Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-05
THEP0TOMAC BRIDGES
A Plea for the Adoption Of
Handsome Designs.
THEBASCULEPRINCIPLE
IT SHOULD BE ADOPTED FOR THE
LOCAL BRIDGES.
"swing" Bridges Considered Inartistic
and Not Altogether Safe-Prac-
teal Object Lessons.

is the nations capital; we all take pride in
It, Every one who can, visits 1t. 1t has
splendid possibilities. Sordid commercial
ism has not yet spoiled it; it has only been
neglected. We have awakened to the neces-
sity Of fixing 1t up and taking advantage
of those possibilities provided for us by
nature and the wise forethought Of the
fathers Of our country.
Congress has appointed a commission to
take charge of the work. composed of the
very best talent in the world, under the
Craftsmanship Of the man who gave US the
worlds fair, and that alone would assure
success, for Mr.. Burnham never touches
anything but that is a success.
The plans prepared by the commission
contemplate the tearing down of much that
Is ugly and the building Of much that Is
beautiful. Part Of its scheme is a grand
bridge across the Potomac to Arlington,
where thousands of our soldier heroes are
buried. There has been much controversy
over that bridge. Now, with this commits
sior in charge, we are assured Of the con-
struction of a handsome, harmonious bridge
In the near future.
Bridge Designs Submitted.
One Of the most prominent and we'll
known bridge structures in the United
States Is this old historic Long bridge
across the Potomac at Washington. This
bridge is to be replaced under an act of
Congress, approved February u, 1901, by
new double-track railroad bridge and
new highway bridge adjacent to the rail-
road bridge and forming the connecting
link for traffic between Washington and
Mount Vernon. The railroad bridge is to
be built and paid for by the Baltimore and
Potomac or Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany. The highway bridge is to be built
and paid for Jointly by the government of
he rip of
lunrbia. The plans of both bridges must
be approved by the Secretary of War. At
public meeting Of the engineer board
having the plans, etc, of the highway
bridge, held at Washington on April 4,
1901, a design Of bridge was submitted by
a representative Of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company for steel bridge to re-
place the old Long bridge, which incor-
porates a plain, "old-fashioned" center
pier swing bridge to span the dredged and
navigable channel of the Potomac river,
combined with fixed plain through-truss
spans. The design Is exceedingly plain and
provides only for the bare necessity of car
rying railroad trains In the cheapest pos
sible manner. 1t could not have been
palmer had it been intended to build the
bridge in wilderness. Such a bridge in
the immediate vicinity and full view Of
Washington, the capital Of the wealthiest,
most enlightened, intelligent and progress
sive nation Of the world, would be eX
tremely offensive and Objectionable to pub
because 1t controls the design and type Of
the highway bridge to be built alongside
Of it and forming the connecting link be-
tween the city Of Washington and Mount
Vernon. If only one Of these bridges has
artistic outlines, the defects of the other
will be more glazing. In the bridge to
Mount Vernon, which will be crossed by
many millions of patriots visiting the city
Of Washington, not only the inhabitants
Of the city of Washington, but the entire
United States have a deep public interest,
and this bridge should be equal in i'm
portance with the bridge to Arlington. The
bridge to the home and tomb of George
Washington should at least be in keeping
with the magnificent plans of the city of
Washington, the Capitol building, the Con-
gressional Library and the many splendid
public buildings and artistic monuments,
and should. in some manner, harmonic
with the monumental Memorial bridge pro-
posed to be built In the future, from Wash
irgton to Arlington. We give these bridges
such extended notice because Of their COM
handing prominence and because, when
built they will typify the public taste and
civilization Of the United States. and will
remain permanent prominent monuments
for many decades, favorably or unfavorably
impressing and representing the people Of
the United States.
The Railroad Company's Position.
It would not be supposed that the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company, in whose con-
troll the railroad bridge lies. and whose
money is to build 1t, wishes in any way to
disfgure the beautiful surroundings con-
templated in the Improvement Of Washing
ton especially Potomac park, over which
these bridges extend. If no other evidence
Of this were presented, the extraordinary
concession just made at the request of the
commission In regard to their terminal.
which, because 1t threatened to disfigure
the mall, will be changed at an enormous
expense to proper position north Of the
Capitol, would indicate that it appreciates
the value Of change Of plan where de-
build artistic bridges has already found ap
propriate expression In monumental
bridge across the Susquehanna river at
Rockville, Pa. in the form Of a magnificent
long stone arch bridge. The press reports
state that similar monumental bridge Is
soon to be built across the Passaic river.
These bridges will be seen by very few
people, on account Of their isolation, conf
pared with the new bridge at Washington.
Under the act Of Congress, of February II,
1901, above mentioned, exceedingly valuable
concessions. in addition to $1,000 600 in
money. were given to the Pennsylvania
which railroads in other cities are COM
PEELED to perform without compensation un-
der police power.
The insistence Of the railroad company to
build the railroad bridge on the original
design will prevent the building. by the
government Of the United States and the
District of Columbia, of an appropriate
bridge forming the connecting link between
Washington and Mount Vernon. That the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company Is all
powerful in the premises, is unQuestioned,
but the hope may yet be ventured that it
will modify it's harmful and humiliating
decision and build a structure in keeping
with other structures upon its lines, and
comply with. the wishes expressed by
Mr.. Elihu Root, Secretary Of War Of the
United States Of America, in a communi-
cation to the president of the railroad COM
pany. dated October %. 1901.
The plan submitted by the Pennsylvania
railroad company is all the more incom-
prehensible when one considers what 1t
has done in other lines. 1t has spent mil
lions to straighten its line; it is progress
sive enough to declare in favor of electric
power to operate it's trains in tunnels; it is
planning an enormous outlay to tunnel
into New York; it has declared it's willing
ness to spend a million or more in build
ing a handsome station in Washington-a
monument-and yet. for a paltry few thou
sands Of dollars. It will mar this city at
this important entrance to it across the
Potomac Park.
A Handsome Design Demanded.
Does not the present state of ctyiIizat ion