Evening star., 1901-11-05
The New Bridge.

Secretary Roots letter to President Cas-
satt of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany opens the way for a modification of
the bridge plans formally approved by the
former a short time ago. AS The Star re-
Gently pointed out, this question of the
bridge has been materially modified since
the enactment of the statute authorizing
the construction by two important facts:
first, the elaboration by the Senate's park
ing commission of comprehensive plans for
the Improvement of the public reservations
of the District including the very land
which the approaches to this bridge will
cross; second. the decision of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company to conform it's
terminal plans to this park Improvement
scheme by consolidating it's station with
that of the Baltimore and Ohio, now con-
trolled by it, SO as to free the mall of all
railroad constructions.
The Secretary puts the case to Mr.. Cas-
satt on the broad ground of public policy,
pointing out that the bridge will form one
of the principal avenues of approach to
the national capital. and therefore will re-
main for all time cOnspicuously one of the
features of the city. He appeals to the
public spiritedness of the corporation, so
lately put strongly in evidence in the mat
in this item of the great railroad improve
ments about to be undertaken. 1t is of
course. impossible for the government,
under the statutes as they stand, to coarce
the railroad company to expend large
sum in the construction of an elaborate
bridge If the requirements of the i'm
proved Washington of the future are to be
ignored in favor of a purely practical
structure the railroad company has the
case within it's own grasp. If the union
station scheme. now understood to be a
certainty, is executed, additional legisla-
tion will be required to amend the acts of
last spring. In the amending of those acts
it will be but simple step, all the parties
asserting, to provide for a harmonious
treatment of the changes in all departments,
insuring not only an appropriate park
treatment, but bridge constructions in keep
Ing with the costly structures and land
Scape effects now contemplated by the
government.
The fact that the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company has let contracts for certain
features of the bridge construction. reed
not initiate against an affirmative response
to Secretary Roots appeal. The matter has
assuredly not gone beyond easy recall.
Contracts are susceptible to amendment
equally with statutes and in any case the
substantial foundation work now bargained
for, according to the news reports. may be
utilized for whatever form of bridge may
be finally planned.
The situation calls, indeed. for radical
treatment in all directions, and it is to be
believed that so public-spirited, progressive
and wealthy a corporation as the Pennsyl-
vahia railroad will see it's way clear to
such a change of it's immediate plans that
it will produce eventually a terminal sys-
tenn, station building, approaches, viaducts
and bridges, of uniformly high grade in
keeping with the character of the city and
the immediate surroundings The oppor-
tunity for a stroke of public enterprise
which shall rebound forever to the nigh
credit of this company is now at hand