Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-20

center pier that supports the swing bridge.
Including this center pier the bridge across
the Georgetown channel will have thirteen
piers, though the channel itself will be In
two 1OO-feet openings of the draw.
Beginning on the District end Of the bridge
there will be two spans 10 feet inches
long from center to center of the piers; TWO,
ZIG feet inches; two, 40 feet lnches
(these forming the openings in the draw OF
100 feet in the clear; four spans 2l6 feet
inches, two spans BOB feet inches and
one span of ITO feet inches. which reaches
to the Virginia side.
Secretary Root turned the plans of the
railroad engineer over to board consist
Ing of Col. Allen and Capts Burr, Beach
and Hoffman. This board reported briefly
that the projected bridge met all the re-
qulrements as to navigation, but TOOK oc-
cason to allude to the extreme simplicity
and plainness of the plans as drawn up
under the supervision of the railroad en-
gineer and suggested that the railroad COM
pany might find it expedient and desirable
to give the structure an ornamental aspect
more worthy Of rich corporation and the
national capital.
President Cassatt's Proposition.
AS it was desired that the proposed high
way bridge be constructed in keeping with
the design of the proposed Memorial bridge,
and incidentally with the scheme of park
development, correspondence was carried on
between Secretary Root and President Cas-
satt Of the railroad company with view
to securing a modification of the plans so as
to guarantee structure that would be en-
tirely in harmony with the plans of the
park commission. AS result President
Cassatt practically promised to build
bridge that would be ornament to the
locality and in harmony with the scheme or
development, of which Potomac park, cross
ed by the railroad, is an important feature.
yiy,ert he rNl1y,C for ha h
mitted by the railroad company, Secretary
Root expressly reserved the action on that
part covering the approaches. Col. Bing-
ham, the engineer officer in charge of public
buildings and grounds, submitted an inter-
esting paper on this subject to Secretary
Root. The paper was accompanied by IL
Illustrated sketches.
Preliminary work on the behring's was
made below the site of the draw and show
ed rock at a depth of over 100 feet below
mean water level Four other boringS
along the route of the bridge were made
from the Virginia side shore to the en-
bankment the reclaimed flats, none Of
which reached the rocks. The borfngs near
the Virginia end of the bridge were carried
to a depth of 122 feet 6 inches, the lowest
strata reached being sand and clay. Be
tween this boring andsthe draw two other
borings were made. one to a depth of Ill
feet and the other to q depth Of 96 feet
inches. ~ IT; .t-,.--
Ground Broken for North Abutment.
Work on the new bridge was begun about
the middle Of January of the present year,
when ground was broken for the north
abutment About this time, however, the
weather was too cold to permit of the work
being pushed, and operations were suspend
ed until the latter part of February, when
active operations were resumed ana nave
been kept up until the present time with
but little INTERRUPTION, About S1Xty-fVe
men were employed at the outset, but the
number has been steadily increased until
now there are considerably over hundred
men engaged. Large buildings had to be
erected at the southern end of the Long
bridge, to be used for storing materials Of
all descriptions, some for the tools used,
others for the vast quantity of cement nee
essary to carry work of this ma gnitude,
and also sheds for the stone cutters.
Preparatory to the work Of construction
the railroad purchased ground at the south
end of the old bridge, and what was known
as "old Jackson City" was included in the
purchase. Several of the structures loca ted
In the purchase were leveled to the ground,
while one Of the former Joints" after con-
siderable remodeling, took on a new role
and was fitted up as the headquarters Of
the engineer in charge Of the work.
The contractors have a large travelling
crane, made especially for service at this
point and having a capacity of eight TONS
and one tug and nine barges are used. Not
since the work has been instituted has there
been an accident nor has the work been
deferred owing to any fault of the con-
tractors.