Evening star., 1901-04-02
Interruption This Morning Of Traffic
Over the Long Bridge.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. THE DRAW
Hundreds of People Detained on
Both Sides Of River.
MARKET PEOPLE INCLUDED

For about four hours this morning traf-
fc over the Long bridge was interrupted.
the trains to and from the south, electric
cars, trucks, wagons and other vehicles
coming in to market laborers on their way
TO work and hundreds OF people coming 20
this city from various points being delayed
On each end of the bridge there WAS an
enormous aggregation OF vehicles and hu-
manity.
The stoppage of traffic was caused by a
cog wheel In the draw becoming checked
while the latter was open. The machinery
10 close It could not be operated and only
after tug was set to pulling at a line on
one end and locomotive on the other end
OF the draw could it be closed and traffic
resumed. Workmen then went to work
vigorously in order TO put the draw in con-
dition so that it might be operated az soon
as possible and prevent the stopPage OF
traffic the river
Early this morning the draw of the Long
bridge was opened TO let a vessel pass TO
Georgetown When the machinery was re-
Nersed TO close 1t IL was found that the en-
glne could not move it. 1t was after Q
o clock and approaching the time OF day
when the greatest traffic goes over tho
bridge. Machinists were sent for and ar
rived on the scene OF trouble about @
o'clock. but they were powerless to put IN
order the checked cogwheel within any rea-
sonabie time and other methods were
adopted. steam tug and locomotive
were called Into use, as stated, and haw-
sers were run from the end of the draw on
the Virginia side to the tug and from tho
end on One Washington side TO the loco
motive. BY t:10 O'Clock they had succeed
ed In closing the draw and bringing tho
tie-up to a close The machinists were
then reinforced by as many men as could
be set to work to repair the machinery
Transfer TO Electric Cars.
Railroad and electric trains, truck
wagons, carriages and carts and worlImen
afoot, came to each eni Of the bridge. and
rapidly the blockade began. Not only was
the bridge loaded With blocked traffic. but
the belated trains and vehicles formed a
compact body for long distance on each
end of the bridge. report became cur
| rent that the draw would probably not be
closed until the afternoon, ami ali looked
| about for some other method for continuing
| the journey. The electric cars on the VIZ
| ginia end of the bridge were placed at the
service of passengers of southern trains,
| and many of them We're run into the city
via the Aqueduct bridge. Some OF the
later trains of this road were filed with
southern passengers, hut these. after being
| moved about on the tracks, were finally
returned to the Long bridge and went over
| it after the southern trains from whicn
| they had received passengers had come into
| the city.
was one of the passengers who had gone
| on an electric car In order to hasten his
| arrival In the city, and after travelling
around for an hour or So he inquired wherS
| he was.
AT the Virginia end of the Long bridge,
| he was told.
That's where we started from" he said
! and his disgust with the situation increase,
| when he found that the comfortable Pull
I man car, which he bad come from a.,
south had already arrived at the city ST.
| ton.
All the passengers expected to arrive l.
| this city early this morning and no prsDa
rations had been made 20 give them brcah Is
| fast. so that they mai to fast until thci
| arrival here. Loaded wagons from Viz
! sinia truck farms Were held up and did IA"
| reach the Center market until very lat'
| this morning Many of them went arouE'
| by way of the Aqueduct bridge and ~
| hastened their arrival here.