Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-01
THE BRIDGE CONTRACT
PENNSYLVANIA STEEL COM
PANY's BID ACCEPTED.
Highway Over Potomac to Be Built at
Cost of Nearly
Million

CIen- GlIIeSplc, CQleI OF engineers, Has III
structed Lieut.. Col Allen. the engineer off,
Ger In charge of the Improvement of the
Potomac river. to make contract with the
Pennsylvania Steel Company of Philadel-
phia for the construction of q highway
bridge across the Potomac short distance
above the Long bridge In accordance with
the terms of the bids recently submitted by
that company in competition for the work.
The contract will be drawn SO that the
War Department may be enabled to deter
mine at q future date whether the COM
pany shall be required to construct a per-
n.anent buckle plate and asphalt floor or a
temporary wooden floor at the respective
prices named by 1t In its bid. viz, $4,000
for the bridge with the permanent floor
and $S79. 200 for the same bridge with the
temporary wooden floor.
In submitting the question or AWARDING
the contract for the bridge to the Secretary
of War, Gen. Gillespie made brief state
ment of the case.
Gen. Gillespie's Statement.
He said:
IAN examination of the proposals opened
July 25 for the erection Of a highway
bridge across the Potomac river at Wash
ington discloses the fact that the Penn
sylvania Steel Company is the lowest bid
der.
THE plans on which their bids are based
are substantially in accordance with the
specifications issued by Lieutenant Colonel
Allen. Their bids are 1914 600 for the
bridge with substantial buckle plate and
asphalt floor and $S79, 200 for the same
bridge with temporary wooden floor
THE limit of cost placed on this bridge by
Congress Is such as to make It necessary
to accept the bid calling for the wooden
floor, unless a corresponding saving be
made in the construction Of the approaches
including the substitution Of a cheap
wooden truss or pile structure for the con-
templated short steel bridge across the
tidal reservoir.
THE construction of any bridge at this
time within the limit of cost will require
either a temporary floor or temporary work
the chief of engineers, 1t Is better to COM
plete the bridge in permanent manner
than the approaches. AS actual work on
the approaches and on the floor OF the
bridge will not be undertaken for some
time. 1t Is not necessary to decide this Ques
ton now.
"A contract can be made with the Pennsyl-
vania Steel Company that shall provide for
manent buckle plate and asphalt floor or the
temporary wooden floor at the respective
prices named by them, as may hereafter be
determined, and I respectfully recommend
that that course be followed"
Recommendation Approved.
Gen. Gillespie's recommendation was ap
proved personally by Secretary Root the
day Of his departure from Washington for
London and Col. Allen is now engaged in
the preparation of the contract with the
Pennsylvania Steel Company in accordance
Herewith.
The total appropriation for the bridge Is
$4,000. The board of engineer officers APP
pointed to consider the subject estimated
that $145.O00 Of the appropriation would be
required to construct suitable approaches to
the bridge. including a short steel bridge
across the tidal reservoir in Potomac Park,
leaving 1851 600 available for the construc-
ton Of the bridge proper.
Since that time the estimate for the ap-
proaehes has been reduced so as to enable
the department to accept the bids of the
Pennsylvania Steel Company Unless, how
ever, an additional appropriation Is OBJ
tained from Congress, for which an earnest
effort will be made at the coming session.
1t will be necessary, as stated, to slight
either the floor of the bridge or the ap-
proacheS-
Regarding the Appropriation.
AS stated by Gen. Gillespie, the bridge
and approaches can be completed within
the limit Of the appropriation. but only by
having either a temporary wooden floor
for the bridge or a cheap wooden truss or
pile structure for that portion Of the ap-
proaches crossing the tidal reservoir.
The present idea of the War Department
Is to give the bridge a permanent floor Of
suitable construction and to trust to Con-
gress to provide means for suitable ap-
proaches. Inasmuch as the contingent
work in question will not be undertaken for
a year at least 1t has been decided to leave
this question for future determination ac-
cordipo tn tho necessities of the