Evening star., 1901-10-22
Engineers From War Department
Meet With Park Commission
PLANS FOR THE POTOMAC BRIDGES
No Railroad Tracks in Potomac
Park.
THE ANACOSTIA FLATS

In accordance with the program Of con-
| ferences which the park commission has
outlined in order to get the views OF the
various government officials regarding pub
lie improvements in the District Of Column
bia, the officials Of the engineers office OF
the War Department, including Colonel AL
len and his assistant Mr.. Dunkley; Colonel
Abbott, Captain Patrick and Colonel Black.
visited the commission at the Capitol to-
day and went carefully over the plans
| which have been prepared for the reclama-
ton of the Anacostia flats and for the I'M
provement of the wharf frontage of the
city In this connection the engineers made
a number of valuable suggestions to the
commission, after which substantial
agreement was reached as to the plans to
be recommended to Congress.
In the afternoon the commission met Mr..
Knox, supervising architect of the Treas
ury Department, to decide at his request
upon the competitive plans for the new De-
partment of Agriculture building.
Mr.. Julius Story, sculptor who is in the
city on a visit from Rome, and Mr.. Samuel
Abbott of Boston, director of the American
Academy at Rome. called on the commits
sion In it's rooms at the Capitol today.
Further conferences regarding local i'm
provements are scheduled for tomorrow.
Bridge Designs Approved.
An important question in connection with
the proposed development Of the park sys-
tenn of the District is the construction of
the two new bridges across the Potomac
in place of the dilapidated Long bridge, un-
der authority of an act of Congress passed
at the last session. One of these bridges Is
for the exclusive use of the Baltimore and
Potomac Railroad Company and the other
is intended as a public highway. Both will
necessarily occupy portions of the Potomac
Park and on that account must be consid-
cred in any general plan for the systematic
development of the public parks.
The railroad company has submitted
general design of a bridge for it's own use,
and the board of army engineers to which
it was referred reported that it met all the
legal requirements In the matter of naviga-
tlon The same army board was called on
to prepare plans for the highway bridge,
but as yet has not reported it's conclu-
sions on the subject. Owing to their proX-
unity, the two bridges are being considered
with special relation to each other.
The Secretary of War has referred the
matter to Colonel Bingham, Il engineer
officer In charge of public buildings and
grounds, for special consideration and re-
port as to the effect of their construction
under the general plans proposed for the
nect1On with the development Of the pub
lie parks. For that reason, General Gill
lespie, chief of engineers, has transferred
to the Jurisdiction of Colonel Bingham all
that portion of the improved river front
between the Long bridge and 18th street,
heretofore in charge of Colonel Allen, the
engineer Omcer In charge OF the improve
ment of the Potomac river.
This transferred territory includes within
it's limits the bathing beach, and Gen. Gill
lespie is now in correspondence with the
District Commissioners, with a view to the
abandonment of the bathing beach at it's
present site and Its relocation at some
other point on the river outside Of the pro-
posed park limits.
Opposed to Tracks in Park.
l. 1t is known that Secretary Root and. the
army engineers are strongly opposed to the
use by the railway company of any portion
of Potomac Park except that actually re-
quired by the bridge structure, and If they
can prevent it no track will be laid on the
parking 1t is said that the plans of the
railroad bridge were made with a view to
the diversion of the tracks on to the park
proper in case such use shall be found ad-
visable.
The authorities of the War Department
are said to oppose that feature of the plans,
and 1t Is probable that the railroad COM
pany will be required to amend their plans
in that respect. This may easily be done
by an arrangement having the arches in
the railroad bridge placed in harmony with
the plan of driveways or boulevards on the
park. 1t is expected these matters will be
considered by the park commission