Evening star., 1902-05-07
MEMORIAL BRIDGE
Corner Stone Laying During
the G.. A. R. Encampment.
URGING MOVEMENT T
HISTORY OF THE PROJECT SINCE
ITS INCEPTION.
President, Cabinet, Washington Citi-
zens and Others Deeply
Interested.
URGING MOVEMENT T

laid during the encampment of the Grand
Army of the Republic in this city next fall.
Their views have been communicated to
the appropriate committees of Congress,
and they are using their personal influence
with individual members to bring about
favorable action as promptly possible.
Acting in cordial cooperation with them
are prominent citizens of the District and
Virginia, and committees representing the
Grand Army of the Republic and the vet
Grams of the confederacy.
At the instance of Secretary Root, Mr..
John c. Scofeld chief clerk of the War
Department. has compiled from the official
records a history of the memorial bridge
project, in order to show the necessity for
the bridge and the sentiment behind the
movement for its construction. Mr.. SEQ
fields compilation was sent to Congress
for the information of that body, and has
been printed as a public document for gen.
eral circulation.
An Old Project.
According to this history, the question of
a suitable bridge across the Potomac from
Washington to Arlington has been dis
cussed more or less since 1885
On May "a. 1886, the United States Sem
ate adopted a resolution directing the Sec
retary of War ito examine and report upon
the expedency of constructing q govern
nent bridge, with Il suitable draw and ap,
proa aches, from point at or near the foot
of New York or New Hampshire avenue,
on the public grounds, across the Potomac
river and Analostan Island to a point on
the United States national cemetery
grounds at Arlington, so as to connect in
the best manner the public grounds on the
two sides of the Potomac. with estimates
OF the cost of the kind of bridge deemed
by the department most expedient, as well
as the cost of alternative plans considered
practicable, and which will not materially
affect the navigation of the river"
In response thereto plans were submitted
by the office of the chief of engineers for
drawbridge that would cost from 100000
to s650, 900, and for high bridge, memorial
in its conception, to cost about 100000 or
81 10000, to cross the river from ObSer-
yatory Hill to Arlington, designed to be
link in a wide travel way from the Capt.
tol to the national cemetery and govern
ment estate at Arlington, to pass at
sufficient height above the river to incom-
mode commerce in the least possible man
ner, and to be monumental in its char
acter.
The chief OF engineers, General Newton.
in submitting the reports and plans, and
after expressing, in effect, the opinion that
the plan for the latter bridge did not ap-
pear to allow sufficient head room, remarked
as follows:
1t may be added that the limited time
given for so important a subject rendered
it impracticable to give more than casual
study of the question.
The proposed structure, whether viewed
from a local or national standpoint
would involve interests Of such magnitude
and Importance as to demand, in my tudg-
ment the careful consideration of a mixed
board of engineers, whose duty it should
be to give the plans to be adopted for the
construction the fullest and most careful
consideration, and 1t Is recommended,
should Congress provide for its construc-
ton, that such a board be authorized
On February 20, 1890, the Senate adopted
a resolution directing the Secretary of War
Ito examine and report to the Senate on
the most suitable kind Of bridge, with ap-
proaches. from point at or near the foot
of New York avenue across the Potomac c
river to a point on the United States ma
tional cemetery grounds at Arlington, so as
to connect in the best manner the public
grounds on both sides of the Potomac river,
with estimates Of the kind of bridge deemed
most expedient and which will not interfere
with the navigation of said river"
In response to this resolution. with a
view to meeting the objections to q draw
bridge, and at the same time to bring the
cost of one without draw within reason
able limits, the Office Of the chief Of en-
gineers submitted designs for a suspension
bridge with clear height above the water
of 105 feet at mid-channel. This bridge
was nearly a mile in length and was to
cross the Potomac river at or near the
naval observatory. The estimated cost was
S3,5OOOOO, and notifications were submit
ted which would reduce the cost 500, 900
and $400,0OO. respectively. but would de-
tract from the dignity of the structure, and
would not harmonize with the architectural
features of the other parts Of the work.
The Senate Bill.
Senate bill 796, Fifty-second Congress,
first session, introduced December ii, 1891,
contained the following provisions:
"s That the sum of $4,000 Is hereby
appropriated, out of any money in the
treasury not otherwise appropriated. for
the purpose of laying off so much Of the
Arlington estate in Virginia, near Wash
ington. District of Columbia. as may not
be otherwise used, into a public park, to
be known as the Arlington Park and
making appropriate roads or avenues there
in. The Secretary of War is hereby
charged with the duty of expending the
sum aforesaid for the purpose named
Sec. 2. That the Secretary Of War is
authorized and directed to have constructed
an iron bridge from the most convenient
point of the naval observatory grounds
across the Potomac river to the most con-
venient point of the Arlington estate prop
erty.
Sec. 3. That said bridge shall be con-
structed of iron, with wagon way thirty
feet wide. and a passenger footway on each
side eight feet wide. and shall be of such
height as will permit the free passage of
EeSSeiSp anu IL not pTdCllCdl 10 give SAID
bridge sufficient height to permit the pas
sage of vessels. the Secretary of War is
authorized to have draw erected In said
bridge of suitable dimensions for the ac-
commodation Of vessels. And the sum of
five hundred thousand dollars, or so much
thereof as may be necessary. is hereby ap-
propriated out of any money in the treasury
not otherwise appropriated. for the purpose
of carrying out the foregoing
The following resolution of the Senate
committee on public buildings and grounds,
Fffty-second Congress, April IS, 1892, was
referred to the Secretary of War In connec-
ton with the bill just quoted:
Resolved by this committee, That the
Secretary Of War Gn connection with 8.
To6) be requested to have an estimate made
of the cost of the bridge proposed to con-
meet the United States naval observatory
grounds and Arlington estate property, and
to suggest his views in reference to the
plans and specifications and submit plan of
the proposed bridge. and to state whether
more desirable point for the Washington
end Of the bridge than the naval observa-
tory grounds can be secured"
In response, the chief of engineers re-
ported that no more desirable point than
the naval observatory grounds could be
secured and recnmrneDdod hrid0 Synoilo