
shape of Il double draw. There are dam
gers to he guarded against also in connec-
| tion with the plan of separate bridge for
carefully restricted by legislation; other
wise the company would convert it into a
| causeway containing the greatest number
of tracks that would be permitted.
For n Single Bridge.
For all these reasons the majority of
your committee strongly recommend that
a single bridge should be constructed for
the use OF both the general pubic and the
railroad. There would seem to be no great
\ ,f;f
single bridge as to provide for the double
purpose 1t Is done in many places in this
country. The old suspension bridge across
Inc Niagara river. the present Fades bridge
across the Mississippi at St. Louis; the
great bridge between New York and Brook
lyn-all these provide for cars as well as
for foot passengers. 1t is true that the
Brooklyn bridge provides only for cable
cars, and that perhaps suspension bridge
of that magnitude could not accommodate
steam traffic. AS. however. the proposed
bridge is not TO be a suspension bridge.
there would seem to be no great difficulty
in accomplishing the desired end
Another matter to be carefully attended
10 is the cost of the proposed structures.
The bill provides for the payment by the
railroad company for its bridge and by the
general public for its separate bridge In
view of the great concessions which are
made by the government to the railroad
company in this bill, it would seem only
just that the expense of both bridges-but
tSptNl't3iI Ol lHt DrlUSe 1Or DOtn
objects, if such should be determined on
should be borne entirely by the railroad
company.
With respect to the grade of the bridge
and of the approaches thereto nothing in
detail can be said about that until it is
determined whether there to be one or
two bridges. and if one whether the pas
senger bridge shall constitute a second
story, as 1t We're. of the one structure; the
railroad occupying the lower part.
I'VE understand, however, that the prob
lem of grade and of the approaches to the
bridge would not present any very serious
obstacle in either case
I'VE congratulate the board of trade that
at last there seems to be a very favorable
outlook for the removal of the old Long
bridge and its attendant nuisances and the
substitution therefor of modern structure
which will be at once a convenience and
an ornament.
Georgetown Suggestion.
Your committee has had referred to it
the following communication from the
Georgetown Citizens Association:
That the association recommend to
the committees of Congress that additional
appropriations beyond those recommended
by the Commissioners shall be made for
the Improvement of the streets recon-
mended by the committee on public i'm
provements and for at least one new
school building in the fifth division; also
for the acquisition of a park for George
town, extending from Road street to the
Zoo, including the BOyce tract, running
along the west side of Rock creek to the
Zco: And be it further resolved. That there
Is an imperative demand for bridge across
Rock creek, at or between VI or Q streets,
which shall not be obstructed by railroad
of any kind, that the citizens of West
Washington may drive into the city with
out the annoyance OF distractions Of this
character.
1T seems to your committee eminentIy
proper that there should be a bridge across
Rock creek at q or between NJ and Q
streets which should not be obstructed by
a railroad of any kind. From NJ to L streets
there are no bridges across Rock creek.
1t is TO be hoped that in the near future
this omen drain-for such il really is-will
be covered over, and that every trace of
the old separation between Georgetown
and Washington will disappear
The Memorial Bridge.
Upon the conclusion Of the reading of the
report, Mr.. Perry spoke of the favora~
Bile prospect of legislation to secure the
erection of a memorial bridge, a project
the consummation of which, he said, had
long bee1 desired by the citizens of the
District. He said there seemed to be no
doubt that next fan the corner stone Of
the bridge would be laid. He went on to
say, in regard to this project, as we'll as
others needed in the development of the
city, that when the members of Congress
realized fully the fact that this city rep
resented the grandeur and greatness of
the nation. ther the narrowness of a pro-
vincial spirit would disappear.
The report was adopted.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Frank
Hume and adopted, to the effect that the
committee on bridge and the officers of
the board be requested to take such action
as will be most likely to make effective the
report of the committee.
Report on Railroads.
The report of the committee on railroads
was presented to Mr.. Frank Hume, the
chairman, who prefaced the reading with
some remarks of congratulatory charac-
ter in regard to the prospects of something
being done to correct the evils which af-
flict the city, owing to the existence with
in its limits of grade crossings.
The report, which was read by the secre-
tary. was follows:
Senate bill No, 1929, providing for the
aboIishing of the local grade crossings of
the Baltimore and Potomac railroad, and
for other changes in the present status of
that railroad in the District of Columbia
having been referred to the board of trade
by the District Commissioners. your COM
mittee on railroads has given careful con-
sideration to the measure and now submits
to YOU its conclusions.