Evening star., 1901-04-03
A NEW LONG BRIDGE
MEETING TODAY OF THE COMNIS-
SION TO FORMULATE PLANS.
Hearing Tomorrow of Those Inter-
ested i'm the PrOject-PrOmpt
Action Necessary.

The commission to formulate plans for a
highway bridge not less than 500 feet
above the present Long bridge across the
Potomac held its first meeting this morning
and organized for work. This commission
was appointed by the Secretary of War
and is composed of Colonel Allen Captain
Beach, Captain Burr and Lieutenant Hoff-
mann, recorder. All members of the COM
mission are Of the corps Of engineers,
United States army.
The building of highway bridge above
the present Long bridge was provided for
by the last Congress in the act to provide
for eliminating grade crossings on the line
Of the Baltimore and Potomac railroad.
Section IL Of that act provided for this
work as follows:
Authority for the Commi ssfon.
Sec. II. That the Secretary of War be,
and he is hereby, authorized to enter into
a contract with the Baltimore and Potomac
Railroad Company or any other party to
construct within two years after the pass
age of this act, at a point not less than
500 feet above the site of the present Long
bridge, new ana substantial bridge for
highway travel. of iron or steel, resting
upon masonry piers and provided with suit
able approaches, and with q sufficient draw,
all in accordance with plans and specifica-
tfons to be approved by the Secretary of
War; and there is hereby appropriated
tone-half out of the revenues of the Dis
trict of Columbia and one-half out of any
money in the treasury not otherwise ap-
propriated) the sum of $56S, 900, or so much
thereof may be necessary to be paid
from time to time, the construction of
the said bridge progresses, by the Secre-
tary of War, under such regulat tions as he
shall prescribe.
The said bridge shall be for highway
a al CTR raj dc oI,o n
or that may hereafter be chartered by
Congress shall have the right to cross said
bridge on such terms as may be prescribed
by Congress; provided, that the Washing
ton, Alexandria and Mt Vernon Railway
Company now using the Long bridge shall
be permitted with the approval of the
Commissioners of the District OF Columbia
to change it's location so as to cross the
highway iis bridge herein provided for, all
plans for such change TO be approved by
the Commissioners Of the District of CO.
lumbia and the chief Of engineers of the
United States army; aud provided further,
that standard underground electric sys-
tenn Of street car propulsion shall be in
stalled by said company on the park high
way leading to said bridge, and no dynamo
furnishing power to this portion of the
road shall be in any manner connected
with the ground, and that the cost of as
phalt paving between the tracks and two
feet outside thereof aliau be- patd by said
company. Each street railway company
using said bridge shall pay IN addition to
other taxes as by it's charter provided, one
half of one cent for each and every pas
senger carried across said bridge"
A Hearing Tomorrow.
1t was in order to carry ptt the rroyis-
ions of this act that the Seer etary of War
appointed the commission that met today.
Col. Allen, president of the commission, is
in charge Of Improvements of the Potomac;
Capt. Beach is Engineer Commissioner of
the District, and Capt. Burr was formerly
assistant to the Engineer Commissioner.
The commission will meet again at II
o'clock tomorrow morning. when every one
interested in the bridge and the facilities
it is to provide will be at liberty to state
their views. 1t is expected that representa-
tives of steamboat and electric railway
companies will be present as witnesses.
AS the act authorizing the construction
of the bridge fixed two years from the ap-
proval OF the act, which was February 12,
1901, as the time in which all the work
was to be done, it will be necessary for
prompt action on the part of the commits
sion in making it's plans.