Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-28
PLANS FOR NEW BRIDGE
Hitch Over Certain Features
of Construction.
CONFERENCE CALLED
BELIEVED THAT DIFFERENCES
CAN BE READILY ADJUSTED.
Mr.. Burnham of Chicago to Meet Gen.
Gillespie to Discuss Projected
Highway Structure.
CONFERENCE CALLED

The Secretary of War has requested Mr.,
Burnham of Chicago to come to this city
to confer with Gen. Gillespie and the army
engineers in regard to the plans for she
projected highway bridge across the Poto-
mac river There is a slight hitch over
this matter in consequence of difference
| of opinion with respect to certain features
of the bridge which it is desired to reconcile
before final action is taken. The question
at issue is also of interest to the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company. because its set
Element may involve slight change in the
plans of the bridge now being built for that
company to fake the place of the condemn
ed Long bridge.
The statute authorizing the construction
of the two new bridges provided that they
should be built on plans approved by me
Secretary of War. The engineers Of the
railroad company submitted plans for
bridge of the regulation Pratt truss pat
tern, with straight upper chords and open
spaces over the piers Although the OH
Gals of the War Department approved the
general design Of the structure as salts
factory they desired to have it made more
ornamental in character if possible in order
that it should harmonic with the proposed
improvements of the public reservation
known as Potomac Park, which it traverSed
in part. Accordingly, at the suggestion Of
Secretary Root, the plans were submitted
to the consideration of Mr.. Burnham, who
besides being distinguished architect, was
a member of the special commission charg-
ed with the preparation of d general scheme
for the comprehensive development Of the
park system of the District.
MI. Burnham's Report
Mr.. Burnham made a report approving
the adoption of the Pratt truss design, but
suggested that a better general effect from
an artistic standpoint might be had if the
upper chords of the bridge were made con-
tinuous from end to end so as to present an
unbroken sky line. Secretary Root adopted
the suggestion, and the railroad company
was notified that it's plans had been APP
proved with that modification. The change
involved the introduction of additional
members over the piers and, of course, to
that extent added to the total cost of 'ie
work.
The board of army engineers of which
Col. Allen was president, subsequently sub
mitted a design for the highway bridge
which received the approval of Gen. Gill
lespie and Col. Mackenzie of the engineer
bureau. This was also for Pratt truss
bridge very similar in general design to
the railroad bridge. but different from it
In that the upper chords, instead of being
straight across, were polygonal in form.
the idea being that such formation was
more ornamental than the other type.
When the plans submitted to Secre-
tary Root he decided against the design
and directed that the plans be changed so
as to conform to the amended plans of the
railroad bridge. He took the ground that
as he had compelled the railroad company
to meet the artistic views Of Mr.. Burnham
was only right and proper that the govern
ment bridge should meet the same require
ments.
The Plans Changed.
Since then the plans for the highway
bridge have been changed to accord with
the Secretarys instructions, but 1t Is found
that the increased cost involved will prac-
tically exhaust the margin of safety in the
expenditure of the funds available for the
entire work. Several bridge engineers have
taken an interest in the question and most
of them take issue with Mr.. Burnham as
to the advantages of the change suggested
by him. 1t is conceded on all sides that
the additional members required to fill in
the spaces over the piers will in no wise
contribute to the strength or utility of the
structure and that it is purely question
of estheticism whether they will add any
thing to the artistic appearance of the
bridge. One of the bridge engineers says
that modern methods are opposed to the in
PRODUCTION of anything superfiuous in a
bridge and argue that 1t would be a ref1ec-
ton on bridge engineer to add useless
members and to give false lines to a struct-
ure for which he was responsible.
The Pratt truss is a standard pattern and
the modern tendency is to simplif1cauon
and the eradication or all unnecessary
parts, whether piers or superstructure. 1t
is said that the matter of expense is only
an incident in the objections presented to
Mr.. Burnham's suggestion for continuous
straight line at the top of the bridge The
main objections are that the additional
chords called for are absolutely unnecessary
to the strength or stability of the bridge
and are contrary to approved methods of
bridge construction.
Reasons for Proposed Conference.
Mr.. Burnham is not a specialist in bridge
construction, and it Is not believed that he
Is irrevocably set in his desire for bridge
with an unbroken skyline, but the officials
of the War Department desire to have a
full personal conference with him on the
subject in the light of the criticisms of his
plan by bridge experts before final action
is taken the plans for the highway
bridge. If Secretary Root, with the assent
of Mr.. Burnham, finally decides in favor of
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