Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-06

'URTHER INFORMATION NEEDED
COLONEL ALIENS PLAN

| The commission to select a site and FORM
| ulate plans and estimates for a highway
bridge to be built across the Potomac at
/ least 800 feet above the Long bridge met
| today at 2001 street and after a session
| of a couple Of hours adjourned TO meet
again at the call Of Colonel Allen. after
| necessary data bearing on the bridge prob
| lem has been secured. There were present
! at the meeting Col. Charles j. Allen. pres-
ident; Capt. Edward Burr and Capt. Lam
sing III. Beach of the commission, and First
Lieut.. George NJ. Hoffman, recorder.
Further Information Needed.
| 1t was desired that before satisfactory
consideration of any Of the main problems
connected with the building OF the bridge
could be had further information would be
required. Little is known definitely OF the
nature of the foundation that can be secured
for the bridge piers, and the commission
ordered the making Of a number Of borlngs
10 secure this information These borings
Will De made from a point 500 feet above
the present Long bridge, up the river a
short distance, and they are expected to be
sufficient to indicate in general way what
latitude can be had In the location of the
structure. The height OF the bridge Is an
important question to be determined The
plan of the Pennsylvania railroad bridge
Will have to be considered in this connec-
ton in general way, although the work OF
the commission is limited TO formulating
plans for highway bridge.
Height of the Bridge
But the highway bridge will have to be
located with regard to the new railroad
bridge below it, and the height of the two
structures must be the same, for if one
were higher than the other it would be
of little use so far as facilitating the pas
sage Of tugs is concerned. The plans sub
mltteU bN the engineer of hA PqpnSNyl-
Vania railroad provide for a railroad bridge
twenty-one feet above mean low water.
which at times of a considerable rise IN
the river would reduce the height of the
structure above the river to about fifteen
feet This the tug men have contended
would make it necessary to have the draw
opened for even the small tugs. The ques-
tion Of elevating both structures 10 a
height Of about twenty-eight or thirty feet
will be considered.
That elevation would necessitate an in
Cline at each approach of the bridge and
levels to be run, for the commission viii
allow them to judge of the practica oility OF
such additional elevation. The question Of
having the river tugs provide thems al.es
with hinged smol1estacks. so that they may
go under rather low structure. will also
be looked into.
Style OF Draw.
The style Of draw to be adopted for the
bridge is also to be looked into with respect
to the special requirements of the river
navigation and the uses of the bridge.
The railroad company favored a pivot or
swing draw. but Mr.. Albert II. Scherzer,
president OF the Scherzer Rolling Lift
Bridge Company, who lately appeared be-
fore the commission made an argument of
adopting the lift bridge made by his COM
pany. Mr.. Scherzer had addressed COM
munication to the commission commenting
on the plainness of the proposed railroad
bridge, the plans of which were submitted
by Mr.. VIM. A. Pratt. engineer of bridges
of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company&In
this communication he says the design Is
very plain and provides only for the bare
necessity of carrying railroad trains. He
says it could not have been palmer il the
bridge was intended to be built in the will
derness, and suggests that the design of
troll the design and type of the highway
bridge. He thought these bridges should
harmonize with the general beauty of the
capital, especially as the memorial bridge
is to be built above them. He said he was
satisfied that the Pennsylvania railroad
bridge could be made more beautiful and
artistic with a little additional cost.
Several Suggestive Plans.
After securing considerable accurate data
Col. Allen will have number OF suggestive
plans for bridge structures across the Po-
finds, drawn so that when he again calls
the commission together 1t will be COM
paratively easy for q conclusion to be
reached as to the style of bridge to be
recommended.